“The Bad Batch” Season 2, Episode 13 Review: “Pabu”
This episode certainly differed from the rest of the season, but not in all bad ways. The pacing was slower with less action, but the interactions between characters were eye opening and had a deeper meaning. Warning, spoilers ahead.
We learn the batch have cut ties with Cid and she’s not happy about it. But the batch recognizes that their relationship with her wasn’t beneficial nor mutual.
Phee has been hanging out with the Batch it seems. After learning they’ve parted ways with Cid, she takes them to an island called Pabu.
Pabu is an island mostly inhabited by refugees that were forced to leave their homes back during the Clone Wars.
The Batch is introduced to Mayor Shep by Phee, but another person accompanying them is Shep’s daughter Lyana, a young girl Omega’s age. Omega hasn’t had many interactions with kids her age, as Phee points out, she spends all her time with the Batch. Omega and Lyana become fast friends as Lyana shows Omega different things on the island.
Wrecker finally has a full belly, Hunter has embraced being the father role to Omega, Tech’s relationship with Phee seems to have some sparks though there has yet to be a label on it. The Batch is able to find peace.
However, when Omega and Lyana are out at sea on Shep’s boat, a tremor hits the island that Shep blows off. But then after a big quake hits the island Tech makes the realization that the island is about to be hit by a sea surge.
The Batch, Phee, and Shep get everyone up to the high part of the island, all while Omega and Lyana try to get back but the tide continues to pull them out.
Hunter flys the Marauder and gets Omega and Lyana while Tech and Phee get everyone up to upper Pabu. The sea surge hits and wrecks lower Pabu, but as Shep says, everyone is safe and that’s what matters.
The Batch choose to stay on Pabu to help them rebuild what was damaged, but considering there are still three episodes left in the season, that peace probably won’t stay for long.
This episode wasn’t the most exciting but it seems to be setting up what the Batch might have in their future. Giving the team a taste of domestic life, something they only got a pinch of while with Cut and Sue in the first season.
It’s insanely sad to think about the fact that they’ve found a place to relax and be at peace while Crosshair proceeds to be experimented on at Mount Tantiss, a plot line we hope to see more of soon.
This episode isn’t for everyone, some people enjoy seeing the more personal, domestic parts of Star Wars and others don’t, others are just there for the action. Personally, I believe this episode was needed in the series to establish what the Batch truly want and are looking for, but it is known, the life of a soldier, you never know what’s coming next.
Rating: 3.5/5
Kylie Barton is a first-year student majoring in Film Production. To contact her email kmb8141@psu.edu
