The Bad Batch: Hunter and Omega learn family comes in all shapes and sizes

Family comes in all shapes and sizes in a galaxy far, far, away. The Bad Batch is simply another familial unit as it appears the group’s leader, Hunter, is coming to realize that. Not knowing the first thing about taking care of a child, he goes to the one person who does: Cut Lawquane, a defector clone who left the clone army and married a Twi’lek woman, Suu, and become the adoptive father of her two half-Twi’lek children, Shaeeah and Jek.

For Hunter, he often confuses being a soldier with being gentle and compassionate. Omega, on the other hand, allows her curiosity to overtake her.  The pair are still coming to terms with their new situations, and tensions are running high.

During their time on Saleucami, they find themselves in more danger than they bargained for with the Imperials shutting down the spaceports. Hunter sees that Cut is more qualified to look after Omega than he and Clone Force 99 are. He has Tech forge five chain codes for the Lawquane family and the girl to allow them to get off-planet.

However, Omega has no idea until the last second, and Hunter tells her that it would be safer for her if she were with a family who could provide for her. She ends up upset but goes with her new friends. Suu, seeing how sad the girl is, allows her to go back to the clones, much to the surprise of the Bad Batch.

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Hunter accepts that Omega’s decision isn’t to remain with the Lawquane family but her first true family, Clone Force 99.

From Hunter’s perspective

Having been cloned from Jango Fett, Hunter’s objective is to be a soldier first. Of the Bad Batch, he’s the one everyone looks to for guidance. He often forgets that being a good leader requires compassion. He is reminded of this when Omega runs outside the fence to fetch a ball she had been playing with during her game with Shaeeah.

After seeing how gentle Cut is with her, Hunter believes he is doing the right thing by Omega by giving her over to the Lawquane family. What he doesn’t consider is how she might feel about it. He doesn’t bother to ask her what she wants.

While believing he is protecting Omega from harm, Suu’s words resonate with him. She explains that children should be entitled to make mistakes and the adults’ job is to protect them.

When Cut joins the conversation, Hunter admits that he’s right. Omega is no soldier and needs to be cared for. This shows that he’s willing to take advice, even if he doesn’t like it. What’s more, is his inability to not inform others and to keep the information to himself until the last second.

Hunter is also known to be selfless as when Suu asks whether he actually wants Omega to go with her, Cut, and the kids, he doesn’t give her a straight answer. He just says it’s what the girl needs and doesn’t even attempt to bring his own feelings into it.

From Omega’s perspective

Despite being a clone of Jango Fett like her “brothers,” Omega is simply a child who is too curious for her own good. Having never been off Kamino, her knowledge of the outside world is limited until she joins the Bad Batch on Saleucami where she experiences fresh air and dirt for the first time.

She is quick to question Shaeeah and Jek and their ball game. However, she adapts and begins to enjoy herself, but with Hunter’s approval, which she seeks. Given her inexperience in the world, Omega doesn’t understand when there’s danger, as evident when she is almost attacked outside the fence. A second stand-out example is when she almost steps on a booby trap set by the Lawquanes to stop trespassers from entering their property.

From the perspective of the Bad Batch

Despite this article being primarily about Hunter and Omega and their growth, we need to also think about the rest of the Bad Batch and how the family dynamic affects them.

While Crosshair has jumped ship and joined the Empire, the other members of the group have their own view on the family dynamic they have.

We know that Wrecker has a fondness for Omega, as she was kind to him when she found his Tooka doll. When she is almost attacked outside the Lawquane family’s fence, he shows concern for her. Hunter also finds the two of them asleep after the girl explores the ship.

Tech seems to be indifferent to her, but he does appear to care — as does Echo.

How will Hunter and Omega grow across the season?

Hunter and Omega are growing at their own rate as characters. Their own experiences plus what their journey might entail will depend on how far the Lucasfilm team behind the series wants to take it.

Could we see Hunter become more paternal towards Omega to the point he almost becomes another version of Cut? Perhaps, but it also depends on what the Bad Batch’s actual mission is and how dangerous it might be.

If the mission is deadly, then it might even push Omega to embrace her DNA as a clone of an infamous bounty hunter. (We already know she is a decent shot with a blaster despite having never fired on in her short life.)

How do you think Hunter and Omega will grow throughout The Bad Batch season 1? Tells us below!