The Bad Batch The Bad Batch 2.06 - Tribe - Discussion Thread (Spoilers Allowed)

They should strive for good storytelling but sometimes, you get shows and Seasons people dont like. And this season of Bad Batch has been better then early Clone Wars and Rebels. And creatives like Filoni has done his share of this.

 

I enjoyed the episode--wookies, wookie jedi, arachnids. There was a lot to like. That said, I think at least some of the expressions of feeling underwhelmed by the plotting here, at least to my way of thinking, stem in part from this season following on the heels of Andor. That show felt like it was scripted by the love child of John le Carré and Frederick Forsyth, an unbelievably high bar for any follow-up show to meet or even approach. In terms of content quality comparisons, I feel that Andor will cast a long shadow indeed moving forward...

 

Fans should look at Andor and Bad Batch differently.

 

Cast a long shadow, or shine a guiding light? Which way it goes is up to LFL, but my advice is to lean towards the latter…

 

The first. Like The Mandalorian that does everything known of Star Wars.

 

I gave this 10/10.

I think this one of the best of the season. Other episodes have good for their own reasons but this one had me on the edge of my seat. I think it did a really good job of conveying some real heart.

I like going in blind to an episode so I was pleasantly surprised to see Gungi was a Jedi. I wasn't expecting the lightsaber. When Omega and the crew saved him I wasn't sure where it'd go, I assumes Kashykk. I didn't know what that would've brought though and was so glad they were able to save and reunite him with a new tribe, but man when that one Trandoshan that had survived the initial fight came out with the Imperials I was on the edge of my seat worrying about Gungi in particular and the Wookies at large. I was glad we got something of a happy ending despite the fact we know Wookies were enslaved by the Empire.

 

Funnily enough, Andor is the thing giving me hope still with this season.

Let’s be honest, the first couple of episodes of Andor were boring and then suddenly, it all started to come through as very important groundwork and by the end, those first few episodes enhanced a magnificent overall story. My hope is that these seemingly unrelated first few episodes of season 2 do something similar with this show. Plus episode 3 and this latest one have been excellent.

 

I agree that this isn't just fan expectation.

Something I have been saying for a while now is that Lucasfilm should always recognise that they have adult and child fans alike; as well as every other age demographic in between. And every bit of content should be produced with that in mind, even the cartoons - which I agree are primarily targeted towards children. It's abit like the Pixar cartoons where they put in all of those subtle adult references that go completely over a kid's head because they don't have the life experience to understand; but gives the parents a good laugh.

So with TBB, sure target it at kids with those aspects they enjoy, but at least have good characterisation where the characters keep evolving based on their experiences; in addition to a really good plotline narrative that has a distinct Andor-like journey from A to B.

That isn't hard for those professional writers and certainly doesn't take away from what kids enjoy in the cartoons. But at least you are recognising adult fans and including their preferences in what they want too by doing this.

 

I agree, I mean look at TCW & Rebels, while a cartoon it had some darker episodes. This episode had an edge to it.

 

I agree and most definitely, there can be darker episodes. But also, the episodes don't even have to be dark. Just growth in the character from what they experience and a narrative that progresses.

Although it's a poor example, I will still use it. So take Tech a few episodes ago in that racing episode. He experienced a really positive individual character moment then, so why does he just settle back into his "BB role" now. Why couldn't this moment have him say to his team that he will continue to help them out where he can, but he would like to pursue this racing-thing abit because he liked it and he was good at it. That would be character progression based on what he experienced.

But it wouldn't be "TBB" then because a character breaks from his mould. Yet, it should be the thing that happens.

 

I agree and it can have the darker moments. But also not limited to the darker moments. Just good character development, growth, evolution, etc; in addition to distinct narrative plotlines.

It's a poor example, but I will use it for the purpose of explanation. So take Tech a few episodes ago in the racing episode. He had a really positive individual character moment where he was the front and centre character. Since then though, he has settled back into his "Bad Batch role" within the team.

So if this was true growth in his character, maybe he would have said to his team that he will continue to help them out where he can, but he would also like to pursue this racing-thing because he liked it and he was good at it.

But then again, that doesn't fit the "episodic" story format. He can't grow individually like Crosshair because he is stuck within the team and the narrative is rudderless right now in respect of direction. I certainly enjoy the fun of them and the mission of the week, but TBB are stuck in the characterisation box with clearly defined boundaries. And they are not individually allowed to break the mould outside of an episode or too.

So this is what I mean by being more adult-like in their approach - it being produced in the same way, but have these characters grow more individually and have a clear narrative direction that builds off the previous episodes.

 

I liked it. Gungi and Omega were awesome as a team but I really want to know what happened to the other younglings from the younglings arc. This episode felt like a condensed version from that unproduced TCW arc.

 

Didnt know of this, cool connection.

 

I agree. I watched Tales of the Jedi earlier this week and thought it did a good job of exploring Dooku & Ahsoka at different points in their lives and showed development to what made them who they were.

 

I agree with this assessment but I really loved everything Disney has done movie and TV as for TV I loved The Mandalorian I loved The Book Of Boba Fett I loved Obi-Wan I loved the last Clone Wars season I loved The Rebels I love the Bad Batch so far and I love the Lego Holiday Specials and all the Lego shows and Star Wars Visions and the Tales Of The Jedi. My least favorite was the kids show on Cartoon Network set on a water space station but even that show was entertaining at times.

What I really loved about this particular episode was the connection to the Clone Wars Cartoon the wookie was introduced on The Clone Wars that is really cool IMHO,

And something that isn't brought up enough although the Disney produced movies have been mixed reviews by the Fanboys The Disney produced TV shows have been big hits with Star Wars fans I think it's fair to give a lot of credit to Kathleen Kennedy for her Leadership at Lucasfilm putting the right people on these TV projects to make them hits I think the biggest misses so far at Lucasfilm have been Book Of Boba Fett and Willow and I really enjoyed both immensely. At worst they were devisive the fan base was split on them you either loved them or you hated them...

 

I don't think she was really involved with the animated side of things. I think you over use the word love

 

Well, I knew this was going to be the Gungi episode before it started because the episode thumbnail image on the Disney+ page showed a Wookie, which was a mildly annoying spoiler but what am I gonna do about it besides complain on an SW forum

I agree with what some others have said that this felt rushed/condensed. Would have definitely benefited from being stretched out into a 3 episode arc, with the first ep entirely being TBB extracting Gungi from the droid Gotra. I wanted to see more of that. Then 2 episodes on Kashyyyk where they could've expanded on...well everything; the world building, the conflict with the Trandoshians, etc.

Motives are kinda flimsy...Omega wanders off because the plot requires her to find Gungi. I guess I can chalk that up to her being a mischievous child and/or possibly force sensitive. But then Echo agrees to go with her which he should never have done but he does because the plot requires him to. Then TBB agree to essentially steal an asset (Gungi) from the Gotra; not really something I'd expect a group of mercenaries trying to keep a low-profile would do but clones and Wookies used to be allies so there's your (flimsy) motivation I guess. Of course all those situations and motivations might have been improved upon if the Gotra sequence was an entire episode in an of itself but ah well. But I also take into account this is a cartoon and not Andor, but still...motivations should be stronger.

I also had a thought; wouldn't it be interesting if DLFL was introducing these cute, force sensitive characters like Grogu, Gungi, possibly Omega, and others to come, only to have them join Luke's academy and be killed at the lightsaber of Ben Solo, thus making that event more tragic and giving more substance to Ben and the ST? No? Yeah me neither. I didn't even believe it while I was thinking it. I think all those massacred students will remain safely anonymous.

All in all tho, an entertaining episode for what it was. Glad to see TBB have no problem killing Trandoshians, and Gungi letting the head Trandoshian be taken away screaming by the kinraths was brutally awesome. 6.5/10

 

I gave this one an 8/10. It was one of two of the best episodes we’ve had so far. I’ll be honest though, I haven’t been thrilled with this season so far, so the bar is set pretty low for me right now.

When those showed up my first thought went to KOTOR. I couldn’t remember them but I was betting that they were originally from there.

 

She is the head of Lucasfilm she makes the hires. Makes the desicions.and I can't help what I love I'm only human and have emotions.

 

Hey, I'm with you--I'm a Star Wars fan. As such, I've enjoyed everything Disney has released. Have I loved some things more than others? Sure. But, ultimately, I'm in as soon as "Star Wars" is on the header. So I've very much enjoyed all the Bad Batch episodes. That said, I was simply taking note of Andor's satisfyingly complex plotting and thematics as both an inspirational boon to and a potential burden on future Star Wars creators...

 

Not all the hiring on the animation side, she doesn't hire all the writers and stuff.

 

Totally agree my friend! I will say as popular as Andor was with the Fanboys it was dark and very adult I don't think kids liked it especially little kids I can't imagine the streaming numbers were great for it. I enjoyed my family enjoyed it but we are all adults.

 

Andor is probably the first Star Wars thing that’s pretty explicitly not for kids. And that’s OK. The kids have all kinds of Star Wars to watch.

 

I agree!