REVIEW: ‘Star Wars: The Bad Batch,’ Season 2 Episode 6 – “Tribe”

After a couple of side adventures, Clone Force 99 is right back into the fight with the Empire in The Bad Batch Season 2 Episode 6. Since the trailers released for this season, everyone has been wondering what happened to Gungi post-Order 66. Director Steward Lee and writer Matt Michovetz look to shine line on everyone’s favorite young Wookie Jedi in “Tribe.”

The Bad Batch Season 2 Episode 6 opens as many others do in the series, with the Batch in the midst of a mission. This time they are delivering chain codes to Vanguard Axis, a criminal organization run by droids. Vanguard Axis is into some very shady operations that require forgery, but that is the tip of the iceberg. Given “Tribe” is the first time this group has made an appearance in Star Wars, it is safe to assume that the Batch wasn’t fully aware of the deal they were involved in.

After having a bad feeling about the mission, Omega set off on her own only to find the Vanguard Axis is also in the smuggling and slavery business. She finds Gungi, the Wookie Jedi first seen in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, where he appeared in five episodes. It is unclear how Gungi survived Order 66, but it does add to the growing list of Jedi who escaped the Jedi Purge. Gungi is understandably hesitant when the rest of the members of the Batch arrive in their clone armor but eventually works with our heroes to escape the Vanguard Axis facility, lightsaber in hand.

What follows for the rest of The Bad Batch Season 2 Episode 6 is Clone Force 99’s attempts to return Gungi to Kashyyyk. When the Batch arrives on the Wookie homeworld, they find the Empire has employed Trandoshans to capture the Wookies and raze their planet. The Wookie-Trandoshan feud is a long-standing one that has been explored in multiple Star Wars projects making the Trandoshan appearance on Kashyyyk. It is then up to the Batch and the Wookies to fend off the threat to a small Wookie village.

The highlight of The Bad Batch Season 2 Episode 6 is seeing Gungi return home. Like all Jedi of this time period, Gungi was taken away from his homeworld as a child. Gungi has no memory of Kashyyyk, so through his perspective, views gain more insight into Wookie culture. The Wookies’ connection to Kashyyyk rivals that of the Na’vi in Avatar and is on full display here. Whenever Wookies are involved in Star Wars, it is usually tragic, given the Empire’s treatment of their species. However, having Gungi liberate some of his people the way we see Chewbacca do in Solo gives hope to all involved.

Overall, The Bad Batch Season 2 Episode 6 reminds viewers that the threat of the Empire is still very real for Clone Force 99. Seeing Gungi and the Wookies was great, but the Batch getting back into the fight is what is most important. At the start of the season, the Batch was hesitant to engage in any missions that put them close to the clutches of the Empire. Now, the Batch did not hesitate to help Gungi and his Wookie brethren despite the Imperial danger involved. The ramifications of their interference with an Imperial operation will certainly be felt in the coming weeks. Still, it is clear that the Batch will continue to fight wherever their corruption spreads.

The Bad Batch Season 2 Episode 6 is currently streaming exclusively on Disney+, with new episodes every Wednesday.