Bad Batch: Clone Wars & Rebels Characters Who Could Appear In Season 2

After an exciting and tragic first season, Star Wars: The Bad Batch will return for season 2, and here are the Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels characters who could appear. The Bad Batch season 1 depicted the immediate aftermath of Palpatine’s Sith coup, transforming the Republic into the Galactic Empire. Thanks to high-ranking officers like Tarkin and Rampart, the Empire wasted little time in replacing the elite (albeit brainwashed) clone troopers with recruited stormtroopers, who are cheaper and more loyal, yet far less formidable than their clone predecessors. Given its proximity to both shows, the first season, unsurprisingly, featured several characters from The Clone Wars and Rebels.

As a spinoff series to the recently concluded The Clone Wars, The Bad Batch saw the return of numerous Clone Wars characters. Aside from the titular Bad Batch, the series showed how Cut Lawquane and his family escaped Imperial oppression, Saw Gerrera transitioning his anti-Separatist rebels into the Partisans, and the bounty hunter Cad Bane accepting mercenary work in a rapidly-changing galaxy. Given the show’s proximity to The Clone Wars and Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, much of The Bad Batch’s first season was spent closing the book on prequel era plot threads and characters. Kamino’s cloning facility, once the proud home of heroic clones, was unceremoniously demolished by the Empire at the end of the season.

Similarly, The Bad Batch devoted time to set up characters and storylines from Rebels, a series whose timeline comes quite clone to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Star Wars. The show’s pilot episode depicted Caleb Dume (later known as Kanan Jarrus in Star Wars Rebels) surviving Order 66 at the cost of his Jedi Master’s life. Later in the season, two more Rebels protagonists, Hera Syndulla and her droid, Chopper, were the focus of a two-part story arc, showing their experiences on Imperial-occupied Ryloth. The fan-favorite clone hero from both The Clone Wars and Rebels, Captain Rex, returned as well, ensuring that the Bad Batch was free from potential Imperial brainwashing. What other Clone Wars and Rebels characters could appear in season 2?

Commander Wolffe

A veteran clone trooper officer, Commander Wolffe lived through notably harsh events during the Clone Wars. Wolffe’s 104^th Battalion was nearly wiped out by General Grievous early in the war, and he managed to survive an attack from Asajj Ventress, at the cost of his eye. Though he became somewhat curmudgeonly, Wolffe nevertheless was an enthusiastic defender of the innocent and helpless and he remained true to these ideals in Rebels, which revealed that he had his control chip removed, freeing him from any potential Imperial brainwashing. By the Liberation of Lothal, Wolffe had become a full-fledged member of the Rebel Alliance.

The Bad Batch featured the return of the clone commando Gregor toward the end of season 1, showing how he escaped Imperial service, thanks to Clone Force 99. Considering that Gregor and Wolffe both lived with Rex on Seelos in their Rebels debut, an appearance by Wolffe is likely to be depicted in a Star Wars: The Bad Batch storyline. The Clone Wars and Rebels writer Henry Gilroy believes that Wolffe followed Order 66 but later removed his control chip. If true, Wolffe may be similar to Captain Howzer, having served the Empire but gradually overcoming the effects of his implant. The Bad Batch clones, perhaps with Rex’s help, may get assist Wolffe with leaving the Empire and removing his chip.

Thrawn

A favorite Legends-era villain and now part of canon, Grand Admiral Thrawn is one of the most brilliant beings in the galaxy and an invaluable leader within the Empire. Having made his canon debut in Rebels, Thrawn quickly established himself as one of the Rebellion’s most threatening foes, as Thrawn can outwit nearly anybody by learning about their culture’s artwork. Thrawn ultimately didn’t participate in the Galactic Civil War as he was launched into the Unknown Regions along with Ezra Bridger, making their whereabouts an unanswered question that may be answered in a future TV series.

Thrawn joined the Empire shortly after their rise. As shown in the canon Thrawn novels and comics, brainwashed clone troopers were still serving the Empire when Thrawn was first discovered by them, indicating that he joined their ranks shortly after Revenge of the Sith. The Bad Batch season 1 took place in 19 BBY, and the second season may take place only a year later at most, so Thrawn’s Imperial service might be only beginning. Nevertheless, Clone Force 99 has proven to be a thorn in the Empire’s side, so Thrawn and the commandos may clash at some point, potentially creating a fascinating battle of wits between Thrawn and Tech.

Commander Cody

A prominent clone hero in The Clone Wars, Cody was a close friend of Captain Rex and Obi-Wan Kenobi, serving as Kenobi’s second in command in the Republic’s renowned 212^th Attack Battalion. Despite his strong will and appreciation for Obi-Wan, his control chip was activated during Order 66, suppressing Cody’s free will and compelling him to attack his general and friend. Though Obi-Wan survived, Cody presumably continued to serve the Empire. Rex mentions his friend Cody several times in Rebels, but Commander Cody’s fate is still unknown. While the heroic clone was notably absent from Rebels and The Bad Batch season 1, he may return in season 2.

An unused story arc from Rebels had Thrawn employ the aid of Cody upon recognizing Rex’s clone tactics within the Phoenix Rebel cell. Since Thrawn wouldn’t be a Grand Admiral at this point in the timeline and the Bad Batch are already being pursued by the Imperial clone and former Bad Batch member Crosshair, this storyline would need to be significantly altered. Another possibility is that Rex seeks to help Cody defect by removing his implant, and the Bad Batch would help him in this endeavor. Longtime Clone Wars audiences would finally have a degree of closure for Commander Cody’s Star Wars story in this case, whatever the outcome of Rex’s potential mission.

Ahsoka Tano

Another favorite character and one of The Clone Wars’ protagonists, Ahsoka Tano was once the padawan of Anakin Skywalker but left the Jedi Order before attaining knighthood after being framed for bombing the Jedi Temple. Ahsoka is one of Rex’s closest friends, and like him, she had a prominent role in Rebels as a supporting character. Ahsoka’s adventures went beyond the prequel and original trilogy eras with her live-action debut in The Mandalorian and she’s also set to star in an upcoming live-action Disney+ series. Although Rex and Ahsoka aren’t supposed to interact between The Clone Wars and Rebels, she may meet the Bad Batch at some point in season 2.

As revealed in 2016’s Ahsoka novel, Ahsoka hid from the Empire on the Outer Rim world of Thabeska for a year after the fall of the Republic. Changing her name and working as a mechanic, Ahsoka, now calling herself “Ashla,” kept a low profile, but she could have a hypothetical cameo, should the Bad Batch find themselves on Thabeska and in need of a mechanic. Though Tano needed to keep a low profile, she could stealthily help the clones fend off any Imperial adversaries with stealthy uses of the Force, if need be.

Barriss Offee

Barriss Offee was, for better or worse, drastically different in canon than she was in Legends. The Mirialan padawan was original Anakin Skywalker’s age and a kind-hearted Jedi healer who saved the lives of countless clones. In canon, she was rewritten to be Ahsoka Tano’s age and to have become so disillusioned by the Clone Wars that she murdered Jedi and clones when she bombed the Jedi Temple, framing Ahsoka as the perpetrator. Barriss’ betrayal was a shocking twist for viewers, and though she was arrested at the end of The Clone Wars season 6, many hoped to see her reappear in a future storyline, perhaps as an Imperial Inquisitor.

Barriss was notably absent from Rebels, Jedi: Fallen Order, and the 2017 Darth Vader comic series, making it unlikely that she became an Imperial Inquisitor. While Barriss fell to the dark side in The Clone Wars, she probably holds no loyalty to the Empire. Like Maul, Barriss could become a wildcard in future Bad Batch storylines, as a powerful non-Sith dark side user with no affiliation except to herself. Though doing so would almost certainly contradict the Ahsoka novel, Barriss and Tano could potentially clash in an episode of Star Wars: The Bad Batch season 2, potentially ending Barriss’ story and further connecting The Clone Wars to Rebels.

About The Author

David Miller
(646 Articles Published)

David Miller is a staff writer for Screen Rant, indie comic writer, and life-long lover of all things Star Wars, Marvel, and DC. He was born and raised in New York and has a degree in English from Rider University. He relates to Peter Parker maybe a little too much.

More From David Miller