The Bad Batch S2e12 Review And Discussion - The Breaking Point Of Crosshair

THIS! Very well said.

Regarding Tech and one reason I think we’re all reeling:

So, we’re all pretty hurt right now. Even if you’re firmly in the “Tech lived” camp, which I am, it still hurts—it still feels like a death, and something that needs to be mourned, even if or when he makes it back. I’ve seen a lot of people say it feels like they’re grieving a friend, not a fictional character. And one reason for that, beyond Tech being a well-developed, beloved character, beyond him being a fantastic piece of representation, even beyond the way that our brains can react to fictional characters the same way they do to real people, is that Tech’s story is so unfinished.

He’s developing this amazing relationship with Omega. He has the chance of staying on Pabu in peace and being something other than a soldier. He maybe discovered a passion for racing. He’s branching out and appreciating the galaxy beyond the war, the republic, the separatists, the Jedi, and being allowed to appreciate how broad it is in ways he hadn’t before. He’s falling in love with someone who’s falling for him. He’s pushing to get his brother back and reunite his family. And then—

His story gets derailed. The batch’s story gets derailed—by something none of them could have accounted for. No one expected there to be someone else infiltrating Eriadu. But there was, and it sends the whole trajectory of his life, all of their lives, figuratively and literally—they’re on a train when this happens, guys—off the tracks. Suddenly Tech has to let himself fall to give his family a chance. It’s fast, it’s brutal, and it’s almost nonsensical. It shouldn’t need to happen—but it does. And that’s how loss happens in real life, a lot of the time.

Sometimes there’s closure, and sometimes the people we lose get to live out their whole full lives, but not always. A lot of the time, they had plans. They were just going about and being themselves. The walk out the door and you think nothing of it and then—they’re gone. And now there’s so much left to do, so much unsaid, so many things that will never happen because they’re gone. You come home after hearing the news and their room is empty. There’s a half eaten bowl of cereal they left on the table. Their favorite chair is empty. There’s no satisfying conclusion or narrative closure—it’s just life, interrupted, suddenly and brutally, in a way that’s impossible to understand. That’s often how it is. And right now, for the batch characters, and for us, that’s Tech. He has everything to live for—and then he’s ripped away.

Now, this is something that rarely happens in fiction, because it’s incredibly unsatisfying. Maybe because loss is so sudden and cruel in the real world, we want our fictional deaths to come with purpose and feel like a natural conclusion. And while the unsatisfactory nature of Tech’s “death” is one of the many (many) (seriously there are so many) reasons why I don’t think this is permanent, it does (for now) put us on the same emotional footing as the characters in a way it wouldn’t if it had happened in a narratively satisfying way. We’re not just sad, we’re grieving him right alongside them. It feels unfair and wrong because it is. It wasn’t supposed to be like this! This wasn’t supposed to happen! And no, it wasn’t. But things got derailed on Eriadu.

The Solitary Clone is a Masterpiece **MASSIVE SPOILERS!** Episode 3 Discussion PART 2

I absolutely loved that we got more discussion in regards to the politics of it all, especially with the Separatists and the clever callback to TCW with Mina Bonteri. The final scenes where the Separatist governor, Tawni, discusses the failed efforts that they made to put an end to the war, and how "peace was never an option" was masterful. And the cherry on top was when Cody attempts to negotiate with her and successfully convinces her, only for Grotton to order her execution. The continued use of symbolism with un-helmeted clones to show those that they are freethinkers rebelling is subtle yet brilliant. Cody's agency and resolve stops him from doing what he knows is wrong, and the final straw for him is when Tawni is ultimately shot by Crosshair. And I'll be honest, I really did not expect this. I was somewhat disappointed in Crosshair's decision, yet I also understand that he as a character must get worse before he can get better. He is also not at the same stage that Cody is at (as stated before), so he is still following orders blindly and without a second thought about the consequences or repercussions of his actions. When Crosshair and Cody are boarding the ship, as I referenced earlier to the discussion of the Defence Recruitment bill, Cody witnesses this first-hand when a ship arrives with TK troopers. The clones are doing the dirty work, while we actively see the Empire not only replace them, but moving in to occupy more sovereign worlds. The expansion of Palpatine's iron grip continues to grow. The conclusion to this episode was devastating, to say the least. Cody and Crosshair speak, once again in front of the clone memorial. this time, Cody says a few very important words that show the viewers that he has made his decision, and that [I believe] will stick with Cross, "You know what makes us different from battle droids? We make our own decisions. Our own choices. And...We have to live with them too." I loved this scene for a few reasons. Firstly, because wow, that hit me right in the feels and secondly, because Cody is planting the seeds for Crosshair to really reflect on what he has done and what he will do. Crosshair has been given two opportunities to get out this situation, both times have been squandered. Now more than ever, Crosshair will have to face the consequences of his actions and, moreover, will have an even harder time getting out of this. He is, once again, alone. To conclude, this episode ends with Crosshair waking up in a similar way to how the episode started. The use of visual repetition shows how bleak and depressing Crosshair's life has become. Going to eat alone, and getting called to Rampart's office and going to speak with Rampart once again. The part that really hammered home the fact that the clones are just numbers to the Empire was when Cross asks what about Cody (in regards to his next mission), and Rampart doesn't care to recognize who he is talking about until Cross says Cody's CT number. Again, they are just numbers; this fact could very well be a tipping point for Crosshair if it continues to occur. Cody is declared to have gone "awol" and Crosshair, while it is subtle, appears distraught and confused. And the part that really hits the nail in the coffin is when Rampart makes the crude statement about how all the clones around Cross seem to be going awol and that their loyalty is becoming increasingly hard to come by. Again, another important moment because loyalty is a big part of Crosshair's story arc and if he correlates loyalty to the clones, something (the clones) that is slowly but surely being phased out, then he is losing his grip on what is keeping him with the Empire in the first place. Sorry for how long this was, but I really just needed to completely dissect this episode because it was genuinely a masterpiece. It was literature and art and everything I love in stories. 

As both a Tech girlie and a Crosshair girlie since the moment they were introduced to the world (back in 2020 with season 7 of The Clone Wars), I couldn't be happier with the past two episodes. I would imagine that many of my fellow Tech and Crosshair fans can agree when I say that it's truly wonderful to see them finally get the screen time and character development that they've deserved (respectively). And yes, I know it was a filler episode but I was still smiling the entire time. I am very pleased.

I do need to say this, though. I find it to be quite hilarious how we go from last week's episode of Crosshair living his worst life (actually fighting for his life, albeit, due to his own choices). Then this week's episode is just Tech living his best life. Not a care in the world, just racing, with his siblings cheering him on... LOL The dichotomy is amusing and ironic.

Okay that is all. 😗✌️

Thank you ♡

Now that The Bad Batch has come to a close, I wanted to make a little appreciation post.

It has been such an honour to be apart of this beautiful community. The past 3 years have been truly wonderful. Through all of the ups and downs, the happy and sad, the exciting and tragic moments. I have so much fun and have deeply loved the camaraderie, the discussions, the memes and the absolutely stunning art works. Thank you to everyone who have been apart of this journey. I will miss this show and its characters, but I’m also grateful to have experienced their story. While I still wish certain parts of the show had ended differently, I will forever miss them, especially our goggle nerd. And lastly, thank you to the amazing and talented folks who worked on this show, Especially Dee Bradley Baker and Michelle Ang.

Thank you everyone, I’m sending all my love and gratitude to you! ♡

Best boys ♡

Just two bros chillin… For the lovely @wiseowl18 !! Based on their post S2E2 fic (check it out if you’re in need of some brotherly bonding!! hehe): https://archiveofourown.org/works/41771844/chapters/111487651

Tech Tech Tech Tech Tech Tech Tech Tech Tech Tech Tech Tech Tech Tech Tech Tech Tech Tech Tech Tech Tech Tech Tech Tech Tech Tech Tech Tech Tech Tech Crosshair Crosshair Crosshair Crosshair Crosshair Crosshair Crosshair Crosshair Crosshair Crosshair Crosshair Crosshair Crosshair Crosshair Crosshair Echo Echo Echo Echo Echo Echo Echo Echo Echo Echo Echo Echo Echo Echo Echo Echo Echo Echo Echo Echo Echo Echo Echo Echo Echo Echo Echo

That's it. That's the whole post.

The Bad Batch - Season 3, so far

Spoilers Ahead!

Hey you guys, I'm back! So before I hop into any discussion, just a quick debrief on what's going on for me in regards to tbb: I've been trying to control my excitement and hope for this final season, as I don't want to set myself up for anymore emotional damage (it'll happen anyways). That's not to say I'm not excited or hopeful, but I'm just very nervous and still healing from the heartbreak of you-know-what.

Onto this season so far. A very strong start with the first three episodes (haven't watch ep 4 yet). They wasted no time getting right into it and I'm honestly surprised that Cross and Omega escaped as fast as they did. I'm glad they didn't waste too much time on their escape. I will say though, things are feeling sadder than ever, with so many characters out of the picture. Echo is with Rex, Tech is...well I'm not too sure, to be completely honest (more on this in a min), and Cid backstabbed the gang. All I can say is that I anticipate more sadness but I'm cautiously optimistic for a mostly happy/good ending.

okay, now onto the elephant in the room. my previous theory post of Tech being alive and having a Winter Soldier situation is looking to be more real by the day and that makes me deeply uncomfortable. It was just a theory (a game theory) I made up, albeit using my English degree to hyper analyze the story, but sometimes (most times) my big brain is a burden. I honestly don't know what's worse: Tech dying, or Tech surviving and becoming something horrible (probably the second). Which brings me to this random ah dude:

There is actually no logical reason for this dude to be shown 3 separate times in an episode for it to not be important later. He also stands with the sass of our beloved engineer, not to mention his helmet and outfit contains small stylistic callbacks to Tech's armour (maybe I'm just delusional though). Which makes me violently ill, to say the least.

Anyways, whatever happens, we're all in this together besties. God speed

Immortalized in our hearts ♡

This is how I'll keep them in my heart - safe, happy, and together, always ✧₊⁺

This show got me through the worst years of my life, providing so much joy, comfort, and inspiration, I'll never have enough words to express how grateful I am to everyone who's been a part of creating it, and the friends I made along the way.

TBB s2e13 Review & Discussion - Pabu, A Tropical Getaway

Per Usual, Massive Spoilers Ahead! 

Today’s episode was truly lovely. It was a nice break from the heartache that has been the last two episodes. I absolutely adored seeing Omega be a kid for once and have a friend her age. I also loved seeing the Batch just truly relax for once. The tsunami was genuinely scary to me. I never enjoy having to watch a natural disaster in a show simply because of how real an issue it is. It was unsettling to say the least. This episode also set up the possibilities for TBB to have a place to restart their lives and live peacefully, which is a good thing to keep in mind. That being said, I don’t think they are going to do that just yet, there is still cause for them to join the fight (SAVE YOUR BROTHER DAMMIT!)

Cid. Oh Cid. How the mighty have fallen. I used to enjoy her character as this dry and witty “auntie”. But as we have all come to realize, she is quite cruel and uncaring. This is not to say she is a bad character, because frankly she is written so well. But I’m just happy the Batch finally cut ties with her and are going on their own. I will say, though, that I am a bit surprised at how sudden it happened. She is totally going to sell them out to the Empire.

Alright, I’m going to address the elephant in the room. This fandom, while it has its good sides and I love that, needs to chill tf out. There is literally no reason to be going feral over fictional characters like this. it’s not that big of a deal. Everyone is allowed to have their interpretations, their ships and their likes/dislikes without warranting aggression from one another. You're allowed to be upset by today's episode as much as you're allowed to be happy with it. So please, let us remember that the point of a fandom is to bring people together, not push them apart. 

Anyways. With that being said, here are my thoughts on Tech and Phee. On the lowest of keys, I’m ever so slightly vibing. Initially (as in her first two appearances, earlier in the season) I was put off by her character because I thought “oh, here is yet another pirate…”  I had not been fond of the idea of her being a love interest to Tech simply because I could not gauge her character well enough at the time and therefore did not want to jump aboard the ship. This episode was fantastic in developing her character. I still don’t feel particularly inclined to jump aboard this ship, at least, not yet. However, because this episode gave Phee agency, morality, and drive, (which I seriously appreciated and I love that for her), I can now gauge her character far better and can understand how she and Tech could maybe be a thing in the future if that’s the direction the writers choose to go in. In my personal opinion, I doubt the writers will pursue this sub-plot and if they do, it won't be on a grand scale, considering the focus of the main story. And if I'm being honest, I'm not exactly sold on the idea of there being romance in TBB; that's just me though. But back to Phee, the fact that she is going out of her way to retrieve artifacts important to Pabu’s culture (even if they have no monetary value) just shows the viewers that she is more than just some pirate and that she values things that go beyond money. We live laugh love character development in this battalion.

7.5/10. Great episode, cozy vibes all the way.

"The Solitary Clone" is a Masterpiece **MASSIVE SPOILERS!** Episode 3 Discussion PART 1

Today's episode of The Bad Batch was truly a work of art. I wanted to discuss just how well executed of an episode it was, especially because this is my shit as an English major. I love the tragedy and the multiple levels of symbolism in literature. This will be divided into two parts because for some reason, Tumblr isn’t letting me post it in one :/ Okay, first and foremost, they did an excellent job in setting the tone for this episode. From the way that it opened with Crosshair waking up in his drab and dimly lit room (a nice call back to Kallus from Rebels), to him going to eat with other clones that end up leaving when he sits with them, and even when he is called to Ramparts office. Right off the bat, the viewers are immersed in what Crosshair is feeling and thinking. He is very much alone, isolated and conflicted (more on this later). I also wanted to note the importance of the scene were the two clones are discussing the Defence Recruitment bill that would effectively see clones filtered out and replaced by citizens (I'll reference this later on too). When Crosshair goes to speak with Rampart, immediately I'm heartbroken to hear how long he was stranded on Kamino (32 rotations...wtf). Moreover, the way I see it, Rampart is a representative (literally and metaphorically) of the Empires value or lack thereof. His blatant disregard and disrespect to Crosshair, and in turn soldiers in general, could be the breaking point for Cross if this treatment continues (which I'm guessing it will).  The way I understand and interpret it, Crosshair is confused and conflicted about everything. He remains with the Empire because it's easy and because it's the only life he's ever known. Leaving that life behind and deserting it means that he must face himself in order to understand 1) who he is, 2) what he wants and 3) what/who he cares about. He isn't at that stage of his story...yet. But we as the viewers are slowly but surely seeing his resolve begin to break through these interactions and experiences (discussed above). Now, the scene with Crosshair and Cody. Everyone has already analyzed this to death but I'll just reiterate it. Cody and Crosshair meet in front of the clone memorial and they have a brief conversation before going on their mission. This scene is great because we see them testing each other in this conversation and seeing where they stand/how they feel about everything that's happened and is happening. Cody, obviously, is further along in his realizations than Crosshair is. We see this through the ways that Cody looks at the memorial and Crosshair respectively. He is uncertain, sad and also very confused. The scene where Cody mentions the uncertainty of the clones as well as how more and more of them (including the bad batch) are going awol is great. As I mentioned above, this is Cody testing the waters with Crosshair to see where he stands in all this. And when Cross responds by saying that "they are traitors just like the Jedi," it is fantastic because the tension only increases. Cody is visibly distraught by this (probably because he is remembering what he was forced to do) and falls back onto the "good soldiers follow orders." Well played Filoni et al.