TBB S2e13 Review & Discussion - Pabu, A Tropical Getaway

Guys, I think we've seen all the trailer clips, which means we'll be going in blind now. I'm feeling like it'll be rough from here on out. Buckle up, It's about to get traumatizing 🤕😷

Edit: Most, not all trailer clips

Tech is King🛐

Miss my boy 🤲

"The Solitary Clone" is a Masterpiece **MASSIVE SPOILERS!** Episode 3 Discussion PART 1

Today's episode of The Bad Batch was truly a work of art. I wanted to discuss just how well executed of an episode it was, especially because this is my shit as an English major. I love the tragedy and the multiple levels of symbolism in literature. This will be divided into two parts because for some reason, Tumblr isn’t letting me post it in one :/ Okay, first and foremost, they did an excellent job in setting the tone for this episode. From the way that it opened with Crosshair waking up in his drab and dimly lit room (a nice call back to Kallus from Rebels), to him going to eat with other clones that end up leaving when he sits with them, and even when he is called to Ramparts office. Right off the bat, the viewers are immersed in what Crosshair is feeling and thinking. He is very much alone, isolated and conflicted (more on this later). I also wanted to note the importance of the scene were the two clones are discussing the Defence Recruitment bill that would effectively see clones filtered out and replaced by citizens (I'll reference this later on too). When Crosshair goes to speak with Rampart, immediately I'm heartbroken to hear how long he was stranded on Kamino (32 rotations...wtf). Moreover, the way I see it, Rampart is a representative (literally and metaphorically) of the Empires value or lack thereof. His blatant disregard and disrespect to Crosshair, and in turn soldiers in general, could be the breaking point for Cross if this treatment continues (which I'm guessing it will).  The way I understand and interpret it, Crosshair is confused and conflicted about everything. He remains with the Empire because it's easy and because it's the only life he's ever known. Leaving that life behind and deserting it means that he must face himself in order to understand 1) who he is, 2) what he wants and 3) what/who he cares about. He isn't at that stage of his story...yet. But we as the viewers are slowly but surely seeing his resolve begin to break through these interactions and experiences (discussed above). Now, the scene with Crosshair and Cody. Everyone has already analyzed this to death but I'll just reiterate it. Cody and Crosshair meet in front of the clone memorial and they have a brief conversation before going on their mission. This scene is great because we see them testing each other in this conversation and seeing where they stand/how they feel about everything that's happened and is happening. Cody, obviously, is further along in his realizations than Crosshair is. We see this through the ways that Cody looks at the memorial and Crosshair respectively. He is uncertain, sad and also very confused. The scene where Cody mentions the uncertainty of the clones as well as how more and more of them (including the bad batch) are going awol is great. As I mentioned above, this is Cody testing the waters with Crosshair to see where he stands in all this. And when Cross responds by saying that "they are traitors just like the Jedi," it is fantastic because the tension only increases. Cody is visibly distraught by this (probably because he is remembering what he was forced to do) and falls back onto the "good soldiers follow orders." Well played Filoni et al.

The Bad Batch s2e12 Review and Discussion - The Breaking Point of Crosshair

Massive Spoilers Ahead!

That was by far one of the greatest episodes I think i've ever watched. I don't even know where to begin and I do not say this lightly - I have been thoroughly broken by this show. I am genuinely heartbroken at this point.

First and foremost, the music was on point. It hit every single emotion it wanted to convey and it complimented the themes of this episode perfectly. Kevin Kiner remains to be one of the best composers, in my opinion.

Secondly, the symbolism that was the lone ice vulture flying above Crosshair's head throughout the episode was just poetic. It really got the message across to the viewers that Crosshair is utterly and brutally alone. He is nothing more than something that is “expendable” in the eyes of the Empire. This episode made that evermore clearer to Cross.

Thirdly, the new clone introduced in this episode, Commander Mayday, was a perfect way to SHOW (and not just tell) Crosshair the tragedies, the mistreatment and the injustices that the clones are facing. Throughout the entire episode, both Cross and the viewers were reminded of just how poorly the clones are being treated. Mayday's inevitable death was the final moment for Crosshair; It genuinely broke him (and me, frankly). The lieutenant (I forgot his name because idfc) really rubbed it into Crosshair’s face about what the clones mean to the Empire.

The emotions that we get to see Crosshair experience throughout this episode really show just how broken his spirit is; he has reached his breaking point. He was left both physically and emotionally devastated by the end of his mission; losing yet another companion, another brother. Someone whom he was just beginning to confide in, especially to feel less alone. I also found it quite fascinating to see him express distress when the ship blew up and caused him a sort-of sensory overload. A bit of an ode to the Batches enhanced features.

 I appreciated the little details of him shivering in the cold as he and Mayday made their way back to the outpost; huddling together to survive. on top of that, his facial expressions really showed just how lost, distraught, devastated and broken he has become. Truly, what a masterful episode. Crosshair shooting the lieutenant by the end of the episode was his moment of “going awol,” albeit, in the most devastating and heart wrenching way. 

The ending of this episode was rather concerning. I literally have no idea what that lady poked his neck with nor do I have the faintest idea as to why he's on Tantiss but I'm very nervous about it. I hope he isn't being brainwashed again or [arguably] even worse, becoming the prototype of a dark trooper. Istfg If this happens, You’ll be hearing from my therapist and my lawyer, Filoni. For the love of all things decent in this world, please let him go home to his family. 

This episode, once again, cements exactly why I love Crosshair's character so much. Truly a terribly tragic character and I ate that shit up. I'm shellshocked.

 20/10. Feelings have been hurt.

Tech is NOT Dead - A Theory

Okay before I go MIA in order not to kms, I need to put my theory out there.

Maybe I'm just coping here in my delusions of grandure, but I don't think Tech is actually dead. They're going to Winter Soldier his ass. Why? Because his death was lowkey out of pocket. Why did they dedicate the whole season to him, give him a love interest, character development, and make him a canonical character with asd (in other words, be fantastic representation for a community that rarely gets any), just kill him off? It's not adding up. That's waaay too much effort just to throw it all away like that. And why did Dr. Doofenshmirtz (Hemlock) feel the need to confirm his "death" by showing the goggles when both the batch and we, the viewers, saw him "die." That's suspicious as hell, if you ask me. I'm thinking they recovered him and brought his ass to Tantiss.

If Hunter can fall and break his ass but still survive, then so can Tech. NO BODY, NO PROOF.

Okay, see you guys later. I'll be in therapy🫡😮‍💨

Freefalling From Great Heights - A Discussion & Analysis

Hey guys. So, I lied about getting off socials LOL I really need to go full on film theory here and talk about the fall. I do want to preface though and say that I am not a woman of science (I’m an art girlie), therefore I won’t be able to make any sort of proper calculations. Without further ado, I’m going to break down the whole fall and discuss how Tech could’ve and probably did survive. 

First and foremost, I want to go back and take a look at the most clear shot given to viewers of the height between the tram system and the perceived ground level. In this picture, we get a brief glimpse from Wrecker’s POV of how far down it is from the trams. 

While it looks quite high, considering they are practically in the clouds, it is important to note the amount of foliage this planet has; a vast amount large trees, specifically tall pine trees.

These types of trees are not uncommon in biomes that include bodies of water. Consider the images below.

 While it is not definitive, it can be safe to assume that there could have been a stream or body of water below in that valley. However, even if this was not the case, the trees are large enough that they can dampen a fall, even if it is from a great height. This leads me to my next point: 

How high of a fall can humans survive?

An NCBI article covers the case of a rock climber who had fallen from a total of 300 feet and survived. Though she suffered many severe injuries, she was able to recover after extensive medical care. According to this article, the way in which a person falls is imperative to survival. In particular, if a person is falling vertically, they can survive an average fall height of 23 feet and 7 inches (7.2 meters) with minor to moderate injury. Survivable injuries have a threshold of around 20-25 feet. Yet the rock climber was able to survive at even greater heights. That being said, according to an article by Arnold & Atkin Trial Lawyers, 20 feet and below can still prove to be fatal. Moreover, fatal falls usually are between 21 and 40 feet. Considering all the information thus far, it would seem that Tech is exceptionally fucked. But stay with me folks, I’m not done cooking yet.

While it is not common, humans have, in fact, survived free falls at extreme heights. Take for example Vesna Vulović, a Serbian flight attendant who holds the Guinness world record for surviving the highest freefall without a parachute: 33,330 feet (10,160 meters). She was in a coma for days and spent several months hospitalized. She suffered a fractured skull, three broken vertebrae, broken legs, broken ribs, and a fractured pelvis, leaving her temporarily paralyzed from the waist down. Despite all of this, she made a nearly complete recovery, only continuing to walk with a limp. 

In another case, Nicholas Alkemade, a British tail gunner of the Royal Air Force during World War II, survived a freefall of 18,000 feet (5, 490 meters). His fall was broken by pine trees and a soft snow cover on the ground. 

While the first case can be safely considered as a miracle, it's the second case that is interesting. The pilot survived a freefall from a height he should’ve died from. Yet, due to the large trees and the snow on the floor, his fall was cushioned and allowed for him to survive. 

Now, taking what we discussed and applying it to the Star Wars universe, the chances of Tech surviving is definitely in our favour. Firstly, we know there is a lot of foliage (bushes, grass, etc.), and there are also massive trees. But we must remember that this isn’t just some random, unprepared person that is falling. This is Tech, a highly skilled, highly intelligent, and well equipped clone trooper. It is also important to mention that he is wearing a helmet and a chest plate, which provides protection to critical body parts. Knowing him, Tech could have very well put his gear to use and used a grappling hook to attach to a tree and create momentum from his fall to swing onto the ground. He could have also gotten into the falling tram and found a way to cushion his fall. But let’s say he does neither of these things (perhaps due to the speed at which he was falling), Tech can still survive if he falls vertically into the pine trees and foliage, which will cushion his fall, just like Nicholas Alkemade and the rock climber, respectively.

Furthermore, based on all that has been discussed and considered, the chances of survival of a freefall from that height, while seemingly impossible, is in fact, possible and likely. 

Sources:

PubMed Central (PMC)

Survival following a vertical free fall from 300 feet: The crucial role of body position to impact surface

We report the case of a 28-year old rock climber who survived an "unsurvivable" injury consisting of a vertical free fall from 300 feet onto

Arnold & Itkin LLP

How Far of a Fall Is Fatal?

Falls are one of the deadliest and most common work accidents. Read more on our blog.

Guinness World Records

How Vesna Vulović survived the highest fall ever with no parachute

On 26 January 1972, Vesna Vulović accidentally achieved the highest fall survived without a parachute world record, after the plane she was

en.wikipedia.org

Nicholas Alkemade - Wikipedia

Please...make this happen...😫🤧

Escape plan. doing this really quick because.. canon? what? ( fit toothpick thanks to Tech that always carried those even if Crosshair wasn't with them. )

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Tech is alive because he will help save Crosshair and Omega. He had a Parachute, they took him and he is now with Omega and Cross. ESCAPE PLAN.

The Unseen Tragedy of the Clones

Alright folks, I am back once again with another Star Wars discussion. And yes, I could be putting my time towards actual school work yet here I am…we live with the choices we make….anyways! 

MAJOR SPOILERS ahead for both The Clone Wars and The Bad Batch! 

CONTENT WARNING! Mentions of torture, eugenics, and slavery. If any of these topics are sensitive or triggering to you, please do not proceed.  Mental Health first, take care of yourselves!

With out further ado, enjoy!

I’ve been thinking about this for a really long time and it has finally reached a point where I need to formulate my thoughts. Basically (as you can probably tell from the title), I wanted to discuss the tragedy that is the clones. I know this is not a new concept whatsoever, and that most if not all people have thought and/or talked about this by now, but I wanted to post about it regardless. 

The clones, right from the moment of their creation, were tragic. They were bred to fight in a war they had no choice in, and in turn, were never given the opportunity to think about what they were truly fighting for. Their opinions, thoughts and feelings simply never mattered. By design, literally right down to their DNA, they were made to be subservient and obedient child soldiers. Moreover, they were subjected to cruel and unjust treatment at the hands of the Kaminoan’s, undergoing inhumane procedures from the [standardized] accelerated growth of all clones, to random biopsies and other enhancement operations. Yet, when a clone failed to meet Kaminoan expectations, they are “decommissioned;” in other words, eugenics. However, it can be argued that the whole Kaminoan cloning operation is eugenics (selecting desirable traits, etc.), but that’s a topic for another time. 

Referring back to the clones disposition of accelerated growth is another point of concern. Sure, it was a “necessity” in order to get an army ready as fast as possible, but when you take a step back and look at what’s really going on, you have an army of clone children (chronologically); albeit, they are physically and mentally adults. Irregardless, it is an extremely fine line and depending on who you ask, it can be acceptable or unacceptable.

 Now for the rancor in the room: the clones are literally slaves. They were unpaid (chronologically) child soldiers who were not viewed as humans by the general public, they did not have rights whatsoever, they were not allowed to make any decisions for their own lives (have a life beyond being a soldier of the GAR) and most importantly, they were viewed as replaceable cogs apart of the ever-turning wheel that is the war. This looks extremely bad on its own, but when you apply the fact that this army is the army of the Republic? It’s far worse, let me explain. The Republic, a government that not only preaches but actively advocates for peace and liberty, has an army made of soldiers who do not have liberty. The hypocrisy is unrivalled. And sure, you could argue that this is due to Palpatine and his master plan to destroy the Jedi and the Republic. But when you remove him from the equation, the hypocrisy remains. The “Great” Republic isn’t as great as its made out to be. As all things are, there are a lot of grey areas here. What remains though, is the fact that not many, if any, senators or civilians advocated for clone rights. Only Senator Padmé Amidala had ever advocated for them when she was trying to stop their needless production. And we all remember how that turned out. Sure Palpatine was the devil on the shoulder of a lot of senators, egging them on to one direction over another. But the fact is, those senators and those civilians never bothered to consider any of this. They remained complacent and were happy to accept an army of expendable soldiers. 

Even with all of these disadvantages in their lives, the clones made the best of it with what they were given. Not all people were against them. They made strong bonds among their brothers and found friendship in their Jedi generals. They also found a way to be unique, through different hair styles to tattoos and even armour paint. They made their lives bearable. But what really cemented the fact that they meant nothing to the people they protected was during order 66. This is not the fault of the people but rather their failure as a people to question the unethical operations of the Kaminoan’s and protest against it. Had they done something small like that, it would’ve put a lot more into question, like what were the ethics of the clone production, what did they do or didn’t do to them, etc. It is the job of the people to constantly challenge the politics of their government in order to keep it in check and to always strive for an even better democracy. Where the Republic had failed, the people of the Republic failed as well. The clones were merely the physical embodiment of the failure of a democracy that had died long before episode 1. And the clones, along with many others (civilians, sovereign planets, etc.) were the victims. That is the unseen tragedy of the clones.

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That's it. That's the whole post.

My First Post! TBB made me do it... Season 2 Episode 3 Thoughts (NO SPOILERS)

I never thought I would post anything here, since I only created an account to look at art but here I am. I just really needed to rant. I just finished watching episode 3 of TBB season 2 and (do not fret, this is a spoil free zone), all I'm going to say is wow. Just wow. Phenomenal, insightful and yet so heartbreaking. Overall, a well executed episode in my opinion. 10/10 Also yes, it's 3:50am🙃