Alpha and Omega: The Bad Batch

I have been thinking a lot about the newest character introduced to the Star Wars galaxy in The Bad Batch, Omega.  We learned in the first half of the season, that Omega is a likable character who is curious, charming and quick to learn the ways of the galaxy.  While she is wise for her age and follows the lead of the members of Clone Force 99, she is still a kid.  Omega comes from Kamino where she was being raised by Nala Se.  She joins Clone Force 99 after one of its members, Crosshair, loses his independence to the inhibitor chip and follows the directive of Order 66.  Tech informs us in an early episode that Omega is indeed a clone just like they are.  What has captured my curiosity is her name.  Does it mean more than we might think?  

Why Omega?  Omega is the last letter in the Greek alphabet and often referred to as the end of something, commonly paired with Alpha, the first letter of the Greek alphabet.  What kept running through my head was that maybe she was the last clone grown which would explain her young age.  That didn't seem quite right as Lama Su, the Prime Minister of Kamino, continued to promote cloning with Tarkin and Rampart of the Empire, so surely the Kaminoans were still developing clones in hopes that the newly formed Empire would continue purchasing them for troops.  

Episode nine gives a little more insight on who Omega is that may lead to an understanding of why her name may mean more than we might know.  Tech explains that he did more DNA testing, and he discovered that she is a pure, unaltered clone from the original host, Jango Fett.  His research found that there is only one other pure clone named Alpha also known as Boba.  Tech goes on to explain that Boba went missing during the war, so now Omega is highly valuable and sought out because of the purity of her DNA to the original host.  

It seems that this gives a bit more meaning to her name.  Omega is the second and last pure, unaltered clone from Jango Fett. Boba is the first, Alpha, and the last pure clone from Jango Fett is Omega.  It explains why Omega remains a child and did not grow like the rest of the clones.  I still feel that there is more to the name that will be revealed as this story unfolds.  Will Alpha play any kind of role in this story?  There is a heavy sense of bounty hunting going on in regards to Omega, will the team that Boba was with last, get the call?  What would happen if Alpha and Omega came face-to-face?  This is speculation that will likely not happen, but it is interesting to consider. 

What are your thoughts on the meaning of Omega's name?  What clues did I miss?  Comment here or on Twitter and tag me @draftline

Bad Batch Check-in Episodes 1-3

I have been impressed with the Bad Batch in Episodes 1-3, but episode 3 left me feeling a little empty.  While I would agree that there are several important moments, I feel like I am looking for a purpose for the Clone Force 99.  They picked up Omega and want to bring Crosshair back but how and what's next? 

It is becoming clear that while Omega is young and just learning to be confident in herself away from the comforts of Kamino, she is quite capable and special.  She chases after the Ordo Moon Dragon to acquire the capacitor after Hunter loses consciousness when his respirator falls off.  She uses her tracking (maybe an enhanced ability?) and her smarts to find and evade/distract the moon dragon.  She even uses what she learns from the Nexu encounter in episode 2 and finds a non-lethal escape.  I look forward to seeing what other skills/abilities Omega demonstrates going forward.  

The Crosshair storyline has the strongest focus at this point.  We meet a new Imperial leader, Admiral Rampart, as Tarkin continues to deal with the Clones and introduces Project War-Mantle.  Tarkin sends Crosshair, as leader, with a crew of Imperial soldiers handpicked by Rampart himself, to confront Saw Gerrera on Onderon.  Crosshair's crew easily ambushes the insurgent camp to discover that Saw Gerrera is not there.  Instead of leaving or taking political prisoners, Crosshair orders the crew to kill everyone in the camp.  The Imperial soldier who had been challenging Crosshair's longevity in the Empire as a Clone, challenges the Crosshair's order.  Crosshair sticks to the "Good soldiers follow orders" mantra and executes the trooper in front of everyone.  In shock, the other soldiers follow the order given by Crosshair and murder all in the camp, even the innocent people. This solidifies Crosshair as a force to be feared.  His strict adherence to the orders from Tarkin is a result of the boosted inhibitor chip in his head.  It sets up a difficult task for the Bad Batch going forward; it isn't going to be easy to bring Crosshair back.  Will Tech, Echo, and maybe even Omega be able to find a way to disable Crosshair's chip?  How much damage will/can Crosshair cause before that happens?  

As for the Bad Batch themselves, I am struggling to see the purpose at this point.  Where are they heading?  Maybe it is okay to not know right now; it is only episode 3.  They are learning a new dynamic without Crosshair and the addition of a new member in Omega.  As discussed, she joins Hunter on a mission while Tech and Echo get the ship back together.  Wrecker, who is nursing a headach or head injury suffered in the crash, shows his soft side for children by creating a room for Omega.  They are definitely warming up to Omega, but where is this group headed?

There is a lot left in this season of Bad Batch.  There are characters who need to continue to develop, and there is a team that needs to continue to rebuild. In reflection, I am okay without knowing the full purpose at this point.  I am okay with a slow build to the story as we continue to learn who the members of Clone Force 99 really are.  Stay tuned, I'm sure the story will start to take off soon.