Curate, connect, and discover
Okay, there's a subject I'm going to have to postpone until the end of the post because I want all my thoughts on that to be together: the main operative clone. And the rest might be slightly out of order. I'm also doing this before I see anyone else's thoughts, just so we get the pure version.
Let's go!
I honestly thought that Senator Singh and Riyo were dead meat. But no, they're fine because REX IS COOLER THAN ANYONE. Ugh that man. Freaking throwing the grenade back at him.
Clones are beautiful. That is all.
THAT'S THAT ONE PLACE FROM THE OG CLONE WARS MOVIE!!! TETH!!!
Howzer I love you but if you touch Crosshair we will be having words.
I am actually really proud of Crosshair and his restraint this episode. He could have been really cutting to Howzer.
OMEGA WITH THE TOOTHPIIIIICKS and Hunter is jealouuuus
EDIT: ECHO AND THE CROSSBOW HE'S SO SWEET
WHAT DID THEY DO TO YOU CROSSHAIR
It's really nice to see normal clones being normal again. (Too bad it doesn't last)
There's something up with Omega. I'm not going to lie, I think that she and Rex are going to plan to get her captured in order to track her back to Tantiss.
HOWZER STOP DISTRUSTING CROSSHAIR THIS MOMENT
I appreciate that Hunter doesn't seem to distrust Crosshair during this point.
...they really shouldn't have brought that operative back.
Rex is considering stealing Omega, I swear. I love that he gets down to her level.
WOOOOOOOOOOOLFFE (Plo would be so disappointed in you)
It's...odd to see these normal troopers with him.
It's also strange that he cannot comprehend that the clones could be traitors at first.
STOP DYING YOU BEAUTIFUL REGS
'She only bites half the time' I'm pretty sure Omega is lying here but I don't care.
CROSSHAIR IS SUCH A WORRIED DAD HOLY CRAP. 'Oh, I'm much worse' I LOVE YOU
And this just gives such a little insight into how the Batch was when they were together. I have a feeling that Crosshair was a fusser and a nagger.
And I love how Howzer's natural and correct conclusion is: 'no one evil could love that child.' (Unless you're Nala Se)
Hey, actual candor from Crosshair. I keep saying this is who he always was under it all, but I do think he's healed somewhat, at least towards regs. The healing power of Omega.
'Too bad' I LOVE THIS MAN
STOP DYING REGS
Rex talking down Wolffe reminded me so much of him trying to talk Jesse down. So ow.
Okay, what ROCK have they shoved Wolffe under for the last YEAR??? YES THE EMPIRE WOULD GET RID OF THE CLONES YOU DOG BRAINED IDIOT
(Plo would be proud that you let them go)
...they just killed all of Rex's clones, except Howzer and Gregor. And I have a bad feeling about Howzer. STOP TAKING THINGS FROM REX HASN'T HE LOST ENOUGH???
Okay here we are, at the big topic. Hold onto your pants.
That operative clone. Is. Tech. Because if he is not, they are purposefully using the narrative to deceive us.
I might miss a few things, but that's because I'm up past my bedtime and I've been up too late the last few days.
1. The falling and water parallels. This clone falls a LOT during this episode and dives into a lot of water. He even falls into mist. This time it's to kill and capture his siblings instead of save them.
2. The injury. This clone is hobbling around a lot after his injury, which was immediately reminiscent of Tech's broken leg at the beginning of season 2. Both of them are forcing themselves past their limit to achieve a mission. Specifically with injured legs.
3. General attitude and demeanor. In combination with the stealth and injury, this clone has a more hunched posture. His speech patterns are more formal, though we haven't really heard a lot of other clone operatives talk with their helmets on. But he's also apparently allergic to orders. I first thought that he'd be out of the chain of command, but they would have told Wolffe that he wasn't in charge of the operative if that were the case. Or the operative would have straight up told him 'I don't take orders from you' instead of staring awkwardly at him. Instead he runs off and does his own thing. While injured. Not to mention the buttons on his gauntlet. The other clone operatives don't have those.
4. The cybernetic legs. Now we don't know for sure if Tech would have cybernetic legs, but it seems likely for a severely injured trooper. And when Crosshair is looking at the heat signature, you can see that his legs are blue instead of yellow or red. No heat. Not organic.
5. What he says to Crosshair. 'You could have been one of us.' 'You chose the wrong side.' Yes, he's talking about Crosshair resisting the re-education. But flip it on its head real quick. 'You could have been one of us. One of the Bad Batch.' 'You chose the wrong side. The Empire.' Those lines very easily have double meanings.
6. An interesting one is when he starts moving rocks after the explosion. Why would he do that? Why not immediately go find another way in? He's moving only the smaller rocks. There's a large one in the way that he couldn't move himself. And he doesn't get the rest of the troopers to come move it when they arrive. He almost seems confused.
Like he's somewhere else after an explosion, having to move rocks. Like in the Crossing.
I know that this hardly seem like iron clad evidence. But in the language of story telling, it's practically screaming in our faces.
And I'm so glad he's back. I missed him. He won't be himself for a while, but I legitimately believe we'll get one last fight with the Batch all together. Because brain washing is a heck of a lot easier to fix than being dead.
My sister is doing the good work and creating a tik token about it, and I'll probably share it here when she's finished.
(We're getting the episode 'Identity Crisis ON MY BIRTHDAY and so help me if that's about Tech)
Honestly I thought I'd be more excited, but I spent the entire two episodes forcing myself into not having expectations and also I might be in shock.