Disney+ Drops A Surprise Star Wars: The Bad Batch Season 2 Trailer
The Batch are back.
Disney and Lucasfilm have finally released a trailer for the second season of the Disney+ animated series, "The Bad Batch," a spin-off of "Star Wars: The Clone Wars." The series features a tour de force performance from prolific voice actor Dee Bradley Baker ("Avatar: The Last Airbender") as a squadron of mutated Clone Troopers who defect against the Empire.
"The Bad Batch" is one of several animated "Star Wars" programs beloved by fans. Since "The Clone Wars" debuted on Cartoon Network in 2008, it was resurrected twice — once by Netflix and again by Disney+. The platform's most recent offering, "Tales of the Jedi" (which provided pensive glances at the lives of Ahsoka Tano and Count Dooku), debuted to a warm reception from critics and fans alike (per Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic).
In this trailer for Season 2 of "The Bad Batch," the adventures seem every bit as dangerous and emotionally complex as the first season's, yet emboldened by a refreshing sense of focus and urgency.
Peace was never an option...
As the trailer begins, Omega, Hunter, Echo, and Wrecker are on a mad dash down the beach of a beautifully rendered island, racing away from a horde of large, crab-like creatures. Tech is close by, ready to help them escape in their Omicron-class Marauder (boy, did that name age poorly). Soon after, the trailer introduces us to Phee Genoa, unmistakably voiced by legendary comedian and actor Wanda Sykes. Across the shown footage, it's clear the series will confront the fall of the Republic military in a more direct, concentrated way. While Season 1 found the Bad Batch in many reactive positions, Season 2 will seemingly force them to confront their ability to affect change.
Rhea Perlman's Cid explains that a heist will free the clones and give them a shot at a real future — as she says this, the clones are shown sneaking through a dark Imperial Star Destroyer. A few other notable moments include a quick scene with Crosshair, still lost to the Empire's programming, the appearance of a large, robotic-looking beast that would be right at home in "Horizon: Zero Dawn," and the introduction of a droid called "Axis Leader" — the word Axis has shown up in both "Andor" and "Star Wars: The Old Republic." A new character, Tawni Ames, goes full Magneto and declares that "peace was never an option." Of course, the trailer's identifiable high point is the return of Gungi, the young Wookie Jedi from Season 5 of "The Clone Wars." Amusingly, the trailer specifically addresses "parents," as though the audience won't be full of adults thrilled to return to this story.
"Star Wars: The Bad Batch" streams exclusively on Disney+ on January 4, 2023.