Warning: This article contains spoilers for “Star Wars: The Bad Batch,” Episode 5 “Decommissioned.”
It seems “Bad Batch” and “The Mandalorian” have both fallen into a pattern of including Easter eggs of the “Star Wars” franchise in several of their episodes. Whenever there’s a new character needed, it seems the shows introduce a character from a previous “Star Wars” project.
Enter Episode 5 of “Star Wars: The Bad Batch” — called “Decommissioned.” The episode included two major reveals that come from other “Star Wars” projects, and a hint of what’s coming next in the series ... which might also be a reveal of another “Star Wars” character.
In large part, this episode was run-of-the-mill. The Bad Batch — a group of deformed clones — went to the planet Corellia to retrieve a tactical droid. They run into two scavengers (who are from previous “Star Wars” projects and have to confront a droid police force. In that battle, the Bad Batch enlists the help of another group (which comes from previous “Star Wars” projects).
And the entire episode ends on a cliffhanger that seems like a tease to a “Star Wars” character from a previous show or movie, too. So let’s talk about these returns and the teaser and what it means for the franchise.
Roger, roger — the droids are back in ‘Star Wars’
So the first major reveal in this episode was the Droid Army, seen as the villains in the “Clone Wars” series and the prequel trilogy. The droids were always fighting for the Separatists in the prequel trilogy, working to fight the clone troopers. But at the end of the Clone Wars, the Droid Army was decommissioned and sent to a scrap pile.
Using the tactical droid, the Bad Batch convinces the remaining Droid Army soldiers to come back to life and help them fight off a police force who had them boxed in a corner.
For a long time, we’ve known that the clone troopers would soon turn their back on the Republic and become soldiers of the Empire. This is the first time we’ve seen the Droid Army help our heroes rather than act as villains. It’s fun to see these droids return, too, because we never really see them outside the prequel trilogy and “Clone Wars.” We never see them pop up in the original trilogy or the sequel trilogy. So it was a welcomed return.
Who were the sisters in ‘Bad Batch’ Episode 5?
As the Bad Batch is trying to find the tactical droid head, two sisters show up to steal it from the Bad Batch. We later learn the two smuggling sisters are Trace and Rafa Martez — who appeared in the final season of “The Clone Wars.”
The Martez sisters were a major part of the final season for “Clone Wars” because they helped keep Ahsoka Tano safe after she left the Jedi Order. Ahsoka spent time smuggling with the sisters. She tried to hide her identity from them, but she accidentally revealed she was a Jedi, which changed their relationship.
During “Clone Wars,” the Martez sisters decided to leave the planet Coruscant to escape the war. They said they would head off on another mission and asked Ahsoka to join them. She declined.
So now here they are, smuggling tactical droids. The sisters said in the “Bad Batch” episode that they wanted the tactical droid head so they could learn how to defeat clones to fight the Empire. So clearly, as much as they wanted to escape the war, they’re right back in it.
The Martez sisters seem to have a role moving forward, as we’ll explain below with the cliffhanger. So it’s clear we’re going to see them return and put that tactical droid information to use. Though their return might feel like a shrugging moment, it could have a major implication for the series moving forward.
Cliffhanger — Who are the Martez sisters speaking to?
At the end of the episode, we see a brief scene where the Martez sisters are talking to an unknown man who is appearing through a Holocron. The sisters say they’ve got the tactical droid head and that they received help from a unique group of clones.
But we don’t see the figure. He appears to be wearing some sort of cloak or robe. The episode then fades to black.
My immediate thoughts were the person is probably Sen. Bail Organa, who led the Rebellion against the Empire. The brief sight of the robe that we get is reminiscent of the same robe and cloak that Organa wears in the prequel trilogy and “Clone Wars.”
But there’s a chance it’s someone else — maybe Obi-Wan Kenobi? We know Kenobi is going to appear in his own Disney+ series in the next year or two, so it wouldn’t hurt to start setting up that storyline — even though it’s supposed to take place about 10 years after the “Bad Batch.”
Still, it’s interesting we were left with a cliffhanger for the character reveal. Is a Bail Organa return really an interesting cliffhanger? Does that really bring fans back? Or would Obi-Wan Kenobi be a more welcomed return?
Seeing the Martez sisters return the week after we see Bib Fortune from Jabba’s Palace on “Bad Batch” last week made me want to roll my eyes. Do we need all these Easter eggs and returns? But alas, “Star Wars” has fooled me again. The possibility of Bail Organa or Obi-Wan Kenobi returning to the animated world of “Star Wars” is exciting.