– Spoiler Review –
Clone Force 99 teams up with Phee Genoa for a treasure hunt, where they find an unexpected surprise in another delightfully fun The Bad Batch, “Entombed.”
I’m glad we didn’t have to wait too long to see Phee Genoa (Wanda Sykes) return to the show, because if someone’s going to be introduced putting their boots up on Cid’s desk, she’s got to have a certain demeanor and probably has an intriguing story. When The Bad Batch‘s “Entombed” begins, we hear her regaling the usual suspects at Cid’s place with a tale of adventure and lost treasure, which Hunter remarks changes every time he’s heard it, so imagine his reluctance when Omega returns with some scrap that ends up being a compass to potential loot and treasure. As Sykes plays her, Phee has many layers, though she’s great at always putting on a front, rolling with the latest developments and acting like she’s always in the know, even when she’s clearly not, and this brings some fun interactions throughout the episode. While she might be making it up as she goes along, Hunter can’t help but find respect for her when her tall tale of what treasure they are about to find, the Heart of the Mountain of the Skara Nal, turns out to be true, to some degree. We still don’t get a ton about her backstory or what her current goals or ambitions are, beyond more money, but I appreciated the time we do have with her here because it sets up her up as a bigger player in the story ahead. Her dubious actions and treasure-focused mindset mean she could be a valuable ally…or a problematic enemy, as she’s resourceful and nonchalant, but there’s a strength and determination underneath, including quite the cool sword, that no one should want to be on the other end of.
Be it episodes of Star Wars Resistance or The Rise of Skywalker, characters going on quests for hidden and ancient treasure isn’t necessarily a new thing, especially as it dominates Doctor Aphra’s many storylines, but “Entombed” has the most Indiana Jones-feel of the on-screen Star Wars yet. A lot of it comes from the Kiners score, which remains just Star Wars enough the Uncharted/Indiana Jones bravado and sense of wonder across its chords still feels like part of the universe. There’s no mistaking the inspirations though and I’m glad for it, as it sets the tone and the mood in such a way that a traditional Star Wars score might not have matched, giving us a feeling for how Omega is enjoying this adventure compared to her brothers. While most of the puzzles along the tomb’s path aren’t terribly difficult, they were neat things for those involved to solve, as it helps pique some of Clone Force 99’s interest and slowly endures Phee to them, all while letting Omega fulfill her dreams of hunting treasure and doing anything else than a military mission. Omega getting to see what the rest of the galaxy offers like this will make any plans by Hunter to hide them all away, like he’s been suggesting for awhile now (and renewed in the season two premiere), even harder for her to swallow, and it makes me curious if it’ll cause some friction between them in the future (maybe even leading to her breaking out on her own).
I really enjoyed the ultimate reveal of what Skara Nal was: a giant death-machine built by the “ancients.” If you recall from the trailers, there was a giant walking machine that looked a bit like a giraffe which made it easy to compare to the Tallnecks (which got its own LEGO!) of the Horizon video game series for PlayStation, (which I’ve played both of for countless hours!), though while those are benevolent, this Skara Nal is anything but. Upon arriving on the planet the compass Omega found leads them too, they notice it’s been razed and left uninhabitable, and now we know how, this giant walking machine. There’s no explanation for how, why, when, or who really used these things to bring about the end of life on the planet, beyond the creepy clawed creatures which hound the team through the catacombs, but it’s a compelling mystery which both doesn’t need to be answered anytime soon but leaves open the possibility in some story down the line. With a mind of its own, it begins to raze the planet anew, heading towards the Marauder, while a creature sneaks aboard, setting a fun and somewhat tense sequence as Phee must give up her spoils to help save them. I would’ve liked to see the thing be used to help the Rebellion at one point, but I’m glad its collapsed and destroyed, as now not even the Empire can use it against those who would stand against them.
The simple fact Phee’s character design has such dark skin really highlights how little they’ve yet to truly change the skin color of the Bad Batch, a prominent issues exlored deeply by the #UnwhitewashTBB campaign. You can read more up on the campaign via their Carrd, and this great article on Gizmodo, but it’s simply pointing out how the special clones of a character played by a Māori actor are whiter than any other clone, unintentionally implying superiority and uniqueness are inherent in those who are white versus their darker-skinned brethren. I find it hard to cover this show without mentioning it each episode, as not acknowledging it would be ignoring the problem. They’ve reportedly darkened the characters, but it’s still not been enough to fix the issue, so hopefully by the show’s eventual third season they can maybe get it right.
The Bad Batch‘s “Entombed” goes swashbuckling for a good time.
+ More of Phee is welcomed
+ Very Indiana Jones/Uncharted
– Unwhitewash the Bad Batch
Ryan is Mynock Manor’s Head Butler. You can follow him on Twitter @BrushYourTeeth. You can follow the website on Twitter @MynockManor and Instagram @mynockmanor.
THE BAD BATCH REVIEWS
Season Two: 1.1/1.2 Spoils of War & Ruins of War | 1.3 The Solitary Clone | 1.4 Faster
Season One: 1.1 Aftermath | 1.2 Cut and Run | 1.3 Replacements | 1.4 Cornered | 1.5 Rampage | 1.6 Decommissioned | 1.7 Battle Scars | 1.8 Reunion | 1.9 Bounty Lost | 1.10 Common Ground | 1.11 Devil’s Deal | 1.12 Rescue on Ryloth | 1.13 Infested | 1.14 War-Mantle | 1.15 Return to Kamino | 1.16 Kamino Lost