The best moments from Star Wars: The Bad Batch in 2021
By Meg Dowell
For Star Wars TV fans, 2021 meant something completely new: An original animated show exclusive to Disney+. The Bad Batch promised and delivered on many of the things longtime Star Wars animation viewers hoped for. It told the beginning of a good story. It mixed in familiar characters – sparingly – with the new. And it was emotional, funny, and unpredictable all at the same time.
As we celebrate the Fandoms of the Year 2021, let’s look back on some of the most memorable moments from The Bad Batch in its first year of streaming.
WARNING! The rest of this post contains SPOILERS for Season 1 of The Bad Batch.
Caleb Dume runs away
At the start of The Bad Batch, many fans wondered whether or not familiar Star Wars characters would appear in the new show alongside the unfamiliar. Almost immediately, a younger Kanan Jarrus – then known as Caleb Dume – appeared in the first episode of the show.
It was an explosive moment for fans of Star Wars Rebels and the comics to see the character on-screen, especially right as Order 66 began to unfold.
Omega discovers dirt
Omega lived her whole life on Kamino and missed out on many galactic experiences both thrilling and mundane. Her first venture off the planet introduced her to something the Bad Batch merely blinked at: dirt.
This moment opened viewers’ eyes to Omega’s innocence and showed just how much she had the potential to grow throughout the season and series as a whole.
Hera Syndulla meets Omega
Seeing a young Hera Syndulla was an unexpected but welcome treat for Star Wars Rebels fans who got to know her throughout the series. But seeing her paired with Omega even briefly maximized the emotional weight of the return.
Fans know that Hera will eventually become a renowned starpilot with the rebellion, so seeing Omega show her around the Batch’s ship was an unforgettable moment.
The Empire destroys Kamino
Sure, the planet itself may still be intact. But Kamino as we know it is no more. Fully committing to its mission to erase The Clone Wars and its involvements from the galaxy, the Empire destroys the facilities that once served as every clone’s home … including the Batch and Omega’s birthplace.
For Star Wars prequels fans, the quiet shots of a disturbingly empty Tipoca City before the Star Destroyers opened fire on its platforms were exceptionally chilling.
The sun rises on Kamino
Up until the Season 1 finale of The Bad Batch, Star Wars fans had only ever seen Kamino in the darkness of severe stormy weather. But in the final moments of the episode, the show’s main characters stand on a platform in rare Kamino daylight.
The sunrise is a clear but powerful symbol of hope for Crosshair, Omega and their brothers despite the tragedies each of them will still likely be recovering from at the start of Season 2.
It took some serious willpower to narrow down the best moments from a genuinely unforgettable season of The Bad Batch. You can re-experience these and all key moments from the series – or experience them for the first time – right now on Disney+.
Fandoms of the Year
Fandoms of the Year Logo
Did your fandom make the list?
See the 2021 list