The Bad Batch finds a young wookie Jedi who is being hunted and unites him with a new family of wookies in the latest episode of the Disney+ Original series “Star Wars: The Bad Batch.” The Bad Batch is making a trade with a race of pirate droids until Omega hears a whimpering and learns they have captured a wookie. After saving Gungi and delivering him to other wookies, trandoshans are burning the planet to the ground and are now also searching for the Jedi to claim the bounty in the wake of Order 66.

This is the most interesting episode of the series that doesn’t feature Crosshair. Yes, it is another side quest for the Bad Batch, but it also provides inspiration on their ultimate mission to help free the remaining clones from the clutches of the Empire. Seeing Gungi’s struggle and the devastation of Kashyyyk, the Bad Batch is moving closer to helping those that can’t help themselves.

As annoying as Omega’s presence can be, without her there, the Bad Batch is unlikely to intervene. This is an episode that actually justifies Omega’s existence within the group. She’s a character created to relate to children, but it’s easy to see how a bunch of clones on the run from the Empire wouldn’t step in to help others if it would put a bigger target on their backs. But a child like Omega can easily see what needs to be done and doesn’t care about any consequences that may come from it. If Omega is going to stay on the show, we need more stories like this one.

This episode also goes a long way in identifying some problems with the Jedi. The “Star Wars” mythos is established in a way where the Jedi are good and the Sith are bad. But, as Obi-Wan himself points out, many of truths we cling to depend on the points of view we have. For someone like Gungi who was taken from his home to be trained as a Jedi, then had that future stolen from him, what is good or bad? He doesn’t know anything about his home world because of how young he was taken away from his family. Both the Jedi and the Sith have robbed him of family with their beliefs. This is one of the few episodes that shows that even the side presented as heroes has major flaws.

I really enjoyed this episode of “Star Wars: The Bad Batch” more than most. It’s not my favorite episode of the season or the series, but as I said earlier, it is my favorite to not feature Crosshair. This episode is more than filler which is more than I can say for the treasure hunt episode. If we’re going to have more side quest episodes, I hope to see more side quests like this one.

Rating: 4 stars

What did you think of “Star Wars: The Bad Batch?”

Jeremy Brown

Jeremy has been a big Disney fan since he was a kid growing up during the Disney Renaissance. One day he hopes to go to every Disney Park in the world.

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