The Bad Batch: How Caleb’s story links to his Rebels journey

We’ve gotten our first episode of The Bad Batch, and it was amazing! The one important aspect of the series was the inclusion of a young Kanan Jarrus when he was known as Caleb Dume. With him was his Master Depa Billaba who he witnessed get mowed down by their squadron of clone troopers. While much of their story was told in the comic series, Kanan: The Last Padawan, this new show is our chance to see these characters together in an animated format.

Caleb is seen in his short appearance as this energetic teenager who has a habit of not thinking his ideas through. He recruits the Bad Batch (or Clone Force 99 as they’re called by the other clones) while Billaba questions him. However, it appears he doesn’t seem concerned with this line of thinking because he’s (apparently) thought it through.

However, he’s running to help the Bad Batch when he senses his master’s distress and turns to help. She tells him to “Run!” as he will later tell the Grand Inquisitor years later. So, how exactly does Caleb and the journey he goes on link to Star Wars Rebels?

It has to do with The Bad Batch

More from Star Wars: The Bad Batch

• The Bad Batch showrunner Jennifer Corbett gives update on series
• Star Wars: The Bad Batch may not have a happy ending
• The Bad Batch as… Sailor Scouts?
• Dee Bradley Baker may have confirmed a major Bad Batch death
• The Bad Batch season 3: Biggest predictions for the final season

We learn in the episode that Clone Force 99 isn’t affected by Order 66 when Palpatine activates it. This leads them to become confused as to what is happening around them. One of the members of the group, Crosshair, the sharpshooter of the bunch, tries to kill young Caleb multiple times as he’s all about “following orders”

However, the leader, Hunter, attempts to stop him from killing the Padawan. He even tries to talk a terrified Caleb around but Dume wants nothing to do with him, given he witnessed the other clones kill Depa.

Caleb uses the Force jump ability to escape by landing on the other side of the waterfall. Hunter watches him go before Crosshair shows up, demanding to know where the boy is.

What’s more, is Caleb could see in Hunter’s eyes that he didn’t know what was going on either.

Kanan’s reaction to learning Ahsoka’s friend is a clone and the aftermath of Malachor

Season 2 of Star Wars Rebels put Kanan out of his comfort zone when he, Ezra, Zeb, and Sabine learn that Ahsoka’s friend is a clone.

Before they depart, Ahsoka tells Kanan to trust her friend. But when he prompts her to explain further, she tells him to listen to her which confuses him and Ezra. When they do meet Rex, Gregor, and Wolfe, his reaction isn’t great. Not to mention, Wolfe panics with the captain telling him that Jarrus and Bridger are not the ones who betrayed them.

As time goes on, Kanan and Rex clash over the smallest of things, but they soon come to respect each other. When Jarrus returns to the Ghost after losing his sight to Maul on Malachor, it’s the fact that Ahsoka is not present and that Ezra is so upset that the former clone captain realizes his friend is lost.

How Kanan learned to trust Rex

When Kanan was known as Caleb, he trusted the Bad Batch really quickly. But when his master got killed, this went out the window very quickly. So, that begs the question: how did he learn to trust Rex?

Well, given that Ahsoka had so much faith in Rex, it might have triggered the memory of Hunter attempting to reason with him as a child. Knowing Kanan, he could’ve fought to push it away given what happened to Depa. However, seeing his friends looking to the Clone Captain for guidance would’ve given him the push to accept him as a friend.

What do you think? Do you believe Caleb’s experience with the Bad Batch inspired him to get to know Rex? Share your thoughts with us below!