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Continuity & Analysis

Star Wars: The Bad Batch - Aftermath (2021) [S1E1]
"Separatists pushed to the brink! Republic forces continue to mount victories on battlefronts
across the galaxy. After the Jedi Knights thwarted an attempt to kidnap Chancellor Palpatine,
the evil droid general Grievous retreated to the Outer Rim. With his legions of battle droids
severely depleted, Grievous mounts a desperate and brutal counterattack across several
starsystems. We find Republic clone troopers locked in deadly combat on the besieged world
of Kaller. Led by Jedi Master Depa Billaba, they struggle to hold their position as they wait
for reinforcements to arrive..."
Star Wars: The Bad Batch - Cut and Run (2021) [S1E2]
The Bad Batch visit an old contact.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch - Replacements (2021) [S1E3]
The Batch get stuck on a desolate moon.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch - Cornered (2021) [S1E4]
The Batch's supply run goes awry.




CONTINUITY
These four episodes deal with the aftermath of Order 66 and the proclamation of the Empire.
The planet Kaller, and the Ordo Moon are seen for the first time. Six worlds are seen in these episodes:

'Aftermath' begins on the 3rd day of Episode III and covers the 4th and 5th days of that film. 'Cut and Run' takes place during
the 6th day, and 'Replacements' takes place during the 7th and final day of that film. The title graphic transitions from The Clone Wars
logo to The Bad Batch logo, indicating that this series is a spin-off and essentially a continuation of that series. Although these stories
are original creations, the Bad Batch themselves were created by George Lucas, and developed with fellow creators of The Clone Wars.

- Grievous' launches the Separatists' final offensive as instructed by Sidious, whose plan for the Clone Wars culminated with three large offensive
waves. The first began in the last month or month and a half, where Separatist forces launched a major wave of surprise invasions of worlds
left vulnerable by the Republic pressure in the Outer Rim. Combined with expanded offensives in the Core, this appeared to be strategically
valid, as a ploy to buy time to focus on production of war material. This offensive action also positioned Separatist forces for the second
wave, which was launched in the last weeks before Episode III and the assault on Coruscant. The first offensive had stretched
Republic resources, and with the Republic locked into maintaining their front lines in the Rim, and equally committed to their defense in
the Core, Grievous' devastating blitz offensive across all regions of the Rim targeted peaceful, neutral, vulnerable, or prosperous worlds
for destruction, economic collapse, and even enslavement, helping to accomplish many of the finishing touches of Sidious' plans for
the Clone Wars. The Jedi responded to this senseless campaign of violence and terror just as Sidious knew they would, dispatching all
available Jedi Masters and Knights to be dispersed to as many of these unexpected new conflicts as possible, leaving the number of adult
Jedi on Coruscant manageable, and isolating most Jedi at disparate locations across the galaxy, far from each other and the Temple,
engaged in pressing battles, and surrounded by clones and the droid army. After the Coruscant operation, two days before these events,
the Republic seems on the verge of major victories in the war, and this third and final wave is designed primarily to pin the Jedi in the field
to their exposed positions in preparation for the execution of Order 66.
Main Article: Darth Sidious and The Plan

- Kaller is a terrestrial planet located in the Cassander Sector, in the New Territories region of the Outer Rim, and which lies along the Braxant Run,
a significant regional hyperspace route. Kaller is very near to the planet Cassander, which is the sector capital. Kaller has a breathable
atmosphere, and a water cycle producing snow in subtropical regions. It has an ecosystem, which according to supplementary material
is native, and is also the homeworld of the sapient Kallerans, however they have not been seen in canon. Supplementary material
indicates that Kaller has at least three moons and orbits binary stars. Regardless of who inhabits the planet, it was a settled system which
was significant enough to warrant fighting over. Its position near important Separatist planets was probably a major factor as well.


- Depa Billaba was a member of the Jedi Council up to Episode II, and was one of 5 Jedi from the Council before the Battle of Geonosis who were
no longer present in Episode III. This was intended to show the high toll which the Clone Wars had taken on the ranks of the Jedi, as
5 high-ranking members of the Order were lost in only 3 years. She was believed to be killed on Geonosis, along with Coleman Trebor,
as they were both absent on the Council in material set immediately following Epsiode II, however disney-Lucasfilm decided to retcon
her back to life for no reason, presumably because they prefer using Lucas-era individuals over creating original characters. It is unusual
for members of the High Council to retire, other than sometimes for old age, however it is not a violation of canon. She was last seen
chronologically in The Clone Wars 'Old Friends Not Forgotten' (S7E9), which begins only days before this episode, however she
only appears in opening montage. She was last seen as a background character in Tales of the Jedi 'Practice Makes Perfect' (S1E5),
which takes place almost exactly 2 years before this episode, already training Caleb Dume as her apprentice. The two are also known to
have fought on Mygeeto, which is very near to Kaller, and an indication that Billaba and her forces were probably deployed to the New
Territories region of the Rim for an extended period of campaigns. Her personal battalion is unknown, however based on the locations
they are known to have fought in, it is probably a subdivision of the 8th Sector Army. Her battalion's commander is Captain Grey, who is
CC-10/994. Her blue lightsaber is the wrong color, as her saber was clearly established as green by Episode III supplementary material.
This is typical of disney-Lucasfilm's inability to maintain continuity, but is also not a certain error, since Jedi do change colors on rare
occasions. It is possible her original saber was lost or destroyed on Geonosis, as seems to have been the case for Eeth Koth.

- Caleb Dume has been Depa Billaba's apprentice for at least 2 years, since before Tales of the Jedi 'Practice Makes Perfect' (S1E5).
As seen here, he survives Order 66 and goes into hiding as Kanan Jarrus, one of the protagonists of the series Rebels.
The events seen here were discussed in that series in 'Rise of the Old Masters' (S1E5) and 'The Lost Commanders' (S2E3).

- The Bad Batch were last seen about a week before these events in The Clone Wars 'Unfinished Business' (S7E4).

- Tech is tapped into the Republic military's encrypted communications system, by which he is able to monitor updates being broadcast on
military channels. In this case, he mentions a report from clone intelligence regarding Obi-Wan's campaign on Utapau.
Main Article: Hyperspace Communication


Echo suggests that if Obi-Wan "captures or kills Grievous, the Separatist command structure will collapse", to which
Tech adds, "and most likely the droid armies along with them." Is this really the case? On the one hand, it is possible that
without Dooku or Grievous, their Parliament and executive Council may have had difficulty holding their forces together,
particularly due to their increasingly precarious strategic situation. The Separatist Council, next in line of executive
authority over the military, was made up of leaders from the formerly competitive trade guilds who had a difficult time
working together even when Dooku was around to keep them all in line. It seems most likely they would have attempted
to withdraw their forces from the combined droid army and Separatist fleet, and moved to protect their organizations'
vital holdings, primarily out of a desire to shield themselves from capture and prosecution. This would have meant
months more of warfare, at least. The war's sudden end was only made possible by Sidious, who had Grievous corral
the Separatist Council on Mustafar, then sent Darth Vader to execute them. Vader was able to use their command and
control facility to send the deactivation codes to the droid army, causing them to preemptively abandon a war that was
not entirely lost. Echo and Tech had no way of knowing this was going to happen, so their analysis of the situation is
optimistic at best. This is likely the result of the writers not really understanding the complexities of Episode III.


- The Order 66 message is received by all troopers in the field at the same time as their commanding officer, through the communications
system in their helmets. The comm channel repeats, "Execute Order 66." This ensures that the majority of clones will have their chips
activated immediately, allowing for simultaneous compliance, and also that any clones who missed the message will soon hear it
once they put their helmets on. Once the chips are activated, the clones fervently believe the "Jedi have committed treason."
As the order comes "from the Supreme Chancellor himself", no non-clone, Republic military authority can countermand it.
Main Article: Darth Sidious and The Plan


- The members of the Bad Batch, except Crosshair, are too mutated or cybernetically altered to be effected by the inhibitor chip override
programming for Order 66. Crosshair is partly effected, as he utters the programmed response that "good soldiers follow orders",
and tries to shoot Caleb despite Hunter's orders. At the same time, he is not as mindlessly obsessed as the regular clones. This is
described by the Kaminoans as "while the chip is not as active as a standard clone's, the order does appear to be working." His
actions in these events are the combination of a partially effective chip and his personal beliefs. His willingness to shoot his fellow
Batch members later in these events probably has more to do with the intensification of his programming by the Empire.
Crosshair is probably the least mutated of the original Batch members, and therefore the most similar to the regular clones.

- Caleb Dume escapes the initial attack of Order 66, and apparently makes his way off of Kaller eventually. He is reported as probably alive
by Crosshair, and thus is added to the Empire's list of Jedi known or presumed to have escaped execution.

- When the Batch is seen arriving at Kamino, it is now the 4th day of Episode III. Tech says they have not been home for "180 rotations in
a standard cycle", meaning 3 months, however he also mentions that "galactic zone changes put the adjusted figure at around 205."
This suggests some kind of time dilation or hyperspace-related difference between the passage of time in normal space and the passage
of time as experienced by the traveler. In this case, it would mean it has been almost 4 months on Kamino since they left, while they
have only experienced 3 months. Otherwise, this suggests some kind of temporal irregularity in different areas of the galaxy, or some
other unexplored phenomenon. In those 3 to 4 months, they completed "11 more successful missions." This includes their last victory
on Kaller, their mission on Anaxes and Skako Minor, and the mission to Yalbec Prime just prior. There may have been one other mission
in between Kaller and Anaxes, as that was a week before these events, and they seem to have just arrived where Billaba's forces were
located. They may also have been elsewhere on Kaller before reinforcing her location. This means that the Batch completed 7 or 8
missions prior to their mission to Yalbec Prime, since they were last on Kamino.

- Unprecedented high-security is in effect on Kamino, primarily due to the implementation of Order 66 protocols. Air patrol challenges incoming
ships for clearance codes. Inside the city, a "level five lockdown remains in effect", and shock troopers from the Coruscant Guard have been
dispatched to ensure full compliance with the Chancellor's orders. The PA announcer orders security teams to report to the command
center, stating "this isn't a drill", which may suggest some security concern related to the implementation of Order 66 may still be ongoing.

- The body of an unidentified Jedi Knight is being removed by the Coruscant Guard. Shaak Ti was usually the Jedi in charge on Kamino, although
more often seen on Coruscant in the later years of the war. She was killed the previous day in the Jedi Temple by Darth Vader, having been
previously injured by Grievous during the capture of the Chancellor. This Jedi may have been the temporary Jedi on site on Kamino, or
simply there as part of their larger war effort. Certainly there were more than one Jedi on Kamino at some times, and not only during
the events where the Separatists attacked the planet. This may not have been the only Jedi victim on Kamino.

- The inhibitor chips not only turn the clones single-mindedly against the Jedi, but also into fanatical supporters of Palpatine, thus providing him
with an ultra-loyal army prepared to enforce whatever decrees he might make. The chips do this by hard resetting the programming
directing clones to follow orders without question, which inhibits their regular cognitive functions. The activation of the Order 66
protocol seem to have caused the clones to recognize the person of Lord Sidious and obey him without question. It is clear from later
material that this effect wears off with time, sometimes quite quickly, but is instrumental in ensuring an enforced transition to the new
Empire. The clones had becoming more independent and free-thinking, something lamented by certain Republic leaders, and attributed
to their exposure to the Jedi, but something that probably had more to do with being clones of Jango Fett. No matter the programming,
education, and conditioning, Jango Fett was a rogue, enterprising, and thoughtful individual, characteristics which could not be fully
overcome, and were in fact part of why the clones made such effective warriors. This hard reset of their programmed personality has
the effect of temporarily overriding their unique development, but strong-willed clones will increasingly revert to their prior selves.
Main Article: Darth Sidious and The Plan

- The declaration of the Empire in the Galactic Senate is broadcast to assemblies of Republic troops, including on Kamino. It is likely this was also
broadcast across holonet, which usually showed any live material from Senate on one channel. The use of this broadcast as a troop rally for
his clone troopers was designed to encourage fanaticism and enthusiasm during the initial days of implementing the Empire.


- Omega is an unmodified but enhanced clone of Jango Fett, who is the female equivalent of Boba Fett, and likewise ages at a normal rate. She serves
as the medical assistant to Nala Se, who was last seen about 10 months earlier in the The Clone Wars 'Orders' (S6E4).

- Tarkin was last seen 10 or 11 months earlier, in The Clone Wars 'The Wrong Jedi' (S5E20), several months after his promotion to the rank of Admiral in
the Republic Navy. Although the Empire has just been declared, Tarkin is already wearing the new uniform of the Empire, which is a slightly
modified version of the Republic dress uniform. He is also wearing the insignia of a Fleet Admiral in the new Imperial rank system, which
is an adaptation and expansion of the Republic's system, using new rank insignia loosely-based on those used in the Republic. This is
sensible, since Tarkin was very close to Palpatine and an enthusiastic supporter of his militarization and state reforms. Tarkin was likely one
of a number of trusted officers charged by Palpatine to prepare new changes to the Republic military behind the scenes, so that they would
be prepared to institute reforms within the military as soon as Palpatine's increased authority as Emperor was in place. Tarkin's visit to Kamino
is part of that purpose, as he is here to implement the first stages of military reform. As seen in Episode III, Tarkin will be promoted to
the new rank of Moff in the recently created military government sometime in the next three days.
Main Article: Ranks and Rank Insignia

- The Kaminoan leadership was clearly involved in a conspiracy of silence against the Jedi regarding certain aspects of the cloning project, however
it is clear that they knew little if anything about the larger plan to eliminate the Jedi entirely. This was by design, as Sidious naturally wished
to tell his agents as little as possible, and in this instance, the Kaminoans did not even know that they worked for him, as their only contact
with the Sith was Darth Tyranus, who they seemed to believe was some kind of high-ranking Jedi. The Kaminoans are likewise entirely in
the dark about Palpatine's post-war plans, and surprised by his 180 degree turn regarding the future of the clone army. Tarkin's assertion
that a contract with the Republic "which no longer exists" is not legally binding is absurd, but is a clever bit of legal maneuvering by Sidious.
The fact that the Republic has changed its name and political organization in no way nullifies its contractual obligations, however since
Palpatine now holds direct authority over the galactic courts, any attempt at a legal appeal will be futile.
Main Article: Darth Sidious and The Plan

- The Kaminoans clearly expected the Republic to need clones for years or even decades to come, no matter how quickly the war ended. Clones in
fetal stages are seen to still be being grown, which will not be ready for nearly a decade. It was expected also that the announcement of
the Empire would only solidify this need, as the clones have proven themselves fully-loyal to Palpatine and are now vitally important as
enforcers of the new regime. This was also Lucas' original intention when he first came up with clone army, as the idea was that the clones
would explain where Palpatine got his army of faceless drones willing to fight for him. The fact that the stormtroopers in the original
trilogy were called by designations rather than names by the Imperial officers would also have fit this concept. Lucas never abandoned this
idea explicitly, however it was never firmly made part of canon either. It was also clear that the Empire conscripted troops, so obviously
the Imperial Army in the Civil War era could not have been all clones. The creators of disney-era material wish to rehabilitate the clones
as 'good guys', and as a result decided to push the abandonment of the clone army project as far back as the day the Empire was founded.
Nevertheless, the decision to go this direction with the clones fits better with established canon and the priorities of Sidious.
Main Article: Dooku, Sifo-Dyas, and the Clone Army

- AZI-3 was last seen about 10 months earlier in the The Clone Wars 'Fugitive' (S6E3).

- The Jedi-backed rebellion on Onderon took place about 14 months prior to these events, after which Onderon rejoined the Republic with Lux Bonteri
representing it in the Senate, and King Dendup once again leading the planet. Saw Gerrera is inherited the rebel group formerly led by his sister,
which presumably curtailed its operations after the revolution there. It is clear that Saw observed the changing political state in the galaxy, and
was less enthusiastic about rejoining the Republic, as he clearly organized some of those rebels into an expanded unit of partisans loyal to him
and to Onderon. Although they are a republican organization, the Empire now labels such movements as Separatists, allowing them to be legally
captured or killed. This provides political cover for the elimination of Republic allies who would actively oppose the new Empire.

- Tech's scanners are unable to detect the droids they are looking for, however this is not only because their targets are people rather than droids.
Distance is a factor in scanning, particularly on the ground where there are obstacles. In this case "something" is blocking the scan, which is
probably some limited jamming being employed by Saw's forces. When the organic beings are eventually detected by Tech, he reads them
simply as "25 heat signatures", as this is the kind of useful but somewhat vague information which scanners in SW can provide.
Main Article: Scanners, Sensors, and Cloaking Devices


Saw's militia were attempting to evacuate "villagers, croppers, former Republic fighters, all now displaced refugees since
Palpatine unjustly appointed himself Emperor." What could possibly have happened on Onderon in the 24 hours since
the Empire was declared which would have led to people losing their land? This is so unlikely that it is probably an issue
of continuity, however given the number of people being evacuated, it is not entirely impossible within canon. There are
many reasons why this makes no sense, the first being that Onderon was never occupied by Republic forces, and even if
some came after they rejoined the Republic, their obstinate and independent-minded government would not be eager
to implement this kind of violation of their sovereignty and their citizens' rights so quickly. Even if they would have gone
along with this reluctantly, what was so vital about this that the Empire had to get these villagers and farmers off of their
meager land right away. This planet is shown to have huge swaths of undeveloped land, and the Emperor's plans for
the galaxy are very far-sighted. Economic programs which will eventually displace people, disrupt local economies, and
ruin the stability of workers' lives are unveiled gradually, slowly at first to prevent a backlash, and then always with tact
and political groundwork over the first decade of the Empire. There would have to have been some extremely rare and
valuable resource under these peoples' land for the Empire to have rushed to Onderon to kick some people out in
the first 24 hours of Imperial rule. It is possible that these villagers and farmers had their land seized for association
with Saw's group, and that they are family and friends of the fighters. This would at least make this scenario plausible.


- Nala Se allows the Batch to escape, to keep Omega out of the Empire's hands until the Kaminoans can determine what the Empire's intentions
are. Their successful augmentation of Crosshair's inhibitor chip indicates to the Kaminoans that any loyalty issues can regarding the chips
can be potentially handled. This means their clones could still be of value to the Empire, if they can be convinced to honor their contract.
Omega holds a potential that the Kaminoans wish to keep secret for the time being.


- Hunter orders them to "plot a course for J-19", intending to travel to Saleucami. This can be dismissed as a harmless navigational term, however
in reality this is a reference to nonsense incorrectly extrapolated from The Clone Wars 'Grievous Intrigue' (S2E9). In that episode,
the Jedi Eeth Koth disclosed his location near Saleucami in code which indicated that he was in "the Saleucami system, Sector J-19,
08-05-29." Saleucami is located within galactic grid square S-8, within the Suolriep Sector. This is the 'oversector' where Saleucami can
be found, however most oversectors are themselves divided into subsectors, so Saleucami is within two named sectors, as any world is.
As a result of that statement, supplementary material has since begun to suggest incorrectly that the Suolriep Sector is also known as J-19.
This does not make sense, since his message had to be as brief as possible, and he already communicated that he was in the Saleucami
system. There was no need to identify what sector he was in, and the reference to 'Sector J-19' and the numbers '08-05-29' must be
indications of navigational references smaller than a starsystem, in order to localize his actual position in the vastness of space. This is
like sending a message saying one is in Chicago. There is no need to indicate one is in Illinois, but identifying the district and street address
would be critical to actually be found there. J-19 must be a navigational sector of the Saleucami starsystem, part of some sort of universal
coordinate system which works for any sector if mapped on a grid. This would mean there would be millions of 'J-19's in the galaxy, and
Hunter's directions are as useless as telling someone to head to Maple Street but not indicating what city to go to first. This is not
a continuity error, only because there are numerous unlikely explanations that could explain this without meaning the name of the sector,
however that is not what the writers intended. As usual, Lucasfilm compounds its own confusion by doubling down on its mistakes.

- Saleucami was last seen chronologically 3 days earlier, in the Order 66 montage in Episode III, which was the planet's first appearance overall.
The 2nd Battle of Saleucami, which according to Obi-Wan ended 4 days before these events, began about 10 or 11 months earlier,
in the beginning of this calendar year of 7958. This was another long-running siege of a Separatist controlled planet in the Outer Rim.
The Separatists seized this world for its strategic location, and fortified their positions on the planet heavily. Jedi Masters Stass Allie
and Quinlan Vos were leading the campaign, defeating Separatist forces only one day before Order 66. Vos left for the Battle of Boz Pity,
but Allie had remained on the planet overseeing the cleanup of any remaining Separatist forces and beginning to establish the Republic
occupation. She was killed while riding a speeder bike by her executive officer Commander Neyo and members of their 91st Mobile
Reconnaissance Corps. Saleucami had been important as it contained facilities and resources of the Commerce Guild as well as
the Techno Union. Unlike some worlds seen in SW, Saleucami is a realistic concept of a habitable planet, with a variety of terrain, climate,
and ecology, including forests, plains, deserts, swamps, small seas, and lakes. This visit shows even more detail regarding its ecosystem,
and shows that it includes unique planets in variety, invertebrate lifeforms, and previously unseen megafauna.
Main Article: Planetology

- Cut Lawquane and his wife Suu were last seen 2 and a half years earlier, in The Clone Wars 'The Deserter' (S2E10). Clone Force 99 seems to
have previously met them, despite how incredibly unlikely that is. Rex did not know the Bad Batch until very near the end of the war, so it
must be that the Batch met Cut and his family during some events in the Clone Wars which brought them to Saleucami. It is very unlikely
that Cut had two accidental encounters with unusually free-thinking clones at a location he chose for being remote and hard to find.

- Cut and Hunter meet 2 days after the Empire was declared. It is now the 6th day of Episode III, the day that Luke and Leia are born. Cut says that
Rex passed through the day before, the day after the Empire was declared and 2 days after The Clone Wars 'Victory and Death' (S7E12),
where Rex was last seen with Ahsoka on and unidentified moon. The two are still together the day after Cut and Hunter meet, on the 7th
day of Episode III, on Naboo at the time of Padme's state funeral, as seen in Tales of the Jedi 'Resolve' (S1E6). This means that Rex
and Ahsoka did something unknown after leaving the moon, then came to Saleucami and met Cut, then did something unknown during
the day the Batch was on Saleucami, before traveling to Naboo the day the Batch crash-landed on the Ordo moon. This suggests that Ahsoka
also came to Saleucami with Rex in their appropriated Y-Wing fighter. She must have stayed with the ship, as Cut does not mention her.

- The Republic began seizing all civilian ships on Saleucami and tagging them at an impound lot, about a day before Episode III began, which was
4 days before Order 66 and 5 days before the Empire was declared. This is an indication of the accelerating changes in the expanding security
state in the last months and weeks of the Republic. This is also part of the first major changes under the Empire, which primarily target
civilians and begin to impose unprecedented restrictions on their lives. Clone troopers to act as an occupation and police force started
showing up on Saleucami immediately following the Imperial declaration. This was probably the case in many important locations,
however in the case of Saleucami this was partly because Republic forces had been battling Separatist droids on this planet for most
of the year, and that campaign had concluded only 4 days earlier. As such, it would be regular procedure during the Clone Wars for
a fresh garrison of clones to be sent to relieve the depleted forces and prepare defenses in case of a Separatist return. The most
significant policy changes in the two days since the Empire was declared have been the institution of the chain code system, and
the invalidation of the Republic credit. Chain codes are like social security numbers, which function as a form of licensing and tracking
for the state, and which give ordinary citizens numbers like the clones who were property of the Republic. Chain codes are linked to
an individual's DNA, and essentially register an individual as property of the Empire. Individuals without chain codes are not permitted
interplanetary travel, and face other restrictions and legal hurdles. The replacement of Republic credits with Imperial ones is part of
the new, more centrally-controlled economy, and a move to begin the restriction of unregistered trade, but at this stage is primarily
an economic enticement to encourage mass compliance with the chain code program. These registration policies rapidly created
an Imperial database containing the majority of citizens and starships in the galaxy.
Main Article: Darth Sidious and The Plan

- Vice Admiral Rampart is Moff Tarkin's right-hand man, potentially his chief of staff. He plays a similar role to Vice Admiral Motti, who will be part of
Grand Moff Tarkin's Outer Rim command staff 19 years later in Episode IV, and who is his executive officer in command of the Death Star.
Admiral Rampart is currently overseeing the chain code implementation as well as Project War Mantle, two of the Empire's most important
initial projects. They would naturally be under Tarkin's perview as one of the Emperor's most trusted agents, and Rampart is a similarly
enthusiastic Imperial who is entrusted with these projects because he understands and embraces the philosophy behind these projects.


Once again, disney SW has a ship getting unexpectedly thrown out of hyperspace right next to a planet. This was first
shown in The Clone Wars 'Victory and Death' (S7E12), where the creators introduced this absurdity, which ignores
the vast emptiness of interstellar space and the nature of safe hyperspace travel established in Episode IV. The destroyer
in that story was way too close to a planet when it dropped out of hyperspace prematurely, just as the Marauder is here.
It is true that hyperspace routes, particularly the regional and local variety, do run as near to starsystems as is safe for
travel, increasing the likelihood of dropping out of hyperspace near to a starsystem, however what is shown here is
incorrect. Hyperspace routes do not run this close to planets, as the whole idea of them is that they are wide lanes that
are known to be free from obstacles, and navigational charts to avoid objects are regularly updated. When their ship
malfunctions and drops out of hyperspace, they are close enough to a planet and one of its moons to be within their
immediate gravitational influence. Even if hyperspace routes did travel through the planetary disc of starsystems, which
they absolutely do not, if the hyperdrive were deactivated at a random point during flight, the chances of coming out
of hyperspace anywhere near this close to a planet would be so astronomical it is probably statistically impossible.
Main Article: Hyperspace Travel


- The 'Ordo Moon' is an uninhabited moon orbiting a blue gas giant assumed to be named Ordo. It is one of a limited number of worlds whose
location has not yet been given by supplementary material. This is not the same planet Ordo from legends, which is a Mandalorian planet
located in their space, and is homeworld to a Mandalorian clan of the same name. It is not known where the Batch was intending to
reach, which might indicate something of this planet Ordo and its moon, however it can be assumed that this planet is located relatively
near to Saleucami in galactic terms, due to the drop out of hyperspace being due to damage incurred leaving that world. The Ordo Moon
is survivable but not hospitable, as it is largely barren and its atmosphere is not breathable, despite not being poisonous. There is a limited
ecosystem on the planet, including some macroscopic life, the only example of which that is shown being the 'Ordo Moon dragon', which
apparently "feeds on raw energy." This unusual food source may explain how such a large creature evolved in a simplistic ecosystem.



Tarkin was promoted days earlier and is now a Moff. His Fleet Admiral insignia has correctly been updated to an insignia
of the military government, but unfortunately the insignia used is that of a Grand Moff, which he wears in Episode IV
set 19 years in the future, after he had eventually been promoted to that rank. This is the same incorrect insignia used
for Moff Pryce in the series Rebels, which is likely why disney-Lucasfilm compounded their error here. The correct
insignia for a Moff is seen in Episode III, where Tarkin can be seen briefly on the bridge of an Imperial destroyer with
Palpatine and Vader observing the Death Star's initial progress. The insignia is similar, but is only 5-rows across rather
than 6, featuring 2 gold tiles instead of 3. It can be clearly seen in Episode III reference material.
Main Article: Ranks and Rank Insignia


- The chain code implementation was "most successful" in registering the majority of citizens only days after it began. Project War Mantle, which was
certainly organized on paper in the months leading up to the end of the Clone Wars, is "on schedule", with their "top recruits" already on hand
to begin training under experienced clone officers. The Empire will require an even larger army "to maintain order throughout the galaxy", and
having chosen to eliminate the Kaminoans and their cloning factories will need to source these soldiers elsewhere. This fits best with Sidious'
intentions, just as the clones were perfect for his plans during the Clone Wars, since enlisted soldiers are drawn from within society.
Phasing out the clone troopers will be slow at first, but accelerates once significant numbers of trained recruits begin to join the military.
This also means that the Empire's army will be at its most powerful in the first years of the Empire, as it will combine highly experienced
veterans programmed to be loyal to the Emperor with enthusiastic individuals who voluntarily enter into the Emperor's service.
Main Article: Darth Sidious and The Plan

- The Kaminoans are rightly concerned that the Empire may choose the less-effective but more reasonably priced enlisted soldiers over their expensive
clones, and wish to ensure their clones "remain essential." The major issue with this is that their sample material from Jango Fett was already
degraded by the time the Clone Wars began, and 3 and a half years later continues to deteriorate. Cloning from other clones is not an option,
due to what is known as replicative fading, however the potential exceptions to this include Omega and Boba Fett. They are unaltered, first
generation clones of Jango, and a clone either of them would be unlikely to be seriously defective. Something about Omega also holds the key
to producing "a superior clone", which is one of a few reasons why the Kaminoans don't simply begin with a new genetic template.

- Idaflor is a planet, or possibly a planetary moon, located in the Sarin Sector, in the Trailing Sectors of the Outer Rim. It has only been mentioned here,
but has not been seen, other than a graphical representation of the world on a computer screen. It is apparently uninhabited. How or why
Omega, or anyone else, would know of the world's name if it were uninhabited is highly dubious, however it could be supposed that she
obtained this information by reading it off of the computer screen during the scene.

- The Batch learn their ship's signature is on an Imperial wanted list by monitoring "comm chatter." This is presumably military and government chatter
they are monitoring, which is possible because the know the frequencies, and because Tech could access channels potentially above their level of
authorization even during the Clone Wars. The Batch plan to "scramble" the Marauder's signature, which is possible for someone like Tech
to do, if they land and make appropriate modifications to the ship. In Rebels, Hera will have modified the Ghost in a similar fashion.
Main Article: Hyperspace Communication

- Orto Plutonia has at least two other moons, and Pantora appears to be the outermost of the three moons. This can be clearly seen during the Batch's
approach to Pantora, where the white, snow-covered surface of Orto Plutonia can be seen in the distance. As it was established by supplementary
material created after The Clone Wars episode about Orto Plutonia that Pantora is its immediate satellite, this means that the blue and red worlds
seen during their approach must be moons of Orto Plutonia as well. Although their relative size cannot be totally established without knowing at
least one distance between objects shown, it is clear that the other moons are not significantly larger or smaller than Pantora. It is unusual but
not impossible for a rocky planet like Orto Plutonia, even if exceptionally large, to have three moons of significant size. The formation of moons
and the stability of planetary systems within a starsystem are not the random product of a starsystem's formation, but are instead the result of
the physical laws which govern the universe, most especially gravity, inertia, and momentum. There are a number of reasons why a planet even
several times the size of Earth would be unlikely to have three large moons of similar size form around it, however under certain conditions it
is not impossible. On the other hand, the proximity of Pantora and the red moon as shown on screen is almost certainly impossible.
Main Article: Planetology

- Ro Station is one of countless large cities on Pantora, and the first that has been seen in detail in canon. Its architecture is characteristically Pantoran,
and its layout suggests that it developed as a city in antiquity, probably before Pantorans were spacefaring. Its inhabitants are chiefly Pantoran,
with a significant non-Pantoran population, some of which are probably temporary, but most of which are probably permanent residents.
The vehicles, equipment, clothing, and other cultural artifacts are a combination of that of the native Pantorans and the interstellar civilization
of the Republic, and now of the Empire. As is probably the case with most large cities on the moon, Ro Station has a spaceport.


- This is Fennic Shand's earliest appearance chronologically. She was first seen 28 years later in The Mandalorian 'Chapter 5'.

ANALYSIS
The Battle of Kaller was one of thousands of conflicts which were part of the 'Outer Rim Sieges' in the final year of the Clone Wars. The majority of
these conflicts were begun many months earlier, some having already concluded while others raged right up to the Separatist 'surrender.' Many
more of these battles were instigated by Separatist invasions in the last month and week of the Clone Wars, as a vital part of Sidious' preparations
for Order 66. After the crucial Battle of Coruscant and the death of Dooku, Sidious dispatched Grievous and the Separatist Council to worlds in
the southern Rim, to unknowingly await their execution by his agents. He also instructed Grievous to launch yet another series of surprise invasions
to ensure that as few Jedi as possible remained on Coruscant before executing Order 66. This is why high-ranking Jedi like Plo Koon, Yoda, Stass Allie,
Oppo Rancisis, and Ki-Adi Mundi are sent into battle even after the tide turned decisively in the Republic's favor after the Battle of Coruscant. Other
high-level Jedi Masters are also seen in the field during this final wave of assaults, including Luminara Unduli, Quinlan Vos, and Depa Billaba, seen
here on Kaller. It is unclear if the Battle of Kaller was a recent invasion in the past few days or week, or if it had begun months earlier, however it
is clear that the ferocity of the Separatist assault had increased dramatically since the Battle of Coruscant. The Battle of Kaller took place on many
fronts across the planet, as was the case with most planetary wars during the Clone Wars. The Separatists seem to have concentrated large forces
in the region containing the capital, forcing the Republic to devote a large percentage of its available units to its defense. This thinned Republic
forces in other vital areas, which the increased Spearatist onslaught pressing to take advantage. Depa Billaba and her personal battalion are seen
to be defending a mountain pass in a remote area, presumably in an attempt to head off the advancing Separatist forces before they reached
a large settlement or strategically important objective. Her intended reinforcements were rerouted to the fighting around the capital, presumably
because of the intensity of the Separatist assault there. The Bad Batch were sent because no large units were available, and because they are
routinely called in by Republic military leaders on such missions, since their impact on the battlefield is disproportionate to the size of their unit.

Project War Mantle, aimed at producing the first generation of enlisted soldiers for the Empire, was probably begun prior to the end of the war
under the command of trusted officers like Tarkin and Rampart. The compartmentalization of military affairs under the civilian government led
by Palpatine during the last year of the Clone Wars was supported by his allies in the Senate who disliked the influence which the Jedi religion
had over the state. This meant that any Jedi protest or interference in this slowly-evolving program would have been politically costly, which is
the same means by which Palpatine was able to limit the Jedi Council's interference in most of his worrisome reforms. After the declaration of
the Empire, the reform of the military could now proceed openly, and Palpatine and his allies immediately accelerated War Mantle and their
plans to replace the clones with ordinary soldiers. An army of enlisted and even conscripted soldiers who are not all naturally as capable as
Jango Fett, and not trained as soldiers for life cannot hope to match the quality of the clone army, however they will cost less, are even more
expendable than the clones already were, and better suit Sidious' planned manipulation of society. Sidious needed the clones so the Jedi would
accept using them as cannon fodder, as this was their purpose in life for which they were created. He also needed the clones for reasons even
more vital to his plans, specifically that there needed to be an army ready to defend the Republic right from the start of the war or his future
Empire would lie in ruins, and most importantly because they are organic battle droids designed and programmed to kill the Jedi. The use of
clones had made the war and the Republic's transition into the Empire more popular with the average citizen, as it didn't cost 'normal' people's
lives. Now that those goals have all been accomplished, there is little need for extremely expensive soldiers, particularly when the clones prove
sometimes resistant to the Empire despite having been both programmed and conditioned their entire lives for obedience. The Kaminoans
foolishly believe the Republic, now the Empire, is an honest and rational actor, which despite throwing its weight around to get the best deal
will ultimately see the value in the Kaminoan's products, whether that means more of the same clones or their plans for a new line of even
better clones. They do not realize that the Empire's priorities are more often ideological rather than practical, and that Palpatine's plans
for Kamino and their clones will go forward regardless of how they react to the new regime. Nevertheless, the clone army remains vital in
the first years of the Empire, as the Empire is in need of an unmatched security force to ensure stability until the security state is fully in place.

Every aspect of the Clone Wars was of benefit to Sidious' master plan, either by design or by virtue of Sidious taking into account how events
were likely to play out, and using them to enhance his plans. The initial division of the galaxy into loyalist elements and separatist elements
identified for Sidious which worlds were so rebellious that they would rise up even against a somewhat democratic government. This would
mean these rebellious worlds would ultimately be destroyed by the war or occupied by his forces, or both. As the war progressed, the Jedi
and the Republic leadership would necessarily require non-clone allies on many worlds to repel or rise up against Separatist occupations,
which identified for Sidious which groups and elements were unwilling to live under an oppressive autocracy led by a Sith Lord. These groups
would either by targeted more heavily for destruction by the Separatists during the war, or would find themselves surrounded by Imperial
troops once the war was over. In most cases, the Republic's allies would not take a stand against the new Empire, in part because it wasn't
much different than the Republic at first, but primarily because no matter the ideological concerns they might have, almost everyone in
the galaxy was thoroughly tired of war and eager for peace and a return to economic stability. Those groups with a better understanding of
the inevitable consequences of the new Empire, such as Saw's resistance forces on Onderon, see that the Empire will only get stronger, and
begin immediate preparations to resist the new regime. The beauty of Sidious' plan is that these elements can be labeled as Separatists for
refusing to unite under the new Empire, and as they are also former allies of the Jedi, they become legitimate targets for Imperial forces.
The Imperial assertion that they are "intent on keeping the galaxy at war" is accurate, and part of why the Civil War is in many ways
a continuation of the Clone Wars. The relative period of peace is only a shroud, as republican forces are already working against the Empire.

The implementation of the first major reforms of Palpatine's state began in the days before the declaration of the Empire, with the impounding
and registration of civilian ships, and the constitutional amendment instituting the military government, which setup a parallel system of
planetary and sector governors to that of the Senate-led bureaucracy, and which answered only to Palpatine. This move antagonized the Jedi
immensely, and helped to precipitate the Jedi Rebellion which made the transition to Empire a smooth one. The next of Palpatine's major reforms
began in the first week of the Empire, most notably the chain code implementation, which was "most successful" in registering the majority of
citizens only days after it began, alongside the beginning of the reform of the military. This program owed much of its success to the economic
incentive which underpinned it, that being the necessity of being registered and given a chain code to exchange Republic credits for Imperial
credits, however it was the political groundwork laid by Palpatine and his allies during the war which made the majority of citizens open to being
registered by the government and initially optimistic about a heightened security regime. The idea that the Clone Wars were instigated by
rebellious troublemakers eager to destabilize society was now widely accepted, and in part because there was great truth in that narrative.
The political discourse in the Republic had been carefully steered by Palpatine and his allies throughout the war, such that by the end of
the war a majority of citizens were willing to believe that the Jedi had fueled the war, that lack of centralized control was a threat to stability
and peace, and that economic stability could only be returned and maintained by means of an enhanced security regime. The Empire's giving
of numbers to civilians and ships, just as their droids and clones already had, is to assert their new status as property of the state, and to
similarly suggest they are thought of only as expendable cogs in the Imperial machine. Decades of manipulation by sociopathic politicians,
most notably Palpatine and his allies, has citizens believing their leaders' intentions are essentially good when they are actually nefarious.

The move to begin the enlistment of non-clone soldiers has many benefits for the Empire, both in a strategic sense and as part of Sidious'
plans for the transformation of society in the galaxy. Non-clone soldiers are less expensive, and therefore more expendable, which suits
the Empire's strategic priorities. While most will not be as effective soldiers, some will be, and these elite soldiers may even surpass the clones
in quality. There is also advantage to variety, as teamwork between those with different strengths, as demonstrated by the Bad Batch itself,
often makes a unit stronger than its individual components. The enlisted soldiers will be a mix of those who are enthusiastically loyal to
the Empire and its apparent goals, and those who see military service as an opportunity for a better life. The Clone Wars devastated large
parts of the galactic economy, and the opportunity to work for the Empire, either as a soldier or in an Imperial factory, will be a huge draw
in the early days of Imperial rule. This will only increase with time, as the Empire actively works to disrupt and co-opt the private sector,
leaving countless billions with no options for upward economic mobility other than Imperial service. The additional benefit of all of this to
Sidious' social engineering is that enlisted soldiers are drawn from within society, as opposed to the engineered clones or manufactured
battle droids. This has numerous effects on society, not the least of which is increasing positive sentiment for the military and the security
state. Those who benefit from the Empire, along with their friends and relatives, will come to see attacks against the Empire as threats to
their livelihood and loved-ones. It makes no difference that the benefits these people will earn from the Empire are meaningless compared
to those who actually profit from the system, as the alternative is destitution. This creates a patriotic element within galactic society which
is increasingly invested in the Empire and its goals, ensuring that any opposition to the Empire will lead to infighting within a society. This
will leave worlds, nations, and communities divided and at odds with each other, decreasing the potential for organized political resistance.

A great many worlds which were loyal to the Republic are very excited about the transition to Empire. Many people see the Empire as simply
a rebranding of the Republic which has undergone a necessary transition to a stronger, more-centralized state as a natural reaction to
the political developments which led to the Clone Wars. The idea that the new state will offer greater security and stability for the benefit
of all citizens does not seem unrealistic, especially as the initial changes brought about under the Empire are not significantly different from
the kinds of reforms already instigated during the Clone Wars. These changes were always brought about incrementally, a sensible policy
which will continue under the Empire. This prevents any one action or change from creating an unmanageable backlash in society. While
some Imperial worlds, such as Alderaan and Naboo, have governments which take ideological exception to the precise forms of democracy,
many worlds like Pantora have cultural elements which favored the republican aspects of the Republic, most especially the stability which
a centralized federal state brought to even remote regions of the galaxy. The new imperial form of the Republic suits their history and
political priorities quite well, at least in the early stages of the Imperial program. The Empire also benefits greatly from the enthusiasm
found throughout loyalist worlds for the clone army's victory in the Clone Wars, which in the short term translates into patriotic feelings.


FURTHER ANALYSIS
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