Star Wars: The Bad Batch premiered on May 4, 2021, covering the time period after the Clone Wars and explaining how Emperor Palpatine started ruling the galaxy. The show presents a group of mutated clones who the Imperial system finds difficult to subdue. The squad of the mutated clones, known as Clone Force 99, defy Palpatine’s evil scheme of turning them into his soldiers.
The squad took it upon themselves to become fugitives and run away from the establishment. Their purpose of survival is added upon by their determination to save Omega from the establishment. The second season of the show presented the death of Tech, a crucial member of the squad of Clone Force 99, who was a brother to them and a mentor for Omega.
This article analyses the death of an important member of the squad and how it might affect Omega’s journey in Star Wars: The Bad Batch season 3.
Disclaimer: This article may contain the author’s personal opinions.
How did Tech die in the Star Wars: The Bad Batch?
In the double-episode finale of Star Wars: The Bad Batch season 2, Clone Force 99 went to Eriadu where Governor Tarkin was hosting the Imperials. The Bad Batch team aimed at attaching a tracker to Hemlock’s ship to be able to trace his movement. They planned to trace the evil scientist’s ship to where he had imprisoned Crosshair.
However, Saw Gerrerra showed up with his team, wanting to blow up Tarkin’s meeting. Compromised, Gerrerra set off explosives that destroyed the power of the Bad Batch vehicle. Tech tried to reboot the system from the terminal and at that moment, Tarkin’s air support blasters broke the cars apart.
Tech tried to rush and get into the car, but he realized he was too late, despite Wrecker trying to save him. Recognizing that his weight might doom the escape of all the others, Tech announced, “Plan 99” before shooting the connection between the cars so that he fell to his death.
As such, Clone Force 99, a special group of soldiers in the franchise, has their own codes and strategies to undertake very difficult missions. The scene in Star Wars: The Bad Batch finale proves that “Plan 99” was devised long before Omega joined the team. It was likely a sacrificial move where one member gave up for the betterment of the remaining team.
How did Tech’s death affect Omega in Star Wars: The Bad Batch season 3?
Tech’s death is not an important thread in Star Wars: The Bad Batch season 3 since the squad’s survival is at stake and a lot of action happens to achieve whatever they do. However, Omega and Tech shared a special bond that shows in Omega’s actions.
Tech had put Omega through grueling lessons in the past such as how to fly, how to fix a ship, hijack strange vehicles, understand systems, and use technology to her advantage. As his inheritance, Omega is using the knowledge of Tech’s teachings in season 3. As voice artist Michelle Ang told Screen Rant:
“The legacy of Tech is that Omega can do all these tasks that he taught her.”
Moreover, her grief over Tech’s death is adding to her resolve fueling her fight in Star Wars: The Bad Batch season 3.
Is Tech really dead as shown in Star Wars: The Bad Batch season 2?
Since he died in Star Wars: The Bad Batch season 2, fans of the franchise have been hoping to see Tech back in the season finale. The franchise has previously brought back characters like Echo, Palpatine, and Darth Maul, supposedly surviving fatal conditions.
While Hemlock brought Tech’s glasses to Hunter, there was no reference to his bodily remains. This keeps the hope alive for fans as Tech may have been taken hostage by Hemlock. As such, Hemlock is a cloning specialist and would have wanted to test the mutated Clone, Tech’s remains.
If Tech did not die at the end of Star Wars: The Bad Batch season 2, he may have been resurrected by the Imperial team as a new clone more evil with no memories for his team. Alternatively, they may have recovered him alive and turned him into the cyborg, Phase Zero Darktrooper.
Since, either of the options would ruin Tech’s loving image, having him dead and providing his team the strength to fight is more acceptable.
Watch what happens next in the upcoming episodes of Star Wars: The Bad Batch streaming on Disney+ on Wednesdays.