The trend so far this season has been that the best episodes of Star Wars: The Bad Batch are the ones that do not feature Clone Force 99. Finally, that has changed.
The Bad Batch season 2 episode 13 delivers a high-stakes feel. It mixes a little bit of action and a lot of heart, as we journey with the clones who are trying to find their place in the galaxy after splitting ways with Cid. This episode has a large impact on the overall story of Clone Force 99, which is why it is one of the best ones.
Warning: Spoilers ahead for Star Wars: The Bad Batch season 2 episode 13.
Phee Genoa Is Back
Phee Genoa (voiced by Wanda Sykes) is back in this episode of The Bad Batch. The very first moment shows her and Omega sitting at a table negotiating with dealers over a stone statue. Phee explains that she is teaching Omega the art of negotiation, but these dealers don’t have her health in mind.
While they do agree on a fee, which Omega hands over, it seems they would like to leave with both the statue and the credits. At first they try to poison Phee, which she immediately sniffs out. Next, one of them presses a button under the table which releases a small insect-like creature. However, before it can sting Phee, Hunter spots it from a different table and throws his knife at it, killing it.
The dealers have a lot of muscle in the bar, and they all pull their guns. However, once Wrecker stands up and joins the fight, it is basically all over for them. What follows is about a minute of fun action, combined with a great Star Wars score, as the clones radio Tech to pick them up and get them out of there.
Cid Is Not One To Cross
After the escape, Phee tries to explain to the clones that Omega needs to be more well-rounded. Sure, she has the soldier thing down, but she could use some friends her own age and… other skills. Phee is already working to teach her the ways of a pirate, at least a little bit of it. Tech doesn’t see why it is necessary for Omega to be around anyone other than them.
Before they can continue the conversation, however, they are interrupted by a transmission from Cid. Who, fans will recall, the clones cut ties with a few episodes back after she took her sweet time in rescuing them when their ship was stolen. She threatens Clone Force 99, and insinuates that she is not above turning Omega in as well.
Phee tells them that she doesn’t blame them, but also explains that Cid is not one they want to cross. When they explain that they don’t really have a plan now that they aren’t working with her anymore, Phee directs them to her sanctuary, her “home away from home,” a place called Pabu.
The People Of Pabu
Once at Pabu, Phee explains that while the artifact she got in that fight over might not have a large monetary value, she wanted it because it is meaningful to the people of this place, as it is a part of their past and culture. It seems that Phee is not as cutthroat and selfish as viewers might have thought her to be.
Phee introduces Clone Force 99 to the Mayor of Pabu, Shep Hazard, and his daughter, Lyana, who is about Omega’s age. Now it is clear why that conversation about Omega having friends her own age was woven into the story.
It is revealed that the clones are the first people Phee has ever brought back to Pabu. This means that Cid doesn’t even know where it is, so it could be a good place for the clones to hide out from her.
While touring Pabu, Lyana shows Omega some adorable creatures called moon-yos, which are sort of like monkeys. The two giggle and Tech adds that he has not heard Omega laugh like that in some time.
We learn that Pabu has been a home for refugees that had to flee during and after the war. Hunter asks if they are worried that the Empire will show up, to which the Mayor responds that they are a remote island with very little resources, so there is no reason for them to care.
A New Home For The Clones?
Viewers don’t need to be shown this, but for story purposes it makes sense that The Bad Batch season 2 episode 13 would include a quick conversation between Phee and Hunter as she tries to convince him they need to stay there with Omega. Not only would it provide a bit of safety for them all, Omega is able to have a childhood and play with kids her own age there. The Mayor even includes that there is no better place to raise a family.
After a filling meal, and then mention of dessert, Wrecker claims he loves it there. Seems like his vote would be to stay, should it come down to that. Omega and Lyana take the boat out and sail around the island. Omega breaths in the ocean air and confesses that because of the Empire they are never able to stay in one place for long. When Lyana asks if that makes her lonely, she says that she never really thought about it, but it is clearly getting to her when she does.
Trouble In Paradise
Before Hunter can even bring up the idea of staying in Pabu to the rest of Clone Force 99, he senses something is coming. At first the moon-yos begin running, seemingly scared, and then the land shakes. Omega and Lyana head in from the water, just in case.
Warning sirens blast and the clones and Mayor work together to move everyone to higher ground. Omega and Lyana are stuck on the water as it recedes from the island and the tide pulls them out into the rocks. The two girls jump off the boat to avoid injury and land, hard, on the rocks. Lyana is knocked out, but Omega is able to wake her quite quickly.
Omega radios Hunter to let him know they are in trouble. They run over the newly exposed bed of the water, but there is a huge wave coming, and coming in fast. He tells her to keep her locator on and get to shore as quickly as possible.
While viewers will know that they are not going to kill off Omega, it still feels like high stakes as crowds of villagers rush past the clones, screaming for their lives as they climb to higher grounds.
Omega and Lyana are picked up on the Marauder in just enough time to avoid the wave. Just about the same time as the last of the villagers make it to the high ground. The Mayor says that there was a lot of property damage, but they can work together to rebuild. With a town of refugees, it isn’t like they haven’t done this before.
Hunter suggests that they stay behind to help with things, and Tech admits that he had the same idea. Mayor Shep Hazard tells them that they would be most welcome, and the episode ends.
Overall Thoughts
Star Wars: The Bad Batch season 2 episode 13 becomes one of the best this season because it sticks to the main storyline. Since the start of this season, and really since the first season, Clone Force 99 are at odds against the Empire. While they had found a bit of a home with Cid, they have since split from her as well. This leaves them with no real home to speak of.
Omega is just a child and it has been mentioned multiple times throughout the season that she deserves to act her age every once in a while. This home on Pabu just might give them that. Although, with three episodes left in the season, Crosshair second-guessing his decisions, and Cid hunting them down, we can assume it won’t be all sunshine and rainbows to close things out.
Rating: 8/10 SPECS
Star Wars: The Bad Batch drops new episodes every Wednesday on Disney+.
This article was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.
Tessa Smith owns MamasGeeky.com and is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic and a huge geek. Tessa has been in the Entertainment writing business for almost ten years and is a member of several Critics associations including the Critics Choice Association and the Greater Western New York Film Critics Association. She grew up watching movies, playing video games, and reading comic books — and still loves all of those things. She proudly lets her geek flag fly and spreads the word that there is nothing wrong with being a geek.
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