Two Star War: The Bad Batch episodes in one week? Sign us up!
Tuesday, in a special “May the 4th” 70-minute premiere, we caught up with Clone Force 99 — Hunter, Echo, Wrecker, Tech, and Crosshair — and saw what happened during, and the events following, Order 66. We also met Omega, a genetically modified clone who joins the team. You can read our recap of the episode here.
Warning: Star Wars: The Bad Batch “Cut and Run” spoilers below.
The team is off to Sector J-16 to meet up with a friend. The episode starts with the Bad Batch on their ship en route to their destination. Hunter and Echo look into the main cabin where Wrecker and Omega are fast asleep surrounded by chaos. Hunter and Echo have a brief conversation about Omega exploring every inch of the ship and how curious she is. This leads Echo to inquire about what they’re going to do with her since she’s a child. Hunter thinks on this for a second before Tech announces they are about to land on Saleucami.
Upon their arrival, Omega experiences another world for the first time. The sun seems too bright for her, the fresh air is satisfying, and her fascination with dirt is adorable. The smile on her face could make anyone’s mood increase.
As they’re walking through the Saleucami terrain, Echo asks why this friend of the others is “all the way out here.” In the most Tech way possible, he informs Echo that their friend is in hiding because he’s a deserter. The apprehension of trusting a deserter is soon transformed into realization for Echo when he comes to terms with the fact that they too have deserted.
Hunter stops the team in their tracks due to a booby trap, but Wrecker ends up setting it off anyway. After the wire is tripped and a circle of deactivated battle droids popped up as a defense mechanism, the group comes face-to-face with the ones who set the trap in the first place: Cut Lawquane and his wife Suu.
We are first introduced to Cut and his family in Star Wars: The Clone Wars season 2, episode 10 “The Deserter,” when Captain Rex gets injured and he recuperates on the Lawquane’s farm. Right now, we don’t know how the Bad Batch knows the family.
At the Lawquane’s house, the group catches up with their old pals, while introducing Echo and Omega to them. Cut asks about Crosshair, but Hunter simply replies “it’s complicated.” This prompts Cut to reveal that Captain Rex came by yesterday and informed them about the inhibitor chips inside the clones’ heads. As the mood turns serious, Cut and Suu’s two kids come running through the door interrupting the conversation. An adorable moment between the two kids and “Uncle Wrecker” passes, and soon enough the two notice Omega. After introducing one another, the kids go outside to play, but not before Omega gets the go-ahead from Hunter.
As Hunter watches Omega play with the other kids, Cut comes up beside him and asks about Omega. When Hunter tells him that she is a defective clone, Cut explains that that’s not exactly true, saying “the Kaminoans don’t create without a purpose. You all have one, so what’s hers?” In reply, Hunter says that it doesn’t matter because she’s just a kid.
“Battling droids was easy compared to raising a child. You have no idea, what you’re in for.” — Cut
We soon find out that Cut plans on booking passage off Saleucami because the troopers have started arriving and it’s not safe for them. He says he has to do what’s best for his wife and kids. Hunter accompanies him into town to book the trip off-world, but they soon realize things have changed drastically in such a short amount of time. They won’t be able to book passage without receiving a chain code from the Empire. This would allow the Empire to keep a log of every citizen in the galaxy.
The scene cuts to Omega playing ball outside, which she throws a bit too far past the fence. Despite the warnings, she goes past the fence to retrieve the ball, and ends up in danger. A Nexu, a feline-type creature, begins stalking her. Cut’s two kids yell for help, and the Bad Batch comes to the rescue.
Suu shoots the Nexu from atop their house, while Hunter jumps in front of Omega guarding her from the beast. Once it runs away, Hunter reprimands Omega. Cut steps in, reminding him that Omega isn’t a soldier and comforts her as Clone Force 99 stays back. After the scare with Omega, Hunter decides that they are going to get Cut, Suu, and the kids off-world with the help of Tech forging chain codes.
Taking some time to herself, Omega sits in Clone Force 99’s ship and seems to reflect on everything that’s happened. The emotional moment results in her taking off her headpiece from Kamino as she wipes away tears. Meanwhile, Hunter makes the decision to let Omega leave Saleucami with Cut and his family.
“It’s what she needs.” — Hunter
This moment is very reminiscent of The Mandalorian season 1, episode 4 “Sanctuary” when Din makes the decision for Grogu to stay on Sorgan. Who doesn’t love an emotional “father figure trying to do what’s best for their kid” moment?
While on their ship, Tech and Echo discuss how they are going to forge the chain codes. They soon decide to call the authorities on themselves and have their ship impounded. However, little did they know, Omega is on the ship when it happens, making their plan a lot more complicated.
Once at the impound lot, Echo sneaks his way to the security kiosk to retrieve the data and disks for Tech to forge. As Echo, Tech, and Omega are in the ship getting to work, Hunter escorts Cut and his family into town to get in line for the shuttle and wait for the fake chain codes. Due to a flurry of troopers heading into the port, Tech can’t get past them to hand off the codes, but thankfully without the clones knowing, Omega takes things into her own hands and takes them herself.
Once the others find out what she’s up to, Wrecker steps in to help Omega get through the chaos at the port, while Echo tries to deactivate the ship’s boot. Once Omega arrives with five new chain codes, she finds out about Hunter’s plan to have the Lawquane’s take her with them. Not happy with this revelation, Omega claims she wants to stay with the Bad Batch, with Hunter. However, despite how sad she is, Hunter leaves her with the family and rushes off to help his brothers.
An intense shootout in the impound lot takes place as Clone Force 99 attempts to leave the planet. Echo, still working on the ship’s boot, steps away as Wrecker rips it off with his bare hands, and as they’re about to board the ship, Omega screams for them to wait for her. She has come back to be with her found family.
The Lawquane’s board the shuttle and are safely taken off-world. The Bad Batch manages to escape the shootout with the troopers, and as they fly through space Hunter and Omega have a heart-to-heart. They conclude that they both have a lot to learn but they will stay together no matter what.
“Cut and Run” definitely focuses on character development and relationship building. It’s a great second episode, and we can’t wait to see what else happens this season!
The first and second episodes of Star Wars: The Bad Batch are available to stream now on Disney+. New episodes will be available to stream every Friday. Make sure to stay tuned for more recaps!
