The question of whether Omega will wear the famous white Mandalorian armor that was first featured as a neat prototype for Boba Fett decades ago, has arisen this week among several folks on Twitter. It’s an interesting question and I will talk about it at the end of this post. But let’s see how we even got here, but looking at The Bad Batch season 1 episode 9.
Hello there! Episode nine, “Bounty Lost” gave some interesting, if not completely surprising reveals for Omega’s character, so I’m going to address those and discuss some possible theories and speculation for her storyline going forward as well as Boba Fett, as we now how a working story of an Alpha and an Omega, something that will certainly come into play.
JUMP RIGHT DOWN TO THE WHITE BOBA FETT ARMOR THEORY HERE
Spoilers ahead!
A quick over view of Episode 9 and Omega’s brother reveal before we get to the white Boba Fett armor theory
Episode 9 Bounty Lost
Well, I am quite happy and content this week because I was team Nala Se the whole time and I’m completely vindicated in my conclusions. She really does love that kid.
In contrast, Lama Su is definitely not the nice Kaminoan
here as we learn that he has no problem killing off Omega as soon as he can get her DNA, much to the concerns of Nala Se. In addition, Lama Su is well aware of Nala Se’s feelings towards Omega and intentionally sends Taun We to meet with the bounty hunter Cad Bane, a choice that leads to Taun We’s death at the hands of Fennec Shand. Nala Se really is going to let them all burn for her girl.
But of course, I’m not right on everything! I thought for sure this storyline of Omega’s abduction would
last three episodes like the story arcs of The Clone Wars, but it looks like it is already wrapped up. However, I don’t think we’re going to be done with bounty hunters or other people chasing after Omega anytime soon.
That’s going to be an ongoing threat and I have a feeling Omega is going to end up going to Kamino regardless of Hunter’s wishes.
I know he’s going to try his best to protect Omega but she may likely wind up going to Kamino in as part of a terrifying scenario if not for season one, then for season two.
Moving along we saw that Fennec Shand was indeed hired by Nala Se to keep Omega safe and not necessarily to pursue the Bad Batch, as Nala Se knows that the Bad Batch will keep her safe and away from the murderous Lama Su who as I pointed out earlier, is more than happy to have Omega be terminated. A little more on that in a bit.
The Big Reveal for Omega
Of course, this is the episode where we get “The Reveal” or rather a reveal. I don’t believe it is the only one for the series. In the scene, Tech has analyzed Omega’s DNA and explained to the rest of the Bad Batch crew that she is a “pure” unaltered genetic copy of Jango Fett, and the second one made. The first is code-named Alpha, the boy we know as Boba Fett. It should be noted this isn’t the first time Boba has been known by that name, as it comes up in Legends material as well, with the code A050.
Omega is the second, and as the Greek letter signifies, the last. Tech believes Omega is being pursued by bounty hunters as a new source of genetic raw material for future clones. He is likely not wrong on this, but I suspect more is at stake then he realizes.
I still don’t know if it will be force sensitivity or rather that Omega has the potential to be more talented than the other clones, but I think there is much more to her than what we’ve learned so far including in this episode. Being the Omega to Boba’s Alpha is one thing, but it’s not really that shocking.
Consider that earlier in the series, Lama Su referred to Omega as Nala Se’s “experiment”. This indicates that Omega is not just a genetic reservoir, but instead that Nala Se has an intention for her. We know that she is not combat trained, and we know that Nala Se cares for her, enough for her to believe that Omega would not be killed but be allowed to be “kept” by Nala Se, something Lama Su seems to have allowed up until this point.
It does not make sense for the Kaminoans to be intent on gathering Omega just to make more of the same exact clones that failed to impress Tarkin or Rampart. Lama Su in previous dialogue indicated that Nala Se’s experiment would yield something superior, enough to keep the Empire interested.
Furthermore, if Omega wasn’t that special, there would be no reason to kill their golden goose unless her genetic code or abilities is so special that it would be a very closely guarded trade secret the Kaminoans don’t want getting out.
For those reasons, I do not think we have all the reveals are for Omega’s character.
Future Episodes of the Bad Batch Season 1
Let’s talk future episodes again!
Our next episode is Common Ground. Originally, I had thought maybe the title referred to a common ground between the Bad Batch and the Kaminoans, though Lama Su’s attitude currently makes that seem unlikely. Same for Crossfire—it is too soon for him to turn back just yet. This may refer to the scenes of Saw Guerra’s nascent Rebellion group being on Raxus Secundus with others from The Clone Wars, Bonteri, etc.
It could also still be a “common ground” between Fennec Shand and the Bad Batch, but I think that plot line would be for the following episode.
Devil’s Deal
For the 11th episode Devil’s Deal, that would be more likely to represent a team-up between bounty hunters Fennec Shand and potentially (and hopefully!) Boba Fett. Worth noting that Omega does not know exactly that Fennec Shand was trying to keep her safe on behalf of Nala Se. She may have guessed at it, but I am still not sure and that could come into play in this episode as well.
All Omega knows is that Lama Su is her primary enemy, according to Fennec Shand.
As for the rest of the episodes:
Infested
A return of the brain worms? Space ticks? I still don’t know what this episode will be. As I stated last week, it seems like a standalone that will simply lead into the finale.
War Mantle
The episode where the Bad Batch learns more about War Mantle. It’s the most self-explanatory of the episode titles as we’ve been told what it was since episode 1. Rampart’s dream of replacing clones with recruits will be further realized. Maybe we will see a plot to kill what is left of the clones at Kamino. I feel like Kamino is going to get deemed a traitorous nation by the Empire that “needs to be suppressed”.
What does it mean for Boba Fett and Omega to be siblings?
As I have said earlier, I doubt Omega being a de facto sister to Boba Fett is the only story drop. It’s not even that surprising—all the Bad Batch are siblings to each other, and it wasn’t a secret that Omega was a clone, as it was stated in the first episode. It only rules out the theories of Omega being a strandcast of other Force users. Now, again, this does not mean she’s not force sensitive—it just means she has no relation to them genetically.
Palpatine’s image featured heavily in promotional posters for the Bad Batch, and I find myself wondering if he will someone be brought into this. We still do not know what Nala Se’s experiment is, nor the answer to simple questions such as why Omega is female.
While some people may ponder how Omega could be a replica of Jango Fett and be female, this is easily explained.
Since Omega was never intended to be used in combat and could be someone Nala Se kept with her as a daughter, that means Omega only had to be GENOTYPICALLY the same as Jango Fett, not PHENOTYPICALLY. In basic English, Omega needed only the same genes that can be extracted and replicated as needed, but she herself did not need to be a perfect expression of those genes.
For example, cloned cats do not look identical, despite being genetically identical. This is because inherited genes from parent’s chromosomes are not the sole influencer of pelt coloration and pattern in cats. Uterine environment, and chance events in development also play a role in the physical outcome of a kitten.
Omega is likely genetically identical to Jango Fett, including yes, the Y chromosome, but her appearance is female presenting either due to chance (XY girls exist in our own universe after all) or perhaps Nala Se intentionally manipulated Omega’s embryo to cease the masculinization process in the artificial tubes they are gestated in.
Why? Who knows? Maybe Nala Se just favored a girl. Maybe there is a story reason for Omega to be female. Maybe it will never be addressed. The blonde hair is inconsequential, for reasons I stated earlier—the tube environment likely just altered her hair pigmentation slightly.
But for the Kaminoan’s purposes, Omega is genetically identical to Jango Fett, and that is all that matters—they can extract that and create new embryos to modify for their purposes.
Even further out into the future of the Bad Batch series
So, one of the most interesting visual aspects of The Bad Batch episode 9 are the green liquid-filled tubes on Bora Vio. They are strongly reminiscent of both the tube of Snoke-like figures in a vat in the second season of the Mandalorian, and the vat of Snokes on Exegol.
Firstly, it’s fascinating to see the Kaminoans had labs outside of their stormy home planet in the first place. They have been described in most ancillary materials as a secluded species that keeps to themselves. Why were these apparently abandoned laboratories created and left behind? What were the Kaminoans making? Some aliens looked part Sullustan, others looked like more massive versions of Kaminoans.
Secondly, and most importantly, this contributes to what I think is an over-arching massive story about the Emperor and the story of cloning in Star Wars. I think the Emperor will seize or attempt to seize the Kaminoan’s cloning secrets from them with limited success. The Empire will destroy the Kaminoans, ultimately and Lama Su is foolish to believe anything he has to offer the Emperor that is of value won’t be taken outright. That will be Lama Su’s folly.
The Story of the Alpha and the Omega – The Book of Boba Fett
I don’t think we got Boba Fett name-dropped in this for a reason, the guy is officially Omega’s sister in a way the other clones aren’t. Both Omega and Boba are independent, normally aging clones. Let’s face it, The Bad Batch will die young like all the other clones and Boba will be her only blood family.
They are destined to meet and be a part of each other’s lives.
The question is if this will be a story for the Bad Batch or The Book of Boba Fett.
We already know from Ming-na Wen’s recent interview that The Book of Boba Fett will be about Fennec and Boba’s relationship. I also wonder if Omega plays a role in that. Fennec, Omega, and Boba will all be tied together as characters. Fennec has saved Omega’s life, and I think this will be a major plot point down the road.
And now with Boba Fett on Tattooine, the planet with the famous two suns, and how fandom imagines it as a symbol of the Twins, Luke and Leia, perhaps the suns will be repurposed as the story of two other siblings, Alpha and Omega.
Heck, it may be a more direct mirroring of the classic Original Trilogy than that—a new Trio of Tattooine: the brother and sister and spouse, that mirrors the brother/sister/spouse of the films. A brother [Alpha] that rules Tattooine (as Leia was a leader), his sister Omega that is force sensitive or otherwise superpowered (Luke) and his older spouse Fennec Shand (Han Solo).
Of course, I may be getting way to ahead of myself. Now on to this white Boba Fett armor speculation thing going around.
The white Boba Fett armor
And going back to Omega and the Snow White motif, there is speculation online that the white Boba Fett armor we saw as an easter egg in a previous episode of the Bad Batch hanging on the wall of Cid’s place may end up being Omega’s armor down the road. Keep in mind that the white Mandalorian suit was a prototype for Boba Fett decades ago before the colored version was made. It’s been made into collectible figurines ever since. And while it was at first just an “Oh neat” moment in the Bad Batch, Omega’s close tie to Boba is leading some to wonder if she’ll ever don Mandalorian armor as her brother and father.
I do not know if that’s something the showrunners are interested in for Omega’s character. I rather like the idea that she is her own person and NOT another bounty hunter. With that being said, it wouldn’t bother me if she became one, or if she turned out to be predictably force sensitive.
One thing I find unintentionally interesting is how Omega is attired in red, black, and white.
White as snow, red as blood, and black as this ebony wood
Omega’s clothes are modeled after Nala Se’s of course. I wonder if Nala Se acts as both the handmaid of many Dead Princess stories and an inversion of the wicked stepmother. She is instead a benevolent mother who’s created a daughter she dresses as herself without jealousy or rancor. And she’s a character who formerly has been callous towards other clones, so consequently many people did not believe me when I suggested Nala Se actually cares for Omega, even if she doesn’t care about the other clones.
If Omega does in fact take up a snow white armor, it will be a rather on-the-nose mythical fairytale allusion that even I did not anticipate. As much as I find it a stretch for Omega to wear the white Boba Fett armor, their is a just beauty to it.
What do you think?