Star Wars: The Bad Batch, S2, Ep 13 Review
If people were hoping for the Bad Batch to get word that Crosshair’s in trouble and come up with a plan, prepare for disappointment. If people expected to see the Empire start their hunt for Omega, prepare for disappointment. Instead, it’s time for the Bad Batch to get an actual glimpse of what their lives might be like if they left all this fighting behind. They not only get the chance to settle down on a tropical world, but get the chance for Omega to live a normal life.
This is all a setup for a big tragedy next week, isn’t it?
Welcome to Sunny Pabu
After cutting ties with Sid (which she is still mad about), the Bad Batch needs a place to lay low for a while. More importantly, they think Omega needs to interact with people her actual age. So, at the suggestion of their treasure-hunting friend Phee, they head to a secret, tropical planet with an island town called Pabu.
Pabu is, for lack of a better term, a paradise the likes of which the Bad Batch rarely ever sees. Even I think it’s a paradise, and I have high standards. The architecture of the island evokes that of a Mediterannean seaside town, there’s an abundance of fruit and assorted foods, and the ocean’s so beautiful. This is by far one of the best places the Bad Batch has ever visited. In addition, the town’s populated by war refugees trying to get a fresh start, just like them.
The Bad Batch takes to the town fairly well. Wrecker stuffs him full of food; Tech and Phee bond; and Omega finds a friend her age to go sailing on the water, just the two of them. It’s that stability that these war-weary soldiers have been looking for in their lives. It’s perfect for them to settle down in.
Until the tsunami hits.
When the Ocean Attacks
Much like Greece in the real world, it seems Pabu is a place prone to tremors and earthquakes, so much so that the locals are used to them. However, that doesn’t make them any less dangerous. As the sun sets on their first day in Pabu, a noticeable earthquake rocks the island. The worst is yet to come though. The water starts to recede from the shore. Anyone who’s seen the footage knows what this means: a tsunami.
What follows is, while not including an all-out gun battle, is no less dangerous. In fact, the show’s decision to have Pabu hit by a tsunami might hit home for those who’ve lived through this natural disaster. The sight of Omega and her new friend running across the sand for their lives and everyone rushing for higher ground is something that’s repeated all too often in the real world. Thankfully, no one dies, and whatever they lost, the people can rebuild. Seeing this, and how much Omega likes the place, the Bad Batch reaches a decision: they’re going to stay for awhile.
…I’ve got a bad feeling about this.
They Can’t Stay Out of the Fight for Long
There are three episodes left in the season, so we all know that this isn’t the end of the Bad Batch’s adventures. Sid’s still mad at them, the Empire’s looking for Omega, and Crosshair’s being held prisoner; they’ve got too much left to do. Thus, I can only conclude that something in the next episode or two will drag them back into the fight. That fact…scares me.
Think about it. What if the Empire shows up at Pabu and razes the place to the ground to get to the Bad Batch? They’ll do it! I know the Bad Batch deserves a chance at a normal life, but they can still do more good for others out there. And something tells me that Omega has a bigger role to play in the Galaxy in the years to come. Therefore, I don’t think we’ll be sticking about Pabu for long. Which is sad, because it shares the name of the cute fire ferret from Avatar: the Legend of Korra. Dave Filoni worked on A:tLA, so it’s come full circle.
