REVIEW: Star Wars the Bad Batch Season 2 Episode 13, “Pabu” by Darth Slobo
A SIMPLE WAY OF LIFE
This week the Batch gets a very brief taste of the good life before natural disaster takes its toll, and gets to experience a slower pace, away from war, where Omega can experience childhood. This is a very different tone of episode, and gets my hopes up that the Batch members may actually be able to experience some form of Peace, but, with Cid and Crosshair, we know this peaceful life is likely short lived.
It was also interesting to see a potentially budding romance between Tech and Phee. Again we are reminded that Omega has had her childhood cut short, and Hunter is provided with yet another opportunity to give Omega the childhood experience that others believe she should have.
This episode gets 6.5 TIDAL WAVES out of 10.
Episode Overview
We open in a bar with Phee and Omega discussing an exchange with a group of shady people. As they strike a deal over an interesting looking artifact, the group offers Phee a drink which she realizes is poison. Below the table, we see a secret compartment opened where a venomous bug (attack of the clones) emerges and moves towards Phee. As Hunter, observing from a distance, spots the slug and throws his knife, things get dicey as a shootout between the Batch and the gang ensues. The Batch takes care of many of the gang members but are still outnumbered as they grab the artifact and call on Tech, who is waiting in the Marauder, for a quick pickup.
Back on the ship, the Batch and Phee receive a threatening message from Cid. It appears the Batch has taken a break from running missions for Cid, and she is not happy about it, reminding them that she knows a lot of information about them. At this point, Phee seems to step in and help as she knows what it is like working for/with Cid, and not wanting to get on her bad side. Phee directs the Batch to their next location and they arrive on Pabu, and get insight into what and why Phee continues to recover divers artifacts from across the galaxy.
Phee shows the Batch the Archium, a temple at the center of the island village of Pabu, that stores the items that Phee collects, which are remnants of cultures from across the galaxy. Phee introduces the Batch to Shep Hazard and his daughter Layana to the Bad Batch. At this point, we are starting to see some deeper interactions between Phee and Tech, which could indicate a possible romantic entanglement?
As Shep hosts the Batch, the architecture looks very reminiscent of Ach-to. As Omega and Layana, and the Batch mingle with Phee and Shep, Phee begins planting seeds in Hunter’s mind of a simple life, away from war and struggle. And we immediately see the appeal as Omega is getting a chance to be a kid on this planet. A topic that has been addressed in several episodes now.
Omega and Layana set off on her boat to watch the planet’s sunset and they get into some deep conversation about lifestyle stability. As the sun sets, we get another moment between Phee and Tech and Pabu lights up for the night. As we are getting a lighter episode, something happens. An earthquake-like tremor shakes the ground as the animals can sense something. Another much larger tremor rocks the island, and Omega and Layana return to the island.
Hunter senses they may not be out of the wood with the tremors as another one rocks the island. Tech informs them that a sea surge is imminent for the island and sirens begin to blare. Tech tells them that they must evacuate the lower levels of the island and move to higher ground as Omega and Layana get pulled into the ocean by the receding tide. Hunter makes his way to the ship to rescue Omega and Layana, who now face a tidal wave. The villagers head to the peak Tech realizes they won’t be able to escape the wave so him and Phee work to release emergency ladders.
The race is on as the wave is gaining on Omega, Layana and Hunter reach the ship. Hunter reaches the pair just in time as the wave begin crashing into the lower island. Wrecker and the Mayor make it up JUST in time as the wave decimates the island.
In the aftermath, we see the devastation of the wave on the refugees who have lost their homes. Wrecker, Omega, and Layana rest, as Hunter and Tech conclude that the Batch can stick around and help the people of Pabu rebuild their settlement.
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