By George & Josh Bate
Heartbreakingly, the wonderful Star Wars: The Bad Batch comes to an end next week with its 47th and final episode. Ahead of the highly anticipated series finale, check out all of the easter eggs, hidden details, and references we noticed in The Bad Batch – Season 3, Episode 14: “Flash Strike” below….
Interestingly, Tantiss’ turbolasers are shown to be originally pointing at the base itself, rather than away from the base or skyward. It seems as if the Empire were more concerned with anything getting out of the Tantiss facility, rather than someone breaking in.
In the forests of Tantiss, Rampart rests on what he thinks is a tree, but is actually a Dryax. This is the same creature that Omega and Crosshair encountered when they escaped Tantiss in Season 3 Episode 3.
As Omega escapes The Vault Andy Dufresne-style and explores more of the Tantiss facility, she sees a Zillo Beast. This appears to be the same Zillo Beast that was the focus of The Bad Batch Season 2 Episode 11 “Metamorphosis.” It’s not entirely clear why the Empire are experimenting on or researching the creature, although it’s safe to assume they’re up to no good. In The Clone Wars, Zillo Beasts were implied to be Force sensitive, going so far as to attack Palpatine as they sensed his dark side nature. Perhaps Hemlock and the Tantiss team are using Zillo Beasts for cloning experiments to ensure Palpatine’s longevity. Another theory of why Hemlock wants the Zillo Beast has to do with the species’ lightsaber resistant skin. Perhaps the Empire wanted to use this aspect of Zillo Beasts for development of specific lightsaber-resistant armor. Also, doesn’t it look like the Zillo Beast is being tortured with a Death Star-esque laser?
Echo dons a stormtrooper outfit in the latest instance of Star Wars characters disguising as enemies. This trend dates all the way back to 1977 when Han Solo and Luke Skywalker pretended to be stormtroopers while aboard the Death Star.
While Echo has had a limited role in Season 3, his role in the rescue mission for Omega is quite poignant. Echo and the Bad Batch are trying to rescue kids who are being experimented on for the Empire. Being experimented on was exactly what happened to Echo while he was captured by the Techno Union. Things have come full circle with Echo saving children who are in a similar predicament to what he experienced.
Omega asks the other kids in The Vault to cover her as she explores the tubes in the cell walls, following which one of the kids says that they don’t know what ‘cover’ means. This subtly shows Omega’s different upbringing as she knows military tactics like cover given she’s been raised by soldiers, unlike the other kids, who are relatively sheltered.
In the credits of the episode, parts of Kevin Kiner’s clones theme from Star Wars: The Clone Wars can be heard.
The next episode is titled “The Cavalry Has Arrived.” This is what Wrecker says when the Bad Batch made their debut in the premiere of The Clone Wars Season 7.
WIth just one episode to go, it’s difficult to see how The Bad Batch will conclude all of its different plot threads. Fingers crossed the episode has an extended length like the series’ first episode. Stay tuned to The HoloFiles and Star Wars Holocron for continued coverage of The Bad Batch!