It's been a bit of time, but the first season of Star Wars: The Bad Batch demonstrated that Lucasfilm Animation remains at the top of its game. The series began with a chilling sequence depicting Order 66, and after leaving one of their own behind, Clone Force 99 spent the rest of the season doing mercenary work as the early days of the Empire took the galaxy by storm.
The first season's finale last August saw the complete destruction of Tipoca City on Kamino, forcing Crosshair to work with his old squad mates to survive. Fans were pleasantly surprised to see that Crosshair would remain with the Empire, signifying an extended run for the series' primary antagonist. There was no specific objective for the rest of the Bad Batch as they left their homeworld, leaving room for the story to pick up anywhere.
Also of interest is the cloning storyline's continuation that was teased in the finale's last scene. Kaminoan scientist Nala Se's life was spared so that she could work in servitude to the Empire, and was transported by Imperial Commandos to what appeared to be the planet Wayland, first introduced in Timothy Zahn's Heir to the Empire. The connection Se has with Omega is far from over, and her work serves as an indicator of more background to everyone's favorite canon development: Senile Sidious' clone in Episode IX.
Things have been extremely quiet on the Bad Batch front since the finale concluded, with the only official word being that there would be a second season. Fans had hoped Season 2 would be debuting this Spring, but the release date's removal from a Star Wars Insider magazine put that in doubt. Fortunately, the galaxy's biggest convention is right around the corner, and the series is now set for an update.
The Bad Batch Panel Announced For Celebration
The official Star Wars website officially revealed that a panel dedicated to The Bad Batch will be held at Star Wars Celebration.
Confirmed to be taking the stage are executive producers Brad Rau and Jen Corbett, story editor Matt Michnovetz, and voice actors Dee Bradley Baker and Michelle Ang. The panel will take place on Sunday, May 29, which promises to look back on the first season and give hints at what to expect in Season 2.
Baker shared his excitement for the season in a tweet, teasing bigger things to come:
"I'm excited about where we've been - but more so for where we're going!"
Clone Force 99 Returns
Star Wars fans can all agree that an update on The Bad Batch is long overdue. Even those who weren't crazy about the first season overall have acknowledged appreciation for the places the story went - particularly the dark turns with Crosshair, Wrecker's inhibitor chip malfunction, and the destruction of Kamino's cloning facilities. With Celebration on the horizon, a panel for Season 2 was always a given.
What can attendees expect?
Assuming that the panel follows the trend set by previous Celebration presentations for the animated series, the first half will be spent taking a look back at Season 1. This will provide the executive producers and story editor the opportunity to explain the creative decisions they made, and Baker and Ang will get to chime in on how they worked to develop the arcs for their characters.
The host will take the bone thrown by the creatives and segue things into discussions about Season 2 from that point, where teases for the Bad Batch's journey and what Crosshair will be able up to are likely to happen. Stills from a few of the episodes can also be expected, perhaps featuring a few of the characters with updated looks and more of the locales coming to the show - like Coruscant, as the composer recently revealed.
Of course, business won't truly be concluded until a release date is given, and the first trailer is shown. Fans can rest assured that all the key details to know about The Bad Batch Season 2 will be shared during the panel, and from that point it's a waiting game until the next wave of episodes begin to debut on Disney+.
The Bad Batch panel will be held at Star Wars Celebration on Sunday, May 29.
STAR WARS Writer