REVIEW: ‘Star Wars: The Bad Batch’ Season 2 Mid-Season Event

The Bad Batch Season 2 Mid-Season Event premiered with two episodes as the series crests over its halfway point. Both episodes continue season 2’s early themes surrounding the phasing out of the Clone Tropper army. While the rise of the Imperial Stormtrooper is a foregone conclusion, “The Clone Conspiracy” and “Truth and Consequences” provides high-tension moments for any Star Wars fan to enjoy. Questions are answered, familiar faces return, plots are uncovered, and behind it all is the all-powerful Empire.

The Bad Batch Season 2 Mid-Season Event opens inside 79’s, the clone cantina that has made numerous appearances in Star War animation. At the bar, two clones discuss the destruction of the clone facilities on Kamino, which is shown at the end of The Bad Batch Season 1. Fans know that Vice Admiral Rampart and the Empire are solely responsible for the tragedy, but the Season 2 premiere has shown. Rampart is eager to cover up the Imperial’s involvement. As the episodes progress, viewers learn that it is not just the clone facilities that were destroyed but also the entire Kaminoan cities.

Clone empathy has always been a highlight of Star Wars animation. Despite their part in the events on Kamino, the two clones feel guilty about their actions. Even more so now that the Empire is lying to the Imperial Senate, blaming the destruction on a natural disaster. One of the clones is eager to reveal the truth even if Rampart won’t admit it himself. What follows is an attempt to shed light on the truth about Kamino with the help of future Rebellion leaders in the Imperial senate, exiled clones, and Clone Force 99. However, fans of The Clone Wars know all too well what happens to those who try to uncover the sinister plots of the Empire. The Bad Batch Season 2 Mid-Season Event is no different.

While the first episode of The Bad Batch Season 2 Mid-Season Event does not feature Clone Force 99, it does give viewers a look into the Imperial Senate. Reminiscent of the highlight of the Imperial Security Beauru in Andor, fans get to see the inner workings of what the senate looked like post-Republic. Like in the prequels, there is a lot of infighting in the Defense Recruitment Bill, which would phase out clones and institute stormtroopers. Clones who have no representation in the Imperial Senate are supported by senators Bail Organa, Chuchi, and Pamlo, while the Imperial loyalists fight for the creation of a new military. The senate continues to be at odds with what is good for the people and what is good for the institutions like the Banking Clans.

Once the Batch arrives in the second episode of The Bad Batch Season 2 Mid-Season Event, the pace certainly picks back up. They must retrieve vital information from Ramparts files before the voting on the Defense Recruitment Bill can commence. This is something fans have seen before, with multiple episodes of The Clone Wars coming down to a last-ditch effort to bring truth to light in the senate. Seeing Rex return to the fold is exciting, and it feels like Clone Force 99 is at its full strength whenever he is involved. Further, as the season has progressed, we have gotten hints about where members of the team may end up when it is all said in done, and “Truth and Consequences” continues that trend.

While not the action-packed events of other episodes in the series, the focus on galactic politics is just an impactful one. Senator Chuchi specifically carries much of The Bad Batch Season 2 Mid-Season Event before the Batch arrives on Coruscant. She worries about how the clones will be integrated into the Empire after their years of service in a war they did not ask for. Further, Senator Pamlo contests that now that the war is over, funds can be diverted to places of real need.

The reflection of our government’s treatment of veterans, our focus on military spending, and political party division are very apparent. It is one thing to see these themes covered in live-action shows like Obi-Wan Kenobi, which showed a homeless clone trooper, and Andor, which showed the failings of the Imperial senate. The Bad Batch, as an animated series, covers these same things just as well, making the viewer take a look at the real world. The Empire influences are clearly drawn from Nazi Germany, but the event of The Bad Batch Season 2 Mid-Season Event certainly shows that the issues in a galaxy far, far away are much closer to home than we think.

The Bad Batch Season 2 continues to be superb storytelling for the Star Wars universe. While, as fans, we know what is to come in the decades of Imperial rule, The Bad Batch Season 2 Mid-Season Event proves that you can still have stories worth telling. There are enough twists and turns that even the most devout Star Wars fan will be surprised. Further, the series continues to elevate what we viewers can expect from Star Wars animation. The showrunners clearly see animation as a medium for storytelling as they tackle the same themes seen in the franchise’s more mature live-action series. While I never say that anything is required watching to enjoy Star Wars, The Bad Batch Season 2 Mid-Season Event will make moments in other Star Wars media hit even harder.

The Bad Batch Season 2 Mid-Season Event is currently streaming exclusively on Disney+, with new episodes every Wednesday.