Star Wars: The Bad Batch Episode 12 Ending Explained
"Star Wars: The Bad Batch" rolls on this week, picking up the pieces left behind by Episode 11, "Devil's Deal." Last week's installment put the spotlight on Ryloth and how it's handling the emergence of the Galactic Empire. As the tension between Cham Syndulla (Robin Atkin Downes) and Orn Free Taa (Phil LaMarr) escalates, a young Hera Syndulla (Vanessa Marshall) of "Star Wars Rebels" fame explores her rebellious tendencies. Tragically, her curiosity lands her and her family in hot water with the Imperial occupation, leaving us all on a tense cliffhanger.
Unlike in "Devil's Deal," where their presence was nothing more than a footnote, Clone Force 99 is once again back at the forefront for "Rescue on Ryloth." In the previous episode, it was established that via their employer, Cid (Rhea Perlman), the squad had connections to Gobie Glie (Corey Burton) — one of Cham's closest confidants. As such, Hera was able to contact them in a desperate attempt to free her parents from Imperial custody, a request they hesitantly accepted. As one would imagine, the plan didn't go as smoothly as they'd hoped with a few unexpected twists occurring along the way.
Here's where we are at the conclusion of "The Bad Batch" Episode 12, and where we're headed from there.
It's all about family
As noted previously, "Rescue on Ryloth" is based primarily around the rescue of Cham and Eleni Syndulla, as well as their companions, from Imperial imprisonment. Scared and alone, Hera turns to the Bad Batch for help, but Hunter (Dee Bradley Baker) isn't so sure it's there place to intervene. Omega (Michelle Ang) protests his perspective on the matter, citing her own willingness to go above and beyond to rescue him and the rest of the team if they found themselves in a similar situation. This leads him to give in and kick off the risky jailbreak.
Meanwhile, Cham and Eleni are stuck in their cell and have a handful of interactions with Clone Commander Howzer (Baker). At first he seems sympathetic to them, but seemingly convinces himself over and over again that his mission should come first. Nevertheless, his longtime friendship with Cham and his connection with the Syndulla family wins him over and he elects to aid in their eventual escape. All in all, these dynamics present us with the importance of family in a way that would make Dom Toretto of the "Fast & Furious" franchise proud.
In its earliest forms, "Star Wars" was about family, and it has kept that theme going from era to era. It's almost a rite of passage for any "Star Wars" project, one that "The Bad Batch" has accomplished in droves, especially through "Rescue on Ryloth."
Dissent in the Imperial ranks
As is tradition for Clone Force 99, they attract a lot of attention during their rescue mission. Hera and Omega are the main culprits, hijacking a nearby Imperial shuttle and blowing up a good chunk of the nearby refinery as an improvised portion of their plan. Nevertheless, Cham and Eleni are saved by the Bad Batch and the timely intervention of Captain Howzer, who evidently defies the influence of his inhibitor chip and directs the group to a safe exit away from Crosshair's (Baker) pending ambush.
Moments later, Howzer faces Crosshair's forces and delivers an impassioned speech about the true role of clones in the age of the Empire. They're not mindless drones to be used for whatever purpose the regime sees fit, but rather people who can recognize right from wrong. A couple of troopers come to their senses and join him in dropping their weapons, but the vast majority are unfazed by Howzer's words. The turncoats are then promptly arrested and likely thrown in prison to be dealt with at a later time.
It's highly unlikely that we've seen the last of Captain Howzer, or that he and his allies are the only clones we'll see fight back against the Empire. A clone resistance is simply too intriguing a proposition to let go without a second glance.
A looming rebellion
Howzer's rejection of the Empire may cost him his life, but it wasn't in vain. Cham, Eleni, and the Bad Batch evade capture in the capitol by taking Orn Free Taa's personal ship back to Cham's old hideout, reuniting with Omega, Hera, and Chopper. With Imperial troops surely hot on their trail, the two parties prepare to go their separate ways, but not before Eleni raises a very interesting point about the state of the galaxy and Clone Force 99's place within it.
The Syndullas both make it known that an age of rebellion against the Empire is on the way as a result of planets across the galaxy being overrun with Imperial forces. Hunter explains that he plans to simply focus on his people for the time being, but Eleni notes that his approach isn't very practical in the grand scheme. In due time, the conflict will consume their lives as well and they'll need to make adjustments accordingly — fighting back against the growing evil that's engulfing the cosmos.
The fate of the Bad Batch pre-Galactic Civil War is largely unknown. Will they join the growing rebel movement and play a hand in the Empire's fall, or will they, as Hunter posits, just mind their own business however they can for as long as they can? Time will tell, but it's unlikely Eleni's word of warning didn't have some implication behind it.
The hunt truly begins
To finish off "Rescue on Ryloth," we see how Vice Admiral Rampart (Noshir Dalal) is handling the destruction of the Imperial refinery. Combined with Howzer's betrayal and the disappearance of the Syndulla family, he's not happy, and neither is Crosshair. Once again, Clone Force 99 has evaded both of them, leading the Bad Batch's former sharpshooter to request permission to pursue his old teammates and end their feud once and for all. Rampart gives him the go ahead, and in doing so, leaves us all on a slight cliffhanger.
Since defecting from the Bad Batch, Crosshair's attempts to eliminate his brothers and Omega haven't panned out as anticipated. In fact, their last encounter left him a charred, mutilated mess, enhancing his desire for vengeance even more than his inhibitor chip did. It's almost as if his emotions are getting the better of him and preventing him from completing his primary objective, taking a bit more of his humanity each time he fails. Crosshair is falling further and further into darkness, and if Clone Force 99 is smart, they'll keep their heads on swivels.
"The Bad Batch" Episode 12 was certainly eventful and went a long way in setting up the future of the show from Episode 13 and beyond. If "Rescue on Ryloth" was any indication, next Friday will bring with it a highly eventful installment.