Star Wars: The Bad Batch: Ruins of War
January 4, 2023 9:19 PM - Season 2, Episode 2 - Subscribe
War! Huh! Good God, y'all, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing... except maybe a few stray war chests.
Continuation of the season premiere, with a literal cliff-hanger and a sobering reminder of the cost of big space battles to the average people on the ground. The Beebs may want just a tiny fraction of the loot, but a survivor of Dooku's regime (voiced by veteran actor Héctor Elizondo) points out that the evil count stole from his own people as well as the other Separatist planets. There's also the hint of a season arc, which was also in the previous episode, to the effect of the Beebs deciding whether or not they were going to fight the Empire or not.
Continuation of the season premiere, with a literal cliff-hanger and a sobering reminder of the cost of big space battles to the average people on the ground. The Beebs may want just a tiny fraction of the loot, but a survivor of Dooku's regime (voiced by veteran actor Héctor Elizondo) points out that the evil count stole from his own people as well as the other Separatist planets. There's also the hint of a season arc, which was also in the previous episode, to the effect of the Beebs deciding whether or not they were going to fight the Empire or not.
Fancasting of Vice Admiral Rampart
posted by CheesesOfBrazil at 12:06 PM on January 5, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by CheesesOfBrazil at 12:06 PM on January 5, 2023 [3 favorites]
I'm torn between "I hope they let Omega grow up enough that she isn't just screwing things up constantly, it's annoying" and "I love that she's just a kid mentally who misunderstands things like a kid does and hares off impulsively like a kid, and not preternaturally mature like young characters often are in Star Wars." It's clear Filoni is trying to do another Ahsoka with her (ie, introduce a young female character who develops from "nuisance" to "fan fave") and I wonder if he'll succeed a second time.
I've got to say though, after Andor this show feels pretty slow and unsophisticated. I'm sure I'll get back into the groove after a few episodes, and I actually enjoy analysing shows like this because they're more interesting to criticize than things I love without reservation, but it's like drinking thin broth after a good rich stew.
posted by potrzebie at 11:07 PM on January 6, 2023 [3 favorites]
I've got to say though, after Andor this show feels pretty slow and unsophisticated. I'm sure I'll get back into the groove after a few episodes, and I actually enjoy analysing shows like this because they're more interesting to criticize than things I love without reservation, but it's like drinking thin broth after a good rich stew.
posted by potrzebie at 11:07 PM on January 6, 2023 [3 favorites]
This was a solid return to the show, but barely felt worth stretching over two episodes. Echo's shift from firm "we have to do something," to letting it go reminded me a lot of the Rebels Season 3 two part opener, in which Ezra appears to be dealing with the lure of the Dark Side, a pretty major deal, only to be all good by the end of the opener. I do think, as potrzebie indicates, it will remain somewhere in the overall season arc - the team needing to decide what role they want to play (independents vs rebels) as the Empire grows more powerful. The fact that the last episode is called "Order 99," an inversion of "Order 66," is going to reflect on something.
The animation was top notch and it was fun to return to Serrano, specifically, Dooku's throne/office room, where several scenes took place - notably the Nightsisters attack on Dooku from the Clone Wars. Also cool to see what was left of the city after Palpatine's work to sweep away the evidence of this machinations from the galaxy. I don't know if Omega needed a lesson on what is "treasure."
How Omega escaped the bunker is also a head scratcher as it seemed the only way in and out of the room she was in was through a hatch that was in plain sight of about everyone else.
The Bad Batch won me over in season one, and I know it'll be completely fine going forward, but of all the animated shows, it's probably the one I'm least interested in. It's like someone wanted to connect the dots from the Clone Wars to the Clones clunking about in the desert in Rebels and said "That sounds like a great idea!" Ah well, Andor shows how fascinating stepping away from that part of the story can be.
posted by Atreides at 7:57 AM on January 9, 2023
The animation was top notch and it was fun to return to Serrano, specifically, Dooku's throne/office room, where several scenes took place - notably the Nightsisters attack on Dooku from the Clone Wars. Also cool to see what was left of the city after Palpatine's work to sweep away the evidence of this machinations from the galaxy. I don't know if Omega needed a lesson on what is "treasure."
How Omega escaped the bunker is also a head scratcher as it seemed the only way in and out of the room she was in was through a hatch that was in plain sight of about everyone else.
The Bad Batch won me over in season one, and I know it'll be completely fine going forward, but of all the animated shows, it's probably the one I'm least interested in. It's like someone wanted to connect the dots from the Clone Wars to the Clones clunking about in the desert in Rebels and said "That sounds like a great idea!" Ah well, Andor shows how fascinating stepping away from that part of the story can be.
posted by Atreides at 7:57 AM on January 9, 2023
The visuals in this show are just getting better and better.
I enjoyed this two-parter as it felt like crew was really on the back foot against a fairly competent Imperial clonetrooper contingent. They don't feel like an invincible force of super-commandos any more.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 3:24 AM on January 11, 2023 [1 favorite]
I enjoyed this two-parter as it felt like crew was really on the back foot against a fairly competent Imperial clonetrooper contingent. They don't feel like an invincible force of super-commandos any more.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 3:24 AM on January 11, 2023 [1 favorite]
The only thing that threw me off was at no point did any of the attacking clones go, "Why are they only stunning us?" I feel like that would've been a legitimate question. The final scene of the episode, oof, though.
posted by Atreides at 10:58 AM on January 11, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Atreides at 10:58 AM on January 11, 2023 [1 favorite]
They seemed to know that they were fighting CF99, and it might be common knowledge by now. I'm sure the clones would gossip about the rogue clone commandos who mostly only stun (no stun setting on a Separatist tank cannon, sorry Wrecker).
posted by EndsOfInvention at 4:24 AM on January 12, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by EndsOfInvention at 4:24 AM on January 12, 2023 [3 favorites]
If there's anything clones love more than fighting, it's gossip.
posted by orrnyereg at 6:20 AM on January 17, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by orrnyereg at 6:20 AM on January 17, 2023 [2 favorites]
I've got to say though, after Andor this show feels pretty slow and unsophisticated.
I mean... yeah? It should? This is very much a kids show, Andor is... very much not. Arguably the only adult Stars War.
posted by coriolisdave at 5:48 PM on January 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
I mean... yeah? It should? This is very much a kids show, Andor is... very much not. Arguably the only adult Stars War.
posted by coriolisdave at 5:48 PM on January 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
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posted by orrnyereg at 6:26 AM on January 5, 2023 [3 favorites]