Star Wars: The Bad Batch Episode 1 Ending Explained
Contains spoilers for "Star Wars: The Bad Batch" Episode 1, "
When "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" was revived for a final season on Disney+, longtime fans of the animated series weren't expecting future follow-ups from writer and supervising director Dave Filoni and the rest of the Lucasfilm Animation team. But when the opening episodes of "The Clone Wars" Season 7 introduced "Star Wars" fans to a rogue-ish squad of genetically altered clones, many were eager to see more. And it's not hard to understand why: Better known as the Bad Batch, the members of Clone Force 99 all have unique talents not seen in other clones, which makes them a deadly fighting force on the battlefield.
In July 2020, fans got their wish when Lucasfilm Animation announced that the spin-off series "Star Wars: The Bad Batch" was in the works. Now, almost a year later, the show's super-sized premiere episode has dropped on Disney+ on "Star Wars" Day 2021: Tuesday, May 4.
The episode picks up during the devastating events of Order 66, previously seen 2005's "Revenge of the Sith" and in the two-part finale of "The Clone Wars" in 2020. It plunges the Bad Batch crew Hunter, Wrecker, Crosshair, Tech, and Echo (all voiced by Dee Bradley Baker) into the universe's brand-new status-quo as the Republic transitions into Darth Sideous' Galactic Empire. The change is immediate, and everything they do becomes heavily scrutinized by the clone creators on Kamino, the Imperial forces, and even Republic outlaws who are just trying to live their lives.
Here's how "The Bad Batch" Episode 1 pushes the most unique clones in the galaxy into a life on the run, and what it means for future episodes.
Inhibitor chips and Order 66
Ah, the infamous Order 66. Also known as Clone Protocol 66, this is a Sith-created order that brands Jedi as traitors and subjects them to execution (via Star Wars Fandom). Emperor Palpatine activates this early on in the episode, forcing the Bad Batch to watch in horror as the rest of the clone troops massacre the Jedi. It's later explained that the Bad Batch's genetic abnormalities mean their inhibitor chips don't work properly, which instantly puts them at odds with the rest of the Imperial forces. While their individual traits set them aside from usual clones anyway, their personalities are also wildly different, making them stick out like sore thumbs from the rest of the army.
Unfortunately, their situation only gets more desperate when Grand Moff Tarkin (voiced by Stephen Stanton) – the same Tarkin from the Original Trilogy — arrives on the aquatic planet Kamino to assess whether the Empire really needs a clone army, choosing to investigate the Bad Batch and their unique fighting style. But when they're dispatched to the Onderon sector under the pretense of killing Separatist insurgents, the Bad batch are faced with a horrifying realization: They were actually sent to murder Republic men, women, and children who disagree with the Empire and its fascist grip on the galaxy.
Thankfully, because the Bad Batch's chips don't work, they can't face carrying out their mission, rightfully choosing to disobey their orders. Once again, it proves that their individual personalities are their true strengths in a fight of good versus evil. But it also means they failed the test that Tarkin set out for them. Will their disobedience be the catalyst for the Empire ditching the Clones for conscripted civilians? Quite possibly, but we'll have to wait to see in future episodes.
Crosshair's betrayal
Unfortunately for the team, there's one soldier in their midst who isn't quite as resolute in disobeying orders. Crosshair still wants to carry out the missions he's been given, even attempting to shoot a Jedi Padawan (Caleb Dume) in the introduction of "The Bad Batch" Episode 1. He constantly butts heads with Hunter, the Bad Batch's leader, over not sticking to their orders, acting more like a typical clone than any of the others.
During the Onderon mission, it becomes clearer that Crosshair's chip is still functioning to some degree, as he votes to execute all the Republic outlaws. It's likely that because his genetics make his sharpshooting skills even sharper, they also keep him on the straight and narrow because of the sheer focus required to be a sniper. Crosshair has to be detached from the idea of killing because he picks his targets off from a distance, which also explains why he has such a cold demeanor.
To make matters worse, Tarkin and the Kaminoans put Crosshair's chip into overdrive, which forces him to fight his own teammates during their escape from the cloning facility. He doesn't exactly hold back either, directly taking aim at their heads; one shot nearly takes Wrecker down. Crosshair even fires at Omega (voiced by Michelle Ang), a clone child (more on her in a bit), which perfectly encapsulates just how far off the deep end he's gone.
Luckily, the team escapes from Kamino without Crosshair and with Omega, but thanks to Crosshair's newfound loyalty to Tarkin and the Empire, it probably isn't the last we've seen of him.
Omega and the Bad Batch's partnership
Right after the Bad Batch returns to Kamino, we're introduced to Omega, a mysterious young girl who also happens to be a clone. She's working under the Kaminoans as some kind of medical apprentice, although it's not exactly clear why. Because of the Bad Batch's unique appearances and behavior, Omega instantly feels a certain kinship with them. After all, she's surrounded by thousands of faces that all look the same and yet has no one to connect with aside from a helpful droid. It's perfectly understandable why Omega is drawn to the Bad Batch: They're like her.
That's the main reason why she leaves Kamino with them. Just like there's nothing on Kamino for the Bad Batch anymore, there's nothing there for Omega either. As she points out, she's never been anywhere except the cloning facility, which makes flying around in a spaceship incredibly exciting. The moment in the cockpit where Hunter watches as Omega's eyes widen at light-speed travel shows just how empathetic and compassionate the clones can be.
The relationship between an innocent child like Omega and the hardened soldiers of the Bad Batch crew also adds an excellent dynamic to the series — one that we've seen work wonders in the "Star Wars" universe before. Looking ahead, both Omega and the Bad Batch will be forced to grow and develop in new ways because of their partnership; Omega's naïveté will push the Bad Batch to be even more empathetic and steady in their convictions, and the Bad Batch's boldness, bravery, and connections to people and places all over the galaxy will open Omega up to a whole new life. Where have we seen that before? Din Djarin and Grogu from "The Mandalorian" would like a word.
A new destination
Now that the Bad Batch have been branded as traitors, they can no longer call Kamino their home, sparking a brand-new adventure for them to embark on. But this raises a number of questions. Since they all have similar facial features to other clones, it's going to be very difficult keeping a low profile among the current Imperial forces because they'll be instantly recognizable. This is likely why they're seeking help from an "old friend," as Hunter puts it, but it's not quite clear who it is they're looking for.
While it would be easy to assume that they're looking for Commander Rex, since the squad worked alongside him in "The Clone Wars" Season 7, it's not that simple. The Bad Batch has no way of knowing if his chip has forced Rex into an Imperial minion or not, and it would be a big gamble to just assume that he'd be able and willing to help them in a post-Order 66 world.
Whoever Hunter's friend is, they live in sector J-19. Also called the Saleucami System, the sector was seen way back in "The Clone Wars" Season 2, where a clone deserter named Cut Lawquane (also voiced by Dee Bradley Baker) lives a peaceful life on a farm. Could this be the person the Bad Batch is going to meet up with? It's not impossible that Dave Filoni and the "Star Wars: The Bad Batch" writers are calling back to earlier plots and characters in the series, but only time will reveal who's going to ally with the squad.
The next episode of "Star Wars: The Bad Batch" hits Disney+ on Friday, May 7 at 12 AM PT / 3 AM ET.