#although me rewatching the tudors means that updates on this may be a bit slow

[phantom-of-the-501st]

Thoughts on TBB 1x2 and 1x3

I'm back! I promise that I didn't forget about the whole Bad Batch rewatch analysis thing I just uh... haven't actually been watching TBB recently. In fact it's been a whole month since I made the last analysis post...

But I have some thoughts on the next two episodes! I was hoping to get this out earlier in the week but after writing essays for my exams I had no motivation to churn it out. But here it is!

(Also, I may have started rewatching The Tudors so I have absolutely no idea when I'm actually going to watch TBB again... this whole plan is going very well. I'll try and not wait an entire month again this time!)

1x2

Tech in the Pilot Seat

Straight away, seeing Tech in the pilot seat made me instantly think of that shot from the S2 finale of Echo looking at the empty seat next to him.

That image haunts me.

I will never be the same.

Omega and Dirt

I love the comparison between Omega in S1 and Omega in S2. By S2 you can definitely tell that she's settled into the flow of things and is much more accustomed to a life outside of Kamino. The scene of her discovering dirt for the first time is sweet and kind of funny (especially with Tech's comment) but also kind of sad. Her entire life she has grown up in a completely sterile environment with absolutely no idea about what the world around her was like. The fact that she doesn't even know what dirt is means that she probably wasn't taught about it either. It just proves that the Kaminoans never had any intention of letting her leave the labs. She was one of their experiments, one of their helpers and they were never going to give her the life that she deserved.

But I do love that her awe and desire to explore are still there in S2. if anything, I think taking her off Kamino just enhanced her desire to see more of the galaxy. When we first saw her at Tipoca City, she never showed any real desire to leave, not because I don't think she necessarily wanted to, but because she had resigned herself to the fact that this was her life and that this was in fact normal. She's a child experiment surrounded by millions of other child experiments. That is her normal. At that point, I don't think that she could even conceive just how different the universe outside of Kamino was. But now that she's had a taste for that adventure, she wants to chase that curiosity and explore wherever she can. They may be on the run from the empire, but it was still her first taste of what freedom actually was.

Batch Parenting

So there are multiple points in Cut and Run when they address the fact that the Batch aren't used to having a child around don't really know what to do with the whole situation: Wrecker initially going to take Omega's food, Hunter shouting at her etc. But there is one little detail that I noticed that immediately stuck out to me. When they are walking through the fields to Cut and Suu's house, they are all walking single file with Omega at the back. Now, if we've learnt anything from going on trips at school is that you do not leave children at the back of the line: you have at least one adult at the back and one at the front with the child(ren) sandwiched in the middle. She could've stopped walking and wandered off, or gotten lost, and none of them would've known (unless Hunter's senses picked it up).

It's just one of those little things that show that the Batch aren't used to this. They don't necessarily think that it might be a good idea to keep Omega between them, they just let her trail at the back and assume that nothing will happen.

Echo and Rex

I love how Echo immediately starts asking Cut and Suu questions when they bring up Rex. Personally, I would've liked to have seen a little bit more emotion from that revelation because at this point Rex is officially registered as deceased, but it still makes me happy to see Echo asking about his Captain. That's his older brother. Of course he'd want to know that he's okay. :')

Tech and Echo

My two favourite geniuses with half a brain cell <3

I missed the banter between these two so much when Echo left :(

But I do want to address how close those two are. For Echo, Tech is the other half that has been missing since Fives died. No, Tech will never be to Echo what Fives was, but he's the closest thing to a constant companion that Echo has. The Domino Twins were always paired up, always completing missions as a duo.

And then Echo came back to find that Fives was gone and it would've been a massive empty space that Echo could always feel next to him. But then he ended up with the Batch and naturally partnered up with Tech. Like I said, Tech will never be Fives, but it's probably a great comfort to Echo to have someone by his side again, to have one person out of a group to be your partner in crime.

And I'm sure Tech really appreciated it too. Yes, he's always had his brothers, but it must've been nice for him to have someone who had similar technical capabilities (*thinks about Hunter and the lift*) that he could work with or just talk to. I headcanon that when Echo first joined, him and Tech became really close because Echo was one of the only ones to actually ask Tech about his ramblings and actively listen to them. Yes, they bicker with each other, but they are 100% a couple of little shits when paired up together (...I need Tech back).

Echo

Nothing to say here, I just really like this shot of Echo

Wrecker Knocking Out Droids

So there's a shot of Wrecker knocking out an astromech to help Omega that is very much like the scene in S2 when he steps on the mouse droid. But what I like about the differences in these two scenes is that in S1, Omega needs help after she's wandered off by herself, but in S2 she's gone off alone because they trust her to do so.

It's a little parallel that shows how she's gone from being someone trying to prove her worth and ultimately getting herself into trouble, to being someone who they actively trust to do the things that she was trying to do in S1.

Hunter Didn't Tell Wrecker About Omega Leaving

Just before they get on The Marauder, Wrecker asks where Omega is, meaning that Hunter didn't tell him that she was going to be going with Cut and Suu. And honestly, that doesn't surprise me a whole lot. Hunter is very much a man who will try and avoid difficult situations where possible, so I think he was just hoping to break the news about Omega leaving as late as he could. If he had mentioned it beforehand, Wrecker would've been upset and probably would've tried to contest Hunter's decision. It was probably easier in Hunter's mind to tell everyone when they left (which would've caused it's own problems but Hunter doesn't actually do a particularly good job of avoiding trouble most of the time).

1x3

"Repairs would go faster if I had some help."

...Tech's not there to help him anymore *cries*

Also, the idea of Tech carrying out repairs for the first time after Echo left and that being the moment when it truly kicks in that he doesn't have his partner in crime there... *cries more*

"More squads like this being trained by skilled clones"

The Empire in all their dickish glory are really out here making the clones train the groups of soldiers who would eventually replace them. They clearly acknowledged the skills of the clones enough to use them as tools to teach all the elite teams they were recruiting, but didn't actually care enough to keep the clones around.

And while we're on the subject, there is something ironic about the Empire complaining about the clones lack of loyalty. The truth is, they are loyal. They are arguably the most loyal people that you will ever find, but they are loyal to what they believe is right. The Empire are just pissed that a bunch of highly skilled soldiers have to be brainwashed into thinking that they are not just a group of asshats.

"I'm angry at myself. We don't leave our own behind."

This line alone is all the evidence you need that they still care about Crosshair. They didn't just abandon him because they no longer care, they left because they had to and that decision continues to haunt them. I can imagine Rex saying this exact same thing after discovering that Echo was alive. Neither Rex nor Hunter were wrong for leaving their men behind in that moment, but knowing that they left them will always stick with them.

(Also, the same sentiment is definitely going to apply when they are reunited with Tech because he is 100% alive)

"Enjoy being a commander... for now. We'll see how things shake out."

Now Crosshair looks very put off by this comment, and I don't blame him, but tbf... the guy wasn't wrong. I think Crosshair always knew that the Empire would eventually screw him over, but he hoped that maybe, if he could prove himself enough, they wouldn't throw him out like trash. Being promoted to a commander was probably a tiny bit of hope for Crosshair that he could secure a position, be a more prominent figure.

But obviously we know from S2 that that didn't happen. That role didn't stick, it was only ever temporary and the Empire were fully willing to leave him behind, regardless of the position that he held. They never cared. And so as much as it was a dickish comment from the elite squad member at the time, it ended up being an accurate statement.

Not that it turned out much better for him seeing as Crosshair got rid of him soon as :)

Old Moon Dragon How???

Zoology ramble incoming.

WHY IS THERE AN ANIMAL THAT FEEDS OFF RAW ENERGY LIVING ON A DESOLATE ROCK IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE??? DID I MISS SOMETHING??? HOW IS THAT THING STILL ALIVE??? DOES IT NEVER EAT??? HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO BE CRASHING ON THAT ROCK FOR IT TO BE EVOLUTIONARILY ADVANTAGEOUS TO FEED OFF RAW ENERGY WHEN YOU LIVE ON A BARREN ROCK IN THE MIDDLE OF SPACE???

Crosshair vs The Batch

*cries again* Someone give my poor boy, Cross, a hug :'(

But I do like what these two shots show. Despite being in a room with a group of people, Crosshair is alone. He doesn't feel like he has anyone, he's isolated, he doesn't have anyone around him to support him anymore. And then you have the Batch, who are all shown together. They are a family, a unit, they have each other there for support and despite everything being thrown at them, they will always have the squad.

I also appreciate the contrast in lighting. With Crosshair, everything is blue and grey and cold, while the lighting around the Batch is warm and yellow and comforting. It shows how calming and welcoming the environment with the Batch is, while Crosshair is currently alone and away from any of the warmth of his family.

One Final Point

Echo's little "you did good" nod to Wrecker at the end has my heart and is one of my favourite moments in the entire show <3

(Also, Hunter's face in the picture above made me laugh)