– Spoiler Review –
The Bad Batch’s season two “Tipping Point” is exactly that on many different levels, though how it balances all of the show’s threads and weaves them together ahead of the season finale next week is one of its greatest feats. Head below to read all about the stellar penultimate episode!
I have to start off this review with a big thanks to Katie for writing last week’s review of “Pabu,” a wonderful little character focused episode giving Clone Force 99 some calm before a figurative storm (not the literal one they deal with in “Pabu”). “Tipping Point” shows peace only lasts for so long for these soldiers, as many season long threads come to a—pardon the pun—tipping point. It makes for a riveting half hour, as the show packs in so much in its usual time frame, it helps viewers both appreciate when the show’s allowed to take its time and focus on one thing or character in some episodes and see how much it’s able to cram into this one without it ever feeling cramped. I was fully invested throughout “Tipping Point,” in fact so invested I had to pause it to see how long I’d been watching because it somehow felt longer than a half hour (as I had to go into work shortly after watching), in the best way possible. This episode certainly made me appreciate how much time this season has spent with these characters yet also how it’s managed to find itself back to bigger plots and threads throughout, so it almost seems crazy to me the two-part finale is next week, as I can only imagine all the places it could go across a full hour if it keeps up the same pace and energy of “Tipping Point.”
Things kick off quickly, as a transfer of clone prisoners (including Howzer from season one) is intercepted by a team consisting of Echo, Gregor, and a few other clones. It’s a fun, well-paced sequence, from the little craft which detaches from their larger ship so they can breach the Imperial transport from multiple points, to how quickly the crack team of clones works its way to the bridge and through recruited stormtroopers, there’s a real sense of urgency throughout. When a Venator-class Star Destroyer emerges (cue the Imperial March, which felt weird but right!), the urgency is warranted, though Echo tries to hold on as long as possible to download the ship’s databases to ascertain where the clones are all being transferred to. Our heroes don’t know about Mount Tantiss and the scientific shenanigans going on there yet but are working their damnedest to figure out what’s happening to all the clones. Returning to Rex’s growing network, with assistance from Senator Riyo Chuchi, Echo gets the new clones to safety but wants to check in with an old friend to decrypt the data: Tech.
Over on Pabu, Clone Force 99 seems well-adjusted to the island lifestyle. Wrecker is happy to lend his strength to the rebuilding efforts and fishing, Omega’s being taught how to fly by a nervous yet proud Tech, and Hunter is happy to provide his skills to help rebuild and use the time to give his team the chance to unwind, to see what life outside of war can be like. It’s refreshing to see them enjoying life, but when Shep Hazard talks to Hunter about them being such an integral part of the community, Hunter’s reluctance appears. Considering he spent the early season debating with Echo about just this thing, about wanting a life away from war, it seemed a little weird he’s so hesitant, but it’s clear he, like any soldier, doesn’t quite know how to live a life of comfort, especially if they were bred and raised for anything but. When Echo arrives, much to Omega’s delight, he and Tech discuss Clone Force 99’s future and their debate reignites. Echo’s proud of his work, of fighting for their brothers, a point he makes vehemently to Hunter, whose response is he understands, but he’s concerned about when it’ll be enough. Hunter’s not against fighting more but he’s growing weary, while he’s also considering living out here, staying indefinitely, but he’s just afraid to admit he wants to, in fear it could all come crumbling down, so they are waiting to make the decision. But it might be made for them soon, as when Tech decrypts the data, he finds something surprising…
While we took a week off from Crosshair again after he ended up detained by the Empire and its Imperial science division on Wayland, his story weaves though that of the other clones, meaning for the first time all season, we see all of Clone Force 99 in the same episode (though not all together). Thankfully, it picks up shortly after where we last left him, though now Dr. Royce Hemlock is involved, ramping up the torture so Crosshair might spill on anything and everything he knows about Clone Force 99 so they can be tracked down and Omega brought in to help convince Nala Se of helping. While the situation seems helpless for Crosshair, he certainly doesn’t act like it is, defiant through and through, though he might not be without an ally. Scientist Emerie Karr gives Crosshair a break from the torture, though the stormtroopers in the room aren’t happy about it, though during the break she loosens his restraints and it’s enough for Crosshair to grab a blaster and shoot them, only stunning Karr after she tries to talk him out of it. He makes a valiant effort to escape, beaming off a short message, but Hemlock’s new gas takes him out before he gets any further, something the doctor designed so he’d be immune alone. Hemlock threatens to increase Crosshair’s torture even more, all he has to do is give up info on Omega and Clone Force 99 to stop it, but the clone’s silence is deafening now, not even willing to engage in a conversation, with Karr looking on, potentially concerned for Crosshair. Will she help him try to escape again? And who did he send the message off to?
Within the data Echo procured, Tech finds records of Crosshair’s transfer to the same mysterious location the others have been taken, prompting him to check their old channels where he finds a short but simple message from their ex-teammate warning the group they are being hunted. Having not seen Crosshair since Kamino, or know of his actions, they ponder the validity of the message. Did he turn against the Empire, hence the prisoner transfer, and somehow manage to get a message out? Or is this all part of some elaborate trap? And how will they go about finding out the truth? The episode ends before we find their answer, but it’s clear it’ll be a big part of the finale. Between the clones being phased out, Crosshair’s journey, parting with Cid, and the rest of Clone Force 99’s struggles with how to continue their lives, all the threads are here and waiting for next week’s final two episodes of the season, and if this is just the tip of the iceberg for what they have planned for everything the season’s worked on so far, we could be in for quite the memorable season finale.
Here are a few other things:
- The two-part finale is the only episodes not included with the early screeners so next week we are all on the same page and going in dark!
- On the final day of Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023, The Bad Batch has its own panel (April 10 at 6am CST), so if there’s no word on a season three after the finale, expect to hear more there. I hope I’m wrong, but part of me thinks the third season will be the last, but we’ll know soon enough at Celebration!
- As always, #UnwhitewashTBB. 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 “Tipping Point” is a thrilling way to weave together all the threads throughout the second season and set us up for the big finale!
+ Season long threads pulled together
+ Great pace doesn’t let up
+ Quite the set up for the finale
+ Seeing the team relaxing
– 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 | 1.5 Entombed | 1.6 Tribe | 1.7/1.8 The Clone Conspiracy & Truth and Consequences | 1.9 The Crossing | 1. 10 Retrieval | 1.11 Metamorphosis | 1.12 The Outpost | 1.13 Pabu (by Katie)
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