REVIEW: The Bad Batch Season 2, Episode 9, “The Crossing”

Television Reviews

***SPOILERS***

“The Crossing” finds Hunter, Wrecker, Tech, and Omega preparing to excavate a mine Cid purchased. Tech and Hunter go in, and Hunter orders Wrecker to act as a lookout with Omega. The team successfully obtains the ipsium from the cave, but someone steals their ship. As a storm approaches, the Batch heads to the nearest town. They lose the ipsium, and it explodes, trapping them in a cave. Omega has an outburst about missing Echo, and Tech’s response is less than helpful. Omega storms off, and Hunter tells Tech to talk to her. Omega and Tech find more ipsium and mine it together, but she falls down a cavern, and he follows. They discuss Echo leaving and how it has impacted the team. Hunter and Wrecker find the others, and they escape at last. They contact Cid, who reluctantly offers to send help in a few days. As the Batch heads to town, Omega says she knows they’ll figure it out. 

Another Tech episode isn’t exactly what I expected, but I’m not complaining. Season 2 has done a lot for Tech and Echo. We didn’t know much at all about Tech’s emotions going in, but Echo was a fan-favorite in The Clone Wars. Neglecting either type of character is a big problem because it’s hard to care about Tech if we don’t know him, and people have particular expectations for a character like Echo. Anyway, I really enjoyed Tech’s conversation with Omega in this episode. These quiet moments tend to be the Bad Batch‘s best scenes, and I only wish we could get more, especially featuring Tech. Omega is shaken by Echo leaving; she has lost a family member, and now the Batch has lost the Marauder. She asks Tech why he isn’t upset about Echo leaving, a question he doesn’t seem to understand. Omega presses Tech, saying she doesn’t understand how he can cope with so much change without complaint. It’s nice to get this vulnerability from Omega, but I like Tech’s response even more. He explains that he processes feelings differently but that he still has them, and they must respect Crosshair and Echo’s choices even if he doesn’t like them. I relate more to Omega in this situation; if someone I considered a brother left and I lost my home, I would be beside myself. But Tech’s little speech here reminds me of certain types of autism and neurodivergent people in general. I’m not sure if that was the intention, but I liked it a lot, and I imagine many people can relate. I appreciate that Tech comforted Omega this time, as it would typically be Wrecker or especially Hunter to do so. I wish they could have developed Omega’s bond with Echo a bit more before he left, but overall, season 2 is improving characterization left and right. 

The ipsium is absolutely gorgeous, especially in liquid form in the vein. I love it when The Bad Batch toys with its visuals like this. The stampede is exhilarating and genuinely scary. For a moment, I was actually afraid something would happen to Wrecker. Of course, it wouldn’t be a Bad Batch review if I didn’t mention Kevin Kiner’s score and how awesome it is. The voice acting really shines in this episode, too. The Bad Batch is, by definition, the Dee Bradley Baker show featuring Michelle Ang and occasional guests. But he goes all out here, especially in Tech’s little speech. Good stuff. Michelle Ang is good too, but her role is considerably easier, and she only has one. 

I feel really bad for Wrecker in “The Crossing.” He drops the ipsium into the stampeding herd and is essentially bullied into going back for it. I know he’s a big, tough guy, but really? Are Hunter and Tech this unconcerned for his well-being? Tech then proceeds to give him a hard time for it, even once Tech himself actually loses the cartridge. Then he says it’s Wrecker’s fault for “letting” the Marauder get stolen. For one thing, Tech is punching down at someone who’s intellectually unable to spar with him. It’s also difficult to watch as one character is ganged up on by both of his brothers. Of course, Wrecker eventually turns the tables on Tech, blaming him for dropping the ipsium and inadvertently causing the rock slide. This merely ends in Tech looking for more ipsium, which he eventually finds with Omega. 

The Marauder’s thief is shown in shadow and appears to be a weequay. Naturally, I can’t help but wonder if it’s Hondo Ohnaka. If it was just a random weequay, I don’t know why they would make it such a big mystery. He’s also a pirate with questionable morals, so stealing the Batch’s ride is well within his ability and character. This would give us another glimpse at Hondo before his softening in Rebels. He still wasn’t a heroic figure, but he had a soft spot for Ezra and wasn’t as much of a scumbag. I love Rebels overall, but I miss the Hondo who didn’t know the meaning of the word insolence. 

I really enjoyed “The Crossing.” Sure, it’s the Batch on another treasure hunt for Cid. But Echo’s departure has real consequences, and this is an excellent episode for Tech’s character. I feel like he and Hunter owe Wrecker an apology, but I don’t have any real technical gripes with the episode. I can’t wait to see who the ship thief is and for the bonds within the Batch to continue to grow and develop.