Created by The Mandalorian executive producer Dave Filoni, the first season of Star Wars: The Bad Batch premiered on Disney Plus in 2021. Season one of The Bad Batch follows Clone Force 99 (Better known as The Bad Batch), an elite Clone Trooper unit made up of “defective” clones with desirable mutations, all of whom are played by veteran voice actor Dee Bradley Baker. Season one followed the unit as they refuse to bow to the new Empire after the fall of the Galactic Republic and the destruction of the Jedi order. The Star Wars series also introduced Omega (Michelle Ang), a young unmodified clone who develops a kinship with The Bad Batch after they rescue her.
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The new Star Wars: The Bad Batch trailer opens on a beautiful tropical planet (possibly Scarif?). However, this scenic paradise is interrupted by The Bad Batch, who flee from a group of giant crabs. As they run for their lives, Clone Force 99 member Echo berates his fellow clone, Wrecker, saying that they went over the plan five times. Hunter, the leader of the group, calls for a pickup as Tech flies in to try and save them. Omega, looking a few years older than when fans last saw her, uses her fancy Zygerrian energy bow to take out one of the grabs before leaping to safety.
The Bad Batch season 2 trailer continues as the team is introduced to a mysterious new character voiced by comedian Wanda Sykes. She’s clearly heard of them, and it appears that Clone Force 99 has built up a reputation after years of fighting The Empire. That being said, it’s clear that the forces of evil are only growing stronger. The trailer also reintroduces Commander Cody, a clone trooper who served alongside Obi-Wan Kenobi during the Clone Wars. He’s now a loyal member of the Empire, working with former Bad Batch member Crosshair, the only team member to join the Empire. However, Cody seems hesitant about his role, pointing out that more clones are questioning their new orders, but Crosshair views them as traitors “like the Jedi.”
As Echo reassures Omega that saving her and betraying the Empire was the right choice, the team is cornered by a group of menacing droids. Thankfully, they have a young Wookie with them, who reveals himself to be a Jedi, igniting his green lightsaber. This furry warrior is none other than former Jedi youngling Gungi, another returning character from The Clone Wars. In the original series, Gungi was a young Jedi trainee who accompanied master Yoda to the planet Ilum, where Jedi acquire the Kyber crystals for their lightsabers. Gungi was featured in a few episodes of Clone Wars and even fought alongside Ahsoka Tano against the Jedi-killing cyborg, General Grievous. The trailer for The Bad Batch season 2 comes to end as fellow clone trooper and Clone Wars character Captain Rex contacts the team, asking if he can hire them for an unknown mission.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch is one of several animated projects from Disney and Lucasfilm. The streamer also recently released the first season of Tales of the Jedi, an animated miniseries exploring different Jedi during the prequel era. Created by Filoni, the first season focused primarily on Ahsoka Tano and Count Dooku, following their rise and fall in the Jedi order. While a second season has not been confirmed, Tales of the Jedi season 1 premiered on Disney Plus in October 2022 to generally favorable reviews. The streaming service also recently partnered with the legendary Japanese animation studio Studio Ghibli on a short film titled Zen - Grogu and the Dust Bunnies. While Disney and Lucasfilm appear to be focusing much of their time and resources on expanding their live-action movies and TV shows, it’s good to see that animated content still has a place in the Star Wars canon.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch season 2 premieres on Disney Plus on January 4th, 2023.
MORE: What’s Next For The Bad Batch In Season 2?
Source: Star Wars | Youtube
