Star Wars: The Bad Batch Is Finally Solving Its Biggest Problem

Star Wars: The Bad Batch is addressing its biggest Clone Force 99 issue, which will finally allow the show to reach its true potential in season 2.

This article contains spoilers for Star Wars: The Bad Batch season 2, episode 9.

Star Wars: The Bad Batch had repeated issues throughout its run, but it seems the show has finally fixed it. While it's been a faithful follow-up to Star Wars: The Clone Wars, in many ways The Bad Batch can only serve as a sequel to its predecessor, and the show is better off when it's not focusing on Clone Force '99 interesting. These issues are symptomatic of the show's core struggles, preventing it from reaching its full potential. However, The Bad Batch season 2 has acknowledged this problem and offered a way to tell better stories.

Although The Bad Batch made Echo important in season 2, episode 8, "Truth and Consequences", the show seems to have created a new problem by letting him leave Clone Force 99. Not so, as the following episode, "The Crossing," featured some of the show's most compelling moments to date, all of which stemmed from Echo's departure. These scenes bring more attention to The Bad Batch's weakest link, but they also show how Clone Force 99 can grow over the remainder of Season 2, allowing them to truly be their best parts own program.

The Bad Batch Are Hard To Connect With Emotionally

The biggest problem with Clone Force 99 in The Bad Batch is that it's hard to connect with them on an emotional level. The Star Wars franchise has always had fun lightsaber duels, cool ship designs, and epic battles; while those are icing on the cake, it's the characters that make the investment, and seeing how they grow and develop over time. Development creates a story. This is where The Bad Batch tends to struggle, focusing more on quests and galaxy-shaping plot lines than substantial character development.

An exception to this problem is Omega, a child who sees the Milky Way for the first time and matures emotionally as a result. She's the one who brings the bad guys out of their shells, Hunter has to be the father figure, and Destroyer plays the supporting big brother. Even so, those dynamics were never as strong as they should have been, and while each member of Clone Force 99 had strong emotional moments with the Omega, they didn't have much affection for each other. However, Bad Batch season 2 showed that, with Clone Force 99, that's about to change.

The Bad Batch Makes The Team Better (With Room For More Growth)

Bad batch has started Solve the biggest problem by making Clone Force 99 feel more like a family, and they have room to continue growing in Season 2. Omega shares her frustrations with Tech, a moment where both characters can help the other grow. Tech sees some minimal character development, but that starts to change when he admits to the Omega that while he handles it differently, "it doesn't mean I feel worse than you". There needs to be more moments like this in Bad Batch season 2, as they highlight what the members of Clone Trooper 99 are going through behind their rough trooper exteriors.

Tech also states that change "is a fundamental part of life". But despite all they've been through, Clone Force 99 hasn't changed much. Omega challenges Tech to see themselves as a family rather than just a squad, which is a fantastic development for the show. Bad Batch was at a low point after the stormtrooper's tragic impact on the clones, but they also began to grow into a better family than just the unit they were created for. Connection to Clone Force 99 Yes has always been the biggest problem with Star Wars: The Bad Batch, but now it has the potential to be the show's biggest strength.

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