The Bad Batch episode 14 made another reference to a popular Star Wars video game

Episode 14 of The Bad Batch, titled “War-Mantle,” was an important episode for many reasons. For avid Star Wars video game fans, it provided yet another significant nod to one of the more popular LucasArts games of the mid-2000s.

This week’s episode of The Bad Batch featured an appearance of a popular Clone Wars and Rebels clone trooper, Gregor. That wasn’t the only notable trooper in the episode, though.

Back in 2005, Star Wars: Republic Commando was released for the original Xbox. Well over a decade later, the game still has a dedicated following and has even recently been made backwards compatible for the Xbox One, and an enhanced port of the game is also now available for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4. The game featured the exploits of Delta Squad, an elite group of clone troopers, during the events of the Clone Wars between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith.

The game allows players a firsthand look at what it was like to be a clone trooper in the Clone Wars via Delta Squad’s leader, RC-1138 (“Boss”). It’s one of Boss’ squadmates, however, who makes an appearance in this week’s episode.

RC-1262, otherwise known as “Scorch,” was a demolitions expert and one of the members of Delta Squad in Republic Commando. He appears in The Bad Batch as one of the commando leaders with the new-look troopers in “War-Mantle.” His armor design, along with the other commandos shown on screen, is directly inspired by the video game’s aesthetics.

Scorch doesn’t have any lines and only shows up on screen a few times, but his appearance is just another reference to the fan-favorite video game in The Bad Batch.

Back in Episode 8, “Reunion,” there was another quick nod to Republic Commando. When Hunter regains consciousness after being shot by Cad Bane, the sound of his helmet powering up is the same as the switch-on sound from the game. You can see an example of that Easter egg in this video by ScreenCrush.

Star Wars: Republic Commando references

This also isn’t the first time the Delta Squad has appeared in an animated Star Wars show. In the Clone Wars episode “Witches of the Mist,” the squad is briefly shown as they return to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant with the bodies of Master Halsey and his padawan Knox after their deaths at the hands of Savage Opress.

This is the second time Republic Commando has been referenced in The Bad Batch, which raises the question: Is there something bigger on the horizon for Delta Squad? Will they make more appearances, or is there some new clone trooper video game in the works?

The fact that the game has been more or less revived in the last few years, there’s been more clamoring online for a remake or straight-up sequel. Could these easter eggs in The Bad Batch be a glimpse at things to come?

With Hunter still stuck on Daro, there’s a chance we will get to see Scorch or more commandos in the last few episodes of this season. If we get to see Scorch again, will he be provided the opportunity to defect from the Empire?

Only time will tell, but it’s nice seeing one of the more popular Star Wars video games being referenced in more mainstream stories.