The first season of The Bad Batch started out with a bang and gave us all a nice ride for 16 episodes. The season was fun, emotional, and gave us plenty to look back on as we prepare for a second season sometime in 2022.
Let’s take a look at some of the “winners” and “losers” of the first season of Star Wars’ latest animated offering.
Winner: The Batch
Though they no longer have a “home” and are still on the run from the Empire, the fact that every member of Clone Force 99 survived the events of the first season is reason enough to make the Batch winners. But when you also consider that they all have their inhibitor chips out and are free to make their own choices about their lives now, then it’s doubly clear that Hunter, Tech, Wrecker, Echo, and now Omega are all coming out on top after the first season.
The Batch still have a lot of decisions to make about their identities and how they’re going to adjust to the new galactic landscape, but having everyone all in one piece after the season finale was a nice surprise.
Loser: Crosshair
The situation at the end of season one of The Bad Batch is a little complicated for Crosshair. Yes, he survived the bombardment by the Empire, but he still refused to join his brothers and was left behind on Kamino. What’s he going to do, call up the Empire and say, “Hey, I know you just tried to kill Clone Force 99 and me, but I’m still here and still want to be part of this glorious Empire!”?
Crosshair is at a crossroads right now. Yes, Hunter and the Batch could’ve done more to try and save him, but he also made his own choices to stay with the Empire even after his inhibitor chip was removed. As Tech said, it’s in Crosshair’s nature to be unyielding, and that played out multiple times in the first season.
Where does Crosshair go from here? Because right now, he’s in limbo and doesn’t really seem to have a place to go. The Batch would welcome him back, but he doesn’t want that. The Empire? We’ll see.
Winner: Omega
It was a rough season finale for Omega, who had to watch her home get destroyed by the Empire while also putting her own life in danger to save AZI-3. But considering she now has a family with her Bad Batch brothers, I think she’s definitely a winner.
Omega has found a place she feels she belongs, has a role with her newfound family, and gets to explore the galaxy rather than being confined to a stormy island city. The future looks really bright for Omega, and her compassion and empathy will likely save her brothers from mistakes a few more times. Plus, she’s learning some pretty cool archery skills and making new friends — like Hera Syndulla — on their travels.
Loser: The Clone Army
Kamino? Destroyed. Inhibitor chips? Still active. Any sign of free thought? You’re taken into custody (or worse). Yeah, life as a clone trooper in the Empire doesn’t seem very good right now. Plus, the clones are now starting to be phased out with human TK troopers as the Empire seeks to transition away from the clones.
A handful of clones escaped nasty fates in the first season of The Bad Batch, but some soldiers — like Howzer — may not be so lucky.
We already started to see a shift in tone from the clones at the very end of the season with the hesitancy and frustration in an unnamed clone’s voice aboard Vice Admiral Rampart’s Star Destroyer after the destruction of Kamino, and the second season looks to explore that questioning of purpose even more.
Since there are no clone troopers in the Empire by the events of A New Hope, we already know more or less how this is going to end. So the clones are definitely on the losing end here.
Winner: Cut Lawquane
One of those clones who was able to escape the Empire was none other than Cut Lawquane. And the fan-favorite clone is getting the happy ending that he deserves.
Early in season one, the Batch helped Cut and his family move off-world by getting them chain codes, which should benefit them for the years and decades to come in the Empire. Cut and his family should be able to live safely on another planet and be free from persecution from the Empire.
Most clones are likely going to meet grizzly fates at the hands of the Empire. But it’s nice to know that Cut and his family are fine.
Loser: Kamino
Once the home of thousands of clones and the Kaminoans themselves, Kamino is now just a stormy planet with a city crushed beneath its merciless waves. The Empire is brutal when it has no more use for you, and the poor planet and Tipoca City found that out the hard way.
The finale was emotional with its final goodbye to the planet we were all introduced to almost 20 years ago, showing all the empty cloning bays, the empty cafeterias, and empty rooms as the Empire pummeled it into oblivion.
We’ll miss you, Kamino.
Winner: The fans
More Star Wars content is never a bad thing, and we already know The Bad Batch is getting a second season. That’s a win for the fans.
Season one itself was a win for Star Wars fans, too, as it continued on the tradition of quality story-telling in Star Wars animation. Fans got to explore new stories while also getting to see plenty of familiar faces along the way.
It’s not a bad time to be a Star Wars fan right now, and season one of The Bad Batch was just another sign of that.