Will 'The Bad Batch' Be Centered Around The Great Jedi Purge?
Ever since the first Bad Batch trailer dropped during Disney Investor Day on December 10, 2020, The Clone Wars fans have been speculating about what this new animated adventure could be. Clearly the heir-apparent to The Clone Wars, the much loved animated series, The Bad Batch has some big boots to fill. Debuting a year to the day from The Clone Wars finale on May 4, the show will follow the titular squad during the waning days of the Republic as Hunter, Wrecker, Tech, Crosshair, and Echo all try to find their place in an unfamiliar galaxy.
Reddit user SomeGuySW has proposed a theory that is very specific about the timeline of events within the show. Their full theory (which can be found here) places the Great Jedi Purge and Order 66 as the cornerstone of the first season's plot. Considering how the last season of The Clone Wars ended with "Victory and Death," it would be hard to imagine this show picking up anywhere else. There is even some speculation (and evidence to back it up) that the Bad Batch are involved with the defense of Kashyyyk. This could easily be the jumping off point for the show, with Order 66 being initiated while Clone Force 99 are defending the Wookiees from the CIS forces. While we know the fates of certain players in this specific event (Commander Gree, Chewbacca, Master Yoda), there are still several characters involved in this conflict whose destinies are clouded. The Bad Batch could depict what happened to the likes of Luminara Unduli and Quinlan Vos, both of whom are confirmed to be on the Wookiee homeworld during the fall of the Republic.
This theory also calls for a view of Operation Knightfall. In Legends, this was the codename for Order 66 within the Grand Army of the Republic, specifically the march on the Jedi Temple. Fans of the classic 2005 video game Battlefront II will remember Operation Knightfall as the mission requiring the player to assist Anakin Skywalker (the newly christened Darth Vader) in his assault on the temple. While Revenge of the Sith shows us a limited view of Order 66 within the Jedi Temple, The Bad Batch would be an opportunity to show a frontline view of the carnage wrought upon the guardians of peace and justice. While it would be feasible that Clone Force 99 were present for the pacification of the Temple, it could be equally, if not more, compelling to have the Bad Batch be witness to the aftermath of Order 66. This could explain why these unique clones might leave the ranks of the Imperial Navy and must "find their way in a rapidly changing galaxy in the aftermath of the Clone War."
This theory also posses an interesting idea regarding the Bad Batch's first assignment under the new Imperial regime. Given their 100% mission success rate, and their history of working alongside Anakin Skywalker, this Redditor theorizes that the Bad Batch will work closely alongside Darth Vader to hunt down the remainder of the Jedi Knights. Star Wars fans as a whole rejoice every time the Dark Lord of the Sith steps onscreen, so an animated show featuring him and an elite clone unit tracking Jedi across the galaxy would be hugely popular. This theory is also supported by multiple shots in the trailer of the Bad Batch's shuttle approaching different planets, seemingly setting the stage for a multi-planet romp across the galaxy. There is the possibility of Vader overshadowing the Bad Batch, however, and stunting the growth and development of what could be interesting characters who are currently little more than archetypes.
Another theory drawn directly from the files of Battlefront II is that the Bad Batch will be involved in clone on clone violence on Kamino. Many scenes of the trailer appear to be set on this watery world, including Palpatine's chilling address, forming his new Empire. In some Legends storylines the Kaminoans breed a new clone army to resist their Imperial overlords, resulting in the arrival of a garrison of newly minted stormtroopers to suppress this uprising. Whether the Bad Batch leaves Kamino as conquerors or survivors of an ill-fated rebellion, their destiny is rumored to be freelance mercenary work in the Outer Rim, perhaps setting the stage for season 2. SomeGuySW believes this will include a 180 degree turn from the beginning of the season, wherein the Bad Batch is tasked with protecting a Jedi. Perhaps a legendary survivor of the Clone Wars or maybe a youngling, lost and alone.
Seeing the fall of the Republic from the Imperial point of view would be an interesting perspective that has yet to be thoroughly explored on television, and would make a great first season of The Bad Batch. Continuing to hunt down Jedi, and having them be the antagonist from a certain point of view could make this show a unique slice of Star Wars lore. However, I would prefer if Vader was a cameo, giving orders to Hunter and having a Rogue One-like moment in the finale. Making the most popular Star Wars character a centerpiece of this show would cut its potential off at the knees, both for bold new ideas (which is when Star Wars is at its best) and for compelling character development. The potential canonization of stories told in the video game format, and one that many of us in the prequel generation grew up on, would be reason enough to tune in weekly. Add this to the reappearance of some classic The Clone Wars characters and you have a project with a lot of potential. I speak for many Star Wars fans when I say that May the 4th can't come soon enough.
Source(s): Reddit