#bad batch meta

[fanfoolishness]

I like to imagine that in the future, people remember the clones. After Palpatine falls for good on Exegol, imagine an explosion of freedom and knowledge in those days after the final defeat: imagine archaeologists and scholars plumbing the depths of Imperial and First Order records, trying to figure out what had happened so it could never happen again. And through it all they find the clones’ story woven into everything, until a new field emerges of Clone Studies, a loose alliance of military history buffs and research biologists and anthropologists and ethicists.

They catalogue the Kaminoans’ research; they review the clone memorials on Coruscant, on Zeffo, monuments as large as a massive wall or as small as a quiet statue, from people throughout the galaxy who were grateful for what they did. They study the great tragedy and betrayal of the chip, finally understanding the scope of Palpatine’s plans and bringing them out into the open, sharing the truth that the clones never chose to betray the Jedi Order and Republic they had served faithfully. They study old war vids and oral histories from people of long-lived species or whose grandparents remembered the clones; they build, memory by memory, a sense of the culture, the camaraderie, the brotherhood, the loyalty. They collect vids of battle songs and in-jokes and an interior language shared among them, springing up over the years.

They find and list their names, self-chosen or given by their brothers: Rex, Fives, Howzer, Echo, Tup, Gregor, Wolffe, Cody, Boil, Waxer, Cut. They study the clones whose differences defined them and knit them into a family whose ties could not be broken, Hunter, Wrecker, Tech, Crosshair, Omega. They study the discarded who nevertheless still had value - 99, Emerie, the clones who were culled in infancy for being wrong. There are specialists who devote their entire branch of study to the only male unaltered clone and his infamous exploits throughout the galaxy, so alike his father’s. They study the years of the clone rebellion, a fight that paved the way for the next wave of fighters and the next after them.

The clones are gone. That is undisputed. Their kind came for a little while, and then vanished, burning brightly; their tale was a tragedy, but one unique in all its seeming sameness. There are conferences and holovids and books. There are debates and research firing up young scholars about a time only their great-grandparents can remember.

In the future, after all the clones are gone, there are still stories.

#the clones #clone wars #the clone wars #the bad batch #Star Wars #clone force 99 #I’m just having feelings okay #Star Wars meta #clone wars meta #bad batch meta #clones

[eelfuneral]

How the First Two Episodes of Season Two Might Foreshadow Tech’s Survival

I’m probably retreading a lot of old ground that I and numerous others have already covered, but I can’t help but keep coming back to details in both “The Ruins of War” and “The Spoils of War” that seem an awful lot like foreshadowing. I’ve decided to gather them into a single post for convenience and further discussion. Anyways, on to the examples.

1. It’s Raining Tech: An interesting parallel between the beginning and end of the second season is the fact that Tech falls from a great height twice: escaping from the Imperial ship in a cargo container and falling from the tram in Plan 99. Tech’s first fall has a resolution in Season 2 (he survived, but sustained injuries) but his second one is more ambiguous since we don’t see him actually hit the ground and the only “proof” of his “death” is his battered goggles. This parallel seems intentional, and having Tech survive his second fall with injuries like he did his first one would be an effective callback to the beginning of Season 2. As George Lucas once said, “it’s like poetry — it rhymes”.

2. Badly Injured Man Not Done Partying Yet: Tech fractures his femur during his fall/crash landing in that cargo container full of treasure, but is still able to fight to save Omega in spite having an injury that should logically make this impossible. Tech’s feat of incredible pain tolerance serves not only as characterization that shows us how much he values his family, but also as an indication that he’s durable and determined to a superhuman degree. If he is supposed to survive the Plan 99 fall, then highlighting Tech’s durability early on makes a ton of sense.

3. Now You See Him, Now You Don’t: One scene that sticks out to me is the one where Tech and an Imperial clone vanish behind a tree, blaster shots are heard, and Tech crawls out as the only survivor. For a moment, it doesn’t look good for Tech, and we genuinely have no idea if he survives. In spite of the initial ambiguity and the fact that his leg injury tips the odds out of his favor, he still ends up being the one to come out from behind the tree. Tech’s Plan 99 fall was pretty ambiguous, too, and revealing him to be alive is Season 3 would echo this little moment behind the tree.

4. I’m a Survivor, Keep on Survivin’: Over the course of these episodes, Tech befriends an older gentleman named Romar. At the end of “The Ruins if War”, as Tech prepares to leave, he asks Romar if he will be okay. Romar then tells Tech that he’s a “survivor”, and the camera lingers on Tech for a bit, visually establishing him as a survivor, too. This moment felt very intentional and I wouldn’t be shocked if Tech quotes Romar in Season 3 if I’m right about him surviving.

That’s all that I can remember at the moment. Let me know if you noticed anything in these two episodes.

#tech lives #tbb Tech #the bad batch #bad batch meta #bad batch speculation

[adh-d2]

One of my favorite pieces of canon continuity is that clones cannot lie for shit

#the bad batch spoilers #tbb spoilers #the bad batch #the clone wars #sw tbb #sw tcw #tbb Echo #arc trooper echo #captain rex #arc trooper fives #clones clones clones #tbb season 3 spoilers #tbb season 3 #the bad batch season 3 spoilers #the bad batch season 3 #the bad batch screencaps #tbb screencaps #clone wars screencaps #tcw screencaps #tbb s3e14 #flash point #tcw s7e2 #a distant echo #tce s4e9 #plan of dissent #tbb meta #the bad batch meta #star wars meta #ADH-D2's Patented Bullshit

[blairaptor]

Thinking about how in The Outpost, the avalanche is a literal, external event that represents Crosshair’s internal struggle, and his world crumbling around him. Then in The Return, the ice wyrm is a literal creature, but it also represents the animosity between Hunter and Crosshair. The wyrm is literally under the surface, and it races towards Hunter and Crosshair as their argument escalates. Then, inside the bunker, Hunter says they have to get the wyrm outside the perimeter “before it tears this place apart”. If Hunter and Crosshair don’t reconcile, it will tear their squad apart from the inside just as surely as the worm will destroy the bunker from the inside.

#the bad batch #the bad batch spoilers #the bad batch season 3 #the bad batch meta #tbb spoilers

[kimbureh]

Hunter is so obsessed with rescuing Omega, he doesn't notice *he* needs rescuing, too, in a different sense. His prison is not literal like iron bars, it's in his head, limiting his options, diminishing the empathy for the rest of his squad. He's a fallen Paladin who hasn't caught up to his own fall yet; still holding up his belief in family values while sacrificing family members repeatedly. Chasing after Omega isn't even about *her* anymore, it's about the idea she represents. There is this illusion that the family will be fixed and everything will be okay once Hunter has successfully rescued her. That's of course a delusion. Hunter won't rescue anybdoy, least of all himself.

Anyway, I bet Crosshair and Omega will rescue Hunter, not the other way round.

#tbb meta #star wars the bad batch #clone force 99 #tbb #tbb spoilers #sw tbb #sw tbb spoilers #the bad batch spoilers #the bad batch hunter #star wars #sw the bad batch #the bad batch #bad batch #tbb hunter #tbb crosshair #clone trooper crosshair #clone trooper hunter #crosshair tbb #hunter tbb #the bad batch crosshair #tbb omega #season 3 spoilers #bad batch season 3 #spoilers #the bad batch s3

[renton6echo]

So not only are they phasing out clones and forcing them to retire. It’s being implied they are also being transported to the cloning facility to be experimented on. ‘Cause why not add to the laundry list of abuses and inhumane treatment of the clones. I just…it’s just so sad. The total apathy. “He [Commander Mayday] is expendable, as are you.”

They are being erased and soon they will be forgotten. The clone army will be a blip in the history of the fallen Republic and the rising Empire even though they played a vital role in both regimes. Do we see the complete impact the clones had on the socioeconomic and political structure of the galaxy? It is all seen and talked about but they are ghosts forgotten in the background because there is no one left to tell their story. And if they are remembered, it’s for the one act they had no control over - the elimination of the Jedi.

It was always going to play out this way for the clones. An inevitability like the circling predator stalking Crosshair and Mayday’s path the entire episode.

But seeing it play out is absolutely heart wrenching. The season is taking a darker and darker turn, and it’s amazing to see the fate of the clones play out in The Bad Batch. Let’s hope the Batch, Echo and Rex can save some of their brothers so they can write their story. God, I loved and hated “The Outpost.” It was so devastatingly good.

The Clone War and The Bad Batch fandom rn:

#star wars #the bad batch #the bad batch spoilers #the bad batch season 2 spoilers #tbb Crosshair #tbb hunter #tbb echo #tbb tech #tbb wrecker #tbb omega #arc trooper echo #captain rex #commander mayday #clone troopers #star wars meta #star wars the clone wars #I can’t with this show #how are you making me feel all this

[nobody-expects-the-inquisitorius]

GET IN LOSERS WE'RE PSYCHOANALYSING PIXEL MEN AGAIN

So I was thinking about this scene again this morning (as you do) and something's bugging me:

Rex flattens him. And whilst I'm convinced Crosshair is amongst the weakest of the clones (he's built for athleticism, not heavy-duty stuff. Hunter overpowers him pretty quickly when they're fighting) I really don't think he'd go down that easily. Like, look at some of the stunts he does:

That takes MAD core strength. And at the campfire fight he manages to hold his ground against Kix, even if he can't get the jump on him. I might be reading too much into it, but I'm not buying it. Look me in the eye and tell me that Crosshair would just let himself get decked like that. It doesn't even look like he's trying to stay on his feet. And I don't think he is.

The boring explanation is that Rex just caught him off guard.

The fun one is that he went down deliberately.

Because the thing is, Crosshair is the most arrogant prick in the galaxy. You'd expect him to complain about Wrecker fighting his battles for him. But he doesn't. He just stands back and watches. And why would he do that unless that's what he wanted to happen?

I don't think that fall was an accident. I think he goaded Rex into attacking him because he wanted to see what the Batch would do if he was threatened. And Crosshair is a MASTER of provocation. He does it with Omega too, he knows exactly what to say that'll cut her right to the core. So he goes for disparaging Echo because he knows if anyone said that about his brothers he'd tear them limb from limb.

I think having to work with the regs set him on edge. He started it because he wanted to piss off the reg captain that everyone in the GAR always insists is oh-so-great, but he let himself get knocked flat because he wanted to see if his brothers would fight the regs on his behalf. He needed the reassurance of knowing they'd leap to defend him if he was in danger. He's afraid. Everything about this is deliberate attention-seeking.

TL;DR: Crosshair is so much more insecure than first apperances would give away and I'm feral about it

#this hit me out of nowhere and i'm highkey proud of it #this is one of those things where i feel like i'm thinking more deeply than the writers #it's probably just a fluke that he got decked so quickly but DOESN'T THIS EXPLANATION MAKE MORE SENSE??? #headcanons #star wars meta #the bad batch #tbb #tbb crosshair #star wars #the clone wars

[lightwise]

Full Circle - The Return to The Outpost

The Return is a masterpiece in visual, verbal, metaphorical, and situational parallel and payoff. We have been waiting for 3 long seasons to see Crosshair and his family come to terms with their choices, reunite, and move forward together, and this episode somehow manages to give us all of it by walking us point by point through the scene of Crosshair’s change of heart—The Outpost. Most likely the themes presented here will continue to be parsed out for the rest of the season, but their fulfillment is begun here. 

We start with Crosshair outside of the ship, choosing target practice as a thinly-veiled excuse for avoiding his brothers. He is reunited, but not yet comfortable or fully trusted. In The Outpost, the scenes open with Crosshair outside of the ship on a smoking toothpick break, and he is approached by a Lieutenant who is decidedly not amenable to him. In both instances he is starting to be a little more open, however—his helmet is off, and in the first is listening to a group of regs, and the second, chatting with Omega and letting her show him physical affection. 

After a reunion on everyone’s part with Echo, who we see fully embrace a hug from Omega, and slip back into familiar banter with Crosshair, we are taken to the dining area on Pabu. This is a callback to the dinner that the main group had when they first arrived on the island, except this time, Crosshair and Echo have come home, and there is an empty chair symbolizing the absence of Tech. This episode shows no other characters besides the Batch (now including Batcher as the best girl that she is). The conflicts and themes in this episode are meant to fully delve into the heart of what makes this family tick. 

Barton IV is, as Crosshair states, a “remote, understaffed facility. It shouldn’t be a problem to infiltrate.” He can barely hold eye contact with Hunter while saying it, when once he was Hunter’s second. Hunter wants Omega to be safe and instructs her to remain behind, but she is adamant that they should stick together, just like she always has since joining them. Hunter almost looks like he’s going to cry, but he relents to both her demands and Crosshair’s input, although he is still suspicious of Crosshair’s motives. 

Before they leave, Crosshair has his original Bad Batch armor returned to him by Wrecker. His old identity and loyalties, kept by his family the same way he never left their hearts. A contrast to his previous mission, where Crosshair and the other clones are considered “used equipment,” and their only purpose is to protect and retrieve the shiny new armor meant for their replacements. 

As they make their way to the base, the weather also points to a drastic difference between the two episodes. In The Outpost, the weather is MISERABLE. Cold, stormy, clouded, dangerous. Crosshair’s inner turmoil at that time cost Mayday his life, and broke his allegiance to the Empire. But on their return it is clear, sunny, calm, settled—almost serene (on the surface). Crosshair has thawed and grown as a person, and his emotions appear to be in a much calmer, if somber, place. As they land, Echo states that there are no signs of life on the scanners. 

The planet is a graveyard. A memorial. A resting place. Made to dredge up and bury. 

A baptism. A resurrection. 

They exit the ship, and a vulture shrieks overhead, a reminder of Crosshair’s failures. Crosshair lifts his head to look at it, and his shoulders slump. (There’s an excellent little explanation of the vulture symbolism here.)

Mayday had told him that the vultures are vicious creatures who find a way to survive. They bury the dead and they take the scraps and they clean up for everyone else. They are shunned but beautiful. And they survive. Against all odds. 

The second the vulture disappears, tension between Hunter and Crosshair begins to spill over. While the others are happy to see Crosshair assuming his old identity, Hunter is suspicious that the planet is deserted yet still heavily guarded by sensor beacons, and rounds on Crosshair demanding explanations. Crosshair has willingly led them to the site of his trauma but he is NOT ready to talk about it yet, and matches Hunter snark for snark. According to him (he should know) the danger (local raiders) has been taken care of. Hunter is even more pissed off as he gets a glimpse of Crosshair’s activities under the Empire, and Omega is disappointed in both of them. Their feelings remain tense and tight as Echo convinces them all to get inside and focus on their mission. 

Once inside, Wrecker asks a question that encapsulates the fate of all the clones. 

“So why’d the empire abandon this place?” “I guess it served it’s purpose.” “Hmm, sounds familiar.” 

This prompts Crosshair to separate from the rest and go to a side storage room, where he first comes across the same heater that Mayday had once carried over to him as a gesture of friendship. It is dark and dead now. A sweep of his flashlight, and an even more sickening sight awaits him. All of Mayday’s troopers helmets, once lined up in a silent memorial, are now in a pile on the floor. And Mayday’s is among them.

Crosshair must have known this was a possibility, coming back. He isn’t ready to talk about his feelings toward this place, but his face tells us all we need to know about his grief and his regret. He steps over and in reverence, greets the helmet of his friend. He understands now. Loss, grief, death. The burden that Mayday carried. Succumbed to. At the time, Crosshair had merely watched. Now he participates and gives Mayday and his squad the honor they are due. Hunter, who has become more and more suspicious of what Crosshair isn’t telling him, catches sight of his brother honoring a (supposedly) random group of regs, but slips away to not disturb him. Yet. 

Crosshair rejoins the others as the sensors are turned off to redirect the power supply, and Batcher suddenly starts acting up. Crosshair takes her seriously, although he is forgetting something important that Mayday once told him—“you’ll freeze to death in that armor—if what’s in the ice doesn’t get you first.” Typically this is Hunter’s job, to be alert to shifts in the environment, but he is so focused on Crosshair “leaving” that he seems to be completely unaware of something stirring outside. 

Crosshair walks out both to scout and to process his feelings, and is greeted with an up close look at the ice vulture that has haunted him. He starts to scowl and as the bird takes off, asks “are you going to be my shadow everywhere?” A statement that could hold true for both the vulture and Hunter, who has followed him. And Hunter gets right to the heart of it.

“I know you,” he says. Or I did, before you became someone I don’t recognize. Someone who would betray us and leave. “There’s more you’re not telling us. Start talking. What did you do to get on the Empire’s bad side?” Hunter needs proof. He wants to know how the brother who swore loyalty to the Empire thrice over and stayed on that Kaminoan platform had a supposed change of heart. But he frames it bitterly, believing that Crosshair is simply repeating a pattern—one that had almost made them enemies. 

Crosshair’s hand shakes so much that his toothpick slips (like the sharp and pointed wit that often protects and comforts him), and we see a rumbling in the ice. Their emotions are starting to bubble and seethe.  

“You thought we’d take you back and not ask questions? I don’t think so.” Hunter is losing his grip on his emotions and physically shoves Crosshair in an attempt to spark the fight. His face is drawn, angry, and anticipating hurt. 

Crosshair remains remarkably calm, not even necessarily wanting to make an argument out of it, but he eventually responds to Hunter’s indignation with his own. And this time he doesn’t hold back. He starts at the end, admitting he killed an Imperial officer, but holds the tender explanation of why close to his chest still. Instead he tells Hunter what he thinks he wants to hear—that his betrayal of the Empire mirrors his betrayal of the Batch. Except Crosshair adds his own perspective—that he only betrays after feeling like he has been betrayed first.  

Hunter doesn’t have time to ponder that information as Crosshair now unleashes the root of his own turmoil onto him—and he knows how to hit Hunter where it hurts. Where he’s failed.

“I risked EVERYTHING to send you that message! You ignored it. You let Omega be taken to Tantiss.” The hurt blooms on Hunter’s face. “You failed.”

Crosshair isn’t even concerned about what happened to him on Tantiss. He’s concerned about Omega. And he knows that fact will twist Hunter’s gut in ways nothing else can. Hunter is their leader. He by default bears the blame of what happens to them, even though his squad makes their own choices freely. Crosshair doesn’t want to let him forget it. Hunter never lets himself forget it either. 

Both men only know their own sides of the story. And it’s tearing them apart.

They’re ready to trade blows but their attention is pulled back to their family and larger circumstances by Batcher barking. Hunter finally realizes where their emotions have brought them, but it’s too late. The snow erupts from a giant wyrm creature, no longer kept at bay by the high-pitched hum of the sensors. No matter the gulf between him and Crosshair, Hunter’s first priority is to shove him away screaming “move!”--echoing Mayday trying to save Crosshair during the avalanche. They fall to their knees and the ground splits between them. They barely make it back to the base as the symbol of their outburst chases them across the snow. 

Plans are made. The squad won’t be safe until this threat is dealt with. Each member volunteers their strengths. Hunter is in mission mode now, his face open, and extends an olive branch after his brother offers to shoulder the burden of leading the creature back beyond the perimeter alone. “We’ll do it together.” But now it’s Crosshair’s turn to be suspicious. Will Hunter really trust me again? Can I trust him?

The creature follows them. Disaster strikes. Hunter shrieks and falls below the ice. All animosity gone, Crosshair rushes to him, panic lacing his voice. Hunter! I can’t lose you the way I lost Mayday, buried beneath the snow.

And now, it is Hunter’s turn to tunnel into the darkness below the ice and face everything he’s been running from. Shot for shot, Crosshair has already been on this journey, already faced himself, his fears, his failures, down there. They can’t reconcile their perspectives, because Hunter has yet to do the same. Hunter commits to making sure that the wyrm is led away from his family, putting himself in harms way to make sure they stay safe. However, he has a safety line—Crosshair and Batcher up top, tracking him, covering for his usual role. 

“We found a weak point in the ice. We’ll try to dig through.” “You’ll try?” Their old banter makes a hesitant appearance. Hunter is still running. Crosshair is willing to try, as long as that effort is acknowledged. But despite their words, they hope that they won’t let each other down this time. 

“Am I going to have a way out or not?” “If you end up where we hope you do.” Hunter needs reassurance of an outcome first. But Crosshair reminds him that he is the only one who can plot his path, and its consequences. Hunter has to take responsibility for his own journey. The way out of this predicament hinges on how far, and where, Hunter lands. And he won’t take shortcuts, even when Crosshair begs him to go ahead and exit the tunnel once they find each other. He begged Wrecker to get Tech back onto the railcar. This time, he’s in the trenches himself. 

Tuned into his senses again, Hunter still doesn’t jump even as he feels the wyrm get closer, until the sensors are reactivated. Finally, he accepts Crosshair’s to help pull him out of the literal mouth of danger as the worm barrels into view. And they run again, leaping to safety just in time, having accomplished their mission. The wyrm is now harmless, roaring at them from the other side of the perimeter, chastened until it finally slinks away. 

The boys collapse, share a fully open look. All they need now is a nod. They have each others’ backs. Approval, gratitude, and trust now have space to grow. They are brothers again.

And Crosshair gets a redo of his trek back to the platform, except this time, instead of Mayday dying in his arms, Hunter is by his side, unharmed, and Batcher prances alongside them. Instead of silent TK Troopers and the insolent sneer of Lieutenant Nolan, they are greeted by Echo and Omega’s shining faces, and Wrecker running to meet them (and hug them. We all know they secretly loved it.)

(Side note: both Crosshair and Hunter have shown self-sacrifice on behalf of someone else in these parallels. Behind the scenes, Echo and Omega have a conversation that hints at the fact that Omega might be contemplating the same. The outcome of the guilt and confusion shadowing her even while Crosshair returns to the light remains to be seen, but it does not bode well.) 

The episode could end here. But it doesn’t. Now the real conversations can begin. It’s late in the evening and they have dug their ship out in order to depart. Bathed in warm light, Crosshair is finally ready to open up, at least a little, although he can’t face Hunter in the process. 

“I thought I knew what I was getting into with the Empire.” Owning up to his perspectives, not shifting blame. It was a choice he made. “I’ve done things. I’ve made mistakes.” Ones that he regrets. Crosshair's default is still to paint himself in the worst light possible when trying to reconcile with someone, in the hopes that the darkest parts of him will be accepted. He so desperately wants to be accepted for who he is, even when he knows he has done terrible things, and maybe especially, because he hasn't fully forgiven himself for them yet. So he tries to shock and hurt in the hopes that either his inner self-loathing will be corroborated, or his need for forgiveness can come from an outside source. 

And Hunter does forgive him, and doesn't even dwell on the many, many things he could blame Crosshair for, now that his own anger has passed. He acknowledges that he has regrets too, gives an even playing field by saying that none of them really had full information of what was going on when their separation first began, and extends solidarity in the best way he knows how. 

A smoothing of the path behind, and a glimpse toward the path ahead. He doesn't know what it holds either, but he's willing to walk it together.

And I think their choice of words is what they needed from each other. Hunter needed to know how Crosshair viewed his own actions. Crosshair needed to know how Hunter felt about the consequences, both those caused by him and those caused by Hunter’s own choices since. Hunter has always questioned his brother’s perspectives—his mind. Crosshair has always questioned his brother’s heart—his loyalty. Their strengths--and also their weaknesses.

“All we can do is keep trying to be better. Who knows? There might just be hope for us yet.” 

And for now, it’s enough. Crosshair looks into the sky, watches the ice vulture flying overhead once again, except this time, it flies off into the sunset, leaving him still mournful, but slightly more whole than when he first arrived. 

✨ Tag List ✨

@drafthorsemath @freesia-writes @sunshinesdaydream @the-bad-batch-baroness @heyclickadee @the-little-moment @ladyzirkonia @jedizhi @burningfieldof-clover

#the bad batch #tbb #star wars #crosshair #crosshair bad batch #tbb crosshair #tbb spoilers #the bad batch spoilers #hunter #hunter bad batch #tbb hunter #the return #the outpost #tbb meta #the bad batch meta #long post #some light ramblings #somelightramblings #some light edits #somelightedits

[rendomski]

Shout-out to Nala Se 

It won't be a popular opinion, but here's a moment of appreciation for Nala Se! Or rather, A Tale of Two Bitches.

Bitch No. 1 here is karma. Fandom rightfully hates Nala Se for her role in Fives’s tragic fate. But outdoing herself in keeping the chips a secret, Nala Se helped Palpatine's ascend and subsequent genocide of her people.

She had her good moments, too. She refused to leave the medical station and her patients in the Malevolence arc. She protected Omega—true, while cooperating in enhancing Crosshair's chip. Though, most probably, the choice was between enhancing his chip and proving to Tarkin that the members of Bad Batch aren't totally useless or letting him just get rid of all of them. 

But in Tantiss Nala Se proved herself to be an awesome badass bitch! First, bluntly refusing to cooperate, unlike the Kaminoan politicians: you exterminated my people, what worse can you do to force me to cooperate? Then, quietly but persistently protecting Omega on, it seems, a daily basis for half a year. And, finally, point blank lying to a space wizard of immense power, a cunning manipulator who double-crossed the whole galaxy, the most powerful person here—still, tricked by a quiet Kaminoan woman who had the solution to his problem by her side all this time, and nobody even suspected.

God, she is so underappreciated!

#nala se #tbb omega #the bad batch #tbb meta #the bad batch season 3

[arcsimper5]

So I was speaking to my 8 year old this morning about tomorrow being another 'Bad Batch day' (he's very excited), and I wanted to share his opinion on it, as, let's face it, this is a show marketed to kids and teens as a primary audience.

Me, being 34, LOVE it and recognise the emotional depth, but considering it won Best Children's Show previously, it sits squarely in that audience age range.

So I asked him what he thought was going to happen in the next episode.

His response:

'They're going to get back together and go to find Tech'.

I reminded him that Tech fell in the last season, and that it's been 6 months in the show since that, and he said something which made me smile:

'But they're all going to have to be together at the end! That's the way it works.'

I know he's only 8 and he's still learning about life and fairness and what that all entails, but if an 8 year old can have hope, I think the rest of us are allowed!

#the bad batch #tbb #tbb meta #tbb theories #tbb spoilers #tbb s3 #the bad batch season 3 #bad batch season 3 #bad batch season 3 spoilers #tbb tech

[nateofgreat]

Okay, let's talk about the accusation that the last two episodes were "filler" the most overused term in media critique.

Filler episodes were originally for anime that needed to make up an original plotline while they waited for the manga they're adapting to get ahead of them.

It later began to refer to entirely self-contained episodes that have no plot importance. Like a one-off trip to the beach that no one mentions again.

Then it referred to ANY episode that didn't move the main plot forward.

NOW it refers to episodes that DO move the plot forward but don't resolve it completely.

We've reached peak nonsense.

The past two episodes covered them finding their way to Mt. Tantiss and has now gotten them on the way.

"But the Bad Batch could've found their way to Mt. Tantiss two episodes ago by having Crosshair plant the tracker!"

Yeah, and Tolkien could've had Frodo walk through the Black Gate and straight up to Mordor. How anti-climactic would that be?

How dumb it would it be for tbb to just find the super secret planet and go there instantly. Everyone would be calling that contrived writing. The Bad Batch having to hitch a ride on an imperial shuttle, not knowing where they're going, not being able to organize an attack, and not having an easy way back is SO MUCH more interesting than them just, knowing where to go and having all the time in the world to plan an attack.

This way it's an "all or nothing" operation on an unfamiliar terrain.

There's not a story on earth that doesn't have "filler" if we go by the modern definition of the word. Frankly, I think it's mainly used nowadays by review channels when they're mad they don't have enough clickbait for their review video.

#Star Wars #The Bad Batch #tbb #tbb spoilers #sw meta #tbb meta

[marvel-starwarsfangirl]

Why Crosshair Will Live

(aka an essay by a Crosshair girlie who loves her clone husband too much)

So, I've been thinking long and hard about the final season and how it could end. Obviously, it's gonna be an emotional rollercoaster and all that. However, there's always going to be discourse about who's gonna bite it, especially since our main characters don't have plot armor and this show is allowed to go way darker than Rebels. Crosshair is my favorite character and I don't hide that at all. He's all over my page. But looking at his character, there's a part of me that believes he actually might make it out in one piece. Let's get started!

"Redemption Equals Death"- Out of all the tropes, this is the one Crosshair embodies the most. He was the villain for a season, but now he's changing his ways. In past seasons, I would've said this is how his story ends. His brothers find him and Omega on Tantiss and he goes out protecting them, proving he deep down he still loved them. But after season 3, I don't think that's the case anymore. I think he's passed the point. Crosshair in season 3 is actively redeeming himself through his actions and words with his family and the other clones. We don't need to see him go out in some big self-sacrifice because we already see the person he truly is inside. More importantly, his family sees the person he's become. He's already proven it in so many ways. Crosshair openly admitted his mistakes, saved Hunter from the wyrm, is very protective of Omega, and saved his brothers, Omega, and Rex + Howzer from CX-2. At this point, Crosshair has passed the "redemption equals death" marker. His redemption is playing out and the people around him are seeing the changes.

His Character Arc- Crosshair's character arc has always been about loyalty and identity. Go all the way back to season 1 with the infamous "this is who I am" line and his whole spiel about the Batch not being loyal to him. "Aftermath" shows us this poor man already beginning to struggle. In season 2, Crosshair is going through every hurt no comfort fic trope in the book. This man was pushed to the brink, with every sense of his being questioned. And he almost didn't make it. Crosshair in "The Outpost" was so close to dying after trekking through the blizzard and shooting Nolan. He's suffered through so much already from being severely burnt to freezing, and now almost drowning. Pretty much half way through season 3 and Crosshair's trials aren't over. His hand is still bothering him and he's still trying to find himself.

Although Crosshair has made peace with his family, I believe he still needs to make peace with himself. He's been humbled sure, but there's more to go. Who is he if he isn't a soldier or sharpshooter? Crosshair's arc will probably finish with him realizing being a soldier isn't entirely who he is. His hand tremor still could be related to his internal conflict, we don't know. So far, he's doing a great job. We've seen Crosshair begin to find peace on Pabu and comfort with Omega. It would be so satisfying to see him make it out of this mess alive. My best BB ending would be him (and his brothers) alongside Omega retired somewhere. They have each other and that is enough.

His Poster and Theme- Crosshair is the only character as of right now in the Batch who has a separate poster for season 3. Not even Omega has a separate one (although I can see her getting one later). In fact, Omega shares her with Crosshair. Both are wearing their prison outfits, showing their shared situation and stand against a white/grey backdrop. We also see Cross gripping his right hand, referring to the issue he's having with it. However, he also has one of himself in the same golden lighting as his brothers. Crosshair stares at his helmet with a calm look on his face and appears to be contemplating. That has to mean something. From my POV, I get the sense he's wondering about who he is. Wouldn't it be a great ending if Cross finds himself and lives to see that self be happy?

He is also the only member of the Batch (Omega aside) to have his own theme/leitmotif. He has two actually: his Imperial one and his heroic one. His heroic theme aka the "Mayday" theme is stunning and highlights his struggle perfectly. You can actually hear it in season 1 fun fact but it's faint. The fact that he does have a separate poster and theme from the others does give me hope that he will make it. Not to say that the others aren't important, but something about Crosshair and his journey is very meaningful to have warranted this. You can argue that he shares the title of "heart of the show" to some degree because his arc is the most dynamic of all the Batch. His struggles and fight back towards the light truly raise this show to greatness.

Crosshair is also season 3's "Batcher of Year" award and so far, they're doing everything we wanted and more. For two whole seasons, his character has been building and building towards this season. And they better give us a great payoff. Crosshair's character going to continue to soar as the season progresses. I can definitely see him making it through to the end because of the focus on him.

Omega- how can we forget about the kid who never gave up on our grumpy sniper? Omega (and we can argue Cross to a lesser degree) is the heart of the show. She gives the Batch a new outlook on life and it is through her that they grow and change. Omega brings out the paternal and softer side in each of her brothers. Crosshair, however, takes a bit longer to get there. He's the only character whose main development happens away from Omega. When he finally gets home, he becomes Crossdad. But Omega is still a kid, despite her capabilities. If the other Batchers die, who will take care of her? Omega being on her own just doesn't feel right. We also know going off with Rex wouldn't feel satisfying either even though he would take really good care of her.

Now that Crosshair is back, it feels like the show is propping him up to take over Hunter's role. Hunter parented for 2 whole seasons. As the mentor figure, he might bite it. But wait! Crosshair is still here. There is no way the writers would just let Omega finish alone or get killed off. She will have someone with her. Crosshair, having spent the majority of the show away, will probably be the best candidate narratively speaking. As mentioned above, he gets two posters showing just how integral he is this season. He's also been getting a lot of screen time with Omega. So, I can definitely see the show ending with just the two of them left. It would be bittersweet, but still satisfying.

Disney- let's ask the question: would Disney kill off an entire family aside from their child? My best guess is no (this isn't a Disney movie with a prince to save the day). Tying into my last point, I can't see this family-friendly company letting a literal child lose her entire family and end up all alone in the end. We all saw Rogue One and we know that this is a plausible option. However, I'm beginning to think that they aren't gonna do that because again, Omega is a child. She's gonna hopefully have one, if not all, her brothers alongside her. And I swear, if they give her to someone else not named Crosshair, Hunter, Wrecker, or Echo, I will blow a gasket. She needs her family. Disney and Star Wars is all about hope and it's not very hopeful to me if all of the BB but Omega dies.

Rebuttal- let's get this out of the way: if Cross dies, it will be with his brothers, protecting Omega, and defeating Hemlock. There is literally no other way he could go out that would be satisfying. He's redeemed and fought the Ghost of Crosshair's Future (aka CX-2). Backpedaling on his character arc would suck. If he dies, it will be as a Bad Batcher, a loving brother, and the best sniper the galaxy has ever seen.

But I don't think that will happen. I do genuinely think Crosshair has a chance to survive. But what do you guys think? Obviously, I'll still be nervous about the whole thing, but I'm trying here.

#star wars #the bad batch #tbb crosshair #please guys just let me have this #crosshair will live #im manifesting this right now #he will be ok #he and omega will be together #and all will be well #jennifer do you hear me #let's get our prayer circle and hold hands #tbb omega #tbb meta #tbb analysis

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Happy Pride month everyone B*) Allow me to reveal a little behind the scenes detail behind my Banner and Icon. Love was always winning <3

#I don't know what to tag this one to be honest #probably a #delete later #I have made a solemn promise that any icon and banner for this blog must be done in a pair. They Cannot Be Separated. #They have had too much of that already #But yes; they have always been together on the same canvas #they originally were just barley not holding hands so I fixed it <3 love wins #I'm hoping to change them out every new season I start so these guys are probably in their last month of life B'*) #can you believe wwx used to have different bangs? blasphemy #Once again throwing out meta content so I can make up for the fact I am running on fumes #starting out pride month by engaging in another sin (sloth (I slept for more than my usual 4-5 hours (this blog functions on insomnia))) #comic tomorrow cause the next batch is 90% done I literally just ran out of time. #I'm in a toxic relationship with The Grind but in a homoromantic/erotic way. #We (the grind and I) would have long metas written about how we are bad lgbtq rep and spark heated debate within the community.

[adh-d2]

No but it's...

the way they naturally fall into eachother's roles when the other isn't there.

the instinctual head-tilt when Crosshair stabilized his rifle on Tech's shoulder, as if they'd done it a thousand times before.

It's the fact that Tech clearly told Phee all about his brother.

It's the sad, fond smile on Crosshair's face when Omega said Tech made her memorize all the plans ("of course he did").

It's the way Tech knew exactly where to look for that mirror.

#they were the closest brothers and I'll die on this hill #I just need them to be reunited #they are twins ur honor #the bad batch #tbb crosshair #tbb tech #tbb spoilers #the bad batch spoilers #tbb season 3 spoilers #sw tbb #the bad batch season 3 spoilers #the bad batch season 3 #tbb s3e12 #Juggernaut #tbb s2e9 #The Crossing #tbb s1e15 #Return to Kamino #tcw s7e2 #A Distant Echo #the bad batch meta #tbb screencaps #the bad batch screencaps #the clone wars screencaps #ADH-D2's Patented Bullshit

[lamaenthel]

Clone Force 99, nicknamed the Bad Batch and designated as Experimental Unit Clone Force 99, was a clone commando special forces squad that was active during the Clone Wars. The squad initially consisted of five clone commandos that were designed with genetic mutations:

Crosshair, formerly designated CT-9904, was a clone commando who served in the Grand Army of the Republic during the Clone Wars as part of Clone Force 99. Crosshair possessed genetic mutations that gave him exceptional eyesight and marksmanship skills. As a result, he acted as a sniper and a long-range combatant.

Wrecker, formerly designated CT-9903, was a clone commando who served in the Grand Army of the Republic during the Clone Wars as part of Clone Force 99. Due to genetic mutations, Wrecker was much larger and stronger than the average clone trooper. He loved blowing things up, and served as the muscle and demolitions expert for his squad.

Tech, formerly designated CT-9902, was a clone commando who, as a result of his genetic mutations, served as the brains of his squad and was a valued asset in this regard, using his high intellect and mastery of technology to ensure their operations were successful. Even so, he was no less skilled in combat than the other three members.

Hunter, formerly designated CT-9901, was a Clone Sergeant who served as the commanding officer of Clone Force 99. He was genetically altered to have heightened senses and was able to sense electromagnetic frequencies from anywhere on a planet.

Ninety-Nine, formerly designated CT-9900, was a clone who suffered errors during the cloning process. His mutation was intended to provide him with an accelerated healing factor; while he did indeed heal wounds almost twice as fast as his brothers, his healing factor mutation unfortunately caused him to suffer severe progeria as a result of enhanced cellular turnover. Due to his valuable stem cells, bone marrow, and blood---which showed temporary improvements in wound healing speed in troopers who received transfusions---he was not terminated, and was instead removed from his squad at an early age and assigned maintenance duties. He was killed assisting Domino Squad in the defense of Kamino in 21 BBY.

The four surviving members of Clone Force 99 named their squad in honor of their fallen brother.

#the bad batch #the bad batch headcanons #tbb #tbb hunter #tbb crosshair #tbb wrecker #tbb tech #hunter #crosshair #tech #wrecker #the bad batch meta #tbb meta #my writing #sorry i've been obsessed w this hc since february #bad batch eve

[maidenvault]

I know we’re all distraught but if you think about it, of course Crosshair had to miss the shot. This is Omega’s final journey and she has to do it alone, just like Luke turning himself over to the Empire in RotJ was something he had to do on his own. But does it even need to be said? She has everything with her that she needs.

She has Tech. And she has the compassion and hope that’s made her a sort of guiding light for the batch this whole time, truly the big sister in a sense. We all know she’s going to do what she always does and try to reach out to the goodness in this person, probably even before she knows who he is, and then believe in him so hard that she’ll be the one saving one of her brothers again.

And I love how much this turn of events is going to push the rest of the squad to fully grow up in a way, too. We saw Omega leave behind Lula, the doll she still treasures but has grown out of, and the Marauder getting destroyed seems just as meaningful in an episode called “Point of No Return” in showing that they have to move on from their past now, too. Tech blowing it up feels like him killing both his mother and his baby. Practically Hunter’s whole identity has become about protecting Omega at all costs and it’s going to be especially difficult for him to deal with this, but I think being able to let that go and accept what Crosshair let her do could finally let the tension that’s always defined their relationship turn into more mature and understanding brotherhood. It’s gonna be so hard to watch but I can’t wait to see everyone challenged in this way.

#the bad batch #crosshair #tbb hunter #tbb omega #tbb tech #star wars #meta #my meta #hunter #omega #tech