Summary
The following contains spoilers for the season 2 finale ofThe Bad BatchStar Wars: The Bad Batchfeatured one of the most heartwrenching deaths in the franchise’s recent history. But some fans aren’t ready to say goodbye, setting off a rather heated debate on whether certain characters should stay dead.
Star Warsfans are nothing if not passionate, a quality scarcely more evident than when the fandom joined together in shocked mourning asThe Bad Batchseason 2 ended with the genuinely surprising death of Clone Force 99’s resident smart guy, Tech. It was one of those cherished moments when certain fan groups got loud about something that truly mattered in the franchise rather than complaining about women and Black people existing. But even this tender moment was short-lived, as now some fans have begun wondering, what if Tech isn’t dead?
That’s what useriowajayceeon theStar WarsSpeculation subreddit posed to their fellowStar Warsfaithful, and it immediately set off some hot discussions on the subject of death in the franchise. The idea here is that, in a franchise where characters are rarely actually dead if viewers don’t see the body, Tech’s long plunge from the elevated gondola after he cut himself away to savethe rest of Clone Force 99offered plenty of time for him to catch himself as he fell. Whether it be from finding a parachute or “surfing” the falling car on his descent, it seems there could have been any number of ways he could have survived. But the question is, should he?
Other fans immediately began commenting, with some pointing out their weariness atStar Warsfor essentially faking deaths so often. Despite many genuinelytragic deaths in theStar Warsfranchise, it’s difficult to deny that so many others have seemingly cheated the Grim Reaper to the point where it’s become a trope. This includes everyone from Darth Maul to Boba Fett and, notoriously, Emperor Palpatine, whose baffling resurrection inThe Rise of Skywalkerremains a meme among fans. But while some can accept certain cases, most would prefer Tech stay dead.
One user pointed out that, while they don’t mind the resurrections, they draw the line where the character in question has no more story. For characters like Mace Windu andthe underutilized Captain Phasma, it could be argued that they have a future in the franchise if it’s ever decided to bring them back. But Tech had a pretty satisfying character arc, not needing redemption like Mace after he failed to save Anakin from the Dark Side or revenge like Phasma likely would want. Tech died on his terms, saving his squad. Bringing him back would cheapen that sacrifice.
Despite the arguments to the contrary, some fans seem to think that Tech willjoin Asajj Ventress in returning from the dead inThe Bad Batchseason 3. While it makes sense, given how theBad Batchseason 3 trailer is framed, it might be best if he’s allowed to rest. Maybe he’ll return as a mind-controlled soldier who eventually sacrifices himself once he regains his mind. But what would be the point when he already did that? Whatever the case, plenty of emotions will be swirling around when the final season airs for viewers.
Star Wars: The Bad Batchseason 3 is set to premiere on February 21st on Disney Plus.
Star Wars
Star Wars is a multimedia franchise created by George Lucas and Lucasfilm Ltd with the 1977 motion picture. The science fiction franchise follows the adventures of characters (both humanoid and alien) in outer space, including those who can wield a mystical power known as the Force. Since the release of the original trilogy movies, the franchise has expanded to include multiple films and branched out to other mediums like comics, video games, TV shows, theme park attractions, and more. The IP and Lucasfilm were sold to Disney in 2012.
