Bad Batch (Spoilers)

[P-47Thunderbolt]

@HappyDaze

For that matter, how the hell does the BB ship not get noticed right away when they break off the freighter to come in for a landing? Were they not detected in atmosphere? Are Corellian sensors that bad? Did nobody notice that they landed on somebody’s bay? Was it just “free parking” for random, uncleared starships?

If they are powered down and connected to the larger ship, the sensors wouldn’t pick up either a transponder, an independent contact, or a power signature. Once they’re past/under the sensor sweep, they can drop off and move undetected. And “undetected” can mean obscured by so many other signals that they may as well be invisible.

As for “free parking,” if it’s unattended and they just set down like they know what they’re doing, they might be able to away with it. I don’t remember the context of their landing, however, and things may have happened off-screen.

@HappyDaze

Why the hell were the security droids referred to as “police” droids? They never even try to arrest/detain/stun the intruders, so if they were going for unnecessarily violent police to make a statement, then they did. Also, why were the “police” not looking for intruders outside of the facility afterwards? The idea that you just leave the immediate crime scene and the “police” just let everything go is stupid.

Police was definitely a poor choice of terms. We’ve seen police droids before, and they are always marked. These were not, and were armed with E-5s, which as far as I am aware do not even have a stun setting. “Security” would have probably made more sense, I don’t know why they were called “police.”

[Filbert66]

@P-47Thunderbolt

One thing that bugged me a little bit was when Tech said that “now that the clones work for the Empire, that information [a tactical droid’s data] is even more valuable.”

I didn’t understand that either. Maybe so that the empire can learn what the droids learned and thus how to *avoid having their clones defeated.

[P-47Thunderbolt]

@Filbert66

I didn’t understand that either. Maybe so that the empire can learn what the droids learned and thus how to *avoid having their clones defeated.

Yeah, but the Empire should have plenty of captured droids to do that with, that decommissioning facility was in all likelihood run by the Empire. The implication is that it’s forces outside of the Empire that want it.

I think the writers wrote an out-of-universe perspective into Tech’s statement (“people like the Empire even less than the Republic, thus there’s more demand for knowledge on how to beat the clones now”) without actually considering the in-universe mechanics of it all.

[P-47Thunderbolt]

This episode was so good! I’m so happy to be writing a good review of it this time.

The whole thing was great, start to finish. From Rex’s dramatic entrance to his disappearance into the fog. Perfection. I wonder if he’ll show up again?
Only thing that bothered me was the mention of Trace and Rafa. >_<

Rex is a good example of a worthwhile cameo that also makes sense for the story and doesn’t feel like “Oh, what a coincidence!” “Yeah, sure…”
It does make me roll my eyes a little that it was because they just happened to run into Trace and Rafa, though. If there was a little bit more intentionality there, that would be great.
But that’s fairly minor.

Everything else was fantastic! I really liked the inhibitor chip scene with Wrecker, and the dianoga was great. However, I would advise a policy of “stun first, ask questions later.” It would have served them well over the last couple episodes. Once Wrecker was starting to go a little bit batty, the others should have been more aware and just stunned him before he could really act up. However, I can also see how absent the meta-knowledge, they may not have realized anything was seriously wrong. It all goes to show, you need to pay more attention to your surroundings. And be just as paranoid as I am in these scenarios.

As always, the animation was tremendously fantastic and Bracca was beautiful. The work on the scrappers was great as well.
Oh, and they recycled the model of the Pantoran at the snack stand from the visit to Pantora.

One other thing: Was that just a Sphyrna-class corvette I saw in the junkyards on Bracca, or was it perhaps a ship from an earlier time?

[Cloudy]

Agreed, this was one of the episodes I enjoyed more. This would be a super fun session to play through. Just the right mix of obstacles to overcome, rp time, moral dilemma and action.

[Sturn]

I’ve been watching and will keep watching, but must admit I’m not near as hyped as I was before the season started. After the last episode, my daughter decided she was going to rewatch Rebels starting at Season 1. I hung around and actually enjoyed the reruns better then watching new episodes of the Bad Batch.

[P-47Thunderbolt]

Oof. >_<
And Rebels season one was rough.

Well, my hype for the show was virtually non-existent before it came out, so I’m doing okay even if interest has waned since the first pair of episodes came out. If the next one is good, I think I’ll probably be back on track.

[GMLovlie]

I think this series is great!
Hopefully there’ll be more than one season, or they need to ramp it up a notch for any kind of satisfying ending, but the world-building so far is great. Finally more of Ord Mantell, finally more Falleen, finally some more info on chaincodes (if still very limited), and some nice cross-overs (what grumpies call “small galaxy syndrome” or something? ) with the two sisters - sure they are a bit annoying, but I like them as they remind of some players I’ve had - and Fennec Shand, who I liked to see, great to get some backstory, and avoiding Boba and the ESB crowd.
Although, I’d love to see Cad Bane again … weirdly, I kind of hope they won’t, yet I’d be so “squee!” if they did, I love that character.

All in all a great show while we’re waiting for the Book of Boba Fett.

[P-47Thunderbolt]

@GMLovlie

finally more Falleen,

Are you referring to the extras who showed up briefly in the “rescue the rancor” episode? Because their contact is a Trandoshan, in case you got them confused. If the extras, then yes. The animation for them was very good, and its a good choice for a random species to show up on Ord Mantell.

@GMLovlie

(what grumpies call “small galaxy syndrome” or something? )

I prefer the term “curmudgeon.” ^_^

@GMLovlie

with the two sisters - sure they are a bit annoying, but I like them as they remind of some players I’ve had

Well, I’m sure glad I don’t have your players! :P

@GMLovlie

Fennec Shand, who I liked to see, great to get some backstory, and avoiding Boba and the ESB crowd.

Good point on Shand. One of the things I liked about her in The Mandalorian was that she was new. The newness is no longer new when she just happens to show up in a prequel for no particular reason, but she could’ve been worse. She could’ve been Dengar.

@GMLovlie

Although, I’d love to see Cad Bane again … weirdly, I kind of hope they won’t, yet I’d be so “squee!” if they did, I love that character.

I hope we don’t, because I want the Boba/Bane arc from the cancelled Clone Wars to stand as unofficial Canon rather than being contradicted.

[GMLovlie]

@P-47Thunderbolt

Well, I’m sure glad I don’t have your players! :P

You’d be surprised how fun and rewarding it is to have a variation of players that don’t all defer and adhere to conventions and dogma. They get corrupted into boring predictable gaming soon enough, but wide-eyed, naive, and inexperienced players create some of the most memorable stories and games, before they go boring-old-grumpy-tied-down-by-conventions, only to sometimes emerge as good players that recall their naivete and creativity that the mid-phase generally loses in favour of mini-games and mechnical tinkering, or misguided “you’re dong it wrong”-gamist paternalism.

@P-47Thunderbolt

Good point on Shand. One of the things I liked about her in The Mandalorian was that she was new. The newness is no longer new when she just happens to show up in a prequel for no particular reason, but she could’ve been worse. She could’ve been Dengar.

Newness is cool, but as with a lot of SW, people want to know a bit more. This was a nice addition, and I think we’ll see her again, I’m looking forward to that.

@P-47Thunderbolt

I hope we don’t, because I want the Boba/Bane arc from the cancelled Clone Wars to stand as unofficial Canon rather than being contradicted.

Well, adding Cad wouldn’t necessarily contradict the cancelled episodes (not that I’m familiar with all the details), even without including Boba. Either way, Shand seems to be the token bounty hunter in this season. Also, seeing Embo would be great, but not something for this series … would be cooler in live action I think, if they could.

[P-47Thunderbolt]

@GMLovlie

You’d be surprised how fun and rewarding it is to have a variation of players that don’t all defer and adhere to conventions and dogma. They get corrupted into boring predictable gaming soon enough, but wide-eyed, naive, and inexperienced players create some of the most memorable stories and games, before they go boring-old-grumpy-tied-down-by-conventions, only to sometimes emerge as good players that recall their naivete and creativity that the mid-phase generally loses in favour of mini-games and mechnical tinkering, or misguided “you’re dong it wrong”-gamist paternalism.

Actually, I wouldn’t be, because I do. But that doesn’t sound like Trace and Rafa, to me at least. I interpreted your statement to mean that they acted like Trace and Rafa. If you meant something else, it flew right by me and I still don’t quite understand you comparison.

I’m also too new on the block to have much convention or dogma piled up.

@GMLovlie

Newness is cool, but as with a lot of SW, people want to know a bit more. This was a nice addition, and I think we’ll see her again, I’m looking forward to that.

I do definitely like to know more (one of the things I love about Star Wars is the depth of character backstory), but I’d rather have deep looks at the character, not cameos spread across multiple eras that don’t do much to add depth to the character. If you had a trilogy of movies entirely about Fennec Shand, I’d question your financial strategy but be very interested to see it. I think she has the potential to be a very interesting character, and she fills a side of Star Wars that I think is frequently touched on, or seen from the other side (the good guys), but never actually really probed, except possibly in more ancillary materials like comic books, though I couldn’t point you to any.

My problem is not so much “newness” exactly, but rather cameos as (what to me seems to be) a crutch for creativity and/or a cheap play to please fans.

I’m not against cameos or known characters appearing in works not directly related to them, but sometimes it seems cheap, and often something where a new character would have been as good or better, and of course have the advantage of furthering the impression of a big galaxy, rather than having everyone running in to everyone else all the time.

@GMLovlie

Well, adding Cad wouldn’t necessarily contradict the cancelled episodes (not that I’m familiar with all the details), even without including Boba. Either way, Shand seems to be the token bounty hunter in this season. Also, seeing Embo would be great, but not something for this series … would be cooler in live action I think, if they could.

The reason I think it would contradict is because Boba killed Bane.

Embo is great! He’s one of my favorite bounty hunter characters. As for live-action, it depends on the style. I have many of the same concerns for him as I did for Tano (and, in my mind at least, they were proven correct) because he has a very acrobatic/superhuman fighting style that I think would be hard to recreate effectively in live action.

[GMLovlie]

@P-47Thunderbolt

Actually, I wouldn’t be, because I do. But that doesn’t sound like Trace and Rafa, to me at least. I interpreted your statement to mean that they acted like Trace and Rafa. If you meant something else, it flew right by me and I still don’t quite understand you comparison.

Perhaps because we see those characters very differently. Trace is to me very much “played” by a new, wide-eyed and naive player. Rafa’s player has perhaps a few more sessions under the belt, and got an idea about things and where they want the character to go, but has too few talents and skill ranks do get things right without a bunch of threats … at least in season 7, they’re somewhat more experienced in bad batch, but still far away from knight-level (perhaps 50-75 earned XP). Both are also somewhat new to the galaxy, so they’re not entirely sure how things work in Star Wars, perhaps because they only watched a few films, and none of the tv-shows. To me this is refreshing compared to people living deep in the lore …

@P-47Thunderbolt

I do definitely like to know more (one of the things I love about Star Wars is the depth of character backstory), but I’d rather have deep looks at the character, not cameos spread across multiple eras that don’t do much to add depth to the character. If you had a trilogy of movies entirely about Fennec Shand, I’d question your financial strategy but be very interested to see it. I think she has the potential to be a very interesting character, and she fills a side of Star Wars that I think is frequently touched on, or seen from the other side (the good guys), but never actually really probed, except possibly in more ancillary materials like comic books, though I couldn’t point you to any.

Well, Book of Boba Fett will probe this more maybe.

@P-47Thunderbolt

My problem is not so much “newness” exactly, but rather cameos as (what to me seems to be) a crutch for creativity and/or a cheap play to please fans.

I’m not against cameos or known characters appearing in works not directly related to them, but sometimes it seems cheap, and often something where a new character would have been as good or better, and of course have the advantage of furthering the impression of a big galaxy, rather than having everyone running in to everyone else all the time.

I don’t see it as a “crutch for creativity” or “cheap fan pleasing”. This is a new character they want to establish and focus on, they got the actress on board, so they’re sprinkling her in there to establish backstory, personality and development, to go with the new series that she’s a part of. I doubt she’s a character for a whole trilogy to focus on, and I’d even consider a single film centred on her to be a bold move, that could be slightly misguided (at this point in time at least).

@P-47Thunderbolt

The reason I think it would contradict is because Boba killed Bane.

That specific detail has escaped me. Well, here we will disagree, I hope he wasn’t killed after all.

@P-47Thunderbolt

Embo is great! He’s one of my favorite bounty hunter characters. As for live-action, it depends on the style. I have many of the same concerns for him as I did for Tano (and, in my mind at least, they were proven correct) because he has a very acrobatic/superhuman fighting style that I think would be hard to recreate effectively in live action.

I could be done adequately in my opinion, but I doubt it ever happening, he’s too minor. Ahsoka was done well as far as I’m concerned, but she is a main character, which Embo is not, and very popular which Embo is not to the same degree…

[P-47Thunderbolt]

@GMLovlie

Perhaps because we see those characters very differently.

I think we do, because to me they were just incredibly annoying.
I have a game with young players, two of whom know very little about Star Wars and none of whom know much about RPGs, but they also aren’t insufferable. In fact, they’re quite delightful to game with. It’s no better or worse to me than gaming with long-time Star Wars fans who are embedded in the lore and can have long, drawn-out conversations about rather abstract concepts in relation to Star Wars, simply different.

@GMLovlie

I don’t see it as a “crutch for creativity” or “cheap fan pleasing”. This is a new character they want to establish and focus on, they got the actress on board, so they’re sprinkling her in there to establish backstory, personality and development, to go with the new series that she’s a part of. I doubt she’s a character for a whole trilogy to focus on, and I’d even consider a single film centred on her to be a bold move, that could be slightly misguided (at this point in time at least).

I’m talking broadly, not so much about this particular character in this particular situation. I was being tongue-in-cheek with the mention of a trilogy, but my point was that I want depth, I don’t want the character to seem like butter scraped across too much bread. It’s not that I see a character in one thing, and never want to see her again. It’s that I want meaningful stories that further the worldbuilding and the characters. And again, I’m talking generally. Not specifically about Shand.

[GMLovlie]

@P-47Thunderbolt

I think we do, because to me they were just incredibly annoying.

Different from Zeb, Sabine, Ezra, Ahsoka, Jar Jar, Wrecker, C3PO, Anakin, or Luke, in what way exactly? (besides getting enough screentime to actually get some character development that is…)

@P-47Thunderbolt

… I want depth, I don’t want the character to seem like butter scraped across too much bread. It’s not that I see a character in one thing, and never want to see her again. It’s that I want meaningful stories that further the worldbuilding and the characters. And again, I’m talking generally.

I agree, I want the same. And as I see it, it’s what I’m getting.

[P-47Thunderbolt]

@GMLovlie

Different from Zeb, Sabine, Ezra, Ahsoka, Jar Jar, Wrecker, C3PO, Anakin, or Luke, in what way exactly? (besides getting enough screentime to actually get some character development that is…)

For one thing, they actually rub me the wrong way and the others don’t (except Ezra, but he isn’t as bad). I’m not sure why you’re calling Zeb or Sabine annoying. And for that matter, I’m not sure why you’re questioning my dislike of Trace and Rafa?
I’m having trouble quantifying the exact reasons why I find them so painfully insufferable aside from just saying “it’s their personality, and they’re idiots.” That’s partly because I’ve never rewatched their debut arc, but it’s also really a matter of preference. One main difference I can point out is that the others have their moments, but with Trace and Rafa it is absolutely constant.

Ezra: Still on my annoying list, but not nearly as bad as these two.
Jar Jar: I’m in the minority on this, but I kinda found him endearing. I like Jar Jar. Sometimes I groan a little, but his Clone Wars episodes are some of my favorites.
Wrecker: He has his moments, but all in all, it’s not that bad.
C3PO: He is annoying to the in-universe characters, but a comedic character to the audience. I’m not entirely sure why you’re calling him annoying.
Anakin: Again, moments. Moments I usually skip. And in Clone Wars? Not at all.
Luke: Very few moments, and they aren’t that bad.

[GMLovlie]

@P-47Thunderbolt

And for that matter, I’m not sure why you’re questioning my dislike of Trace and Rafa?

I’m curious what distinguishes them from the others I mentioned - and because I don’t get it. You don’t have to answer of course, I’m just wondering

@P-47Thunderbolt

One main difference I can point out is that the others have their moments, but with Trace and Rafa it is absolutely constant.

That’s fair. I think their journey to Kessel and Oba Dia was good. Their appearance on Corellia was a bit weird, but a nice link to Ahsoka and Rex. In a way I hope to get more of them, to see them grow into something more, because they have so much cool potential for conflict and drama, what with their glaring differences in values and outlook.

@P-47Thunderbolt

Ezra: Still on my annoying list, but not nearly as bad as these two.

Fair enough, I never found Ezra to be particularly annoying, but I know many do.

@P-47Thunderbolt

Jar Jar: I’m in the minority on this, but I kinda found him endearing. I like Jar Jar. Sometimes I groan a little, but his Clone Wars episodes are some of my favorites.

The season six episodes with Windu were pretty awesome.

@P-47Thunderbolt

Wrecker: He has his moments, but all in all, it’s not that bad.

Yeah, I think I liked him best in the last episode when he was under the effect of the inhibitor chip. Oh, and I appreciate his fear of heights. but I also find him annoying, as well as comedic.

@P-47Thunderbolt

C3PO: He is annoying to the in-universe characters, but a comedic character to the audience. I’m not entirely sure why you’re calling him annoying.

Because I find him to be really annoying, his voice, and particularly in TCW and Rebels, he’s ok-ish in films, but too many annoying moments for me, the voice, his screaming, his everything. I don’t find him particularly comedic, although he does shine from time to time. I realise he’s important to the storytelling so I do endure him (and admittedly sometimes I don’t find him that annoying), but he’s perhaps my least favourite character in the entire franchise. A whiny annoyance, episodes with him in them in TCW are horrible to watch…

I never found Luke to be annoying really, and I find Anakin to be just a ‘bit’ bad in AotC.

Anyhew, enough derailing from me. My curiosity is satisfied - and I’m realising how difficult it is to put my finger on why something is annoying. I won’t be belabouring this point any longer.

So, is Omega a Palpy clone? Or an altered Fett clone?

[P-47Thunderbolt]

@GMLovlie

The season six episodes with Windu were pretty awesome.

Definitely. I almost mentioned them, but decided against it in an attempt to conserve space. (Ha, me? Conserve space? Yes, because if I didn’t my posts would be even longer than they are already.)

@GMLovlie

Because I find him to be really annoying, his voice, and particularly in TCW and Rebels, he’s ok-ish in films, but too many annoying moments for me, the voice, his screaming, his everything. I don’t find him particularly comedic, although he does shine from time to time. I realise he’s important to the storytelling so I do endure him (and admittedly sometimes I don’t find him that annoying), but he’s perhaps my least favourite character in the entire franchise. A whiny annoyance, episodes with him in them in TCW are horrible to watch…

Hmm, interesting. That’s not been my experience with him at all.

@GMLovlie

Anyhew, enough derailing from me. My curiosity is satisfied - and I’m realising how difficult it is to put my finger on why something is annoying. I won’t be belabouring this point any longer.

Fair enough.

@GMLovlie

So, is Omega a Palpy clone? Or an altered Fett clone?

Please no. >_<
The first, because I really don’t want this series to be connected to Palpatine and the Force, at least not in that way. The other, because that’s an idea I’ve had for a while and am finally writing down into a story, so I want it to be unique (as in, not seen in Star Wars media. I’m sure other fans have had the idea).

My thoughts on the likelihood? Yeah, there’s a decent chance she’s connected to the Palpatine cloning program. As for a Jango clone, I doubt it. If she was, I think there would be at least some visible similarities. If you change so much, can she really still be called a Jango clone? Genetically, I’m sure you could make the case, but I’m talking more philosophically from a story-telling perspective.

[GMLovlie]

@P-47Thunderbolt

Please no. >_<

Yeah, I’m not fan of palpy clone already now - but who knows. As for Fett… there’s “similarity” in comlexion, and she has a distinct “down-under”’-like-ish accent (not really, but it’s different) … so sure, whether Fett or Palps, it could tie to this whole “strandcast” thingy alluded to in the Mando series. An early attempt at making alterations and “new” beings through cloning and genetic tampering and technobabble mumbojumbo on the way towards cloning palpy for the future - perhaps Spaarti cloning cylinders on the way?

[HappyDaze]

Hey, I’ll be happy as long as Omega isn’t an attempt to create a “Force-saturated” clone that will breed with Palpatine (i.e., she’s Rey’s grandmother). But that’s too twisted even for Star Wars.

[GMLovlie]

Yeah… that’s dark…

I’m very curious about the Kaminoans’ plotting, and wonder how “successful” they will be before they’re shut down.

Also, would it be safe to assume that Crosshair will die? If they manage to rescue him, I doubt he can stay around for long, if only to drive home the evil of the Empire and its efficiency at doing badong stuff. It’ll be interesting to see, and perhaps a bit heart-wrenching.