Episode 12 Open Discussion Under The Cut BEWARE SPOILERS.

Episode 12 open discussion under the cut 👇🏼 BEWARE SPOILERS.

The loss of Crosshair’s helmet is so significant. The fact that he didn’t even bother to look for it, even more so.

The animators have always used helmets to represent a dichotomy. Pre Order-66, it was a symbol of a soldier’s individualism, as most troopers opted to paint their helmet to their liking; something to make them easily distinguishable from their brothers. Post Order-66, helmet-wear was used to signify the loss of a soldier’s autonomy. Yes, obviously for cranial protection as well (keep the melon safe during battle, you know), but once Order 66 was issued, aside from Batch members, seeing a clone trooper without their helmet on was a very rare sight.

In Season 1 Episode 1, Crosshair opted to keep his helmet on during the flight back to Kamino after Order-66 on Kaller, and through the halls of Tipoca city until they reached their barracks. I think the writers and animators were trying to symbolize that he had lost a large portion of his control.

Through the rest of the first season, Crosshair was largely hidden behind his new imperial helmet; one that was completely lacking resemblance or connection to his past as a member of CF-99. I think his Imp helmet was something that, at least in the beginning, he wore proudly; it was a symbol of his new role, his new rank, his future, his new ideology.

But in The Solitary Clone (S2 E3), after a poignant discussion with Cody, we see Crosshair look at his helmet with implied contempt, regret, and even possibly, repulsion. This was new.

In the first minutes of Season 2 Episode 12, we see him reprimanded by an imperial superior officer for not wearing it, which I found interesting. Keep in mind, Crosshair was also helmet-less when he met with Cody before their mission to Desix. Same scenario: waiting by the ship for a debrief from his commander before leaving for the mission. But this time, the writers opted to emphasize that his face was exposed.

Now, his helmet is completely gone. In a mission gone sour, it was eaten by an avalanche. And I found it very interesting that Crosshair’s first thought after emerging from the snow, was to find and save Mayday, a reg commander who he’d met only hours previously, and who took all of Crosshair’s imperial ideology and challenged it. He carefully puts Mayday’s helmet back on him, but doesn’t even spare a thought for his own.

In the final minutes of E12, we see Crosshair, and his face in all its glory, shoot his Lieutenant. An angry murder noodle move, yes... but also a desperate, frustrated one.

The presence of Imperial Crosshair feels diminished. The reemergence of Bad Batch Crosshair feels imminent.

*pls note that I used the term “reg” to reference Crosshair’s previous intolerance for regular clones, and was not meant in any derogatory sense*

I have a theory. Throughout the series, we’ve seen Omega interact with pretty much only destructive animals(those weird dogs in season 1 count), like Muchi the Rancor, and now Batcher the Lurca hound. Obviously, Omega isn't force-sensitive like Jedi are force-sensitive but maybe she has a connection to only dangerous animals. Like maybe awakening the squid thingy was actually her fault because she just attracts only dangerous animals.

So here's my weird theory, Omega Will ‘befriend’ the Zillo Beast in order to escape Tantiss for the second time. I mean, The Zillo beast as a distraction would be boss.

Wow, Nice analysis, I'd also like to point out, that if the Marauder represents Tech, then Hunter lingers longer inside than Wrecker to meet Omega when they meet again. Maybe that he’s more willing to let go of Tech to see Omega again while Hunter is still kinda stuck in his head, leaving Tech’s goggles on a pedestal as a reminder of his failure to protect his family.

Ay that's painful.

I love the attention to detail. Two islands of light. Crosshair on one, the others on the other. They perfectly displayed the huge gap that was created in the first season by Cross. Now he needs to regain the trust of his brothers after almost a year of living apart. From now on, the arc of Crosshair's correction begins in the eyes of the rest of the squad, his rehabilitation begins now and it is not known how soon he will be able to become a full-fledged part of this family again. When they trust him again and accept him as their own.

Omega will most likely help him with this. She was generally a ray of light, a supportive sister who you want to protect. She's the only one who believed in Cross, who trusts him even after all this time. Now that her brother has stopped listening to his demons and has begun his redemption, she must help him become Clone 99 again.

I sincerely hope that his story will not end with his death, otherwise we have already lost one.

Also, when Hunter is looking at Crosshair only the skull half of his face is in the shadows, and when they start arguing later, his face is completely engulfed in Crosshair’s shadow. But when they make up, they both face towards the sun shadows behind them.

Perhaps symbolizing they've only been half of Clone Force 99 with Crosshair’s shadow looming over them, but now that they've made up they can look towards better times.

Oh my gosh...how did I not notice this??

Y'all remember the lighting Joel Aron (one of the guys that makes the Bad Batch) mentioned regarding Hunter and Crosshair? How symbolic it was gonna be?

The shadows on their faces look like each other's tattoos!!!! 😭💜

I can't even with this!! I'll never recover 😭💜 I love this so much!!

Tech Returns?

So yeah, people are freaking out because there's only 4 more episodes left in The Bad Batch :( but more importantly is that enough time to bring Tech back?

If the answer is yes you might be delusional. Emphasis on might, it could happen, and Tech can live happily ever after with Phee but honestly, when has romance ever worked out in Star Wars?

If the answer is no then listen to this: Crosshair had two season’s worth of redemption, the tale of the brother who willingly killed and burned down innocents for the Empire of His own free will. If Tech is CX-2 then he could be the reverse of Crosshair, the brother stripped of personality who willingly(?) kills and burns down innocents for the Empire of free will(?) but instead of redemption they never get him back. Again they have to live with having their brother trying to kill them knowing they can't get him back.

Deeming how Tech only barely shows any semblance of a crush on Phee, I’d be more hilarious if they reacted like:

Crosshair: o-o Why didn’t you mention THIS?! Hunter:I didn’t know about THIS either!

I need a scene after Crosshair meets Phee for the first time, he leans over to Wrecker and Hunter and is like, Tech got her!? in complete disbelief.

And they just nod proudly