Bad Batch Declassified: 5 Highlights from “Common Ground”
The Bad Batch // JULY 5, 2021
Clone Force 99 must put their politics aside to help a former enemy.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch is here, chronicling the adventures of the elite squad Clone Force 99 following the end of the Clone War. In Bad Batch Declassified, we’ll explore our favorite moments from each episode of the series, available only on Disney+. Armor up and join us for the ride.
Spoiler warning: This article discusses details and plot points from the Star Wars: The Bad Batch episode, “Common Ground.”
The Bad Batch always thought they’d end up on Raxus, but surely they assumed it would be on a mission for the Republic, leveling Separatist clankers at the core of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Instead, the Republic has fallen and the members of Clone Force 99 are called in to battle clone troopers in an effort to save a Separatist politician. Here are five highlights from the episode, now streaming on Disney+.
1. Senator Avi Singh finds his voice.
After the rise of the Empire, Senator Singh has quickly discovered that everything his planet fought for in the Clone War has been lost. For a moment, it seems he might cow to his new Imperial overlords. But given the chance to step up to the microphone, Singh accesses that spark of rebellion that inspired the uprising against the Republic and uses his moment at the podium to rally his people against the unjust occupation.
2. Cid and the kid.
Cid really isn’t going to bother to learn their names, is she? Between “bandana” “dark and broody,” and “goggles,” she’s got plenty of shorthand nicknames to identify the Bad Batch. But from the beginning, Omega has shown she’s not exactly like the rest of Clone Force 99. And not only is she unwilling to accept Cid’s usual terse treatment and overt nonchalance, but when she proves she’s a galactic Bobby Fischer at the dejarik table, Omega negotiates for double the pay to use her skills for Cid’s gain.
3. Infiltration of the AT-TE.
Comin’ through! How many Bad Batchers does it take to infiltrate at AT-TE? Only two. But it’ll require all four to keep it motoring once it comes under attack by the clones.
4. “Live to fight another day.”
Singh is conflicted. If he stays on Raxus, he’ll likely be tossed back in an Imperial cell. If he flees, he worries he’ll be abandoning his people when they need him most. But sometimes the only thing one can really do in a seemingly no-win situation is simply survive. With these wise words from Echo, we get a sense for what the wounded warrior has endured and the core rebel act of defiance inherent in persevering.
5. Omega coming in clutch.
Omega just wants to be a valuable member of the team, and her keen eye for strategy has now freed the Bad Batch of the debt they owed Cid. She may be small, but she is mighty.
Associate Editor Kristin Baver is the author of the book Skywalker: A Family At War, host of This Week! In Star Wars, and an all-around sci-fi nerd who always has just one more question in an inexhaustible list of curiosities. Sometimes she blurts out “It’s a trap!” even when it’s not. Follow her on Twitter @KristinBaver.
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