Star Wars: The Bad Batch: Pabu
March 15, 2023 3:47 AM - Season 2, Episode 13 - Subscribe

The team takes refuge and finds new allies.
posted by EndsOfInvention (9 comments total)
 
I groaned audibly when I saw Phee. She just hasn’t grown on me—too Doctor Who-y I think. The entire episode was kind of a snooze fest, especially after last week.
posted by orrnyereg at 4:58 AM on March 15, 2023


It was a step down from last week's incredible episode, but a bit of a necessary one. Separated from Cid, trying to figure out their future, and so they're literally being offered paradise, granted now a bit soggy, to choose between it and joining the fight against the Empire. I'm still not a big fan of Phee, either, but in part because Wanda Sykes' voice is too distinctive. I could probably go with a live action Phee, played by Wanda, but not her voice alone. Hrm.

The double cross in the opening was a bit inexplicable. It looked like the bad guys were being paid a lot of money, so why take out Phee when she can keep coming back to you with said large amounts of money.

The animation remained superb, no matter the story. There's also the question, are they trying to make Tech and Phee a thing??

The final question is Sid. Is Sid going to send the Empire down on the Batch? Or are her threats continuing to build up to a moment where she clearly remains loyal to them? Hrm.
posted by Atreides at 10:47 AM on March 15, 2023


They are absolutely trying to make Tech and Phee a thing. Which, I don't know, I'm not feeling it.

This was definitely a step down since last week, and while it's nice they have a refuge, it's hard to accept it as someplace so entirely idyllic. It's pretty unbelievable.
posted by suelac at 9:41 PM on March 15, 2023 [1 favorite]


I liked this one a lot, but maybe more for its subtext. Everything here is dangling over certain doom from the moment it's introduced, and those expectations are subverted continually. Kindly frail old guy? No way he makes it. Bountiful feast? Bound to be sent flying by an Imperial bombing run or something. It borders on comical, really, for any place to be this idyllic *in this show*. For that reason, I predict the next episode will go as dark as non-Andor-SW ever has. Maybe even Order-66-Younglings dark (though that WOULD surprise me a bit, here in the Disney era).
posted by CheesesOfBrazil at 6:05 AM on March 16, 2023 [1 favorite]


Maybe even Order-66-Younglings dark

Considering that scene with Anakin-vs-the-cute-moppet is now a comedy meme that could go either way.
posted by orrnyereg at 6:23 AM on March 17, 2023 [1 favorite]


I think the tsunami was probably as dark as we're going to get with Pabu the planet. Instead of paradise being ruined (more so), it's going to be the counterweight to choosing to engage with the greater events going on in the galaxy, i..e, joining Rex and Echo. Do they retire in paradise or do they risk everything for a greater cause? That will be the question.

COUNTER POINT: Cid (or someone?) betrays the Batch, the Empire shows up and snatches Omega for Mount Cloning. Batch go to the rescue, discover and save Crosshair, wreck the place and join the greater good.

Animated Star Wars definitely can go dark (in the first season of Clone Wars, there's a scene of dead clones floating around in a destroyed ship), so anything always remains on the table.
posted by Atreides at 7:01 AM on March 17, 2023 [2 favorites]


It would have been a weird bit of symmetry from last episode for them to introduce a new friend for Omega and then immediately kill them off. And yet I almost expected it to happen.
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 12:31 PM on March 18, 2023 [1 favorite]


I think it would be interesting if we get a time jump after this episode.
posted by sleeping bear at 10:46 PM on March 21, 2023


This was a rough watch because from the jump I was just wondering what would go wrong to screw up the lives of the lovely residents of this charming community. I honestly reckoned it would be "bombed into oblivion from space by star destroyers" so an earthquake and ensuing tsunami was actually sort of a pleasant surprise.

I love that Phee is working so hard at making Tech and Phee a thing and the rest of the show isn't backing her up on it AT ALL. It's really funny, actually!
posted by potrzebie at 1:17 PM on May 13, 2023


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