Is Star Wars: The Bad Batch over after episode 16?

Warning! Spoilers follow for The Bad Batch episode 16.

For 16 weeks, Star Wars fans have been on one wild ride as they followed the adventures of Clone Force 99 and Omega in Star Wars: The Bad Batch. And as a spinoff to The Clone Wars, many have agreed that it’s certainly a worthy successor.

Given the movies never explained what happened to the clones post-Order 66, this series explains it all. The inevitable transition from clone troopers to human stormtroopers. And in the final few episodes of The Bad Batch, we’ve seen just how that transition plays out.

Already, we’ve seen Admiral Rampart spearhead Project War-Mantle, which was the program to integrate both human and clone soldiers into the Empire’s ranks. And in episodes 14, 15, and 16, it became abundantly clear that they were ready to drop the clones completely. Human soldiers were being used, the clones were shipped off to another planet, and Rampart ordered the destruction of the Kamino clone facility.

In the episode 16 finale, we then see the Bad Batch flee the destroyed Kamino while Crosshair looks on at it. He refused to join them, and so Omega and the rest of Clone Force 99 leave, knowing that their brother will not change his heart. So, with this touching finale, does that mean it’s the end of The Bad Batch series?

Is The Bad Batch over?

Episode 16 was a finale… but it is confirmed to be the season 1 finale. As Star Wars announced, there will be a second season of The Bad Batch in the future. It will arrive sometime in 2022.

And this makes sense, seeing as there is still plenty of story to tell. For one, we don’t know how readily accepted Crosshair will be when he makes his way back to the Empire. They already rid themselves of the other clones, so will they welcome Crosshair back with open arms?

What about the rest of Clone Force 99 and Omega? They’re still back to square one. Hiding from the Empire with nothing more to do. Will they end up being a part of the early Rebellion, or will they continue to take missions from Cid and do their own thing?

Lastly, there’s the huge cliffhanger about Kaminoan Nala Se, who was delivered to the Empire and forced to work for them now. Knowing what we know about Palpatine and even some events from The Mandalorian, cloning in Star Wars goes a lot deeper than the Grand Army of the Republic’s initial plans.

Keep following Dork Side of the Force for more coverage on The Bad Batch finale!