The Star Wars franchise has been making some serious noise on the small screen with Disney+’s The Mandalorian. But we can’t forget that before Din Djarin ever set foot into the galaxy far, far away, animated series like Star Wars Rebels and Clone Wars made up the franchise’s television branch. With both of those shows finished, fans can now look ahead to a new show in the form of The Bad Batch. The series, a direct Clone Wars spinoff, will follow the eccentric Clone Force 99 during the immediate aftermath of Order 66. The show is sure to introduce some interesting concepts but, given that it takes place between its two predecessors, there’s a chance it could further link the two series together.
The Bad Batch essentially still lives in the world of Clone Wars, which has already established some connections to Rebels. However, based on Bad Batch’s first trailer, the series will create ties with other Star Wars media. So why not further the Clone Wars and Rebels timelines together? While not much is known about The Bad Batch at this point, the general premise still opens the door to some possibilities. So let’s take a look at a few:
The Bad Batch Can Show The Rise Of Star Wars Rebels’ Imperial Agents
As mentioned, The Bad Batch kicks off at the immediate aftermath of the Clone Wars, which is also the onset of the Galactic Empire. With this, the show will likely dive deep into its establishment, especially since Clone Force 99 still appears to be operating under the Empire’s orders. The clone troopers don’t have to be the only aspect of the Empire to be highlighted, though, as future, high-ranking officers within the galactic government can also be explored.
Star Wars Rebels introduced a number of Imperial officers like Agent Kallus and Governor Pryce. The Bad Batch could bring in characters like these and explore their early histories around the Clone Wars timelines. Officers like Kallus and Pryce had to pay their dues and perform some pretty dark deeds to get to where they are by the time they appear in Rebels, and Bad Batch can shed some light on that.
Clone Force 99 Could Take Part In The Fall Of Lasan
Speaking of dark deeds, one of the things Agent Kallus was most notorious for in Rebels was his role in the fall of the planet Lasan in the Outer Rim. The brutal ordeal saw Kallus and his Imperial forces nearly decimate the Lasat species. This would later serve as a point of contention between him and Ghost crew member Zeb Orrelios. And even after Kallus defected to the Rebel Alliance, he felt immense grief over the event.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch will see Clone Force 99 taking on missions throughout the Outer Rim, so who’s to say they weren’t somehow involved in what happened on Lasn? It’s true they don’t seem to be the type that would help destroy a species yet, if they’re under the command of the Empire (and possibly have their control chips installed), they could act willingly. Seeing the fall of Lasan would be devastating and compelling, and it could even gift viewers with a cameo from Zeb.
A Pre-Imperial Thrawn Can Cross Paths With The Bad Batch
One of Star Wars Rebels’ greatest contributions to the franchise was the reintroduction of Grand Admiral Thrawn to the canon. The iconic Star Wars villain is known as a high-ranking Imperial but, before pledging allegiance to the Emperor, he spent years exploring the Outer Rim as a part of the Chiss Ascendancy. Thrawn never actually appeared on Clone Wars, but The Bad Batch would be a great way to insert him into the show’s immediate timeline.
As Clone Force 99 goes on missions throughout the Outer Rim, they’re bound to run into a number of faces, with some of them being faces that we do know. This period in Thrawn’s life is still ripe for exploration, and it wouldn’t be difficult at all for him to meet the unique clone team at some point. Seeing a Thrawn who doesn’t have Imperial training would be a nice change of pace. And given his ordered ways and Clone Force 99’s unpredictable nature, a meeting between them would be incredibly entertaining.
A Young Kanan Jarrus Can Show Up On The Show
As mentioned,, you can run into a number of different people in the Outer Rim, such as soldiers, drifters, and smugglers. That third category is especially true, and it just so happens that a Rebels character was a smuggler during this period in the Star Wars universe. During this time, Jedi Kanan Jarrus (who was originally named Caleb Dume) was in hiding after the Great Jedi Purge. But he eventually met and became a partner to smuggler and thief Janus Kasmir.
Kanan and Kasmir pulled off various jobs before they parted ways and Kanan joined up with the rebellion. So it would be very easy for Clone Force 99 to run into a younger Kanan at this point. It’s hard to say, at this point, if The Bad Batch will feature any Jedi, so Kanan would provide a Force-wielder’s presence, even if he is trying to conceal his Jedi upbringing. His presence would also help to emphasize the fear that surviving Force-wielders feel in the aftermath of the Clone Wars.
The Bad Batch Can Explain How Captain Rex, Wolffe And Gregor Found Each Other
Captain Rex was one of Star Wars: The Clone Wars’ key characters and, in the series finale, he and Jedi Ahsoka Tano went into hiding. Though before his appearance in Clone Wars' final season, Rebels revealed that he would end up living with fellow clones Commander Wolffe and Captain Gregor years later. Rebels, however, never explained how the trio came to unite or how Gregor and Wolffe had their control chips removed.
The Bad Batch has a prime opportunity to tie up these loose ends and further connect the worlds of Clone Wars and Rebels. Having Captain Rex appear on the show could also make for a pretty compelling story. With Rex no longer under anyone’s control and Clone Force 99 seemingly serving the Empire, he could come to blows with his former comrades if they are to cross paths again.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch is sure to introduce some new things into the canon, but let’s hope it manages to slip in these (and other) links between Clone Wars and Rebels. Though producer Dave Filoni is done with Rebels, he has stated that more can be done with the characters, so there’s reason to be hopeful.
But be sure to let us know if there are other ways the Disney+ series can connect to other shows. And keep it here at CinemaBlend for updates on The Bad Batch and for more news from the world of TV and movies.
