My Entertainment Update for April

The Bad Batch S3. We’re just one episode away from the conclusion of The Bad Batch as a series, and I’ve got mixed emotions about it: anticipation, dread, excitement, sadness, and curiosity about how the heck they’re going to wrap everything up in one final episode based on where we are right now. There’s been some speculation that the last episode (titled “The Calvary Has Arrived”) will be longer than the usual 25 or so minutes, but I’ve also heard it’s just going to be 22 minutes. So who knows?

There’s also speculation that the finale will introduce the beginnings of a new animated series about the Clone Rebellion, led by Rex, Gregor and Wolfe and perhaps Echo; but again, we don’t really know. Bad Batch fans are just holding their collective breath to see how this story ends, who might die, who lives to fight another day, and darnit, who’s CX-2? Is it Tech? Cody? Just another clone? There’s so many questions that need to be answered. And, ready or not, we’re going to get them (hopefully) next week. I’m planning on writing a post after the finale for my final thoughts. What are your predictions?

Tales of the Empire. I’d been hoping for a Season 2 of Tales of the Jedi, but this will definitely do. All six short episodes drop on May 4th with three focusing on Morgan Elsbeth, and three on Barriss Offee. It will be interesting to see Morgan’s beginnings with the witches of Dathomir and how she became Thrawn’s ally; but I think we’re all a bit more excited about seeing Barriss for the first time since her arrest in Clone Wars. Questions about her fate have been swirling in the fandom for years, and now finally we’ll get some answers. Based on the trailer, she’s obviously been recruited to become an Inquisitor after Order 66, but will she ultimately commit to the dark side? Can’t wait to find out!

The Living Force, by John Jackson Miller. I’m not quite done with this book but I’m getting close, less than a hundred pages left. It takes place just before The Phantom Menace; Qui Gon Jinn has offered a challenge to the Jedi Council: to reconnect to the Living Force, get out of the Council chambers and away from their focus on the Cosmic Force (the big picture), and “Just help one person.”

So they do. All eleven members of the Council decide to meet up on the planet Kwenn. The Jedi Temple there, manned since the High Republic, has been slated for closing, a common occurrence at this time. During the High Republic, the Jedi established Temples on a great many planets, to send a message to the people that “The Jedi Stand With You.” Since then there aren’t many Jedi outposts left, as the Jedi increasingly retrenched to the main temple on Coruscant and made decisions in close concert with the Senate and the Republic. The Jedi Council, in particular, have lost touch with the common people of the galaxy, who increasingly don’t trust the Jedi or know very little about them.

Anyway, off they go: Ki-Adi-Mundi, Yarael Poof, Plo Kloon, Saesee Tiin, Even Piell, Eeth Koth, Mace Windu, Adi Gallia, Yoda and Yaddle. Depa Billaba is also a member of the Council at this time, but she’s on a mission. Mace becomes concerned when she goes missing, and his part of the story is trying to find her and what her mission involves, while the others arrive on Kwenn and soon become enmeshed in helping the locals with solving their problems. Kwenn’s society has been declining in recent years and has seen an influx in pirate activity, which in turn has led to less tourism, and the corporations operating there leaving the system, which impacts everyone living there.

While they’re helping various people and groups, they’re also planning a big celebration where they invite all the citizens of Kwenn to show their solidarity with them. The problem is, the villain of the book, a pirate named Zilastra who has kidnapped Depa Billaba, plans on consolidating her power in the sector and killing all the Jedi at this celebration.

John Jackson Miller does an admirable job switching back and forth between all these characters and their individual missions, while making the story fun and lighter than most other books. There’s quite a bit of humor, and we get to know these lesser-known characters and their personalities better. It’s kind of sad, knowing the fate of all these characters at the hands of either the Separatists, Sidious, or Order 66 (Yoda being the only survivor). Because of this, I’m glad of the opportunity to get to know them better.

Star Wars and Philosophy Strike Back, by various contributors. I was browsing through a Barnes and Noble store recently and came upon this book in the philosophy section, so of course I had to get it! I don’t usually read a lot of nonfiction about Star Wars but I want that to change and this seemed like an interesting place to start. I haven’t gotten into it yet because I wanted to finish The Living Force first, but it addresses questions like:

Should droids be free? Should clone troopers?

What political and ethical ideas ground resistance and rebellion?

What’s wrong with the way women are portrayed in Star Wars?

Does Han Solo have a philosophical worldview?

Was Galen Erso responsible for the destruction of Alderaan?

Should you eat Baby Yoda?

I’m not sure what that last question is all about, but I’m certainly curious, as I am about all of them. There’s a total of thirty-six essays addressing some deep questions presented by Star Wars, written by various philosophers, and I’m looking forward to delving into them.

That’s about it for this past month. What’s been entertaining you? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!

How the Bad Batch Won Me Over

So now that Season Two of the Bad Batch has ended with a final Season 3 on the way, it’s safe to say that the show is a fan favorite. I’ve seen a ton of love for this show on social media, and I couldn’t agree more. I love these guys so much. But for me, at least, it wasn’t always so.

When we first met Clone Force 99 back in the first arc of Season 7 of the Clone Wars, I thought, who the heck are these clowns? They just seemed so over the top and stereotypical: the broody leader, the strong one, the smart one, and the grumpy sniper with the toothpick. I kind of rolled my eyes. I already loved the clones; why’d they have to create these weirdos? Lol.

By the end of the arc, they’d grown on me a little bit, but I swiftly put them out of my mind as the exceptional season 7 continued. But then the announcement came: The Bad Batch would have their own show. Really? I thought. Those guys? Why? Oh well, I’ll tune in, but I’ll probably hate it.

Two seasons later, and I’m slightly obsessed (okay, full-on obsession), and Season 3 can’t come fast enough. And can’t we have more than 3 seasons? Please????

So how did this turn around so much and so fast? I thought about it, and here are the main points about the show that won me over completely:

First off, we get a glimpse of the early years of the Empire, which we haven’t seen too much of, outside of books and comics (and yes, another Order 66 scene, one that involves a young Kanan Jarrus. Points for familiarity and ties to Rebels). We see what happens on Kamino and how the clones are affected; including Project War Mantle, or how the clones were being replaced by stormtroopers. Later, in Season 2, we see Mt. Tantiss, a throwback to Legends, and Palpatine’s secret doings there. It’s a different timeline than we’ve seen before, and it’s interesting.
It’s the continuation of the story of the Clones. Clone Wars told of how the clones and the Jedi worked together during the war, what exceptional soldiers they were, and helped us see them as individual human beings. We also saw hints of what’s to come with Fives and his malfunctioning inhibitor chip, and our dread increased. In the BB, that story continues, with the fallout from Order 66. It’s not just the Jedi who were betrayed, but the clones themselves, used as a tool for Palpatine’s plan, and then discarded. What happened to Kamino and the Kaminoans? How were the clones replaced? How did the clones feel after Order 66? What happened to them? These questions and more are answered in the show.
Besides these two rather objective plot points, I want to talk about the Batch themselves, naturally. They are what make the show. Yes, they were rather stereotypical at first in the Clone Wars arc, and perhaps at the beginning of Season 1. But they quickly became more three-dimensional as the show went on, and I, for one, came to love them all. In Season 2, especially, we see a lot of character growth for all of them.
- Hunter. Hunter’s growth comes mostly in Season 1. He has to learn to adapt and lead his team in this new world of the Empire. But mostly his growth comes with Omega, who he has taken on as his responsibility. And as the season wore on, he had to learn to let go and not overprotect her so much. It’s natural to worry about a child’s safety, but Omega is part of the squad. As a mom, I thought it was a huge leap of faith to allow her to participate in dangerous missions. In Season 2, he has to decide what’s best for the team, pull away from Cid, and decide whether or not they should stay on Pabu. In the end, it’s about protecting their own: going after Crosshair, and finding Omega.
- Echo. Echo was a reg and not part of the original team, so he’s always felt like the odd man out. Maybe that’s why he’s always so grumpy, lol. But the squad welcomes him in as one of their own, a clone who’s not like the others. But from the first episode of Season 1, Echo has wanted to do more to fight the Empire. He was a loyal soldier to the Republic, and this Empire doesn’t sit right with him, especially with what it’s doing to his brothers. But Hunter has other priorities: Omega, and keeping them safe. It comes to a head in Season 2, when he leaves to join Rex on his missions. It saddens Omega, but I’m glad they had a little moment that brings them closer together.
- Wrecker. Wrecker couldn’t get more stereotypical: the big dumb muscle of the group. He likes to blow things up (because he likes to blow things up!), but he’s nevertheless child-like with a big heart. He bonds with Omega right away, a fellow kid he can have fun with (and share Mantell mix with). His brute strength is impressive, but he’s not all dum-dum: in Season 2, while trying to escape clones on Serenno, he innovates and creates a new weapon out of old ones. Still no genius, but he’s good with weaponry, at least. And I think it’s easiest for him, out of all of them, to adapt to their new situation. He’s very happy blowing things up, but he’s also very happy fishing for dinner on Pabu. Love the big lug.
- Tech. I’m not going to say Tech had the most character growth out of them all, but I would say he had the most dramatic. From the very beginning, I think Tech struck a nerve with a lot of fans–some feel he represents the neurodivergent community, and that’s cool. He’s clearly more comfortable with a datapad in his hand than with interpersonal relationships, and as someone who often has her nose in a book to escape socializing, I totally get it. Season 2 really got into his character, highlighting the fact that although it’s hard for him to show emotions, or even articulate them, it doesn’t mean he doesn’t feel them. He has a wonderful bonding moment with Omega showing this, when she’s so upset about Echo leaving. It’s hard for him to even explain this to her. But he clearly loves his squad/family, as he sacrifices himself to save them in the season 2 finale. Oh, and that sort-of thing between him and Phee is delightful–she flirts and teases, and although he doesn’t quite know how to react, he’s definitely not unaffected by it. If you pay close attention, you can see that he watches her a lot. You can tell he wants to say something to her when they leave for that last mission, but he doesn’t know what to say or how to say it. Which is all the more heartbreaking. 😦
- Omega. I love this girl so much. She’s sweet from the very beginning, and has served as the moral compass of the group, always insisting on doing the right thing, even though it may be inconvenient to them. She’s spirited and brave and smart and learns quickly. She loves her brothers unconditionally (even Crosshair). It’s only in Season 2 that she starts to display a bit of adolescent rebellion, lol. While it took me awhile to warm to other Star Wars kids, like Ahsoka and Ezra (and I love them both so much now), it wasn’t a struggle to love Omega. I think it’s really interesting that she’s actually older than her brothers, and maybe even saw them when they were babies. How weird is that?
And let’s not forget Crosshair. Crosshair’s betrayal in the very first episode of the series is the twist that gives this show its dramatic gravitas. One of their own, their brother in arms, has joined the Empire and hunts them down like enemies. That hurts. It hurts even more when we realize he consciously makes this decision, as he had his inhibitor chip removed at some point. One of the more compelling questions of the show has been: why? If it’s not the inhibitor chip, what makes him stay with a regime that is so clearly contemptuous of him? That is so heartless, violent, and cruel? Personally, I think it’s fear: he doesn’t know who he is if he isn’t a soldier. The others in the Batch are dealing with that conundrum, but Crosshair can’t even consider it. So he does everything the Empire asks of him, just so he can be what he’s used to being. My take. Anyway, Crosshair is one of the most interesting and complicated characters of the show, and his episodes are consistently excellent. I can’t wait to see what will happen with him and Omega on Mt. Tantiss in Season 3.

I could go on and on. The gorgeous animation, Kevin Kiner’s awesome score, the humor, the attention to detail–the way Hemlock holds his black-gloved hand (what’s up with that, anyway?) So these are the things that won me over, and this is my love letter to The Bad Batch. 🙂

What do you think of the show? What’s your favorite thing about it? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!

Ranking the Order 66 Scenes in Star Wars

I was thinking the other day how, naturally, the Star Wars stories we get overlap quite a bit, and we see certain events from different perspectives. One big one is Order 66, and we have to relive the pain of the end of the Jedi Order over and over again, lol. What hurts the most is how the younglings and Padawans suffered, and in the instances below I’ve focused on how Order 66 affected them.

Again, I haven’t included any instances in books or comics, just live-action and animation. I’ve ranked them according to how sad it made me feel, or how much the youngling or Padawan suffered (and they all do). It was hard, but this is what I came up with, with the saddest at the top.

The Clone Wars. The Clone Wars ended on Order 66, viewed through the eyes of Ahsoka and Rex. They’re on their way back from Mandalore with Maul in tow when the Order is given. Rex manages to resist it just long enough to give Ahsoka a chance, but then succumbs to the programming. Ahsoka manages to get her hands on Rex and remove the chip, and they both fight their way off the ship as it crash lands. This last haunting scene of Ahsoka shows her grief and her love and respect for the clones who served at her side for so long. It shows how the clones were victims of Palpatine as well; and Ahsoka’s refusal to kill them, Rex’s tears, and the clone graves makes it one of the hardest, saddest scenes in all of Star Wars. The entire episode is amazing.

Obi-Wan Kenobi. This series kicks off with Order 66, showing a group of younglings running for their lives in the Temple. It’s revisited later in the show, as we find out that one of the younglings was Reva. This one was so hard because it actually shows Anakin killing a child, thrusting his lightsaber into her middle, something Revenge of the Sith didn’t do years earlier. It’s shocking and horrible. And then later, to see that youngling floating in the tank in the Fortress Inquisitorious–wow.

Revenge of the Sith. This movie is, of course, our first experience with Order 66, and seeing the clones turn on the adult Jedi is awful, but when we see Anakin turning on his lightsaber with these poor babies, it’s sickening. We don’t even see them die; we don’t have to. Just knowing Anakin kills children is sobering and shocking. Despite this particular scene becoming a meme for (uncomfortable) laughs over the years doesn’t take away from its horror. I still get a little tear in my eye when that sweet boy asks Anakin what they should do, and he answers with death.

The Mandalorian. We get part of Grogu’s memory of Order 66 in The Book of Boba Fett, as well, and we’re left wondering who saved him. We get that answer in The Mandalorian with Jedi Master Kelleran Beq. I don’t think this story is over yet, and it may get even sadder as we find out Kelleran’s ultimate fate; but seeing our sweet baby (even babier here) so scared and helpless rips my heart out.

Jedi: Fallen Order. I’m not a gamer, as I’ve stated many times before, but I’m familiar with Cal Kestis and his story. I got to know him even better in the novel Battle Scars, so his experience of Order 66 is still moving for me. Watching your master be attacked and killed by the clones you served with, and were probably friends with, is terrible for anyone, never mind a kid. He survives and goes on to fight the Empire, but Order 66 will always haunt him.

The Bad Batch. In the Season 1 opener of The Bad Batch, we start right off with Order 66. Jedi Master Depa Billaba is fighting Separatist battle droids when her young Padawan Caleb Dume brings in the Batch for reinforcements. Order 66 occurs during the battle, and Caleb witnesses his Master killed by the clones. The Batch, mostly immune to Order 66, don’t know what’s going on and try to help Caleb, but he only sees clones and runs. Crosshair doesn’t help the situation, as he is the only one of the Batch that reacts to the Order and tries to kill Caleb. Hunter allows him to run away and lies to Crosshair and the other clones about it. We know Caleb eventually grows up to be Kanan Jarrus and fights the Empire with his Ghost crew.

I think that’s it with live-action and animation, but please let me know if I’m missing an obvious one. Between this post and my last one about sacrifice, I seem to be on a theme of “How Star Wars makes me sad,” lol. And it does, but there are uplifting and funny moments, too, of course. Maybe I’ll try to cover that next time!

Which Order 66 scene affected you the most? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!