The Bad Batch: What is that monument?

The Bad Batch episode “The Solitary Clone” had some of the best scenes between Cody and Crosshair in front of a particular monument.  It led to visually stunning shots while the two clones discussed more and more clones defecting from the Empire. But that monument actually has more importance than you think, truly adding to the weight of those conversations.

That golden wall is the First Battle Memorial. It’s on Coruscant in the plaza of what was originally the Republic Center for Military Operations that became the Imperial Inspectorate HQ. Fun side fact, the building was designed by a younger Orson Krennic from Rogue One. The building is essentially the central hub of military operations for the Republic and Empire because of its location near the Imperial palace and the ISB Headquarters as seen in Andor.

But the First Battle Memorial is incredibly special and a key representation of the Clone Wars. It is a monument to remember the names of all the brave clones that died in the First Battle of Geonosis, the fight in Episode II: Attack of the Clones that kicked off the Clone Wars. It’s made of a massive slab of Geonosian rock, the planet where they perished. The monument was first seen in the season five episode of Clone Wars “The Jedi Who Knew Too Much.”

I adore this location being used in The Bad Batch as the stage for Cody and Crosshair’s conversations about not only clones defecting but also having to live with the choices they each have made. That monument is a representation of the Republic. It was created as a reminder of the respect the Republic had for these heroes. Now that the Republic is the Empire though, that respect is quickly dwindling. The Empire is systematically replacing clones with stormtroopers. The time of clones is closing in the galaxy and soon enough, they’re all going to be nothing more than relics like the First Battle Memorial.

The First Battle Memorial was such an ideal location for Crosshair and Cody in “The Solitary Clone.” It’s such an important representation of the shared history among clones. It’s one of the last symbols of a time when the government actually valued them as people. And I have a feeling that it is only a matter of time before the Empire tears down that monument too.

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