REVIEW: ‘Star Wars: The Bad Batch,’ Season 2 Episode 9 – “The Crossing”

Following an emotionally tense mid-season event, Clone Force 99 takes a detour from the fight with Empire in The Bad Batch Season 2 Episode 9. Directed by Nathaniel Villanueva and written by Brooke Roberts, “The Crossing” places the Batch on another mission for Cid. Yet again, a mission that seems to be going according to plan quickly goes sideways, leaving Clone Force 99 fighting for survival.

The Bad Batch Season 2 Episode 9 opens with the Batch gaining access to a mine purchased by Cid. They are to extract ipsium, a precious mineral that is highly combustible in it its raw form. Almost immediately, the loss of Echo is felt as the roles for the mission are slightly different than usual, leaving Omega and Wrecker to stand watch. While the ipsium is able to be retrieved, their ship, the Marauder, is stolen by an unknown figure. With no transportation and short-handed, the Batch attempts to escape the planet with their volatile cargo as a dangerous storm moves in from the horizon.

Throughout Season two of The Bad Batch, many have criticized a handful of episodes being ‘filler.’ I imagine The Bad Batch Season 2 Episode 9 will receive much of the same. Even I, who appreciated learning about riot racing and the Ancients, expected the season to go full in the fight with the Empire following last week’s events. Seeing another mission for Cid certainly wasn’t what I hoped for. However, “The Crossing” shows itself as more than filler as it lets its characters deal with losing a member of their team, their family.

Star Wars is at its best when it focuses on the relatable trauma its characters endure and how they deal with it. The Bad Batch Season 2 Episode 9 leans into this by giving fans a heavy dose of Omega and Tech together. Throughout the episode, Omega expresses how hard it is for her to reconcile Echo’s leaving. Her family is splintered, and losing the Marauder, her home, adds to that grief. As soldiers, the rest of the Batch is dealing with it better. There is clearly some unnatural bickering going on between the squad, but Omega has the most trouble understanding Tech’s reaction to the situation.

Since his introduction, many have believed that Tech is coded as autistic. In an interview, the voice actor for Tech and all of the clones, Dee Bradley Baker, said Tech could be on the spectrum. The Bad Batch Season 2 Episode 9 really continues the exploration of Tech’s neurodivergence when Omega and Tech get separated from Hunter and Wrecker. Tech’s matter-of-fact way of speaking gives Omega the impression that he does not care that Echo is gone. He is seemingly unphased by the loss of the Marauder that Omega sees as the Batch’s home. Tech’s logical approach to Echo’s leaving baffles Omega to the point where she accuses him of not acting like they are a family.

While I myself am not autistic, Tech’s response to Omega’s claims reminds me of conversations my partner has had multiple times since her diagnosis. After opening up for one of the first times in the series, Tech concludes his conversation with Omega with, “I may process moments and thoughts differently, but it does not mean that I feel any less than you.” It is such a small moment in the grand scheme of Star Wars, but one that I am sure will have many, like my partner, feel seen in the universe. By the episode’s end, Omega and Tech have a stronger bond than ever before, and it stems from their empathy and willingness to be their authentic selves.

While The Bad Batch Season 2 Episode 9 may not advance the plot in a major way, it has one of the best character moments of the series. Star Wars doesn’t always have to be about the lightsabers and the political intrigue. Star Wars doesn’t always have to be lore heavy to expand the universe-building. Star Wars doesn’t always have to be tragic, with a happy ending. Sometimes, Star Wars just has to be a medium for fans to be seen in their favorite characters. Hard to call episodes like this filler when they do so much for more than just the story of the series.

The Bad Batch Season 2 Episode 9 is currently streaming exclusively on Disney+, with new episodes every Wednesday.