For a lot of people, the last episode of Dave Filoni’s The Clone Wars truly signified the end of the prequel era, but Star Wars has just given fans yet another symbolic interpretation of the Fall of the Republic and the annihilation of the Kaminoan clones.
The first half of the two-part finale for Star Wars: The Bad Batch brought the rogue protagonists to Kamino, where it all started for the clones. As you know, Crosshair managed to capture Hunter in the previous episode on behalf of the Empire, but Omega and the rest of the gang decided to brave the journey back to their home planet and save their leader.
Meanwhile, Vice Admiral Rampart, in all his usual zeal, decides to show his loyalty to Crosshair by opening fire on the cloning facilities. After a heated and emotional exchange between Hunter and Crosshair, the squad struggles to escape from the ruins of the facility as it descends into the ocean. At one point, Omega saves Crosshair’s life and the legendary sniper returns the favor later on.
When they’re finally out of the woods, though, the sharpshooter maintains his loyalty to the Empire, despite the fact that his inhibitor chip has been removed.
All in all, the narrative marks a significant development in the Star Wars canon. With the Kaminoans gone, the Grand Army, or at least what remained of it, no longer retains an HQ from where their numbers could grow, as it did in the days of the war when the Republic needed reinforcements.
In a way, the destruction of the facility truly heralds the end of the prequel era, which was mostly defined by the war against the Separatists and the rise of the clones, not to mention the world embarking on what Ben Kenobi deemed the Dark Times as the Empire secures its foothold on the galaxy.