The Bad Batch Spoiler Review: Entombed

This review contains spoilers for The Bad Batch episode “Entombed”

Here at The Geeky Waffle, while we are fans of The Bad Batch, we are also in support of the Unwhitewash TBB movement.

This movement is from the Twitter user @unwhitewashtbb and is being led by “fans of color, disabled fans, neurodivergent fans, and Jewish fans.” It’s to bring awareness of the racial discrimination that is baked into the very fabric of this show. The Batch is designed to be “elite clones” and yet their skin tones are very white. All clones are designed after Temuera Morrison, who is a man of color. If the only clones that are perceived as white are considered “elite” and “the best” while regular clones who still appear as people of color are seen as “lesser,” these kinds of design choices have very real consequences on young audiences. @UnwhitewashTBB cites in their title card the hurtful implications this has on minority groups. The card, linked here, goes into great detail about how and why this is a problem. Go read it thoroughly.

It’s important that the creators hear the concerns of fans and work to rectify them. To be clear, whitewashing characters of color should never happen in the first place. It’s a choice that begins in the design phase, which makes it faulty and wrong from the start. We will continue to help hold the creators accountable so mistakes like this don’t happen if we get a season three as well as for future Star Wars projects.

Please follow @UnwhitewashTBB for more information.

Four weeks into The Bad Batch’s new season, I’m digging this second outing with Clone Force 99. We’ve got some stellar character work with those who really needed it like Tech, Echo, and Cid. We’ve checked in with Crosshair and his adventure with Commander Cody. And then we got this week’s episode, “Entombed,” which was definitely keeping with the themes of this season.

I had a realization that really recontextualized The Bad Batch. The series reminds me a lot of Clone Wars seasons 1-3. That was before they really started doing the three to four episode arcs in season 4. Those early Clone Wars episodes were mostly one-offs, at most two-episode stories. It was rare that they were BIG plot episodes. The plot episodes were usually saved for the season openings or finales. But what those seasons had a lot of was character development and character introductions. These are the seasons where Ahsoka and Rex start getting their arcs kicked off and gaining experience. These are the episodes where we meet Hondo Ohnaka, Duchess Satine, Cad Bane, Savage Opress, the Moris Gods, and many more. While the show was running, these things didn’t seem like substantial plot moments. But many of these characters and ideas had major impacts in the long run. I think that these one-off episodes are important to introduce characters and have a fun little adventure of the week. I’m really digging that The Bad Batch is following this framework.

I think we’ve gotten a bit ruined as fans by shows that are more serial in nature. We want to know so badly how and why an episode connects to the bigger picture instead of letting it be what it is.

Which is what “Entombed” was. It was a solid introduction to Phee Genoa, who she is, what she does, her cute droid, and that’s about it. Does an episode need to be more than that? Does every episode need to be a massive narrative that changes the entire fabric of Star Wars? No, they don’t. Sometimes it’s perfectly okay to introduce a character on a one-off adventure. It seems the creators are setting up Phee for the long term so it’s good to have an episode that lets the audience and the Batch get to see her in action.

I really enjoy Phee. Wanda Sykes gives her a great mix of firey sass and nuances. It could be so easy for her to feel like Doctor Aphra, Hondo, Mika Grey, Vizago, or any of the many pirate and treasure hunter characters out there. It’s Sykes’ performance that really gives Phee a lot of life. I like that she feels like a familiar character like the ones I’ve named, but she’s different enough to establish herself. I also adore her design and the fact that she carries a cool Star Wars sword.

Though, I will say that I’m a bit wary of her. Phee is almost too nice. She comes in during “Spoils of War” and clearly has a higher power dynamic. She is the one sitting at Cid’s desk with her boots up and bossing the Batch around. I also theorized last week for “Faster” that it seems like Cid is more desperate than normal for money. I do have to wonder if Phee is trying to butter up the Batch in the chance they have to work for her.

Still, she might just be a good person who happens to be a pirate treasure hunter. Phee treats her droid, Mel, very well, she seems to have a good relationship with Omega, and unlike Cid, she doesn’t seem to mind the Batch and is happy to work for them. Usually, all-ages shows like this will give some sort of tip-off if there is an underlying sinister side to Phee. It’s hard to tell at the moment, so we’ll have to see what happens.

The compass Omega finds and uses throughout the episode is absolutely a metaphor for the clones. For the majority of “Entombed,” it is a tool. It’s a means to an end. And this was exactly what the clones were for so long. They were simply tools for Palpatine to take over the galaxy and were immediately discarded as soon as their use was over. Phee tells Omega that the compass has served its purpose, which is what The Bad Batch is about, especially in season two.

There has been an ongoing thread with season two of the Batch learning who they are outside of their purpose. In Crosshair’s case, it’s holding onto his purpose too much to the point where he refuses to change. Echo started this in “Spoils of War” when he again presses to Hunter they need to be doing more. In this context, he’s speaking about using their skills as soldiers to help the galaxy. Even then, it’s a different path than what they were programmed for which was blindly following orders. Commander Cody echoes this sentiment (pun intended) by saying what makes them different from droids is that they can think for themselves.

Season two is about the Batch discovering what they like outside of being soldiers and mercenaries. Who are they outside of their programming? In “Faster,” Tech tells Tay-0 that he is genuinely interested in riot racing. It makes him happy to analyze it. That has nothing to do with what he was created to do. Then this week in “Entombed,” the Batch goes with Phee because they choose to. It’s not a mission from Cid. Rex isn’t there to tell them about some big thing he needs help with. It’s the group making the choice to go treasure hunting because they want to. Heck, the entire reason this episode happens is because Omega finds some stuff in a junkyard that she thinks is neat.

The message is very clear that it’s not about the destination but the journey along the way. Phee tells Omega she has the spirit when the girl isn’t upset about losing the treasure. Compare this to where Omega was in “Ruins of War.” She was trying to make the mission her sole goal. She was trying to define herself as a good Batch member or else have guilt over her brothers doing this work because of her. Echo very rightly tells her she’s worth more than some treasure. Omega in “Entombed” isn’t negatively obsessed with the goal of getting the Heart of the Mountain which she probably would have been in “Ruins of War.” She’s there to have a good time and go on an adventure with her brothers and Phee. That is so much more important than getting some MacGuffin at the end of the day.

Season two of The Bad Batch is about the clones, the regs and the Batch alike, finding their worth and purpose now that their use is over. Who are they when they can’t be soldiers of the Republic? These first four weeks are really starting to dive into who they are as people, and I’m here for it.

Some random thoughts to round out Entombed:

-GOD I LOVE THAT MECHA THING! I was shocked to see it come to life. I literally yelled, “Oh this is THAT episode!” because it’s such a striking visual in the trailers. I adore the Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild vibes. The inside of it is gorgeous too. It’s super cool.

-The mecha is sooooo cool that I wonder why it’s being used here, if it can be rebuilt, and if we’ll see it again down the line. *Slowly puts on tin foil hat*

-I enjoyed the little character beat of Hunter getting jealous of Phee. In season one, Omega mimicked him the most. But he gets real grumpy watching her mimic Phee. It’s nice mini-character work for him as he has to accept that Omega will find people outside of the Batch to admire.

-I’m always here to see Bolo and Ketch. I love those two lovable dorks hanging around Cid’s bar. My The Legends of Vox Machina loving heart is always here to have more Liam O’Brien and Sam Riegel in my Star Wars.

-Hunter and Echo really are the tired parents wrangling up these crazy kids, aren’t they? They both had such dad energy throughout this episode

-RIP MEL… even though you’ll be okay later!

-I love the opening with Wrecker and Omega hanging out together. Those two have such a great relationship. I really hope we get a solo episode of just the two of them.

I really enjoyed “Entombed” because it feels like it’s continuing some of the major themes of the season. Next week’s episode is called “Tribe.” I hope it’s the episode where we’ll finally see Gungi again! If you need a refresher on who Gungi is, please check out this article I wrote about him over on Dork Side of the Force. Until then, see you later, and please go check out Unwhitewash TBB!