The Bad Batch The Bad Batch 2.05 - Entombed - Discussion Thread (Spoilers Allowed)

On a second watch. I did notice Hunter and Echo at the bar, without armor no less. They are sorta in street closes. I think something similar was going on at the start of the season premiere.

Ya know, last season I thought Hunter might be a strange example of a high-functioning version of the Heroic Blue Screen of Death trope. Like Hunter locked up when Crosshair initially turned against them seemingly because of the mind-controlling chip. That was why he seemed stuck and couldn't do much more than try to keep everyone else safe, protect Omega, and avoids much decision-making. Crosshair was using Cody as a replacement for Hunter. Hunter hasn't always been a poor leader. In TCW Hunter just seemed like a realist which is why I thought he wasn't keen on doing more. He doesn't think there is any fighting the Empire. So I changed my mind as season 1 went on.

Normally this trope would have a character shut down and stop functioning completely until something comes along to reboot said character. I'm not sure if anything ever rebooted Hunter out of it. If anything maybe he is closer to the Despair Event Horizon after Crosshair revealed he had his chip removed, still picked the Empire, and chose to remain stranded on Kamino. It'd be interesting to see if rather than Echo, Tech, Wrecker, and Omega voting to join the likes of Rex (and Cody) against the Empire. Some other shock like the next meeting with Crosshair snaps him out of it.

Perhaps even Cid could provide that shock. I think where she would betray them would be when push comes to shove when the Empire comes to Ord Mantell. Or they screw up in a mission Cid was trying to get done for someone she fears more than she needs her best customers.

 

One thing I will say about this episode even though I didn't like it as I already mentioned, I actually liked the moment where Hunter sensed trouble coming, nice to see him actually use one of his 'enhancements' for once.

 

You know, his minions!

 

Yeah, I was like, "Oh wow, they remembered!" Wish he got to use it more. How many times did we even see him rely on his super senses between season 7 and this episode?

 

I really like your "Blue Screen of Death" analogy and I completely agree with what you are saying. And those moments with Crosshair certainly wouldn't have made his mental state any better. On the contrary, as you mentioned about it pushing him further towards "going over the edge", the decisions made by Crosshair (with complete, uninfluenced choice) would have rocked Hunter abit mentally. And it seems like Hunter is now stuck in a bit of a Luke Skywalker-like rut.

Maybe this is a deliberate characterisation path Rau and co have developed for Hunter for a bigger payoff for the audience at the series end; where, as you mentioned, a big shock snaps him out of this rut and the true leader re-emerges from Hunter.

Another possibility to add to the list of potentials you created may even be Cody. Maybe not so much as the defining shock, but more as the catalyst where Cody imparts some of his learnings from episode 2 onto Hunter. Abit like what's his name (can't remember off hand) from Andor with his manifesto. Cassian was similar to Hunter in some ways in not wanting to get involved with any sort of Rebellion. What's his name's manifesto acted like a catalyst (as did Cassian's time in prison) and the shock and turn moment comes to Cassian at Maarva's funeral. So with Hunter, the catalyst may be Cody - and Cid to be the shock by turning them in for credits.

.......cue the Rambo music from First Blood Part 2 as we watch Hunter get dressed into complete combat mode.

 

just saw this, good fun episode, and that robot thing was cool, but what the hell was it for?

 

^ Whoa. That's deep. Like, so deep.