Star Wars the Bad Batch Season 2 Episode 7 (The Clone Conspiracy) Episode 8 (Truth and Consequences) by Darth Slobo
What an amazing two-episode event that seemed like a perfect blend of The Clone Wars Animated Series action and politics with Andor’s espionage and darker tone, but had call-backs to many other Star Wars movies and shows. Again, we saw many familiar faces and we learned many things that help bridge the gap between how the Empire transformed into where they are at the beginning of A New Hope.
The episodes themselves were capped with the Darth Sidious himself being as menacing as ever and completely stealing the show in the brief moments he was featured.
All together these episodes get: 10 abandoned Clone Troopers out of 10
Stand out Scenes
Rex is Back
One of our Favorite Clone Captains (Quite possibly our favorite) Captain Rex is back, requesting the Batch’s assistance in the belly of the imperial beast, Coruscant. Rex requests the Batch’s unique skills in capturing data on the Kamino Attack from Admiral Ramparts Venator. It was great to see Rex and to keep up with his activities Post-Clone War leading in to where we catch up with him again in Rebels.
Bye-Bye Echo
The end of the two-episode mid-season event saw the departure of a fan favorite character, Echo. Who left the batch to follow Rex on his mission to help more clones. While it was sad to see him go, it makes sense for his character based on his constant drive to do more in the fight against the Empire, and his constant dissatisfaction with the Batch’s efforts.
Puppet Master Palpatine
Ian McDiarmid is back voicing Palpatine at the conclusion of this episode and he nails it as always! We see how brilliant Darth Sidious is at planning for everything, manipulating every outcome to his favour, and his ruthless willingness to sacrifice pawns to achieve his goals. When it seemed like Admiral Rampart was backed into a corner that could compromise the Empire, Palpatine labelled him a traitor and gave a convincing argument to further his cause, truly brilliant as the big baddie.
EPISODE BREAKDOWNS
Episode 7: The Clone Conspiracy
We start on Coruscant, outside a local clone watering hole. Two clones discuss the fall of Kamino and Admiral Rampart’s cover up of the attack.
As the one clone (Cade) exits the bar, he is followed by the other officer (Slip) who seems concerned about his actions.
As the clones begin to discuss and debate their own actions, Cade is assassinated from a distance (very Attack of the Clones style). As Slip makes his escape into traffic, other clones go to check on Cade, and the Assassin makes their escape.
Back to the senate!
It is revealed that Rampart said there was a cataclysmic storm that destroyed Kamino, and has proposed a new policy to conscript soldiers from across the galaxy to fight for the galaxy. Other senators don’t see eye to eye as some argue against the new army and others for it.
Bail Organa is back! He is arguing against the creation of the army.
Senator Chuchi (Clone Wars Animated Series) argues for supporting the clone veterans, and Admiral Rampart seems more open to discussing the concerns and support of clone troopers, as his Imperial Army bill is tabled for the time being. Mas Amedda meets with Rampart to discuss the ramifications of not getting the bill passed and if the truth about Kamino is leaked, there will be consequences for Rampart. As Senator Chuchi meets with the clones to discuss the possibility of a pension for clone soldiers, we see Slip leak the information on Kamino to Senator Chuchi.
In the streets of the planet Slip sneaks through the back ally to contact someone for help getting off the planet.
During the meeting between Chuchi and Rampart, their discussion on clone compensation makes little progress, Chuchi questions Rampart about the fall of Kamino and we learn the extent of the damage that the Empire caused, the near extinction of the Kaminoan people… Admiral Rampart is clearly suspicious of Chuchi.
To the streets of Coruscant, we see Senator Chuchi and her guard sneak to meet an R2 unit and follow down an ally to meet Bail Organa. They discuss the rising insurgencies, the clone rights, and Bail warns Chuchi of the dangers facing those who oppose the Empire and that more people may be looking for Slip.
We briefly cut back to Rampart who communicates with the bounty hunter to find the clone Slip and gives the order to take out Chuchi if she gets in the way.
As Chuchi tracks down the clone Slip, Slip shares his concerns and tries to escape but Chuchi convinces him otherwise as the bounty hunter closes in. The bounty hunter takes out Slip and one of Chuchi’s guards as they are forced to escape in the streets of Coruscant. This whose sequence feels very Andorian. As Chuchi makes her escape the bounty hunter is hot on her tail… We see someone emerge to rescue Chuchi: REX IS BACK, Rex saves the day by stunning and capturing the assassin! We learn Slip was meeting Rex who was going to take him off world.
Rex pulls back the assassin’s helmet who is revealed to be a Clone, and Rex and Chuchi head to the depths of Coruscant (where Ahsoka ended up staying after she left the Jedi Order in The Clone Wars Animated Series), where they interrogate the clone assassin.
We end with Rex interrogating the clone who toys with Rex and ends up biting a suicide capsule (Similar to the Imperial Officer that committed suicide in The Mandalorian) before divulging any information.
In case you missed it: The Bad Batch Episode 6: Gungi is Back!
Episode 8: Truth and Consequences
The episode opens with the Batch aboard their ship with Omega practicing the meditation that Gungi taught her on Kashyyk when Rex hails the crew and requests their help for a mission… in the belly of the beast, Coruscant. The mission is the data extraction of the Kamino attack from Admiral Ramparts Venator.
The Batch heads to the depths of Coruscant to find Rex and Senator Chuchi, where they are informed of the situation, and of the clone assassin that was sent to take care of Slip and Chuchi. We also learn what is happening with the Clone War era destroyers as they are being outfitted on Coruscant to resemble what see in the original trilogy. Omega elects to follow Senator Chuchi to the Imperial Senate, who has a brief interaction with Admiral Rampart, but is distracted by the presence of Mas Amedda who applies pressure to Rampart in securing the vote on the new Imperial Army.
Chuchi introduces Omega to the Imperial Senate then is requested for a covert meeting with Bail Organa, who informs Senator Chuchi that she should be meeting with the former Senator of Kamino: Halle Burtoni.
[In the background we hear Ramparts defense bill propaganda.]
Chuchi meets with the former Kaminoan Senator and asks about the Clone facility funds that were being diverted for a year before the attack that left the planet in ruins. Halle Burtoni reveals that Lama Su is was too confident in their partnership with the Empire, which added to their eventual downfall. She was also informs Chuchi and Omega that Rampart is merely a “cog in the machine” which is brief foreshadowing of what will eventually come to be.
We cut back to the rest of the Batch on their recovery mission with Captain Rex, where they break into the Venator. We see an interaction between Rex and Echo where Rex informs Echo that more and more troopers are waking up to what the Empire has been doing to them, but they need more help. A seemingly insignificant conversation that we also learn ends up having a major impact on Echo.
The mission itself is a classic Bad Batch mission where their tactical creativity shines in breaking in, getting noticed, then eventually breaking out of the Ship on an escape pod in dramatic fashion. This was a fun sequence of events that, when paired with the debates about the Imperial War Bill happening simultaneously, as Senator Chuchi attempts to delay a vote while also accusing Admiral Rampart of the massacre on Kamino, made for a tense series of events!
As the Batch get the Venator Command logs to Bail Organa JUUUUST in time, the big reveal of the attack on Kamino ends up making no impact because of an even bigger reveal as a siren rings through the senate…. EMPEROR PALPATINE
Palpatine (Voiced by Ian McDiarmid), makes a huge entrance and silences the crowd as he brilliantly twists the situation of Senator Chuchi revealing Admiral Ramparts attack on Kamino to his advantage. He labels Rampart a traitor, and warns of the dangers of the Clone Trooper’s blind obedience, and makes it clear that now is the time for the Empire to advance the IMPERIAL STORMTROOPER. We see again Sidious flex his strategic muscles as he is continuously six steps in advance of everyone, no matter what happens, he is always prepared with a contingency plan.
While it was awesome to see Palpatine back in action, this was a huge setback for the clones and fascinating insight into the rise of the Stormtroopers and the fall of the Clones.
The episode ends with a bitter goodbye as Echo informs the Batch that he is staying with Rex to help support his efforts to help the Clones. The members of the Batch are very supportive of his decision, but Omega has a tough time saying goodbye. Echo gets his wish to do more in the fight against the empire and more for supporting clones.
What an awesome two-episode mid-season event!
