The Bad Batch Star Wars: The Bad Batch - Season 1 (Spoiler Discussion)

[Sithborg]

The underwater scenes were also well done. With the bits of debris and underwater currents, it actually felt real, and not just like things were floating in an empty void.

Omega's hair when wet was an impressive bit of animation.

A bit of a low key finale compared to part 1, but still good. Good way to get some interpersonal bits with Crosshair and the rest of the crew.

I do hope they do more with the Clone Commandos next season. Finally making use of the models, now give them something to do. And I don't know why, but the facilities at the end are giving me a real Mount Tantiss kind of vibe. Better have a cloned Zillo Beast next season...

 

[KillerMcQueen]

A somewhat slower finale, especially when compared to the how crazy season finales for these animated shows have usually been, I think they probably should've combined this and part one into one long episode to make it more of an event. I'm betting Crosshair won't tell the Empire that the Bad Batch survived Kamino's destruction.

 

[Snow Queen]

The underwater scenes were also well done. With the bits of debris and underwater currents, it actually felt real, and not just like things were floating in an empty void.

It really is gorgeous stuff. The animation team should be proud.

Strongly disagree. But then again I enjoyed the “filler” episodes.

Rebels was really bad at filler. At least this show, it was much more entertaining. But these characters are better which helps.

I tend to find filler is one of those complaints that I'm just not going to get. Feel like it gets slapped on everything at this point. If I'm watching a TV show, I want to see a TV show, not a movie broken up into parts. One of the nice things about TV is that it has the ability to spend time in the "in-betweens" of it all, so to speak.

For me, Rebels has the edge due to how much I like some of their characters- but this show benefits from the lack of Ezra and the way Zeb tended to annoy me when he was pulled into Ezra's orbit. For my money, the standouts here are Crosshair and Omega.

 

[KillerMcQueen]

It really is gorgeous stuff. The animation team should be proud.


I tend to find filler is one of those complaints that I'm just not going to get. Feel like it gets slapped on everything at this point. If I'm watching a TV show, I want to see a TV show, not a movie broken up into parts. One of the nice things about TV is that it has the ability to spend time in the "in-betweens" of it all, so to speak.

For me, Rebels has the edge due to how much I like some of their characters- but this show benefits from the lack of Ezra and the way Zeb tended to annoy me when he was pulled into Ezra's orbit. For my money, the standouts here are Crosshair and Omega.

Filler is a term that's basically lost all meaning to me, especially seeing it applied to a show like Rebels, almost every episode of that show was either setting up or paying off something else that happened on the show and advancing the plot and characters in some capacity.

 

[Holy Slapper]

Filler is a term that's basically lost all meaning to me, especially seeing it applied to a show like Rebels, almost every episode of that show was either setting up or paying off something else that happened on the show and advancing the plot and characters in some capacity.

I love how this show is slowly showing how the Republic transitioned into the Empire from the troop level. And setting up the clone process. It almost feels like Filoni is telling Lucasfilm "you did the Palpatine clone thing badly, let me show you how it's done".

 

[Gaultheria]

It almost feels like Filoni is telling Lucasfilm "you did the Palpatine clone thing badly, let me show you how it's done".

You're saying that this story is a modified clone of the sequel trilogy?

 

[KillerMcQueen]

You're saying that this story is a modified clone of the sequel trilogy?

I think Holy Slapper's implication is that this will ultimately lead to a better explanation for Snoke/Palpatine, not that they'll be mimicking the story with something else. The Imperial cloning uniform we see at the end of the episode is very similar to the one worn by Dr. Pershing in the first and third episodes of The Mandalorian, and it's a pretty safe bet that throughout these live action shows we'll see the origins of the First Order (and possibly the Final Order). I think Filoni and Favreau are definitely trying to do some damage control for the Sequels in addition to telling their own stories.

 

[Holy Slapper]

I think Holy Slapper's implication is that this will ultimately lead to a better explanation for Snoke/Palpatine, not that they'll be mimicking the story with something else. The Imperial cloning uniform we see at the end of the episode is very similar to the one worn by Dr. Pershing in the first and third episodes of The Mandalorian, and it's a pretty safe bet that throughout these live action shows we'll see the origins of the First Order (and possibly the Final Order). I think Filoni and Favreau are definitely trying to do some damage control for the Sequels in addition to telling their own stories.

Exactly.

 

[Sithborg]

I don't think this is going to lead to a better explanation of Snoke.

This is setting up Filoni's grand crossover and making it into Heir to the Empire.

 

[Marvolo]

It really is gorgeous stuff. The animation team should be proud.


I tend to find filler is one of those complaints that I'm just not going to get. Feel like it gets slapped on everything at this point. If I'm watching a TV show, I want to see a TV show, not a movie broken up into parts. One of the nice things about TV is that it has the ability to spend time in the "in-betweens" of it all, so to speak.

For me, Rebels has the edge due to how much I like some of their characters- but this show benefits from the lack of Ezra and the way Zeb tended to annoy me when he was pulled into Ezra's orbit. For my money, the standouts here are Crosshair and Omega.

The Bad Batch is supposed to be on the run and hunted by Crosshair and the Empire. Yet they can walk around in broad daylight wearing their very distinct armor that the Empire should be looking for. They have time to go on multiple missions for Cid. It killed the main plot's tension, and makes the Bad Batch seem nonchalant and careless. This season should have been paced like a Bourne story. Not like Rebels. The Bad Batch never visiting the same planet twice and trusting no one.

And I think they missed an opportunity too. The first couple seasons of Bad Batch should have had more violent civil unrest and system warfare. Clones rebelling. Systems and planets seizing Republic assets and turning it against the Empire and resisting. The Separatist systems circling the wagons. Terrorism. Assassinations. Citizens on both sides considering the other side traitors causing civil wars. The Empire having to actually fight to hold onto what the Republic owned. Because no matter how well Sidious planned, a coup and radical change happening in a single day would cause a cluster**** and war in multiple star systems. The murder of thousands of Jedi should have caused more chaos too in some systems. The Bad Batch could have gotten caught up and had to navigate these conflicts with Crosshair continually being on their tail. As the show went on and the Empire stabilized the show could have morphed into a different kind of show.

I don't think this is going to lead to a better explanation of Snoke.

This is setting up Filoni's grand crossover and making it into Heir to the Empire.

There isnt much more to say about Snoke's origin. Sidious knew he would eventually die, he made clones, they failed, Snoke was one clone, and Sidious used him to run the First Order.

Star Wars Inside Intel: Palpatine’s Contingency Plan | StarWars.com

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Filler is a term that's basically lost all meaning to me, especially seeing it applied to a show like Rebels, almost every episode of that show was either setting up or paying off something else that happened on the show and advancing the plot and characters in some capacity.

We have gotten to an age where people think any episode that "only" involves character work, is filler. People talking about cutting 13 and 10 episode seasons of things down to 8, 6, hell 4. As if television by it's nature isn't a different medium from film.

 

[BlackFox]

Yeah a more lowkey finale than I anticipated but over the show has been great and the characters have grown since the start and it left me wanting a lot more from them in terms of the crew itself, Crosshair, the Empire evolving and things like Commando's etc etc. This show has so much potential moving forward. The animation is beautiful in places as well and seemed to get even better along the way.

My favourite episodes though were the bounty hunter one's and the those that had the crew pulling jobs for Cid as they gave the show room to explore new places and world building while showing the Bad Batch having to deal with the changes not only to their world but the world around them and adapting to not being soldiers any more straight up.

Also I expected Crosshair to rejoin the crew again at the end so glad it didnt end all that predictable as I first feared.

Looking forward to season 2.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

The Bad Batch is supposed to be on the run and hunted by Crosshair and the Empire. Yet they can walk around in broad daylight wearing their very distinct armor that the Empire should be looking for. They have time to go on multiple missions for Cid. It killed the main plot's tension, and makes the Bad Batch seem nonchalant and careless. This season should have been paced like a Bourne story. Not like Rebels. The Bad Batch never visiting the same planet twice and trusting no one.

Oh, you mean like an old Jedi walking around in his basic Jedi get up even as the Empire has been hunting Jedi forever and day? Or how about certain bounty hunting Mando who has a bounty on his and his kid's head and has the New Republic looking for him, and yet doesn't change his look at all. Or how about Bo-Katan and her crew who are wanted by the Imperial Remnant? Or how about the most wanted man in the galaxy, Luke Skywalker, parading around in his Jedi robes and literally telling people he's a Jedi, while the Empire hunts him? It's almost like Star Wars is Star Wars, and you have decided to make that an issue because your overall argument is weak.

The main plot is not the Batch being hunted by Crosshair and the Empire. It is about them making their way in the galaxy, after the Republic that created them his been turned into the Empire. They are now considered "obsolete" and undesirables of a bygone era. So they are left with a set of skills and the scars of war, being asked to raise a kid, all the while trying to stay under the radar. Hence why they waffle over helping the early Rebellion.

The allegory to the soldiers who returned from Vietnam is on point.

And I think they missed an opportunity too. The first couple seasons of Bad Batch should have had more violent civil unrest and system warfare. Clones rebelling. Systems and planets seizing Republic assets and turning it against the Empire and resisting. The Separatist systems circling the wagons. Terrorism. Assassinations. Citizens on both sides considering the other side traitors causing civil wars. The Empire having to actually fight to hold onto what the Republic owned. Because no matter how well Sidious planned, a coup and radical change happening in a single day would cause a cluster**** and war in multiple star systems. The murder of thousands of Jedi should have caused more chaos too in some systems. The Bad Batch could have gotten caught up and had to navigate these conflicts with Crosshair continually being on their tail. As the show went on and the Empire stabilized the show could have morphed into a different kind of show.

This wouldn't have been a very effective take over by Sheev if that was the case. Also makes zero sense considering how the war ended. The Separatist were routed, all their leaders killed, the Jedi, the most effective warriors in the galaxy were slaughtered, and the senate were the ones who gave Palpatine his power. He has bent the galaxy to his will, eliminated his great opposition and has everyone else in his pocket do to the power he wields. The guy who can see the future knew what he was doing.

 

[Weather Witch]

We have gotten to an age where people think any episode that "only" involves character work, is filler. People talking about cutting 13 and 10 episode seasons of things down to 8, 6, hell 4. As if television by it's nature isn't a different medium from film.

Filler in and of itself isn't the problem and to reduce critisim to this feels a bit unfair. I think most of the individual episodes here were decent, but there is an overall lack of any foreward momentum or well defined character arcs for the main characters. My problem with the aforementioned 'filler' episodes is that they rely primarely on cameo appearances and nostalgia instead.

We don't go off on an episode where we really dive into the how and what of an individual Bad Batch member, but instead we have the "Cut Lawquane episode", "Bib Fortune episode", "Fennec Shand episode", "Rex episode" "Trace and Raffa episode" "Bane episode", "Hera Syndulla episodes" etc. Individually they are often a ton of fun, but all this Who's Who in Star Wars leaves the show (at best) unfocused. In the case of the Mandalorian, each cameo at least tied into Dinn's journey and moved it forward, but that is almost never the case here.

So I definitely don't want season 2 to be cut down with no filler at all. What I would like is for the filler to focus on character exploration like (for example) Echo dealing with or at least responding to the fall of Kamino. Instead almost every single cameo character gets more dialogue than Echo every single week and he doesn't get any type of character arc either. Tech barely does any better.

Avatar: The Last Airbender is a perfect example of this kind of show that does get this right. 95% of it is filler, but it adds more depth to the characters every single week. That is the kind of filler we didnt' get enough of here. As a result this season, and the show as a whole, never really have a distinct identity.

 

[Sithborg]

We have gotten to an age where people think any episode that "only" involves character work, is filler. People talking about cutting 13 and 10 episode seasons of things down to 8, 6, hell 4. As if television by it's nature isn't a different medium from film.

People have become so obsessed with serialized series, that they can no longer enjoy episodic stuff. There has to be a "main plot" that must always be advanced. And frankly, this type of view, especially when they view it as necessary for "prestige" television, is what has hurt the new Star Trek series. Part of why I love the Orville is because it is old school episodes.

The allegory to the soldiers who returned from Vietnam is on point.

And now, Hunter's look takes on a whole new deliberative meaning.

 

[KillerMcQueen]

Filler in and of itself isn't the problem and to reduce critisim to this feels a bit unfair. I think most of the individual episodes here were decent, but there is an overall lack of any foreward momentum or well defined character arcs for the main characters. My problem with the aforementioned 'filler' episodes is that they rely primarely on cameo appearances and nostalgia instead.

We don't go off on an episode where we really dive into the how and what of an individual Bad Batch member, but instead we have the "Cut Lawquane episode", "Bib Fortune episode", "Fennec Shand episode", "Rex episode" "Trace and Raffa episode" "Bane episode", "Hera Syndulla episodes" etc. Individually they are often a ton of fun, but all this Who's Who in Star Wars leaves the show (at best) unfocused. In the case of the Mandalorian, each cameo at least tied into Dinn's journey and moved it forward, but that is almost never the case here.

So I definitely don't want season 2 to be cut down with no filler at all. What I would like is for the filler to focus on character exploration like (for example) Echo dealing with or at least responding to the fall of Kamino. Instead almost every single cameo character gets more dialogue than Echo every single week and he doesn't get any type of character arc either. Tech barely does any better.

Avatar: The Last Airbender is a perfect example of this kind of show that does get this right. 95% of it is filler, but it adds more depth to the characters every single week. That is the kind of filler we didnt' get enough of here. As a result this season, and the show as a whole, never really have a distinct identity.

I think you need to re-think your definition of filler if you're gonna call Avatar of all things 95% filler. If an episode advances the overarching plot or advances character arcs then it is not filler, with few exceptions (Great Divide being most notable) the show was always advancing at least one of those two things in some capacity.

I will agree this is something this show should improve on, I don't need major plot advances and grand character arcs every episode, but Tech and Echo are barely developed at all. Echo at least has a fair amount of backstory, but Tech has nothing. the show could've still had their cameos and guest stars without sacrificing Tech and Echo's development, the Rex episode in particular would've been a great opportunity for some character development with Echo, for Tech I think a bottle episode might be a good idea, have him basically never leave the Marauder for the episode except to go out and fix it, while the rest of the Batch gets into absolute chaos around him and he has to fix all the s*** they break.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Filler in and of itself isn't the problem and to reduce critisim to this feels a bit unfair. I think most of the individual episodes here were decent, but there is an overall lack of any foreward momentum or well defined character arcs for the main characters. My problem with the aforementioned 'filler' episodes is that they rely primarely on cameo appearances and nostalgia instead.

We don't go off on an episode where we really dive into the how and what of an individual Bad Batch member, but instead we have the "Cut Lawquane episode", "Bib Fortune episode", "Fennec Shand episode", "Rex episode" "Trace and Raffa episode" "Bane episode", "Hera Syndulla episodes" etc. Individually they are often a ton of fun, but all this Who's Who in Star Wars leaves the show (at best) unfocused. In the case of the Mandalorian, each cameo at least tied into Dinn's journey and moved it forward, but that is almost never the case here.

So I definitely don't want season 2 to be cut down with no filler at all. What I would like is for the filler to focus on character exploration like (for example) Echo dealing with or at least responding to the fall of Kamino. Instead almost every single cameo character gets more dialogue than Echo every single week and he doesn't get any type of character arc either. Tech barely does any better.

Avatar: The Last Airbender is a perfect example of this kind of show that does get this right. 95% of it is filler, but it adds more depth to the characters every single week. That is the kind of filler we didnt' get enough of here. As a result this season, and the show as a whole, never really have a distinct identity.

Yeah, I don't think you know what plot, narrative or filler are. Because that Avatar take is extremely inaccurate. It's same with how you define the "cameos" on the Bad Batch and how it makes the show "unfocused".

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I think you need to re-think your definition of filler if you're gonna call Avatar of all things 95% filler. If an episode advances the overarching plot or advances character arcs then it is not filler, with few exceptions (Great Divide being most notable) the show was always advancing at least one of those two things in some capacity.

I will agree this is something this show should improve on, I don't need major plot advances, but Tech and Echo are barely developed at all. Echo at least has a fair amount of backstory, but Tech has nothing. the show could've still had their cameos and guest stars without sacrificing Tech and Echo's development, the Rex episode in particular would've been a great opportunity for some character development with Echo, for Tech I think a bottle episode might be a good idea, have him basically never leave the Marauder for the episode except to go out and fix it, while the rest of the Batch gets into absolute chaos around him and he has to fix all the s*** they break.

This is season focused mostly on oMEga, Huntah, Wreckah and Crosshair. We definitely need more for Echo and Tech. I think the dynamics played out that way do to the nature of how they all interact with oMEga, and thus as the season was kind of built around the Dad Batch idea, they didn't get the same play.

 

[KillerMcQueen]

I don't think this is going to lead to a better explanation of Snoke.

This is setting up Filoni's grand crossover and making it into Heir to the Empire.

Honestly I think both may end up being right, they probably have more immediate plans for the cloning subplot, but it'd be a waste to not also tie it to the Final Order's origins, some sort of Heir to the Empire inspired story is likely in the cards, but I feel like that's only part of the plan rather than the endgame of the plan, I'm fairly certain the Thrawn books are actively laying the groundwork for the Grysk to be the primary threat the shows end up leading to.

Grysk

 

[Weather Witch]

Yeah, I don't think you know what plot, narrative or filler are. Because that Avatar take is extremely inaccurate"

I think you need to re-think your definition of filler if you're gonna call Avatar of all things 95% filler. If an episode advances the overarching plot or advances character arcs then it is not filler, with few exceptions (Great Divide being most notable) the show was always advancing at least one of those two things in some capacity.

I'll definitely give you that I was using some of these terms interchangeably (and wrong) as well. Long week. The point was more to make a comparison between what I did like about Avatar: TLA's approach and things I felt was missing in Bad Batch S1.

the show could've still had their cameos and guest stars without sacrificing Tech and Echo's development (...) the Rex episode in particular would've been a great opportunity for some character development with Echo, for Tech

Yeah, this is a big part of the problem I have as well. My previous post might have been overly negative, and I'm sure this'll improve going forward, but some of the priorities just seemed odd to me.

I think a bottle episode might be a good idea, have him basically never leave the Marauder for the episode except to go out and fix it, while the rest of the Batch gets into absolute chaos around him and he has to fix all the s*** they break.

That'd be great!

 

[TheWiseGuy487]

Overall this season was a dud. Bad pacing, way too much filler, and just not very interesting. This season needs an editor with a hatchet to turn it into a lean fast paced thriller.

The characters and gorgeous animation really saved it from being a complete write off.

The irony of someone who was a fan of the 4-hour Snyder Cut criticizing this show for “filler” and “bad pacing”.

 

[CaptainWagner]

Add me to the list of people who really, REALLY hate how the dominance of serialized series has resulted in traditional, episodic stories getting labeled "bad." There were definitely issues with this season - some of the characters remain very underdeveloped and, as a huge Echo fan, him really having no purpose on the show sucks. But some of y'all really need to reassess your relationship with the term "filler."

Anyway - The Nala Se storyline definitely is giving me Heir to the Empire/Snoke vibes. While Filoni and Zahn clearly have their own reimagined version of the Vong as the Big Bad for this storyline, I feel like that's a post-ROTJ story. We won't be getting that here.

In Season 2, my biggest hopes are more development for Echo, more internal underworld politics and appearances for Yularen & Cody.

 

[KillerMcQueen]

The irony of someone who was a fan of the 4-hour Snyder Cut criticizing this show for “filler” and “bad pacing”.

Can you please not use Marvolo as an excuse to drag Snyder bashing into a Star Wars thread?

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Add me to the list of people who really, REALLY hate how the dominance of serialized series has resulted in traditional, episodic stories getting labeled "bad." There were definitely issues with this season - some of the characters remain very underdeveloped and, as a huge Echo fan, him really having no purpose on the show sucks. But some of y'all really need to reassess your relationship with the term "filler."

Anyway - The Nala Se storyline definitely is giving me Heir to the Empire/Snoke vibes. While Filoni and Zahn clearly have their own reimagined version of the Vong as the Big Bad for this storyline, I feel like that's a post-ROTJ story. We won't be getting that here.

In Season 2, my biggest hopes are more development for Echo, more internal underworld politics and appearances for Yularen & Cody.

You are going to regret when Thrawn returns with the Vong on Mando now.

I am only half joking. I am now considering that a real possibility.

 

[Snow Queen]

You are going to regret when Thrawn returns with the Vong on Mando now.

I am only half joking. I am now considering that a real possibility.

Well they've considered it before.