This contains a list of my archetype analysis on different media.
The concept of archetypes is introduced by Carl Jung into psychology. Archetypes are "preexistent, or latent, internally determined patterns of being and behaving, of perceiving and responding". These patterns exist in our personal and collective unconscious, and can be described in personalized ways like in the forms of gods and goddesses. Hence, myths are archetypal stories, as they evoke feelings and images, and touch on themes that are universal and part of our human inheritance. Even in different cultures, the same patterns exist in different myths, and this can help us to share our human experiences and understand each other.
The books I use for my analysis are (they are available on the Internet as PDF format):
âKing, Warrior, Magician, Lover: Rediscovering the Archetypes of the Mature Masculineâ by Robert Moore and Douglas Gillette
"Goddesses in Everywoman" by Jean Shinoda Bolen
"Gods in Everyman" by Jean Shinoda Bolen
Note: "King, Warrior, Magician, Lover" is used for the Mandalorian season analysis. I use "Goddesses in Everywoman" and "Gods in Everyman" for other analysis.
The Bad Batch
Series Analysis
The 3 Seasons: The Myth of Persephone
Why I believe Tech is alive
The Bad Batch arc in Clone Wars is deeper than you think! (labelled as mature by Tumblr due to talks about death and depression)
The Tragedy of the CX Troopers and the Missed Opportunity to Teach Us All an Important Lesson
A deeper look into how the CX-Troopers were handled in the Bad Batch and the narrative surrounding them that unfortunately got dropped in season 3
I want to start off by applauding the Bad Batch for the brave attempt to tackle dark topics throughout the series and presenting them in a way that is appropriate for families to watch and discuss with their children. Most of series is successful in being just dark enough to raise tension but to also keep things suitable for a childâs first glimpse into the harsh realities of life. However there still a few places that missed the mark.
The one I wish to cover today is the inconsistent narrative surrounding the CX-Troopers. Iâm not here to say it was bad writing per se, but if a dark topic is discussed in a family oriented tv series, it is best to commit adequate time to truly flesh it out so the messaging is clear. Subjective is great in a mature series like Andor, but kids lack the life experience required to read between the lines.
And yes, exposition does make dialogue sound clunky at times, but there is a reason why most cartoons in the 80s had the kind of âThe more you knowâ lesson after each episode. The Bad Batch was no different. Techâs speech in the Crossing and his encouragement to Omega at the end of Retrieval are perfect examples of this.
In my opinion, there was an opportunity for an important lesson to be learned from the CX Troopers that was brought up but left unfinished. These shadow operatives could have been a way to show the viewer how anyone can be âbrainwashedâ either by force or by clever manipulation.
One operative in season 2 called himself a âBelieverâ which seems to evoke he was forcibly submerged into a cult-like indoctrination. Itâs also why I prefer to use the phrase âcoercive persuasionâ or âforced persuasionâ instead of brainwashing as they are a more accurate description of the process that has been historically implemented by governments, cults, and captors in order to make good people believe in or do horrible things.
Dr. Hemlockâs use of forced persuasion on select clones to turn them into CX-Troopers is a interesting look into the real world and well-documented cases of brainwashing within fascist regimes; especially in wartime settings. It is common and disturbing tactic implemented in moments of great despair and something that deserves more focus within the narrative if it is to be brought up as a major plot point.
Most of the brainwashing aspects in the Bad Batch were rapidly glossed over probably due to time and budget constraints, and not so much by the dark and disturbing imagery. One can easily get the âidea acrossâ without showing it explicitly. (Like Crosshair having his hand chopped off. We didnât see it but yeah, we get the gist).
I will say however, that despite the mystery surrounding brainwashing in the CX-Program, one of the more poignant moments was Captain Rex telling a caught CX Trooper that he was still their brother and that they would help him. It was a beautiful show of compassion and introduced new plot element; that the soldiers who undergo forced persuasion could possibly be reached or even saved.
Itâs not a stretch to believe that the Bad Batch would take this route given the series had built up âwe donât leave our own behindâ as one of the main themes. It would also be safe to say that saving fictional heroes from brainwashing gives us hope that real life survivors can recover from such trauma.
It was one of the many reasons fans were led to believe that the mysterious CX-2 operative could have been Tech or Cody. The focus on this particular shadow operative gave rise to speculation that he was different, that there was something coming to shed light or hope that a lost soldier could be found and rescued; something that would make sense of it were a character we already cared greatly about.
Alas, CX-2 was kept a mystery box that gave no insight to the tragic nature of his existence nor gave us a reason to mourn his death. That is why the battle between the Bad Batch and Hemlockâs Batch of secret operatives felt rushed and incomplete to some viewers. There wasnât proper time for the story to breathe beyond âOne Batch is good, the other Batch is bad.â
There were simply too many dropped narratives throughout the final season that reduced the whole CX Trooper plot to a video game-esque final boss battle. Donât get me wrong, it was an amazing fight, beautifully animated, terrifying, and intense; but nevertheless, it felt hollow because the build-up went nowhere.
At thatâs exactly where the narrative around the tragic nature of brainwashing got lost.
Itâs important for you to know that Iâm not saying the Bad Batch killing these operatives in the final fight was wrong. Iâm also not saying that they should have tried to reach out to save these Shadow Operatives in the middle of of a life and death situation. Itâs just unfortunate that we were never given a reason to feel anything other than relief that the CX-Troopers were killed.
And yes, this is a show about the Bad Batch and not brainwashed mystery troopers, but I stress, the writing set up these characters and introduced a very dark and disturbing concept to young viewers. With more time and effort spent on the narrative, it could have been an important lesson that applies to real life.
Coercive Persuasion is not a fantasy concept. It is very very real. Sleep deprivation, isolation, abuse, constant interrogation, drugging, shame, and humiliation, are all various means to break down a personâs will and forcibly persuade them into believing anything.
One can simply look to how many people get forced into false confessions by unethical police practices, or those who end up committing atrocities due to cult leader manipulation. A more common and less obvious example is social media outlets designed to spin conspiracy theories; coercing people into believing anything they want, like like the Earth is flat and microchips were put in Covid vaccines. By preying upon peopleâs anger and fear, these sites cultivate distrust and can lead one to extremist thinking.
This is real world, dark and scary stuff that needs to be handled with serious care and consideration of bringing it into an animated Star Wars series.
So given more time and budget, how could this lesson be shown through the story of the Bad Batch? How could these brainwashed operatives been presented in a way to that is scary but still gives younger audiences a way to sympathize with them?
Shedding more light on a terrifying process would remind us the CX-Troopers are victims and despite their terrifying nature, they still deserve our compassion and empathy. So giving the operatives more of a backstory is a good start.
For Example:
Showing the transformation of at least one of these operatives before the final battle would provide more emotional impact after their demise. Having kids clearly, and not subjectively, understand that under those cool costumes there used to be good men is such an important lesson. It reinforces the narrative that the real villains arenât these soldiers but the regime that warped their minds and forced them into mindless monsters.
To be clear, this a a family series and I am in no way implying that a clear visual of lengthy torture would be acceptable. There are already hints through Crosshairâs PTSD and that is enough to get the idea across.
My suggestion would have been to place the sniper clone who eventually became CX-2 in the cell next to Crosshair while on Tantis. The viewer gradually sees these two men go back and forth to their cells after these conditioning sessions and the witness bond that forms between them. Crosshair is forced to see CX-2âs identity slip more and more away after each session until he is no longer the person he once was. The sadness and loss of seeing this man lose his identity not only leaves a mark on Crosshair, but by the viewer as well.
The scene of the shadow operative watching Crosshair on Tantiss and the one shadow operative calling him âbrotherâ would have made more sense in retrospect. In addition, having an emotional and clear connection between Crosshair and the man who became CX-2, would have given their epic fight on top of the waterfall more emotional weight. CX-2âs line âYou could have been one of us. You made the wrong choiceâ would be more resonant to the viewer. CX-2 would literally be a sniper shadow operative that Crosshair could have become verses a subjective mystery box.
To further this narrative and Crosshairâs character arc, making the above change to the story could have also opened the door to Crosshair eventually saving this lost brother. Omegaâs determination to never give up on Crosshair could have resulted in Crosshair reaching out to CX-2 and eventually getting through to him before the final battle. It would have been so emotional and fulfilling.
And yetâŚas lovely as that would have been, I realize the above scenario would require at least one additional episode; which the animation team probably didnât have the luxury or the budget to do. So Iâll offer another solution:
Adding a few minutes here and there during season 2 and the beginning of season 3 dedicated to Hemlockâs treatment to the CX-Troopers and other Clone prisoners would give the viewer a clearer picture into the nature of the CX Program. The result would be that the feeling of triumph wouldnât be seeing the shadow operatives lying dead on the floor but knowing that the experimentation on the clones at Tantiss by Dr. Hemlock was finally over.
So in conclusion:
Itâs a shame that the shadow operatives were left a mystery and simply became foils and metaphors. The fight at the end was nothing more than the Batch having to kill or be killed and it failed to showcase a serious topic with less black and white thinking.
With more time, the writers could have explored the tragedy of forced coercion. Discussing a difficult subject in a manner fit for young audiences could leave them with awareness when they are faced with a similar real world scenario.
The CX-Trooper plot could have also been a good way for a parent to discuss what coercive persuasion does to people; especially in todayâs world where social media is rife with bad people luring in youth and manipulating their anger and fear into extremist thinking.
Think about it.
How does someone get so isolated that they fall prey to extremism and they end up committing acts of terrorism? How does one get indoctrinated into a cult and become so brainwashed that they take their own lives or the lives of others at the behest of a cult leader? How would an innocent person sign a confession of a crime they didnât commit?
These are all good questions that people often ask after horrendous real life events and can regularly be seen on the daily news and social media. Having a fictional metaphor for scary real world issues that children could easily understand would be exactly the kind of thing Star Wars was created for. It was also created to give children and all of us hope.
So in the end, the lesson should have been that people who fall victim to brainwashing arenât weak or gullible. They have been put through extreme duress and put through unethical means of isolation and manipulation.
And if there is hope for even one of the CX-Troopers to be saved, we as a society should have empathy and try to reach out to those in our own lives who have been a victim of coercive persuasion before writing them off.
Disclaimer:
One thing Iâve learned in life is that platforms like Twitter are not places for deep discussions and good faith arguments. You have a set number of letters to get your ideas across and interpreting the meaning or tone always leads to misunderstandings.
That is why Iâm coming to to Tumblr to discuss my deep dives into season 3 of the Bad Batch. I am the type of person who doesnât like angry, confrontational sparring over ideas.
My goal is to shed light on a different perspective; not to make anyone agree with me, but just to understand that we can all watch the same show and interpret things differently due to our own life experiences. By explaining my viewpoints, Iâm showing you into my thought process. You are certainly free to disagree but Iâm not trying to change your feelings on the matter, nor do I wish for anyone to forcibly change mine.
We can all exist in the same space and I encourage anyone who has a different view to write an analysis of their own instead of arguing in anyoneâs comment section. Be kind and respectful and most of all, remember this is fiction and subjective interpretation. There are so many things to be really angry about in the world and Star Wars is the least of our worries.
i agree with all of your points. I feel so empty about the CX Troopers. I basically call them "the Knights of Ren among clones".
I think the story would have been better if they show the process of turning these clones into CX Troopers, and having Crosshair successfully reaching out to at least one of them - most preferably CX-2.
The Bad Batch arc in Clone Wars is deeper than you think!
I have seen many fans saying that the Bad Batch arc in the Clone Wars is fun and enjoyable, but it lacks depth. I disagree with that statement because I find this arc to be an important arc for Captain Rex, one of the protagonists in the Clone Wars. I will be referring to âGoddesses in Everywomanâ and âGods in Everymanâ by Jean Shinoda Bolen for my analysis of the Bad Batch arc.
A Bright Soldier of the Republic
At the beginning of the Clone Wars, Captain Rex starts off like any other clone trooper â a soldier that is loyal to the Republic and follows orders. However, as the Clone Wars progresses, Rex starts to see past the illusion of an ideal Republic.
The YouTube video above has listed down five defining events that make him question everything. These five events are Slickâs betrayal, meeting Cut the clone deserter, the Umbara arc, Ahsoka being framed and hunted down, and Fivesâ death. Surprisingly, these events evoke the archetypes each Bad Batch member has.
Event 1: Slickâs betrayal
In âThe Hidden Enemyâ, Captain Rex and Commander Cody are tasked to uncover a spy in their ranks, which turns out to be a clone trooper named Slick. The archetypes evoke from this event are Hades, Hermes and Athena â which are Techâs archetypes.
When Rex and Cody spot someone running off, they chase him through dark corridors but they lose him amongst other clone troopers in the mess hall. The chase scene gives the feeling that Rex and Cody are in a maze, chasing down someone who bears a similar face as theirs. This feeling evokes the imagery of the Underworld, the realm where Hades rules over.
Slick takes on the Hermes archetype, though he leans more towards its negative aspects. Slick is angry that his clone brothers are being enslaved by the Jedi, and he is fighting for their freedom. He becomes a spy, exposing the Republicâs plans to Ventress, which helps the Separatists to take the Republic forces by surprise. He is able to think ahead of others as he blows up most of the Republic weapons before Rex and Cody can stop him, and he quickly hides in the command center.
To catch Slick, Rex and Cody have to take on the Hermes archetype. They guess that Slick is hiding in the vents and they act out a scene: Cody leaves his blaster on the table while Rex goes to âsecure the lockdownâ. Slick comes out of the vents and grabs Codyâs blaster. He has fallen into their trap as the blaster is empty and Rex comes up from behind him.
After Rex and Cody manage to apprehend Slick, they bring him to Anakin and Obi-Wan. Slick explains that the Jedi has enslaved his brothers and he is fighting for their freedom. Rex and Cody understand Slickâs intention, but they also point out that he has put his brothers in danger, and that he will not have done that if he truly cared for them. Rex and Cody both take on the Athena archetype as they are loyal to their generals Anakin and Obi-Wan. Although they understand Slickâs intention, they still choose to arrest him for treason.
The moral of this episode is "Truth enlightens the mind, but won't always bring happiness to your heart." Slick, who has a strong Hermes archetype, is able to see the dark truth of the clones. It is said that truth can bring enlightenment, but it does not guarantee happiness. It is possible that Slick feels like he is trapped in the Underworld when he discovers the truth. This leads him to take on the negative Hermes archetype of the trickster.
Event 2: Meeting Cut the clone deserter
In âThe Deserterâ, two surviving commando droids use a sniper rifle to critically wound Rex. To better treat his wound, Kix, Jesse and Hardcase relocate him to a farm that belongs to Suu and her children. Rex then meets Suuâs husband, who turns out to be a clone named Cut Lawquane. The archetypes evoke from this event are Dionysus, Zeus and Demeter â which are Hunterâs archetypes.
Cut takes on the Dionysus archetype. After the First Battle of Geonosis, his transport was shot down and his brothers onboard were slaughtered. Realizing that there was nothing to be done, he ran away and deserted the Republic. The experience still haunts him and he does not want to kill for a living. Cut probably feels that his purpose is lost in that traumatic incident, and he may have wandered around aimlessly until he meets Suu. Dionysus evokes the divine child archetype, which gives a sense of specialness to a person, evoking the personal feeling that âmyâ life has a sacred meaning. This archetype helps Cut to view all clones as unique individuals, and that they should have a choice in choosing the life they want. His viewpoint is supported by the fact that clones have names to make them feel unique in an army where everyone looks and sounds the same. Moreover, Cut tells Shaeeah that she can do whatever she wants with her life, which shows that his supports his childrenâs individuality â a Dionysus trait.
Cut also takes on the Zeus and Demeter archetypes. Zeus is associated with oath keepers, and Cut has sworn an oath to his family. Demeter is associated with agriculture, and Cut chooses to be a simple farmer. Cut also serves dinner to his family and Rex, which evokes the Demeter archetype as the food provider. When a platoon of damaged but still-functional commando droids begin to attack the farm, Cut goes on to defend his family, upholding his oath to them.
As Rex prepares to leave, he chooses not to report Cut as a deserter as he respects Cutâs choice for a peaceful life. His decision means that he starts to appreciate the divine child archetype within every clone, even though he still sees the soldierâs life is meant for him.
The moral of this episode is "It is the quest for honor that makes one honorable." Upon first meeting, Rex accuses Cut of being a deserter as he thinks that clones do not have a choice beyond a soldierâs life. To Rex, the quest for honor can only be found in being a soldier. However, after learning what Cut has gone through and hearing his side of the argument, Rex begins to expand his mindset. Upon seeing how Cut is willing to do anything to protect his family from danger, Rex sees Cut being a family man deserves the same honor as any soldier do. Hence, Rex no longer views Cut as a coward for deserting the army, and lets him live in peace with his family.
Event 3: The Umbara Arc
In the Umbara Arc, the clones have to deal with General Krell, who mistreats and dehumanizes them. The clones are outraged and seek Rex for guidance. Rex insists on respecting the chain of command as he is hesitant to speak against the Jedi General. However, once the clones find out that Krell is a traitor to the Republic, and he has staged a battle that causes the clones to unknowingly kill each other, Rex then leads the clones to arrest him. This incident causes Rex to realize that people with authority are not always good people, and he learns to trust more of his instincts instead of blindly following orders. The archetypes evoke from this event are Poseidon, Apollo, Artemis and Hera â which are Crosshairâs archetypes.
The clones are fighting on Umbara, a planet that has aggressive wildlife and murky conditions. The undomesticated wilderness of Umbara is associated with Poseidon and Artemis. Throughout the battle, the clones uphold their values of brotherhood and loyalty, which aligns with the Poseidon archetype. The creative aspect of the Poseidon archetype is demonstrated by the clones, most specifically Fives, Jesse, Hardcase and Tup. For example, Tup lures Krell to the carnivorous vixus plant, which causes Krell to be shaken down by the creature and stunned by Tup.
Throughout the arc, Rex keeps insisting the clones to obey Krellâs command despite the Jedi General is mistreating them, which evokes the Apollo archetype. Dogma greatly takes on the Apollo archetype as he follows orders without question. His tendency to follow orders is so great that he has no problem of executing Fives and Jesse for their insubordination, and he tries to stop Rex and the others from pursuing Krell.
On the other hand, Fives takes on the Artemis archetype as he openly and boldly voices his outrage at Krellâs mistreatment towards the clones. He is confident of his identity, saying that he is more than just a number, and that applies to all clones. He carries out his plans without the approval of Krell because he follows his instincts â an Artemis trait.
When Dogma realizes that Krell has betrayed the Republic and the Jedi General has taken advantage of his blind loyalty, Dogma takes on the spurned Hera archetype. He finds that all his loyalty and sacrifice have meant nothing to Krell, and he ends up killing Krell out of revenge (this also evokes the Poseidon archetype as the implacable enemy). Thankfully, as Dogma is taken into custody, he receives a nod of affirmation from Rex for his act.
There are four morals for the four-episodes arc.
"The first step toward loyalty is trust." â Loyalty means everything to the clones, which is also valued by Poseidon, Apollo, Artemis and Hera.
"The path of ignorance is guided by fear." â Rex is afraid of speaking against Krell and he tells the clones to obey his commands. His fear has led him to be ignorant of Krellâs true intentions.
"The wise man leads, the strong man follows." â Apollo is more of a follower, and he needs a wise man to lead him. The clones all take on the Apollo archetype, and they are in need of a wise general to lead them (and Krell is not that person).
"Our actions define our legacy." â There are times where our actions define our legacy, so we must make the right decision. When Fives and Jesse are ordered to be executed, the clones intentionally miss, indicating that they choose brotherhood over following orders that are clearly wrong, and they trust their instincts (positive Poseidon and Artemis traits). When Dogma realizes that Krell has taken advantage of his blind loyalty and has fooled him into killing his own brothers, he kills Krell as an act of revenge (negative Poseidon and Artemis traits).
Event 4: Ahsoka being framed and hunted down
When numerous acts of terrorism against the Jedi Temple on Coruscant have been committed, Ahsoka is being accused for those attacks. Ahsoka is in fact innocent and wants a chance to prove her innocence, but the Republic is unwilling to give her that chance. Ahsoka then flees to the Coruscant undercity, and the clone troopers pursue her and they are given shoot-to-kill orders. Rex and Anakin know that this is not right as they trust Ahsoka, and they do everything to bring her in alive. Rex realizes that everyone is disposable in the eyes of the Republic for they only care about the results. When Ahsoka is eventually proven to be innocent, it only reinforces Rexâs belief that the Republic does not care about its people. The archetypes evoke from this event are Ares and Aphrodite â which are Wreckerâs archetypes.
Anakin is very protective of his Padawan Ahsoka, and he is willing to do anything to defend her and prove her innocence, which is similar to how protective Ares is to his children in Greek mythology. Anakin seeks out Ventress for information, and warns her that he will kill her if she is lying. Then, he finds out that Barriss Offee is behind the attacks, and he manages to arrest her and prove that Ahsoka is innocent. Besides Anakin, Rex also believes that Ahsoka is innocent. He disregards the shoot-to-kill orders, and does everything in his power to bring her in alive. His protectiveness towards Ahsoka is an Ares trait.
In this four-episodes arc, Ahsoka takes on a heroineâs journey that is similar to Psyche, who mainly has the Aphrodite archetype. The Psyche myth serves a metaphor for the psychological growth that a heroine may go through. In this myth, Psyche was a pregnant mortal woman who wanted to be reunited with her husband Eros, God of Love and Aphroditeâs son. The four tasks that Aphrodite gave to Psyche symbolize specific skills that a heroine must develop, especially if they are more emotionally and instinctively connected to others.
The first task Aphrodite gave to Psyche was to sort each kind of seed or grain into its own pile before evening. This task involved an enormous pile of seeds jumbled together, and it seemed impossible until the ants came to help. The task of âsorting the seedsâ symbolizes a personâs need to turn inward and sift through their emotions, values and motives to find what is important to them. When Ahsoka is framed for the bombing at the Jedi Temple and for Letta Turmond's death, she flees the scene, knowing that almost everyone will not believe in her innocence. She escapes to the Coruscant underworld to sort out her problems by herself. The moral "Sometimes even the smallest doubt can shake the greatest belief" points to Ahsokaâs growing doubts of a confusing situation where she is framed for the crimes she has not committed. Her doubts shake her beliefs in the Republic and the Jedi Council. Hence, Ahsoka must learn to âsort the seedsâ in order to gain clarity of the situation.
The second task Aphrodite gave to Psyche was to acquire some golden fleece from the terrible rams of the sun. A green reed advised Psyche to wait until sundown, when the rams would sleep. Then, she could safely pick strands of golden fleece off the brambles against which the rams had brushed. This task symbolizes a personâs need to acquire power without destroying themselves. Even though Ahsoka knows that the Republic and the Jedi Council have turned against her, she still remains compassionate. She helps a child to escape from a falling elevator. She is able to convince Ventress to help her prove her innocence instead of turning her in for the bounty on her head. She chooses not to kill a squad of clones led by Commander Wolffe despite knowing that they are here to arrest her. The moral "Courage begins by trusting oneself" points to Ahsokaâs trust on herself has given her the courage to face the harsh reality, and she does not become hardened or cynical by it (not âtrampled underfoot by the ramsâ).
The third task Aphrodite gave to Psyche was to fill a crystal flask with water from a forbidding stream, which was etched deeply into a jagged cliff and guarded by dragons. An eagle came to her aid, symbolizing a personâs need to develop some emotional distance on their relationships. Ahsoka makes contact with her friend Barriss Offee, hoping that she can help her to prove her innocence. Barriss tells Ahsoka about a warehouse where the nano-droids are stored, which are used to bomb the Jedi Temple. Ahsoka heads to the warehouse to investigate, not knowing that she has fallen into a trap that Barriss has set up to frame her for the bombing at the Jedi Temple. When Barriss is arrested by Anakin and she confesses her crimes, Ahsoka is shocked at the betrayal. The moral "Never become desperate enough to trust the untrustworthy" becomes important to Ahsoka as she must learn to establish some emotional distance on her relationships â this includes her friendship with Barriss, and her temporary alliance with Ventress.
The fourth and final task Aphrodite gave to Psyche was to descend into the Underworld with a small box for Persephone to fill with beauty ointment. A far-seeing tower warned Psyche that she would encounter people who would ask her for help, and three times she would have to ignore their pleas and continue on with her journey. If she failed to do so, she would get stuck in the Underworld forever. This task symbolizes a personâs need to exercise choice by learning to say ânoâ. After Ahsoka is proven innocent, the charges against her are dropped, and the Jedi Council apologized for their actions. The Council asks Ahsoka to rejoin the Jedi Order, claiming that this was her "great trial", making her a true Jedi. Ahsoka exercises her choice by refusing their offer and leaving the Jedi Temple. She knows that she cannot go back, knowing that the people she trusted have failed her. No matter how much Anakin pleads for her to reconsider, Ahsoka chooses to stand firm with her decision, saying that this is something she must work through on her own. By leaving the Jedi Order, Ahsoka can finally determine her own life course. Although the future seems bleak for Ahsoka, the moral "Never give up hope, no matter how dark things seem" indicates that she has made the right decision, and that she will be alright in the future.
Event 5: Fivesâ death
When Tup succumbs to a mysterious mental disorder that results in the death of a Jedi Master, Fives is determined to uncover the truth. His investigations lead him to discover a conspiracy regarding the inhibitor chip hidden in the brains of clone troopers. Nala Se claims that the chip is meant to restrain the clones from violent, unpredictable action. Fives does not believe her, and he manages to convince Jedi Master Shaak Ti to allow him to plead his case directly to Supreme Chancellor Palpatine on Coruscant. However, his plan falls apart when he is accused of attacking the Chancellor. Fives informs Anakin and Rex about the plot against the Jedi, in which the inhibitor chip in every clone will be used to force the clones to kill their Jedi Generals. However, Anakin and Rex struggle to believe in him. Fives is then shot and he dies in Rexâs arms. The archetypes evoke from this event are Hephaestus, Hestia and Persephone â which are Echoâs archetypes.
When Tup's results come back negative for a virus, Shaak Ti wants an atomic brain scan to be done on Tup. However, Nala Se want to terminate the clone and do an autopsy. Fives is determined to find out the truth and he needs AZI to perform an atomic-level brain scan on Tup. AZI tells Fives that he cannot do that because it is against Nala Seâs orders. Fives then informs AZI that as a medical droid, his duty of saving a patient's life overrides all orders. Fivesâ reasoning manages to convince AZI and he does an atomic-level brain scan on Tup. This is how they discover a tumour in Tupâs brain, which later turns out to be an inhibitor chip. Fivesâ ability to convince AZI to disregard Nala Seâs order shows that Fives knows the protocol of medical droids very well and can find loopholes to break the system, which is something Echo does as it is a trait of the Hephaestus archetype.
When Fives discovers from AZI that he is about to get his memory erased, he quickly escapes from the clone security guards. He puts on a disguise as he sneaks into Kaminoâs Genetic Records Hall and then the embryo room to discover the truth. Right now, Fives takes on the Persephone archetype, disguising himself as a regular clone trooper to gain access to certain rooms, and even finding alternate routes to evade capture.
Even though the whole world is against him, Fives is determined to expose the truth about the inhibitor chip to Anakin and Rex. Right now, Fives takes on the Hestia archetype as he firmly believes that what he is doing is the right thing to do, even if he gets killed or that nobody believes in him. The morals "The truth about yourself is always the hardest to accept", "The wise benefit from a second opinion", "When in doubt, go to the source", and "The popular belief isn't always the correct one" are all associated with Hestia â the need to turn inward, seek the âSelfâ for advice, and stay firm in oneâs values and beliefs. Fives is able to do all of these until he dies.
Due to the effects of the inhibitor chip, Tup is experiencing Order 66 as a ânightmarish missionâ and he claims that he is free from it upon his death. It seems that upon activation, the inhibitor chip sends Tup into a dark place (or the Underworld), turning him insane and eventually claiming his life. When Fives digs deeper into the truth about the inhibitor chip, he ends up âdescending into Underworldâ as the conspiracy begins to haunt him. Fives is treated like a mad person when he tries to tell Anakin and Rex about the truth, as if he has slipped into psychosis â in which Persephone people are susceptible to. As Fives dies in Rexâs arms, he claims that his missions and nightmares are finally over â as if his soul now descends into the Underworld and resides there â just like what has happened to Echo.
Slipping into Depression
Fivesâ death is the last straw for Rex. He tries to send a grievance report about Fives but upon realizing that the truth does not matter, he encrypts the report instead. His idealized viewpoint of the Republic has been shattered. The losses add up and now he slips into depression, feeling that his duty as a soldier is meaningless.
Rex means âkingâ, and now the king is wounded. In myths and legends, as long as the kingâs wound remains unhealed, his kingdom will stay as a desert wasteland where nothing grows or thrives. The effect of Rexâs emotional wound can be seen during the Battle of Anaxes. Anaxes is one of the Republic's largest shipyards, and it is under attack from Separatist forces led by Admiral Trench. After weeks of heated battle and mounting losses, the Republic is losing its grip on Anaxes. The situation gets worse when the Separatists captures the main production facility for the Republic's battle fleet, impairing the generativity of the Republic forces. Captain Rex suspects that the battle droids are learning his strategy to the point that the Separatists can perform specific counterattacks. Commander Cody fears that the Republic could suffer more severe losses if the Separatists have figured out how to counter Rex, who is one the most talented officers the Republic has. Rex is suffering from a lack of creativity as he struggles to lead the Republic to victory.
Moreover, Rex retreats in the barracks and stares at an old picture of him, Cody and the two ARC Troopers Echo and Fives. He laments their deaths and the losses suffered by the Republic forces. Rex views all of their sacrifices and loyalty mean nothing, and he is depressed. Although he has a feeling that Echo is alive, he does not want to tell the Jedi since they may think that he is crazy. Even Anakin notices that Rex has something else in his mind, but Rex refuses to say. He is isolating himself from others.
Cody is aware of Rexâs emotional wound and he understands how Rex feels. Cody calls in Clone Force 99, believing that their unique skills and their 100 percent success rate will be helpful for Rex in the Battle of Anaxes. I interpret this scene as a friend or a loved one introducing you to professional help.
The Bad Batch Arc: Rexâs Healing Journey
At first, Rex is hesitant to meet Clone Force 99 because he has heard of their aggressive and unorthodox ways of completing their missions. However, as he embarks on a journey with them, he ends up appreciating them and viewing them as one of the finest soldiers he has ever met. I interpret the Bad Batch acting as guides or therapists to Rex, sending him on a path of individuation that will heal him.
The Geography of Rexâs Journey
Throughout the four-episodes arc, there are a few places that serve as a metaphor for the mind. Fort Anaxes, where the Jedi Generals and the clones discuss their plans, represents the conscious realm, where logic and willpower rule over. The wilderness of Anaxes represents the realm of emotions, instincts and memories â one part of the unconscious realm. Skako Minor represents the Underworld for Echo and Rex â the personal unconscious realm. Admiral Trenchâs fleet above Anaxes represents another Underworld â the collective unconscious realm.
âThe Bad Batchâ: Remembering Oneself
Based on my interpretation, when Rex meets the Bad Batch, he is reminded of the events that have made him question everything: Tech reminds him of Slickâs betrayal; Hunter reminds him of Cut the clone deserter; Crosshair reminds him of the Umbara Arc; Wrecker reminds him of the time Ahsoka was framed and hunted down. Echo is not present because Fivesâ death is a traumatic event that Rex has repressed it â just like Echo is trapped on Skako Minor.
Wrecker, who has the Aphrodite archetype, helps to make the Bad Batch look less intimidating to Rex, Jesse and Kix. He is the first one to take off his helmet, creating an engaging and charming impression of the team. I imagine Wrecker being a therapist will involve getting you to meet new people for engagement, or getting you to do some creative work. In this four-episodes arc, Wrecker is helping Rex to engage with the Bad Batch, which allows him to expand his horizons and to see the Bad Batch as who they truly are.
As the clones depart for the Cyber Center, they have to travel through the wilderness of Anaxes because their gunship has been shot down by battle droids. They have to leave Fort Anaxes, which symbolizes leaving the conscious realm and entering the unconscious realm. Since the wilderness represents the realm of emotions, instincts and memories, this means that the Bad Batchâs aggressive tactics are more useful in battle. Moreover, this realm is associated with Poseidon, Artemis, Ares and Aphrodite because these archetypes are motivated by emotions. These archetypes are associated with Crosshair and Wrecker, and they play a major role in guiding Rex on this leg of journey. Hunter, who has the Dionysus archetype, is also associated with the wilderness, which allows him to bring the clones to the Cyber Center. Tech, who has the Hermes archetype, acts as a guide that helps the clones to move between realms.
With Cody injured and unable to continue on, Rex decides to take charge of the mission. This leads Crosshair to point out why Cody has to call the Bad Batch in for this mission if Rexâs plans are so good. Crosshair has the Apollo archetype, which grants him the clear-sightedness to see through the blind spots that Rex is unaware of. Although Crosshair sounds rude to Rex, he is being blunt and brutally honest. In fact, Crosshair is helping Rex to recognize that something is wrong with him, which will enable him to start his healing process. I imagine Crosshair being a therapist will bluntly point out all your blind spots, so you can become aware of your problems and start healing.
Of course, being in the realm of emotions and instincts also means having a risk of being overwhelmed by those intense emotions. Soon enough, tension rises between Wrecker, Crosshair, Jesse and Kix, which almost escalates into a fight. Fortunately, Hunter, who has a Zeus archetype, is able to think above his emotions. He stops the fight and reminds everyone that they are all on the same side. He then lets Rex take charge of the mission.
Thanks to Crosshairâs Apollo archetype, Rex recognizes his lack of creativity has become a major problem for the Republicâs forces in the Battle of Anaxes. For healing to take place, Rex must encounter new experiences with the openness of a child and the ineptness of an amateur. Inspired by Wreckerâs Aphrodite archetype, Rexâs experiences with the Bad Batch help him to regain and improve his creative skills. When Rex plans to take over a Separatist outpost, he takes a page from the Bad Batchâs strategy, which helps the clones to quickly overwhelm the droids and capture its command and communication center. This aggressive strategy is also implemented in capturing the Cyber Center. These victories show that Rex is starting to âfind his harmony and blissâ as he is now on the right path. He is expressing his gifts as an experienced clone captain in a manner that is consistent to his personal values â to help the people he cares about. He is âfinding his own mythâ. The moral "Embrace others for their differences, for that makes you whole" becomes important for Rex in his path to individuation. Only when he is able to embrace the Bad Batch for their differences can he achieve âwholeness of the Selfâ. This moral is prevalent throughout the four-episodes arc.
As Rex continues on his journey of self-discovery, he begins to delve deeper into his unconscious, where he finds âwhomeverâ he has buried and split off from his conscious awareness and left in the past is still alive. This dismembered âwhomeverâ is Echo. When the clones take over the Cyber Center, Tech hacks into the computer system and discovers Rexâs algorithm. Strangely, it is not stored inside the center's memory banks but is instead being broadcast from another planet called Skako Minor. Tech, who takes on Hermes the guide of souls, digs deeper and receives an audio signal which sounds like a human voice. He drops the voice masking and it turns out to be the voice of a clone trooper. The voice responds âCT-1409â repeatedly, and Rex realizes that it is Echoâs identification number, which means Echo is alive.
Rex is glad to know Echo is alive, but he feels guilty for leaving Echo for dead in the Citadel. The guilt he feels from that specific memory must have been repressed in his unconscious for so long. According to Jean Shinoda Bolen, whatever is dismembered and buried through repression is âburied aliveâ, so when it is uncovered, it exists as it was. Echo is currently trapped in a stasis chamber â as if he is âburied aliveâ. When Echo is released, he does not remember much and he does not know how he has gotten to Skako Minor. The memory that keeps repeating in his head is his last mission to the Citadel â a traumatic memory that is still fresh in his mind. As Rex is starting to uncover his feelings and remember who he once was, Echoâs voice calling out to him is like âwhomeverâ is âburied aliveâ in Rexâs unconscious is begging to be âheardâ and be âresurrectedâ. For Rex to heal himself, he must rescue Echo and âbring him back to lifeâ.
Whatever is found in the unconscious must be brought into the consciousness to be known, this means Rex must the startling discovery that Echo is alive back to the Jedi Generals at Fort Anaxes. The clones are forced back into the Cyber Center as the heavy droid reinforcements begin to overwhelm them, which can serve as a metaphor of overwhelming emotions are starting to engulf Rexâs mind. This makes sense because Rex is so shocked to find that Echo is alive that he briefly ignores Hunter telling him they need to leave. Thankfully, Crosshair has secured a speeder craft and he is able to bring all the clones out of there. Right here, Crosshair is like Poseidon driving his golden chariot drawn by white horses over the waves, which stops the storms. His action of bringing the clones out of the Cyber Center can be interpreted as âbringing calmness and peace to themâ. Besides the Poseidon archetype, Crosshair is also acting like Apollo, who has a connection to the distant realm of the Hyperboreans, as he brings the clones back to Fort Anaxes, which is a metaphor of the conscious mind (where Apollo resides).
âA Distant Echoâ and âOn the Wings of Keeradaksâ: Rescuing What was Lost
At Fort Anaxes, Anakin, Rex and Hunter are waiting for permission from the Jedi Council to embark on a rescue mission to Skako Minor in search of Echo. However, the Jedi Council denies the permission, which serves as a metaphor of the consciousness denying any access to the unconscious realm. This makes sense because we have been made to be afraid of our unconsciousness, where our repressed thoughts and feelings, traumatic memories, parts of us that we are ashamed of or being deemed as unacceptable, and untapped potentials reside. In a patriarchal society where its culture and identity align with Zeus and other sky gods (the consciousness), the unconsciousness (or the Underworld) is depicted as a fearful, hellish place rather than a source of riches (like Hades as Plouton or Pluto, the rich one).
Rex is insistent that if they are going to get permission, they should leave immediately. Even though they do not get the permission, they still proceed with the mission. At this moment, Rex is committed to follow his instincts and heart because he truly believes that Echo is alive. It takes courage to act upon what is true for you, no matter how risky it will be. By leaving the board road that has been travelled by others, which is being a good soldier that follows orders, Rex is living his own personal myth. This is also supported by a deleted scene where Obi-Wan points out to Rex that it is unusual for him to disregard authority.
Anakin is worried that Rex is letting his personal feelings drive him too much on the rescue mission. Not knowing what to do, Anakin seeks out advise from his secret wife Padme Amidala, who serves as a metaphor of the anima, the unconscious feminine side of a man (which is devalued in the patriarchy). Carl Jung believes that a manâs anima affects his moods, emotional bonds, and how he perceives women. Anakin explains the situation to Padme, and she points out that Rex may have learned from Anakin to let his emotions be his motivator. She advises Anakin that he should support Rex's instincts on this mission, since Rex has always done the same for him. Anakin respects Padmeâs wisdom, and he decides to proceed the mission even though Obi-Wan has come to report that the Jedi Council has denied permission to go forward with it.
It is worth noting that Echo has a Persephone archetype, which serves as the anima to all clone troopers. However, Echo is currently confined on Skako Minor, just like Persephone is trapped in the Underworld. In the Greek myth, winter comes when Persephone is in the Underworld. This myth serves as a metaphor for Rexâs current status â he is experiencing the lack of vitality as he is in his âwinterâ period. The anima can be described as âthe soulâ that brings vitality to a personâs life. For Rex to revitalize himself, he must bring Echo out of Skako Minor, which mirrors the myth where Hermes brings Persephone out of the Underworld and restores her to her mother Demeter.
Although Hunter thinks that Skako Minor could be a trap, he is willing to lead the Bad Batch to help Rex and Anakin, mainly to ensure that they will be able to leave safely if the mission goes wrong. Hunter, who has the Dionysus archetype, encourages Rex to disobey orders and continue on with the mission. After all, this journey to Skako Minor can help Rex to become a hero â breaking away from his designated role as a soldier of the Republic. I imagine Hunter being a therapist will encourage you to follow your heart and break free, even if that means going against expectations that weigh you down, or leaving behind your stale life. Furthermore, by accompanying Rex on this mission, Hunter (who has a Demeter archetype) has initiated Rex into the Eleusinian Mysteries, which were rituals that celebrated the return of Persephone (Demeterâs daughter) from the Underworld, leading to spring. This initiation into the Eleusinian Mysteries ensures Rex will have a safe return from Skako Minor.
Rex, Anakin and the Bad Batch head to Skako Minor, which serves as a metaphor of a voluntary descent into the Underworld â an essential part of a heroâs journey. Tech, who has the Hermes archetype, becomes the guide of souls and the rescuer of the child. Moreover, Tech has the Hades archetype, which means he is familiar with the Underworld, and he can help Rex to discover riches from this journey. As the guide of souls, Tech safely lands the Marauder on the planetâs surface. They encounter the native inhabitants called the Poletecs, who choose to cut away from the outside world for they do not want to be involved in the Clone Wars. They are like the inhabitants of the Underworld, separated from the outside world. Since the Poletecs only speak in their own language, Tech acts as Hermes the god of speech, and becomes a translator.
The Poletec chief leads Rex, Anakin and the Bad Batch to Wat Tamborâs city Purkoll (which contains many rooms and corridors like a maze â an imagery of the Underworld). During the journey, Tech loses Echoâs signal, leading almost everyone to fear that Echo is actually dead and the Separatists are using him to lure them into a trap. While Rex is confident that Echo is alive, Anakin advises him that they should be ready for a possibility that Echo is dead. Rex understands Anakinâs concerns, but he refuses to give up hope. Since Tech also does not believe that Echo is dead, it is possible that he is affirming Rexâs belief. This makes sense because Hermes is described as the âinner guideâ, âinner voiceâ or âinner self-helperâ. This archetype plays an important role in oneâs individuation journey as it helps a person to dive deep into their unconscious mind and find the pieces of themselves to be brought back to light (or the conscious mind). Since Hermes is the rescuer of the child, this archetype is tasked to find what was personally repressed in a person, and to resurrect archetypes that have been culturally buried. I imagine Tech being a therapist will involve helping you to recover the parts of you that have been repressed or lost, so you can feel whole again and that your life has meaning once more.
The moral "The search for truth begins with belief" is taken up by Rex. He strongly believes that Echo is alive, which leads him to search for the truth. The search for truth is an essential part of the individuation journey for it leads a person to experience harmony and bliss as their actions begin to align with their personal values. Rex, who has lost so many of his brothers, finds hope when he discovers that Echo is alive, and he is not going to leave Echo behind (unlike that time in the Citadel). His determination to rescue Echo and keep holding onto hope eventually pay off when he and Tech manage to safely release Echo from the statis chamber and the computers.
However, Rex, Anakin, Echo and the Bad Batch are not out of the woods yet. They are now surrounded by battle droids and they cannot call for reinforcements because their mission is unsanctioned. Just like the heroes need to leave the Underworld and return to the living world, a person cannot stay too long in the unconscious mind or they may not return to reality (the conscious mind). The moral "Survival is one step on the path to living" is important to Rex, Anakin, Echo and the Bad Batch. They must survive Skako Minor (the Underworld) if they have any hope of returning to Anaxes (the living world).
Fortunately, Echo, who has the Hestia archetype, is able to spend his unchosen solitude to gain access to the Techno Unionâs database while they are using his memories to counter the Republicâs forces. With that, Echo leads Rex, Anakin and the Bad Batch through an exhaust pipe above the chamber to escape. He also brings the team to a long narrow pipe that leads to a building with a landing pad as a means to escape. Echoâs ability to guide Rex, Anakin and the Bad Batch across Purkoll indicates that his Persephone archetype has transitioned from Kore (nameless maiden) to Queen of the Underworld. He becomes their guide to the Underworld for he is no longer afraid of this dark realm they are in.
As Rex, Anakin, Echo and the Bad Batch try to cross the pipe, they are trapped by D-wing droids on both sides. Crosshair loses his balance and nearly falls, but Wrecker pushes past his fear of heights to save him â which is a good sign because heroes have to face their fears in the Underworld, and they can leave the Underworld if they succeed. Tech takes on Hermes the alchemist as he uses a recording to summon several keeradaks, allowing all of them to escape. They return to the Poletec village they have encountered earlier in their journey. The Poletec chief is impressed that they have managed to tame the Keeradaks but is displeased that they have returned to his village, bringing the war with them. Rex apologizes for breaking their promise and he gives a speech denouncing the Techno Union. He even shows them the cybernetic prosthetics that the Techno Union have inflicted on Echo. Rexâs inspiring speech manages to convince the Poletecs to join forces with them to fend off the Separatists, which can be seen as a gift of Hermes (considering that Tech acts as a translator between both parties). Besides Hermes, Rex establishing an alliance with the Poletecs can be seen as a gift of Athena, which is one of Techâs archetypes. It can be interpreted that Tech is helping Rex to heal and return as a great leader.
The clones, Anakin and the Poletecs successfully defeat the droid army, which means the heroes can now safely leave Skako Minor (or the Underworld). Rex tells Echo that when they get back it will be just like "old times", but Echo doubts it. After all, Echo has been turned into a cyborg and he has been tortured by the Separatists â his body and mind have gone through unspeakable horrors. Yet, his soul remains intact, and he holds a glint of hope for the future.
âUnfinished Businessâ: Integration and Homecoming
In ancient times, a traveller might visit the temple of a god or goddess to ask for help or to pay respects to the deity. On our life journey, we will encounter archetypes that take on various forms. As we enter the âtempleâ of a particular archetype, an unseen archetype is present too â which is Hestia. Hestia is the Goddess of the Hearth and Temple. She was the fire at the centre of a round hearth â resembling an image of a mandala that symbolizes the archetype of the Self, which Carl Jung described as the centre of our personality that brings wholeness and meaning. When you are doing something that gives you a sense of meaning, in which you feel a deep connection to who you really are, an archetype will be activated in you, and it will relate to the Self. This helps you to live an authentic life because you are consciously aware of your relationships to one or more activated archetypes, and yet, you feel centered like Hestia, who provides clarity and certainty that there is a sacred dimension in your life.
Echo is now brought back to Fort Anaxes, where he undergoes healing. His return serves as a metaphor of whatever is from the unconscious has been brought into the light or the consciousness. Since anything from the unconscious has been made to be supressed, it is natural for the conscious mind to be wary of their presence in the consciousness. However, healing can only take place when the conscious and the unconscious are integrated. Due to Echoâs horrifying experiences in the hands of the Separatists, it is natural to have lingering questions of his true loyalty and uncertain future. The Bad Batch, or more specifically, Hunter and Tech, do not trust Echo. However, Rex has known Echo for a long time, and he can see that Echoâs spirit remains intact despite the horrific experiences. Hence, Rex trusts Echo, which serves as a metaphor for a person to trust their unconscious mind, believing that it does care for their wellbeing.
In Jungian psychology, it is believed that self-sabotage is a result of your unconscious trying to inform your consciousness that what you really need is not what you think. For example, perhaps you are saving money to buy a place far away from everyone so you can live in solitude, but every time you want to purchase a house, you find that you have self-sabotaged your plans. This may be a sign that your unconscious mind is telling you that you actually yearn to have connection with people. If you want to stop the self-sabotage, you must stand in between your consciousness and your unconscious â taking on the archetype of the Self. You must understand why your unconscious or Shadow is doing this to you, while not letting it consume you (with your consciousness or Ego acting as a guard). By integrating your consciousness and your unconscious, you can set out a solution that is personally satisfying for all parts of you, which by referring to the above example, it would be to buy a house that surrounds you with nature (the desire for solitude) but still provides a short distance for you to connect with other people (the desire for connection).
The moral "Trust placed in another is trust earned" is taken by Rex. Echo has earned Rexâs trust through his work, dedication and integrity back when he was on the 501st. Hence, Rex places his trust on Echo, believing that his fellow brother can secure a Republic victory on the Battle of Anaxes even though he has not fully recovered yet. Echo, who has the Hephaestus archetype, channels his pain and trauma into helping the Republic to win against the Separatists. Echo is aware that the Republicâs production of battle fleets has been wounded by the Separatists, just like how the Separatists have wounded him. Just like Hephaestus the crippled craftsman, Echo is motivated to do the right thing, because if he can help the Republic to reclaim Anaxes and get the production facilities running again, then he can heal himself too.
Rex, Anakin, Echo and the Bad Batch depart Anaxes and fly to the Separatist fleet, it serves as a metaphor for them entering the Underworld. Skako Minor is the personal Underworld, while Admiral Trenchâs fleet above Anaxes is the collective Underworld. Taking on the Hermes archetype, Echo is able to trick the battle droids to allow them to dock with the Separatist dreadnought, where Admiral Trench is located. Once the heroes board the main ship, they infiltrate the dreadnought's interface unit. Unaware of the recent events on Skako Minor, Admiral Trench orders his tactical droid to contact Skako Minor for Echo's algorithm. Echo plugs into the interface unit just in time when the tactical droid makes contact on Skako Minor. Admiral Trench is currently above Anaxes, as if he rules over the sky domain, which represents the consciousness. He gets the algorithm from Skako Minor, which represents the unconscious. The interface unit where Echo plugs into is a round shape, resembling the round hearth of Hestia. Right now, Echo is taking on the Hestia archetype, representing the Self that stands in between Admiral Trenchâs fleet (the consciousness) and Skako Minor (the unconscious). Echo tricks the Admiral to mobilize all troops to the assembly plant and then he issues a feedback pulse that shuts down all of the Separatist droids, leading the Republic to victory.
To connect with the Self and hold onto oneâs centre, one must learn not to succumb to the intellectual and emotional forces, just like the myth where Hestia resisted the advances from Apollo and Poseidon, and took an oath of eternal chastity. For Echo, he faces Rex dissuading him from joining the battle due to his poor physical condition, the distrust from Hunter and Tech, and the trauma caused by the Techno Union. However, he is not affected by these things as he seeks to uphold his personal value to help others, keeping his centre intact. I imagine Echo being a therapist will encourage you to discover your personal values and act upon them, for you will find personal satisfaction, wholeness and meaning in life.
Admiral Trench and Anakin Skywalker are examples of how one can stray away from the Hestia archetype. Admiral Trench is arrogant as he trusts too much on the algorithm to lead him to victory. He leans too much on the intellectual forces, which are represented by Apollo. His overconfidence leads to his downfall when he does not expect the algorithm to fail. Unwilling to admit defeat, he activates a bomb in the assembly plant's fusion generator, which will blow up most of the planet and lead to many deaths. On the other hand, Anakin Skywalker confronts Admiral Trench and demands the final number in the sequence to disarm the bomb. Admiral Trench taunts Anakin, thinking that he wonât hurt or kill him because the Jedi are noble, in which the Admiral views it as a weakness. Anakin responds by severing the Admiralâs left set of arms, and claims that he has no such weakness like nobility. Anakinâs actions are emotionally driven, and it gets to the point of disregarding the values of the Jedi. The emotional forces, represented by Poseidon, has overtaken Anakin.
Wrecker and Crosshair are examples of how one can stay true to themselves while doing their job. Wrecker takes on the Ares archetype as he charges at the droids and manages to rip them into pieces. Wrecker is more emotionally inclined and this is evident in his cheering and shouts as he takes down the droids. He feels true to himself in that battle â as if Hestia is present with his Ares archetype. As for Crosshair, he takes on the Apollo archetype as he places reflecting mirrors on the wall to make a perfect trickshot to mow down a platoon of battle droids. Crosshair is more intellectually inclined with his sharpshooting expertise. He feels true to himself when he pulls off the trickshot perfectly â as if Hestia is present with his Apollo archetype.
Having accomplished the mission, Rex, Anakin, Echo and the Bad Batch leave on the Marauder. Anakin gives Wrecker a remote detonator to blow up Admiral Trenchâs fleet. The colourful explosions may be a symbolism of wholeness, which is the end goal of this journey of individuation. No matter how far this journey has been taken, every traveller looks forward to an eventual homecoming. Back in Ancient Greece, home was made sacred by Hestiaâs presence in the fire at the centre of the round hearth. The fire was lit up to welcome a returning family member or a newborn. This ritual of acknowledgment and welcomeâof homecomingâconsciously recognizes new life as part of the whole. In psychological terms, âhomeâ is where we connect with a spiritual centre â a sacred place of homecoming due to Hestiaâs presence.
Upon returning to Anaxes, Rex, Echo and the Bad Batch are praised for their courage and skills. The Jedi also tell the clones that they will be awarded with medals on the ceremony. However, the Bad Batch does not want to attend the ceremony because recognition and achievements are not their thing. In fact, they just enjoy the thrill of the adventure and they just want to help people. Hunter sees that Echo has a different path like theirs, and offers him to join the Bad Batch if he does not feel like he fits in with the regular clones anymore. Rex acknowledges the Bad Batchâs individuality, and Echoâs too. Rex encourages Echo to go with the Bad Batch because he respects his individuality. With that, the fire at the centre of the round hearth has been lit, indicating a homecoming. For Rex, his homecoming is Echoâs return. For Echo, his homecoming is being welcomed into the Bad Batch. As Rex turns around, he sees Echo and the Bad Batch salute, which serves as a metaphor of Rex finally achieving âwholenessâ with all archetypes finally integrated into one. Now, Rex finally sees himself resembling the five members of the Bad Batch â a great leader like Hunter, a creative strategist like Tech, a passionate fighter like Wrecker, a loyal brother like Crosshair, and a wise sage like Echo.
Surviving Order 66
Thanks to the Bad Batch, Rex returns to who he really is, while breaking free from his identity as âjust a soldier of the Republicâ. He regains his vitality and creativity. He continues to uphold his personal values like loyalty, brotherhood and justice. Since Rex has gone through the individuation journey, he is able to survive Order 66. When the inhibitor chip gets activated, Rex is able to resist its effect for a few seconds. He warns Ahsoka to stay back and tells her to "find him⌠Fives⌠find him!" Rex is able to briefly remember who he is before losing the fight to the inhibitor chip.
Ahsoka has gone through the same individuation journey as Rex. She starts off as a bright Padawan of Anakin Skywalker, but she eventually comes to realize that the Republic and the Jedi Council do not care about her. She then leaves the Jedi Order to follow her own path. Although she no longer identifies as a Jedi, she continues to uphold the values of a Jedi â an indication that she has returned to who she really is, while breaking free from her identity as a Jedi. Rex is probably confident that Ahsoka will find a way to help him, which explains why he tells her to âfind Fivesâ.
With the help of the astromechs, Ahsoka is able to retrieve files regarding Fives, Tup, the inhibitor chip and Rexâs encrypted grievance report. This serves as a metaphor of Ahsoka seeking answers in the Underworld, which are brought into the light. Then, Ahsoka and the droids manage to knock Rex out. Ahsoka then brings Rex to the medical bay. The medical droid does a scan on Rex but it finds no anomaly. Ahsoka puts her hands on Rex's head and recites the Guardian's Mantra: "I am one with the Force and the Force is with me," with the unconscious Rex joining in. The Guardianâs Mantra evokes the Hestia archetype as the Self is what we experience inwardly when we feel a relationship to oneness that connects us to the essence of everything outside of us â where âconnectingâ and âdetachmentâ are paradoxically the same. Basically, to be connected with the Force is to be connected with the Self. By connecting with Hestia, Ahsoka is able to detect the inhibitor chip inside Rexâs head. A surgery is performed to remove it, finally freeing Rex from its brainwashing effects. Since Rex and Ahsoka have gone through their individuation journeys, they are able to avoid the fates that befall on the Jedi and the clones â death and the loss of identity. They have indeed broken free from their designated roles, and they are free to live out their personal myths.
Conclusion
What seems to be a fun Clone wars arc turns out to be a story about the individuation journey, which is significant to our lives. The Bad Batch, which consists of Hunter, Tech, Wrecker and Crosshair, are born to be different. They never feel that they belong with the mainstream society, so they shape their own identities. They follow their heart, which is how they find harmony and bliss. They choose to live out their personal myths, and become guides to Rex during his lowest moment in life. Echo joining the Bad Batch adds a few more archetypes into the group, and connects them with the regular clone troopers. Later, Omega becomes part of the Bad Batch, and I imagine Omega being a therapist will teach you to be kind to yourself.
So, whenever you feel that your life has become dull and meaningless, or that you do not know where you are heading with your life, remember to have courage to take on the individuation journey. You are not alone on this journey, and I hope that one day, you will find wholeness, harmony and bliss â where you can be true to yourself.
I love all the analyses you've done. Especially Crosshair as I always found him to be a complex character.I would like to know your opinion of Crosshair in this third season and what did you think of him? Also his closeness to Hunter, since they've been talking they seem to be together all the time.
Now that I remember, I've seen fic where Hunter and Crosshair are described as lovers and it's funny because reading your analysis I remembered a story where Hunter gets drunk and gets involved with 2 Twi'leks and Crosshair upon seeing the mess on the boat angrily tells him he's not going to clean up his mess.And in other stories where they are together but are always fighting and arguing.Or in others where Tech and Crosshair do things on the sly and Hunter only tolerates Tech's because when it comes to Crosshair he reproaches them.I'm not saying they're canon or anything, but as written coincidences go, they're fun.
Thank you so much! Yes, Crosshair is a complex character, and I can't believe that I have written so much about him.
I am going to write an analysis of The Bad Batch season 3 after the series finale. Right now, I think Crosshair is on the right path as he is growing beyond his four main archetypes.
In "Shadows of Tantiss", once he takes a leap to escape Tantiss with Omega despite not knowing what's ahead clearly, he is starting to move beyond his Apollo archetype.
In "A Different Approach", Omega teaches Crosshair that violence does not always solve problems (something an Artemis person must learn, which is how to take down the Calydonian Boar). Of course, Crosshair does teach Omega to be more assertive and not let other people take advantage of her (a useful Artemis trait for a Persephone person like Omega).
As Crosshair reconciles with the Bad Batch, especially Hunter, he is "recycling" his Hera archetype, and this happens after "The Return" (winter has finally passed as Crosshair leaves the Outpost). Hunter defends Crosshair from Howzer, showing that he does care about Crosshair, which assures Crosshair's Hera archetype. When Crosshair talks about how loyalty should go two ways in "Extraction", it shows that he has grown beyond his Hera archetype - able to make wise decisions after getting out of an abusive relationship with the Empire.
In "Bad Territory", Crosshair learns meditation, which is a healthy method to deal with his emotional trauma. This helps him to move beyond his Poseidon archetype - channeling his destructive emotions through creative and calm methods.
Based on my analysis, Hunter has the Zeus archetype while Crosshair has the Hera archetype, which may explain why they are so close to each other (I do not do clone shipping). They support each other, yet they will argue with each other a lot. Those stories that you have mentioned do match this dynamic of theirs (and Tech with Hunter's favouritism).
They all may seem like "written coincidences", but I interpret it as archetypes existing in our collective unconscious. Carl Jung did travel to places in India and Africa where the people had never had western influences, and he found that many of their myths shared the same archetypal patterns as those western myths. He believed that archetypes are universal and they exist in our collective unconscious. Even though we may come from different places, have different cultures and have different experiences, the same patterns can be identified, taking on various forms, just as Joseph Campbell has stated in his book The Hero with a Thousand Faces.
I do believe these archetypes already existed in the Bad Batch, be it obvious or subtle. These archetypes are later expanded by the fans through various interpretations in the forms of headcanons, fanarts and fanfictions. They may not all be canon, but it's certainly fun to see. Besides, it helps me to explore human psychology and reaffirm Carl Jung's theory of the collective unconscious. Sometimes, by looking into how a person interprets the Bad Batch (along with what they like and don't like about them), I can figure out some interesting things about their personality, which leads me back to the archetypal patterns.
This is the third part of the character analysis for Crosshair. You can read part 1 and part 2 here. I will be referring to âGoddesses in Everywomanâ by Jean Shinoda Bolen for this analysis.
Crosshairâs anima consists of multiple archetypes, but the most prominent ones are Artemis and Hera. Artemis, or Diana as the Romans called her, is the Goddess of the Hunt and the Moon. She is the first-born twin sister of Apollo, the God of the Sun. As the Goddess of the Hunt, she wields a silver bow and carries a quiver of arrows on her back. She roams the wilderness of forest, mountain, meadow and glade with her band of nymphs and hunting dogs. As the Goddess of the Moon, she acts as a light-bearer, carrying torches in her hands or with the moon and stars surrounding her head. She is also the Goddess of Wildlife and she is associated with many undomesticated animals like the stag, doe, hare, quail, lioness, boar, bear and horse.
Artemis is a virgin goddess and she is the personification of an independent feminine spirit. She feels whole without a partner, and she has the âI can take care of myselfâ attitude. This archetype enables one to pursue interests and work that matters to them without needing other peopleâs approval. Their identity and sense of worth are based on who they are and what they do, rather than their relationships with others. Although Crosshair is part of the Bad Batch, he is capable of doing his own work while separated from them. In âThe Bad Batchâ, when the Bad Batch, Rex and Jesse infiltrate the Cyber Center, Crosshair positions himself from a distance, and he goes to secure a speeder craft as their getaway vehicle. In âA Distant Echoâ, when Anakin tells the Bad Batch and Rex to split up so they can find Echo easier, Crosshair chooses to separate from his team and follow Anakin. With the rise of the Empire, Crosshair remains capable of carrying out the orders given to him even though the Bad Batch refuses to do so. He strongly identifies himself as a soldier of the Empire, claiming that this is who he is in âReturn to Kaminoâ. He is certain of his identity even without the influence of the inhibitor chip and without the approval of the Bad Batch.
As the Goddess of the Hunt, Artemis is an archer that has the ability to aim for any target and know that her arrows will reach its marks. This archetype gives one the ability to concentrate intensely on whatever it is important to them, and to be undistracted from their course, which is called âfocused consciousnessâ. The needs of others or competition would not deter them. In fact, competition only heightens the excitement of âthe chaseâ. Not even obstacles or the difficulty in achieving the goal can hinder their perseverance. Since Artemis is more aligned to her instincts, her arrows are charged up with emotions. Hence, when a person channels their passion and intense emotions into pursuing a goal, their focus can be so intense that it becomes incredibly precise or destructive. Crosshair channels his intense emotions through his sharpshooting skills. His focus is so intense that every shot he makes is a precise killshot. However, in âAftermathâ, the shot Crosshair makes towards Wrecker only injures him. This may be a sign that he is fighting the effects of the inhibitor chip, and that he never intends to kill his brothers despite they have been branded as traitors to the Empire.
Artemis is seen as the archetype of the womenâs movement because she is competent and independent, and she is protective of women and children. Since Artemis goes hunting and exploring the wilderness with her band of nymphs and minor deities associated with mountains, woods and streams, Artemis is also seen as the âbig sisterâ archetype who emphasizes the âsisterhoodâ of women. In the myths, Artemis helped her mother Leto during her prolonged childbirth, and saved her from the giant Tityus who tried to overtake her. Artemis also came to other womenâs aid, for example, she rescued the woodland nymph Arethusa from the pursuit of a river deity. Artemis is also known for her mercilessness, which is evident when she punished the hunter Actaeon who accidentally saw the goddess and her nymphs bathing in a hidden pool.
Crosshair is very protective of his brothers. In the Hyperspace Stories #10, when Dr. Krail appears as a hologram to greet the Bad Batch and state that he has been anticipating their arrival, Crosshair stands in front of Wrecker to protect him. In the episode âOn the Wings of Keeradaksâ, Crosshair protects the Poletecs by taking down the battle droids from afar. He also cares about Echoâs wellbeing as he is seen placing a hand on Echoâs shoulder after they fight off the battle droids. There are many headcanons and fanfictions that depict Crosshair protecting the vulnerable such as rescuing a person from anotherâs unwanted advances, which sometimes leads to a physical altercation. If Crosshair is not affected by the inhibitor chip, he will be impressed by Omegaâs bravery for standing up for the Bad Batch in âAftermathâ.
People who feel true to themselves being with nature is connected to Artemis because she is associated with the wilderness and undomesticated nature. They may feel like they are in a spiritual communion with nature â be it surrounded by forests, mountains, or under the starry night. As the Goddess of the Moon and the Hunt, Artemis grants âmoonlight visionâ, which helps a person to look inward (like going into the wilderness, which contains our dreams, experiences and connection with nature) and be more reflective. There are headcanons that depict Crosshair as an animal lover, especially towards baby animals, which is an Artemis trait. In âKamino Lostâ, Crosshair is shown to have âmoonlight visionâ when he successfully takes the shot to save Omega despite the dark surroundings and the murky waters below. In âThe Outpostâ, Crosshair makes a spiritual connection with the Ice Vulture, which helps him to look inward and reflect on his decisions, leading him to turn against the Empire.
In Greek mythology, three goddesses make up the moon trinity â Selene who rules over the sky, Artemis on earth, and Hecate in the Underworld. This moon trinity can be represented by Riyo Chuchi, Crosshair and Echo in terms of their fight against the Empire: Riyo Chuchi is Selene because she is a senator and her high status means she is at the sky domain (the Galactic Senate); Crosshair is Artemis because his rebellion starts in the wilderness of Barton IV; Echo is Hecate (who is a constant companion to Persephone, Echoâs anima) because he fights in the darkness and at the crossroads where he rescues Howzer and two of his men.
Zeus and Leto are parents to Artemis, who are both loving and approving of her course of life. Parental support is needed to cultivate the Artemis archetype from a young age. Opposition and disapproval from parents (mostly from the father) may damage the self-esteem and self-confidence of an Artemis person. They may continue to put on a defiant attitude, but deep down, they feel inadequate despite all the successes they have, and they have a tendency to self-sabotage. Conflict usually arises between the mother and the daughter, especially if the mother is a Demeter archetype. A Demeter mother prefers a compliant good girl like Persephone, who will follow her, ask for her help, and accept that âmother knows bestâ. However, Artemis is the opposite to Persephone for she is independent and stubborn, which can lead to disappointment and feelings of rejection within the Demeter mother.
The conflict between Demeter and Artemis can be seen between Hunter and Crosshair. Hunter has the Zeus and Demeter archetypes. As Zeus, Hunter recognizes Crosshairâs talent and encourages him to develop it further. Though, his Demeter anima likely causes Hunter to limit Crosshair and stop him from doing certain things. Nevertheless, Crosshairâs stubbornness will get in the way, leading to arguments between the two. In âAftermathâ, Crosshair keeps shooting at Caleb Dume despite Hunter repeatedly telling him to stand down. They later have an argument about following orders. In âReturn to Kaminoâ, Hunter refuses to accept that Crosshair willingly chooses to join the Empire, and decides to forcibly take him away after stunning him. In âKamino Lostâ, Hunter keeps trying to reason with Crosshair about the Empireâs atrocities but to no avail. Crosshair feels that Hunter is trying to control and limit him, deciding what is best for him because Hunter has the mindset that âhe knows bestâ. The more Hunter tries to control Crosshair, the more Crosshair will rebel. This is why he stands his ground and refuses to rejoin the Bad Batch.
Another problem faced by the Demeter mother-Artemis daughter involves a weak, passive mother. The mother may be depressed, an alcoholic, trapped in a bad marriage, or immature, which causes the daughter to take on the parent role. The daughter is disappointed that she does not have a strong mother, and that she is not strong enough to change her motherâs life (unlike the goddess Artemis who was able to help her mother Leto). Determined not to resemble her mother, the Artemis daughter refuses to show her vulnerability and dependency, and she usually rejects what are traditionally feminine like softness, gentleness and receptivity. Crosshair faces this issue when he sees Hunter has failed in his leadership skills or has let his feelings getting in the way. In âAftermathâ, when Hunter refuses to execute Saw Gerrera and his people, Crosshair begins to see Hunter as unfit to lead the squad, and he wants to take over. Crosshair even demands Hunter to explain when he has become soft as he disobeys orders to save Omega, which indicates Crosshairâs contempt for softness and vulnerability. In âKamino Lostâ, Crosshair accuses Hunter that his failed leadership is going to lead them to their deaths, and he expresses his disapproval to let Omega calling the shots because she is a child.
Like Artemis, Crosshair is a natural competitor who is willing to push himself to the limit to achieve his goals. He likes to be challenged, which is seen in the Hyperspace Stories #10. In this comic, the Bad Batch is sent to Hylanth for a mission to investigate battle droids. Crosshair thinks that this mission can be carried out by the regular clone troopers, and the apparent lack of challenge frustrates him. After Tech explains that these battle droids have been modified, Crosshair says that âmaybe there is hope for this mission yetâ as he feels motivated to take on the challenge. Even if the goal does not guarantee success or it can cause him to become distant from others, Crosshair still chooses to continue his pursuit because he finds personal fulfilment with it. Since Crosshair finds his role as a soldier personally fulfilling, he chooses to stay with the Empire despite facing disapproval from the Bad Batch. Many Artemis people take up sports, especially in marathons and skiing which require a combination of goal focus, will, intensity and competitiveness. They move forward without any hesitation, undeterred by any challenges ahead. We have seen Crosshair expertly slides across floors or down snow slopes in âA Distant Echoâ and âAftermathâ, which is a trait of his Artemis anima.
Most Artemis people, especially in their early adulthood, are engrossed in their work or causes. Marriage and childbearing are often far from their minds, or they outright reject them. Though, they like children and are extremely protective of children, like a mother bear who ferociously protects her young. They also prefer to foster independence in children. There are headcanons that Crosshair is not interested in getting married and having children, or he is alright with marriage but chooses to be childfree. These are traits of his Artemis anima. Moreover, Crosshair is not much of a parental figure in the beginning possibly because he views Omega as a dependent, passive child, which is not ideal for an Artemis person. However, as Omega becomes more independent, active and assertive, it is possible for Crosshair to become protective of her while encouraging her to be independent.
A relationship with an Artemis person, be it platonic or romantic, usually resembles the sibling relationship, friendly rivals or the Artemis-Apollo twinship. Their desire to maintain independence in a relationship means they are not drawn to dominating partners and they are not interested in playing the parental role. Their partner is usually their equal with shared or complementary interests, or is the one who nurtures them like teaching them to be more considerate and sensitive. If the Artemis person and their partner are both competitive, they must be careful not to let their competitive nature kill off their relationship, which parallels the myth of Artemis and Orion, where Orion was killed due to Artemis being goaded to take on Apolloâs challenge. Some people do view Crosshair as a person who will treat his partner as his equal instead of dominating them (which is associated with his Poseidon archetype), and his partner is usually as competitive as him, or a nurturing person who opens him up. Crosshair has a strong connection with the Bad Batch, and he is shown to share a friendly competition with Wrecker during the Clone Wars. I interpret Crosshair and Tech having the Artemis-Apollo twinship due to both of them being similar yet different from each other. Crosshair mostly has a brother-sister dynamic with Omega, who usually helps him to be more considerate and sensitive to his feelings.
In the myths, Artemis never suffered but she did bring harm to those who offended her. Similarly, people who identify themselves strongly as Artemis usually cause others to suffer rather than hurting themselves. If an Artemis person is raised to look down on traditionally feminine values, she may develop a contempt for vulnerability and dependency. Her relationships with others are marked with emotional distance and the usual physical unavailability. She may lose interest once her partner wants to get close to her emotionally, or becomes dependent on her, which are seen as âweaknessesâ to her. She may even be cruel to her loved ones, treating them as unwanted intruders. Hence, it is important for an Artemis person to realize the importance of love and trust of a special person.
In âAftermathâ, Crosshair expresses his contempt for vulnerability upon seeing Hunter disobeying orders to save Omega. He also dislikes Omega trying to get close to him. It is likely that his inhibitor chip has affected him â possibly strengthening his Artemis anima to the point of becoming cold and cruel. However, he still retains the same contempt for vulnerability even without the influence of the inhibitor chip. In âReturn to Kaminoâ, Crosshair tries to take Omega away from the Bad Batch and he tells Hunter to stop pretending to be a father figure to her because âthat is not who he isâ. In âKamino Lostâ, Omega tries to connect with Crosshair but he pushes her away again. Fortunately, Crosshair overcomes his contempt for vulnerability after receiving the love and trust from Commander Mayday in âThe Outpostâ.
Artemis has been called âthe Far-Distant Artemisâ, and this archetype is marked with emotional distance. This means Artemis people can become so focused on their own goals that they fail to notice the feelings of other people and can get offended by those who interrupt their focus. Their lack of attentiveness can make people who care about them feel insignificant and excluded. To grow beyond this archetype, Artemis people must learn to pay attention to others and be a good listener. They must also remain in touch and accessible to those who care about them.
When Order 66 happens, Crosshairâs inhibitor chip is somewhat activated. He becomes adamant of following orders, which leads to conflict between him and the rest of the Bad Batch (especially Hunter). He does not understand why they choose to disobey orders, and he even sighs in frustration when Hunter tells him to stand down in âAftermathâ as if Hunter is interrupting his focus to carry out the order. When Crosshair joins the Empire, he becomes âinaccessibleâ to the Bad Batch. In âReturn to Kaminoâ and âKamino Lostâ, Crosshair reveals that he already has his inhibitor chip removed and that he willingly joins the Empire. This realization hurts the Bad Batch because it means that Crosshair chooses not to come back in his own volition because he prioritizes his role as a soldier of the Empire. Although Crosshair remains mostly closed-off from other clones, Commander Codyâs advice does affect him in âThe Solitary Cloneâ. Later, in âThe Outpostâ, Commander Mayday helps Crosshair to open up and become more accessible to him.
Artemis is known to be merciless. In one myth, the hunter Actaeon accidentally saw Artemis and her nymphs bathing in a hidden pool. The goddess turned him into a stag and he was later torn to pieces by his own hounds. In another myth, Niobe insulted Leto by bragging that she had many sons and daughters, unlike Leto who only had two. Leto called on Artemis and Apollo to avenge her without mercy. With their bows and arrows, Apollo killed Niobeâs six sons while Artemis killed Niobeâs six daughters, and Niobe was turned into a weeping pillar of stone.
People who strongly identify as Artemis are extremely loyal to others, tend to get angry at injustice, unafraid to express their point of view, and have a tendency to take action. These are positive traits of Artemis, but there is also a tendency to mercilessly judge the actions of others in an absolute black and white. From this perspective, not just an action is either entirely bad or entirely good, but the person who does the action is also either all bad or all good. With that, an Artemis person feels justified to retaliate or punish the person.
Crosshair is extremely loyal to the Bad Batch. However, when they leave him behind on Kamino, he feels betrayed and view them as bad people. In âReunionâ, Crosshair is determined to hunt the Bad Batch down as they have been branded as traitors to the Empire. In âReturn to Kaminoâ, Crosshair offers the Bad Batch to join the Empire, but they refuse, which from his perspective, makes them all bad people. That is why he tells them not to make the same mistake twice and not to become his enemy. In âKamino Lostâ, Crosshair views Hunter as a bad leader because he has caused the Bad Batch to disobey orders, run away from the Empire and now they are trapped under Tipoca City that is sinking to the ocean floor. In âThe Solitary Cloneâ, Crosshair calls the clones who are questioning orders as traitors like the Jedi because from his perspective, a good soldier follows orders without question, and even a slight tendency to question orders is considered an entirely bad thing, and it makes the soldier a completely bad person.
It is important for an Artemis person to develop compassion and empathy, which may come with maturity and experience. Many Artemis people enter adulthood feeling self-confident and invulnerable. However, after going through suffering, being misjudged or failing at something, they may grow to become more compassionate. They will learn to be more merciful as they learn what it is like to be vulnerable and become more understanding, they realize that people are more complex than they think, and they learn to forgive themselves and others for making mistakes.
Crosshair has always felt confident and invulnerable. He does not believe that he would be replaced by the Empire because of his superiority. He turns a blind eye at the regular clone troopers, who are feeling the plight of being forced into âretirementâ. However, that all changes when Crosshair goes through suffering in âThe Outpostâ. He learns how to be vulnerable to Mayday, which makes him more understanding and compassionate towards the regular clone trooper. This helps Crosshair to become more mature, and realize that the Empire does not care about the clones, including him. Hopefully, Crosshair can learn to forgive himself for making the mistake of joining the Empire and disappointing the Bad Batch.
The goddess Artemis is known for her destructive aspect that is symbolized by the wild boar, one of the animals sacred to her. In Greek mythology, Artemis sent the Calydonian Boar to terrorize the countryside of Calydon because King Oeneus had failed to honour her in his rites to the gods. The Calydonian Boar was described to have burning, bloodshot eyes, thick bristles that stood like sharp spikes, hide tougher than armour, and tusks similar to those of Indian elephants. It trampled vineyards and crops, drove away flocks and herds of animals, and killed many heroes who had tried to bring it down. This rampaging destruction serves as a metaphor for an Artemis person on a warpath.
The rage of Artemis is surpassed only by that of Hera. Although both goddesses appear to share the same intense feelings, the provocation and the direction of the anger are different. A Hera person directs their rage at âthe other womanâ, while an Artemis person directs their rage at people (mostly men) for depreciating them or for disrespecting something they value. The rage of Artemis can be observed in people reacting to injustice with intense hostility that is often out of proportion to the particular provocation, which leads to a rampage similar to the Calydonian Boar, hurting themselves and many like-minded people along the way.
After the Bad Batch leaves Crosshair behind, he is greatly offended by their betrayal and for throwing away their legacy. He hunts them down as if he is like Artemis on a warpath. His rampage causes injuries to himself and his troops. In âThe Outpostâ, Crosshair is furious that Lieutenant Nolan refuses to provide medical aid to Mayday because âthey should not waste the Empireâs resources on a cloneâ, resulting in his death. Crosshair reacts to the injustice with intense hostility and he shoots Lieutenant Nolan, instantly killing him. However, Crosshairâs action causes him to end up on Mount Tantiss, where he gets experimented and tortured by Dr. Hemlock.
In the myth of the Calydonian Boar, the huntress Atalanta faced the charging boar with a bow and an arrow, or in some versions, a spear. She waited until the boar was almost on her, took careful aim, and then shot the arrow or threw the spear through an eye, which was its only vulnerable spot. Her action successfully wounded the boar. According to Jean Shinoda Bolen, the destructive rage of an Artemis person can only be stopped by what Atalanta did in this myth. The Artemis person must take courage to confront their own destructiveness directly. They must see it as an aspect of themselves that must be stopped before it consumes them and devastates their relationships. They can no longer feel righteous and powerful when they realize how much damage they have done to themselves and others. Humility is what returns their humanity as they become aware that they are flawed humans, not an avenging goddess.
When Crosshair gets angry, he reacts by taking action. However, his actions sometimes hurt himself and others. For example, his decision to hunt the Bad Batch down because he feels betrayed by them worsens the rift between them. By killing Lieutenant Nolan to avenge Maydayâs death, Crosshair ends up being imprisoned on Mount Tantiss and is subjected to experimentation and torture. It is important for Crosshair to realize how destructive his rage is, and how it hurts him and others. He must learn not to let his rage consumes him, and instead become aware that he too is a flawed person.
The myth of Iphigenia depicted the crucial choice an Artemis person would make in their lives. In this story of the Trojan War, the Greek ships had been assembled to set sail for Troy, but no winds arose to fill the sails and carry the fleet to war. Agamemnon, the leader of the Greeks, believed that it was the doing of a god, so he consulted the expeditionâs seer. The seer explained that Agamemnon had offended the goddess Artemis on his way to the Trojan War by hunting and killing one of her sacred stags, and she punished him by withholding the winds. The seer stated that the goddess could only be appeased by the sacrifice of Agamemnonâs daughter Iphigenia. At first, Agamemnon resisted, but as pressure from his troops mounted, he tricked his wife Clytemnestra into sending Iphigenia to him, on the pretext that she was to be married to the Greek hero Achilles. Instead, she was prepared for the human sacrifice in exchange for the winds. There were two types of endings for this myth. One version stated that the death of Iphigenia was carried out as demanded by Artemis. In the alternate version, Artemis interceded just at the point of sacrifice, substituting a stag in her place, and carried her off to Tauris, where she became one of Artemisâs priestesses.
Jean Shinoda Bolen interprets these two endings as the possible effects of the Artemis archetype. She believes that every Artemis person likely has certain traits of Iphigenia â young, trusting, vulnerable, receptive, nurturing, the ability to relate to others, the ability to be intimate with others, dependent on others, and the willingness to make sacrifices for the sake of others. On one hand, the Artemis archetype rescues these traditionally feminine values from the devaluation and oppression of the patriarchy, like Artemis rescuing Iphigenia. On the other hand, the Artemis archetype makes a person so intensely focused on their goals that they sacrifice and devalue these traditionally feminine values, like Iphigenia was sacrificed to appease Artemis so the winds could bring the Greek fleet to war.
With that, an Artemis person is faced with a crucial choice: Will they rescue and protect this Iphigenia part of themselves so that it can grow even as they continue with their life and pursue their goals? Or will they be required to kill this Iphigenia part of themselves in order to be as focused, hard and clear as possible?
The myth of Iphigenia is depicted in âKamino Lostâ. Omega represents Iphigenia for she is young, receptive, vulnerable and dependent on others. Hunter also represents some traits of Iphigenia for he is nurturing and he cares deeply for Omega. These values are deemed as traditionally feminine. In this episode, Omega is unwilling to lose AZI so she swims after the droid. Hunter wants to enter the water to save Omega because she is about to drown. At this moment, Crosshair pulls out his rifle and it seems like he is aiming at Hunter, which is why Wrecker, Tech and Echo point their blasters at him. This scene seems to depict the possibility of Crosshair choosing to âsacrifice Iphigeniaâ, which is âto eliminate Hunter and let Omega drownâ. After all, the episode has shown that Crosshair still has conflicts with Hunter and he continues to push Omega away, which can be interpreted as Crosshair devaluing these traditionally feminine values in favour of the Empire and his soldierâs duty.
When it seems that Hunter is in danger and Omega is about to drown, Crosshair is actually aiming at the water and he shoots a grapple that latches onto AZI, allowing him to pull Omega and the droid to the surface. Crosshairâs action to save Omegaâs life represents his Artemis anima choosing to âsave Iphigeniaâ, which can be interpreted as Crosshair rescuing and protecting these traditionally feminine values. His action indicates that there is still good in him, and that he can be vulnerable, receptive and nurturing.Â
To grow beyond the Artemis archetype, one must learn to become vulnerable, to love and care deeply about another person. This usually happens after the Artemis person has ârun downâ, after they have achieved or failed their goals, or after the pursuit has gone stale. The people who care about the Artemis person may have to wait, or they can get some help from Aphrodite.
The Atalanta myth serves a metaphor for the psychological growth that an Artemis person may go through. Atalanta was a huntress and runner whose courage and capabilities were equal to any manâs. She was left on a mountaintop to die by her father soon she was born. She was then saved by a bear and raised by hunters. She grew up to be a beautiful woman and she devoted herself to the goddess Artemis. A famous hunter named Meleager became her lover and companion. They played an important part in the Calydonian boar hunt where Atalanta successfully wounded the boar and Meleager finished it off. Since Atalanta had drawn first blood, Meleager offered the boar skin to her as a prize. However, Meleagerâs uncles, who had been hunting with them, thought it was disgraceful that a woman should get the trophy where men were involved. They tried to take the skin for themselves and claimed the credit for killing the boar. Meleager was outraged by this and he killed them, which then resulted in his mother killing him shortly thereafter.
Atalanta then left the wilderness, and was eventually reunited with her father. Her father recognized her as heir to his throne, and insisted that she should get married, which was something she was not interested of. Many suitors came to win her hand, and she rejected them all. As her suitors became more persistent, she came up with a challenge for them: she would marry the man who could beat her at a footrace, but he would lose his life if he lost the race. Race after race, Atalanta was always in the lead. Finally, the unathletic Hippomenes, who truly loved her, entered the race. He prayed to Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love and Beauty, for help at the night before the race, and she gave him three golden apples to use in the race. During the race, Hippomenes threw the three golden apples in Atalantaâs path three times, which managed to distract her long enough for him to cross the finish line first and take her as his wife.
The Atalanta myth, or more specifically the deadly footrace, is played out in âThe Outpostâ, and it helps Crosshair to grow beyond his one-sided Artemis anima and achieve wholeness. There are no official explanations as to why Atalanta is distracted by the three golden apples, but Jean Shinoda Bolen provides her own interpretations for the three golden apples, which surprisingly match Crosshairâs character arc in âThe Outpostâ.
When Hippomenes threw the first golden apple and Atalanta went to take it, she saw her own face distorted by the curves of the apple. The first golden apple is interpreted to have given her the awareness of time passing. Many Artemis people are unaware of time passing until their desire to take up challenges or to reach their goals dwindle. They may become aware that they are not going to be eternally youthful and start reflecting about their course of life. At the beginning of âThe Outpostâ, Crosshair observes three clone troopers protesting their âforced retirementâ due to the Defense Recruitment Bill has been passed by the Senate. Upon arriving at the outpost, Crosshair meets Commander Mayday, who has been guarding the cargo held in the outpost for a year, and has been expecting reinforcements 36 rotations ago. By witnessing the clones being forced into retirement and realizing that a year has passed since the formation of the Empire, Crosshair becomes aware of time passing, and that soon enough, he would be replaced by Stormtroopers, as it is the fate of all clones.
When Hippomenes threw the second golden apple, Atalanta went to retrieve it, and memories of her dead lover Meleager took over her. The second golden apple is interpreted to raise awareness of the importance of love. As yearnings for physical and emotional closeness are stirred by Aphrodite, an Artemis person may become more receptive to love and intimacy, and this feeling is strengthened by the awareness of time passing.
As Commander Mayday gives Crosshair a tour of the depot and its surroundings, he explains that they have been attacked by raiders who have caught them off guard in the last few raids. Mayday believes that the polar conditions have degraded the sensors, which may explain how the raiders get past them. To make matters worse, he is not receiving any replacements from the Empire. At this moment, Crosshair probably starts to recall memories of Hunter and Tech. Hunter would have been able to detect the raiders quickly thanks to his enhanced senses, and Tech would have upgraded the sensors to make it difficult for raiders to get past.
When Crosshair steps on a pressure mine, Mayday goes ahead to disarm it despite he is not an explosive expert and that he does not have the proper equipment to do so. However, he is able to improvise with the tools he has. At this moment, Crosshair probably starts to recall memories of Wrecker. Wrecker is an explosive expert, and he would have the proper equipment to disarm the pressure mine with ease. While Mayday disarms the mine, he asks Crosshair about his unit. This prompts Crosshair to mention that he was part of Clone Force 99, but they are gone. As he recalls the memories of his former squad, he probably begins to yearn for their presence and support. He probably starts to yearn for physical and emotional closeness, which is why he becomes closer to Mayday.
As Atalanta was about to pass Hippomenes and win the race, he dropped the third golden apple. For a split second, she hesitated: should she cross the finish line and win the race, or take the apple and lose? She chose to reach for the apple just as Hippomenes crossed the finish line, winning the race and her for his wife. The third golden apple represents procreative instincts and creativity, which are associated with Aphrodite. In life, there may come a time where achievements become less important to the Artemis person. They may shift their focus to other things like settling down and having a family, or transforming their experiences into some form of personal expression. They start to follow their heart more.
Crosshair and Mayday are sent to retrieve the cargo stolen by raiders. They are successful but they get caught in an avalanche. Crosshair digs himself out of the snow and finds Mayday injured. Mayday tells Crosshair to go because he is not going to make it. Crosshair now must make a choice: should he complete the mission and leave Mayday to die, just like he has said earlier, âno point of carrying deadweightâ? Or should he abandon the mission and save Maydayâs life? Just like Atalanta gives up winning for Hippomenes, Crosshair gives up the mission for Mayday. Crosshair is well-aware that he will be reprimanded for not completing the mission, and his icy-cold reputation will certainly be tarnished. However, as he starts following his own heart, his brotherly love for Mayday wins over his ego and his tendency to follow orders.
Jean Shinoda Bolen believes that the knowledge of Aphrodite can be brought through the love of another person, which can help an Artemis person to move beyond the one-sidedness of this archetype and achieve wholeness. The Artemis person can turn inward to reflect on what is important to them, and be inner-directed as well as outer-focused. They may realize their needs for intimacy as well as for independence. Once they embrace love, they will have moments to decide for themselves what is most important.
In âThe Solitary Cloneâ, Crosshair begins to turn inward to reflect on what is important to him after Commander Cody tells him that they make their own decisions and choices, and they have to live with them too. Crosshairâs brotherly love for Mayday is what pushes him further to turn inward for reflection. From here, he decides that his loyalty to his brothers (and his sister Omega) and his protectiveness towards them mean the most to him. With the Empire not seeing eye to eye with him, Crosshair finally turns against the Empire.
Besides Artemis, Hera is another prominent archetype in Crosshairâs anima. Hera, or Juno as the Romans called her, is the Goddess of Marriage. She is the wife of Zeus (or Jupiter by the Romans), the chief god of the Olympians, who rules over the heavens and earth in Greek mythology. Her name is thought to mean âGreat Ladyâ, which is the feminine form of the Greek word âheroâ. Her symbols are the cow, the cuckoo, the Milky Way, the lily, and the peacock (and its iridescent tailfeather âeyesâ that symbolized Heraâs watchfulness). Hera has two contrasting aspects: she is greatly revered and worshipped in rituals as a powerful goddess of marriage, and she is depicted as a vindictive, quarrelsome, jealous shrew due to Zeusâs infidelity.
In her rituals, Hera had three epithets and three corresponding sanctuaries where she was worshipped during the year. In the spring, she was Hera Parthenos (Hera the Maiden or the Virgin). She was celebrated as Hera Teleia in the summer and autumn (Hera the Perfected One or the Fulfilled One), and became Hera Chera (Hera the Widow) in the winter. These three aspects of Hera represented the three states of a married personâs life (or more specifically, a womanâs life in Ancient Greece): in spring, they were single; in summer, they felt completed through a wedding; in winter, they grieved at the end of their marriage due to separation or death of their partner.
Hera is the wife archetype that prompts a person to get involved in a committed relationship and to get married. People who identify strongly as Hera view marriage as a way to gain prestige, respect and honour. They want to be recognized as âsomeone importantâ, and they seek out outer acknowledgement by having a large wedding ceremony. They find joy, fulfilment and completeness in marriage, in which they see it as sacred. Just like Hera is married to Zeus, people who identify with the Hera archetype are attracted to competent, successful people like rulers, businessmen or politicians. They are usually not into artists, scholars or humanitarians. Their choice in partners comes from their view of marriage as something that provides comfort and security to their lives. Besides that, some Hera people may view marriage as a way out of a bad situation, especially if their parents resemble Heraâs parents Cronos and Rhea â a patriarchal, dominating father and a powerless mother.
There are many headcanons that Crosshair enjoys security and comfort in his life, which are granted by the Republicâs support. The Republic provides necessities to all the clone troopers such as food, shelter, payment, weapons, training and transport. With that, Crosshair may feel ease to do other things. Many fans agree that Crosshair is the most fashionable of the Bad Batch, and he likes to wear jewellery. He may indulge in the best fabrics for comfort like wearing a pair of sleepwear and/or eye mask that are made of silk. He likely cares about his appearance greatly, which leads to a headcanon that he uses a loofah (suggested by a fan) or a pumice stone (suggested by the person running the Star Wars twitter account) during showers for he cares about his skin. These headcanons evoke the imagery of the Hera archetype in Crosshair â pompous, feelings of superiority and likes attention â basically, a prima donna. He probably gets jealous at Omega because she captures all the attention of the Bad Batch in âAftermathâ.
There are also headcanons that Crosshair likes to indulge the Bad Batch like bringing them to the best restaurants on a planet, buying things they like, or crafting things for them. The writers have come up with a headcanon that Crosshair is the one who creates Lula for Wrecker. I also have a headcanon that Crosshair creates Lula after the Hyperspace Stories #10 because Wrecker has lost the stuffed toy and Crosshair wants to cheer him up. I can imagine Crosshair buying something delicious for Wrecker to eat, getting the best equipment for Tech, and choosing the most comfortable fabric for Hunter to wear as a casual outfit. In âAftermathâ, Crosshair is shown to desire orderliness and cleanliness as he complains about the smell getting worse in the squadâs barracks, and that his bed is spotless and tidy (even his blacks are folded neatly). I have this headcanon that Crosshair is mainly responsible for the orderliness and cleanliness of the Marauder, and that Echoâs arrival has helped to ease most of his burdens. For example, Crosshair makes sure the floors of the Marauder are clean of dirt, dust, mud and food crumbs. He makes sure the lights and ventilation are working properly. He washes their blacks regularly and keeps a tab on their toiletries. He does all of these for everyoneâs comfort, including himself.
I have seen people shipping Crosshair with a character that is of a higher status than him like a Jedi, a senator, or a politician, which kind of evokes the imagery of Hera and Zeus. There are many romantic headcanons for Crosshair that evoke the Hera archetype, for example, he buys something that his partner yearns to have regardless of the price, or he creates something for his partner to show his love and devotion. People who identify as Hera tend to share the same friend group and interests with their partner, even when they initially do not like them. It is a general headcanon that Crosshair will reluctantly do an activity with his partner because he prioritizes his partnerâs needs and wants over his, which is a Hera trait. I have seen one headcanon that Crosshair is willing to give his partner children if his partner wants them, which is also a trait of the Hera archetype.
People who identify strongly as Hera find fulfilment in playing the role of a housewife or a househusband. They can take care of everything in the house while their partner is away for work. Since Crosshair has some traits of the Hera archetype, it is possible for him to play the role of a househusband well. Imagine yourself coming back home from a long, tiring day of work, and you find that Crosshair has cleaned the entire house, done the laundry, cooked your favourite meal, prepared a bubble bath for you, and planned to give you a body massage to help you relax before you go to sleep. Basically, Crosshair can be a devoted partner that pampers and spoils you, making you feel that you are the most important person in his universe.
The Hera archetype grants a person the capacity for commitment. They are loyal and faithful to their partner, and they are willing to endure and go through difficulties with their partner. They are the ones who stay âfor better or worseâ, and they are willing to drop everything for their partner. Loyalty means everything to the clones, and Crosshair takes it very seriously. Crosshair is extremely loyal to the Bad Batch, and he will do anything for them. In âThe Bad Batchâ, when Rex takes charge of the mission after Cody is injured, Crosshair sees it as Rex challenging Clone Force 99 for authority, or more specifically, challenging Hunterâs leadership role. This causes Crosshair to defend Hunter and Clone Force 99 by pointing out that Cody has called them in to help Rex, so Rex has no right to challenge their authority. This scene evokes an image of a Hera person fiercely defending their partner. I can imagine Crosshair leaving the last ration bar for Wrecker, placing a warm blanket on Tech when he has fallen asleep on his desk, and giving Hunter a hug upon seeing how work has overwhelmed him. Crosshair always gives his best to his loved ones, and puts their needs above his.
In Greek mythology, Zeus got close to Hera by turning himself into a shivering little bird. Hera took pity of the bird and brought it close to her body to warm it up. Then, Zeus revealed himself as the chief god and made a promise to marry her, in which she accepted. People who identify strongly as Hera may find themselves attracted to powerful and successful people that are also emotionally immature like Zeus. This emotional immaturity is what makes a Hera person to view them as âa poor little creature in need of Heraâs warmth and protectionâ. This caring trait of Hera can be seen in Crosshair. Although Crosshair can get annoyed at Wreckerâs antics (even telling him to âgrow upâ), his complaints are never taken seriously by anyone. In âThe Bad Batchâ, when Jesse defends Rex from Crosshair, Wrecker grabs and lifts him by the throat. Crosshair then defends Wrecker by warning Kix to stay out of it and fights him. This shows that Crosshair is not just protective of Wrecker, he is also enabling Wreckerâs impulsiveness. In âAftermathâ, Crosshair complains about the smell in their barracks and he does not like their laziness on cleaning up the mess. Yet, his complaints are treated as passing comments, and he does not try to change the Bad Batch. He probably grumbles while cleaning up the mess they have created, as if he is just tolerating their bad habits. The Bad Batch probably even sees it as a hobby for Crosshair that is not sharpshooting. Just like how Hera views Zeus in his poor little bird form, it is possible that Crosshair views Hunter, Tech and Wrecker as âpoor little boysâ in need of his warmth and protection. He feels the need to fiercely defend them from criticisms and insults, and he does not feel the need to change them at all, even if their antics do annoy him.
When the goddess Hera was worshipped in Greek temples and the marriage of Zeus and Hera was ritually enacted, Zeus was called Zeus Teleios, which meant âZeus, Bringer to Fulfilmentâ. With that, a Hera person unconsciously places an archetypal expectation of fulfilment on their partner, with the assumption that they will be transformed by marriage. This tendency to project an image of an idealized partner onto a person can usually lead to disappointment, criticism and anger from the Hera person, causing them to urge their partner to change.
To a Hera person, a happy marriage means that their partner is devoted to them, placing their marriage first, and appreciating them as their wife or husband. However, a Hera person is usually drawn to people like Zeus, who are devoted to their careers. A Zeus person usually uses marriage to boost their social image by marrying someone from the same class or higher than his, and they can appear side by side in public. This type of marriage is a personal disaster for a Hera person due to their partnerâs lack of involvement and concern of her. Yet, no matter how dissatisfied the Hera person feels about the marriage, they are the least likely to seek divorce and instead, they choose to bury their feelings by putting on the image of a perfect couple.
People who identify strongly as Hera have a tendency to place their relationship with their partner above everything else. They believe in marital promises of eternal devotion and they are willing to make sacrifices for their partner. They can give up their education to be a full-time wife or husband for their partner, get a job to support their partner, or relocate to another town or country if their partner wants to move. Hera people usually do not maintain family ties and friendships made before marriage. They are usually not close with their own children since they tend to prioritize their partner over their children. They also do not maintain their own interests prior to marriage. They instead make themselves conform to their partnerâs life, interests and friends. These constraints can lead to problems for a Hera person, and they are made worse if their partners do not give them support to grow beyond the Hera archetype.
The Hera archetype can be such an overwhelming force that it oppresses people, and it turns people into oppressors. This archetype may make an unmarried person feel incomplete and they may end up in a bad marriage. This archetype may also cause a married person to stay in a bad marriage no matter how damaging it is to them. They may constantly nag at their partner for failing to live up to the image of Zeus who fulfils, or they may become enraged and jealous if their partner is unfaithful â be it in a factual or an imaginary scenario.
Whenever Zeus cheats on Hera, the goddess does not channel her rage towards her husband. Instead, she channels her destructive and vindictive rage at the other women (e.g. Callisto, Io, Leto, Aegina), at children conceived by Zeus with other women (e.g. Heracles, Dionysus), or at innocent bystanders (e.g. Echo). Just like the goddess, Hera people tend to judge and punish other people by excluding or ostracizing them and their children, all because they do not meet Heraâs standards. Hera people are judgemental towards people who are unmarried, sensual, or divorced because they are seen as âa threatâ that can attract their married partner. Hera people are also judgemental towards people who are not personally threatening like unmarried mothers on welfare.
These disappointed expectations, constraints and judgmental attitude from the Hera archetype can be seen in Crosshair. In âAftermathâ, Crosshair does not see the difference between the Republic and the Empire because their roles as soldiers are being maintained. He expects the Bad Batch to stay as soldiers because that is what they are made for, and that is the only acceptable role for them. Besides that, Crosshair looks down on the regular clone troopers and does not like to work alongside with them because he sees himself and the Bad Batch as more superior than them. Of course, his decision to ostracize the regular clone troopers is also due to him and the Bad Batch are constantly bullied by the regs. When Omega approaches the Bad Batch and sits with them, Crosshair is not welcoming towards her. He sees her as a child, and that she should not hang out with soldiers like them.
Crosshair becomes extremely disappointed at Hunter when he chooses to disobey orders and he starts to prioritize Omegaâs safety. To him, good soldiers should follow orders, and Hunter is breaking it. Crosshairâs bitterness towards the Bad Batch grows when they leave him on Kamino and they have taken Omega with them, giving the feeling that he has been replaced. Although he is furious at the Bad Batch, he does not channel his destructive rage towards them, even though the Bad Batch thinks that he is trying to kill them. Instead, he channels his destructive rage towards other people. In âReplacementsâ, Crosshair executes ES-01 for insubordination and he orders the rest of the Elite Squad Troopers to execute innocent civilians, in which the Bad Batch has failed to do so earlier. In âReunionâ, Crosshair dismisses the Bad Batch for scavenging like rats since they no longer have a stable financial support after deserting the Empire. For Crosshair, being a soldier is the only truly acceptable role for a clone trooper. The life of a mercenary or a bounty hunter is a definite ânoâ for him and for any clone trooper.
In âReturn to Kaminoâ, Crosshair kills his own Elite Squad Troopers for refusing to stand down as he has ordered. He offers the Bad Batch to join the Empire to have a purpose again. Moreover, he tries to take Omega away from the Bad Batch, even telling Hunter to stop pretending to be a father figure to her, which in Crosshairâs eyes, is something Hunter is not. When the Bad Batch refuses Crosshairâs offer, he gets angry at them, warning them not to make the same mistakes twice and not to become his enemy. Despite witnessing and surviving the destruction of Tipoca City caused by the Empire, Crosshair still chooses to stay loyal to the Empire, and not even Hunterâs advice can get to him.
In âThe Solitary Cloneâ, Crosshair is seen to be eating his meal alone as other regular clone troopers move away from him. It is true that regular clone troopers usually have issues with âdefectiveâ clones like Crosshair, but Crosshairâs tendency to limit himself to only the Bad Batch also now becomes a side effect as he is no longer with his former squad. He has nobody close to him in the Empire. Although Commander Cody is a close friend of Crosshair, his eventual desertion wounds Crosshair, causing him to further shut himself off. Furthermore, Crosshair still chooses to return to the Empire despite being stranded on Kamino for 32 rotations, claiming that he is a soldier of the Empire. Even though Crosshair later becomes aware that the Empire is not treating the clones well, he finds himself unable to desert the Empire and his role as a soldier, just like a Hera person finds themselves unable to leave an abusive relationship or marriage.
The Medea syndrome, which originates from the Greek mythology character Medea, describes the spurned woman, which is the negative Hera pattern. The Medea myth is a metaphor that describes the Hera womanâs capacity to put her commitment to a man ahead of everything else, and her capacity for revenge when she finds that her commitment counts for nothing in his eyes.
In the myth, Medea was the priestess and daughter of King AeĂŤtes of Colchis. The Golden Fleece belonged to the king, and Jason and the Argonauts sought it. Jason needed help to obtain the Golden Fleece as it was well-guarded, and that he needed to complete three seemingly impossible tasks given by the king in a single day. His patron goddesses, Hera and Athena, managed to persuade Aphrodite to make Medea fall in love with him and help him steal the Golden Fleece. Jason begged Medea to help him and promised that he would marry her. So, out of her love and loyalty to Jason, Medea helped him steal the fleece. By doing so, she betrayed her father and her country, and brought about her brotherâs death. She fled with Jason, and they eventually settled in Corinth. They got married and had two young sons.
Since Medea was a foreigner, her position was similar to that of a common-law wife. Jason wanted a better life, so he decided to marry Glauce (or Creusa), the daughter of King Creon of Corinth. As a condition for the marriage, Jason agreed that Medea and their children would be exiled. Medea was enraged with Jason for breaking his vows, and she felt humiliated that all her sacrifices and crimes committed for him meant nothing to him. With that, she plotted and carried out her revenge.
First, Medea sent Glauce a gown and a golden coronet that were covered with poison as wedding gifts. Once Glauce put them on, she was burned to death. Her father tried to save her, but he was also burned to death. Then, Medea was in conflict between her love for her children and her desire for revenge. Ultimately, her desire for revenge won, and she murdered her children. When Jason learned of her vengeful plot, Medea fled to Athens in a golden chariot driven by dragons sent by her grandfather, the god of the sun Helios. Despite all the crimes Medea had done, she retained the favours of the gods. As for Jason, since he broke his oath to love Medea forever, he lost favour with Hera and he died alone and unhappy. His story ended with a rotting prow of the Argo breaking off and crushing him in his sleep.
Literal reenactments of the Medea myth are rare, but they are quite common on a metaphoric level. When a person is influenced by Hera and Aphrodite like what happened to Medea, their instinct to mate and their passion for their loved one may cause them to put that relationship above everything. They may leave their family and friends, betray their own values, and cut off any ties if necessary. They will not have any help or support if their partner behaves like Jason.
The Medea person may imagine or attempt to harm their partnerâs lover. For example, âMedeaâ may spread lies to damage the reputation of the other woman or man. Moreover, the Medea person may attempt to destroy their childrenâs relationship to their partner. They may take the children away, or make efforts to drive their partner away from the children. They may even make their children hate their other parent. It is worth noting that Medea did not murder Jason in the myth. Similarly, the hostile, spurned Hera often harms other people more than the partner who left them.
Crosshair shows his Heraâs destructive rage and the Medea syndrome in âReturn to Kaminoâ and âKamino Lostâ. When Hunter says that they are loyal to each other and not the Empire, Crosshair counters that Hunter is not loyal to him and he has not forgotten that time the Bad Batch left him behind on Kamino. Crosshair is also bitter that the Bad Batch has thrown away their legacy. I have seen headcanons that Crosshair is willing to make tremendous sacrifices for his squad, which aligns with Heraâs capacity for commitment. When the Bad Batch leaves him behind, Crosshair must have felt that all of his devotion and sacrifices mean nothing to his squad. This incident leads him to take on the hostile, spurned Hera archetype.
Furthermore, Crosshair tries to take Omega away from Hunter and send her on a shuttle off-world. Hunter pleads with Crosshair not to do it because Omega belongs with the Bad Batch. However, Crosshair says that Omega is in constant danger from living among fugitives like the Bad Batch, and he is doing this for her own good and for the Bad Batch too. Crosshair even tells Hunter to let go of Omega and stop pretending to be something that he is not â a father figure to the child. This argument evokes the metaphoric reenactment of Medea and Jason, where Crosshair is the âMedeaâ that threatens to take the child Omega away from Hunter the âJasonâ. True to Heraâs destructive rage, Crosshair has no intention of killing the Bad Batch despite their alleged treason and their disloyalty towards him. Instead, he kills his Elite Squad Troopers for refusing to stand down.
To grow beyond the Hera archetype, one must recognize Heraâs influence and understand the susceptibilities of this archetype. It is crucial for a Hera person to expand beyond the Hera archetype. They must realize that this archetype at best limits them, and at worst is destructive to them. They must consciously develop other archetypes, which can enrich their life and marriage, and give them the ability to adapt if death or divorce brings the marriage to an end.
Besides that, a Hera person should view marriage as a growth experience instead of an expectation of fulfilment. An insecure Hera person is highly susceptible to jealousy, and they can easily suspect infidelity or feel humiliated by their partnerâs inattention. They may alienate their partner with accusations or make their partner be more aware of the effects of their indifferences. Their partner may learn to respond to the Hera personâs needs with compassion. The Hera person must repeatedly decide whom to trust â the suspicious Hera within or their partner. To grow, they must resist Hera and give their partner credit for support and fidelity.
In the myths, Hera has two sons â Ares, the God of War, and Hephaestus, the God of the Forge. Hera favoured Ares, and âlike mother, like sonâ, Aresâs uncontrollable fury on the battlefield mirrored Heraâs uncontrollable vindictiveness. When a Hera person struggles with their vindictiveness and rage, they can transform their rage and pain into creative work by following the example of Hephaestus, whose wife Aphrodite was repeatedly unfaithful to him. Any kind of work, be it mental or manual, can help the Hera person to channel their rage in a healthy manner instead of being consumed and destroyed by it. Crosshair is close to Wrecker, who has a strong Ares archetype. Like Hera and Ares, they both express their rage directly, which is evident in âThe Bad Batchâ where Wrecker and Crosshair get into a fight with Jesse and Kix. Since Echo has a strong Hephaestus archetype, Crosshair can learn from Echo to channel his rage in a healthy manner.
It is normal for any person to grasp the loss once their partner has left them. For a Hera person, they are likely to believe that their partner will miss them and come back, just like that myth about Zeus and Heraâs reconciliation. In this myth, after a quarrel with Zeus, Hera left him and retreated to the island of Euboea, and there was nothing Zeus could say to change her mind. King Cithaeron then advised Zeus to stir her jealousy by announcing that he was about to marry Plataea, the daughter of Asopus. Then, Zeus arranged a mock wedding ceremony with a wooden statue of a woman that was wrapped up in a dress. Once Hera heard the news, she stormed into the wedding and tore away the dress from the figure, only to discover that it was a lifeless statue. Hera was amused by this prank, and she and Zeus reconciled and returned to Mount Olympus.
This myth provides several psychological elements for a possible reconciliation to occur. Firstly, Hera let go of more than her husband Zeus. She also let go of her hopes that he would change, and let go of the role of victimized, vindictive Hera. After Hera left, Zeus discovered that she was truly important to him. Zeus set up the mock wedding ceremony with a wooden statue to convey the message that each of his affairs had been a symbol to him (like the statue) rather than an important relationship. Hera was amused by it because she finally recognized that no other woman really had mattered to him all along, leading to a reconciliation. Life sometimes follows this mythic happy ending, but most of the time, it does not. A Hera person may see that separation has not changed her partnerâs heart. Then, they must accept reality, grieve and move on with their life.
Despite feeling betrayed by the Bad Batch leaving him on Kamino, Crosshair still clings onto the hope that they can be brothers again. He proves his loyalty towards them by killing his Elite Squad Troopers. Then, he offers them to join the Empire as their chance of reconciliation. However, they refuse his offer, forcing Crosshair to face the reality that the separation has not changed their hearts. When Hunter offers Crosshair a chance to rejoin the Bad Batch, Crosshair refuses, claiming that he has made his decision. At this moment, Crosshair lets go of more than the Bad Batch. He also lets go of his hopes that they will change, and lets go of the role of victimized, vindictive Hera. By accepting this reality, Crosshair is able to grieve and move on with his life without the Bad Batch. He stops chasing after them and he lets go of any desire for revenge. Of course, Crosshair is still loyal to the Bad Batch, and this is proven when he lies in his report that they have perished in the bombardment of Tipoca City. He still wants to protect them, even going so far as to send Plan 88 to warn them to hide.
In âThe Crossingâ, Tech admits to Omega that he does miss Crosshair. When Tech reveals that Crosshair is now under the hands of Dr. Hemlock, Wrecker is surprised that Crosshair has turned against the Empire. Based on his voice, Wrecker is hopeful that Crosshair will come back to them. Tech then pushes the mission to rescue Crosshair because he is their brother, and they do not leave their own behind. Omega, Wrecker and Echo are supportive of the mission, which leads Hunter to give the approval. Their attempt to rescue Crosshair conveys the message that Crosshair is truly important to them.
Since the worship for the goddess Hera was done in a yearly cycle (Hera the Maiden in spring, Hera the Fulfilled One in summer and autumn, and Hera the Widow in winter), there is an archetypal possibility for a Hera person to complete the cycle and begin anew. A Hera person can emotionally âwidowâ themselves by leaving a relationship or marriage that is empty, abusive or smeared with infidelity. They can then start anew and choose wisely this time. Their drive to be a committed partner can once again be fulfilled in a positive manner as they find themselves in a new relationship or marriage.
Crosshair takes on the archetypal Hera the Widow when conflict arises between him and Hunter, and it gets worse when the Bad Batch leaves him on Kamino. In âKamino Lostâ, Crosshair chooses to emotionally âwidowâ himself by not returning to the Bad Batch that clearly does not trust him anymore. This is evident when Wrecker, Tech and Echo point their blasters at Crosshair because they think that he is going to shoot Hunter, when in fact, he is going to shoot a grapple to save Omega. Although Crosshair has made a horrible decision to stay with the Empire, he does come to his senses after meeting Commander Mayday. When Mayday is devastated to realize that the Empire disposes the clones despite their loyalty and sacrifices, Crosshair finally understands that loyalty goes two ways. Since this loyalty between the clones and the Empire is only one-sided, Crosshair turns against the Empire. I am sure that once Crosshair is back with the Bad Batch, he can start anew with them and make wiser decisions this time â like he ârecyclesâ himself and takes on the archetypal Hera the Maiden.
Crosshairâs archetype combination is Poseidon, Apollo, Artemis and Hera (similar to Anakin Skywalker). These archetypes are opposites to each other: Poseidon is emotional while Apollo is logical; Artemis is independent while Hera is dependent on others. This combination gives Crosshair a lot of complexity: he is both logical and emotional, is an independent spirit but also deeply cares for his loved ones. In Greek mythology, Apollo and Artemis are twins, and they are both archers, capable of aiming their goals from afar. Apollo is associated with civilizations while Artemis is associated with the wilderness. The Apollo-Artemis combination helps Crosshair to accomplish his goals with ease. He works well with social institutions and he has a love for the wilderness. Besides that, the Poseidon-Hera combination is also possible for it reflects the relationship between Poseidon and his wife Amphitrite. Since a Poseidon person is more in touch with their emotions, they may place high importance on their loved ones, especially if they take on the mature Poseidon that embrace their emotionality in a positive manner. With that, a loving Poseidon can satisfy their Hera partner greatly. The Poseidon-Hera combination makes Crosshair an extremely loyal and committed person. He takes great care of his loved ones and he is fiercely protective of them.
It is worth noting that there is one myth where Poseidon, Apollo, Hera and Athena tried to overthrow Zeus, but they failed. They were punished except for Athena because she was the favourite child of Zeus. This myth gives an insight to the relationship between Hunter (Zeus), Tech (Athena) and Crosshair (Poseidon, Apollo and Hera). When Tech decides not to follow Hunterâs orders, Hunter gets annoyed by it but he lets Tech do his own thing. This is evident in âCut and Runâ when Tech decides to get their ship impounded by the Imperials because this is the simplest solution to get the chain codes. Hunter is angry that Tech goes against his plan, but he trusts that Tech has everything under control. He only warns Tech that Omega is on the ship. On the other hand, when Crosshair decides not to follow Hunterâs orders, Hunter immediately shuts him down. This is evident in âAftermathâ when Crosshair keeps shooting at Caleb Dume despite Hunter repeatedly orders him to stand down. Hunter even questions Crosshair about his actions, wondering what is wrong with him. Moreover, in the Hyperspace Stories #10, Hunter probably senses Crosshairâs frustration with the mission they are given, and he mistakes it as Crosshair questioning orders, which is why he reminds Crosshair that they have their orders. All of these seems to indicate that Tech is Hunterâs favourite, and Crosshair is treated like âthe middle childâ of the Bad Batch. It is also worth noting that Poseidon, Artemis and Hera are all known for their destructive rage that does not spare innocents, and this reflects on Crosshairâs wrath. If you want to live, do not ever get on his bad side.
Despite all four of his archetypes being opposites of each other, they all prioritize on loyalty and commitment, which are Crosshairâs main values. Crosshair is extremely committed to his duty as a soldier, but he is also committed to his loved ones (probably more than his duty as a soldier). He is fiercely loyal to his loved ones, and will do anything to protect them from harm. If you can see through his cold façade, you will find a man who is willing to make tremendous sacrifices to keep you warm and safe. You just need to be patient with him and be kind to him. As long as you are on his good side, rest assured that you will have a valuable friend and partner in Crosshair.
This is the sixth instalment of my Bad Batch analysis. This character analysis has two parts: innate archetypes and anima. I will be referring to âGods in Everymanâ by Jean Shinoda Bolen for this first part analysis. This innate archetype analysis is split into two parts.
Part 1 | Part 2
Apollo is the God of the Sun, and he is second only to Zeus as the most important Greek god. The Romans called him âApolloâ like the Greeks, or âPhoebusâ, which means âbright, shining, pureâ. He is also the god of the arts (especially of music, dance and poetry), prophecy and archery. He is the lawgiver and punisher of wrongs, the protector of herdsmen, and the patron of medicine, who can also bring plagues. He is often depicted with a bow and a lyre, and the laurel is his sacred plant. His two famous precepts, âKnow thyselfâ and âNothing in excessâ are inscribed on his temple at Delphi. Although he is noted for clarity and form, he has a lesser-known darker aspect, with both light and dark reflected in his symbols. Apollo is known as the pure, holy and cleansing god, which are all associated with the sun, his most important symbol. Swans are Apolloâs sacred birds, but so do crows and ravens, which represent his dark side. Snakes and wolves are also associated with Apollo. As a punisher of wrongs, Apollo is known to be cruel and can act vindictively.
The Apollo archetype is the most common archetype found in real people and in fictional characters. The clones have a strong Apollo archetype due to their military training and genetic modifications that cause them to be more inclined in following orders. This archetype is further enhanced during Order 66 as the inhibitor chip causes the clones to carry out orders without question. Crosshair has an enhanced Apollo archetype due to his genetic modification that grants him enhanced eyesight.
Apollo is an archer. His bow and arrow shafts are golden like the sun. It takes will, skill and practice to be an archer. An accomplished archer can aim for a distant target and be confident of hitting it, which comes naturally for people with strong Apollo archetype. People who identify as Apollo are logical and can easily relate to objective reality. They know what they want and have the will to accomplish their goal. They have a sense of future time, which enables them to plan ahead and set goals (like aiming at a target). Their targets are realistic, require effort to achieve it, and grant recognition. Crosshair is an accomplished sniper who is confident of hitting his targets from afar, even when the surroundings are a blur. In the Hyperspace Stories #10, Crosshair warns Wrecker that he can blast a flea off his back from 200 meters away in the pouring rain, and that he can do the same thing to Wreckerâs new toy. This indicates that Crosshair will do anything to accomplish his goals regardless of how difficult his goals are. Adding to his severe and unyielding personality, he has a very strong will to achieve his goals. Moreover, his goals are realistic for they are tangible and objective (for example, taking down a platoon of battle droids is a tangible goal). Like an archer, Crosshair has an excellent sense of future time, which enables him to plan out his trickshots perfectly as he knows where to place the reflecting mirrors and when to shoot to make those trickshots.
Apollo is the Greek god of prophecy, even though he himself does not prophesize. He gained this title by killing a great dragon or serpent named Python and taking over the oracle of Delphi as his temple, a site with a long history of prophetic divination. Through this myth, he was called Pythian Apollo and his priestess was Pythia. Apolloâs mediums were all women and their psychic divinations came from their communion with him. When people came to Apolloâs temple to consult with his oracle, the Pythia would enter a trance state and the priest would put questions to her and take down her words. The response would be turned over to another priest, who usually put it into the rhythm of poetry, though the meaning of the words was often obscure and ambiguous. Apollo as the god of prophecy fits his future-mindedness, like an archer who aims for a faraway target.
Crosshair has shown to exhibit some traits of Apollo as the god of prophecy, but it is usually limited to his ability to plan trickshots. He expertly places the reflecting mirrors on the surfaces as he has already predicted the movements of his targets. He also knows when to make the shot, which enables him to wipe out his targets with one precise shot. In âReturn to Kaminoâ, Tech notices that Crosshair has placed the reflecting mirrors on the walls of the training ground. The placement of mirrors allows Crosshair to take down all four Imperial troopers in one shot, while leaving the Bad Batch unscathed. Crosshair only makes the trickshot when the Imperial troopers refuse to stand down. This indicates that he has foreseen that the Imperial troopers will disobey his order, and that he has planned their deaths. Moreover, the placement of mirrors also indicates that he has foreseen the positions of the Imperial troopers and the Bad Batch will take once they are in the training ground, and he ensures that his trickshot will take down all the Imperial troopers but not harm the Bad Batch.
@wwheeljack has shared this link that explains the observation training taken by military snipers. In this exercise, the snipers observe the various given objects for a short period of time. Then, they need to remember and describe what they have seen â they are not allowed to say the names of the objects. This exercise reminds me of how the oracle of Delphi is sought out by the Ancient Greeks, which evokes the Apollo archetype. It does feel that Crosshairâs enhanced eyesight and sniper training have enhanced his Apollo archetype.
As the goal-oriented archer and the god of the sun and prophecy, Apollo is the far-distant one. He can live in the future, always planning ahead. He can rise above the situation or âgo skywardâ to see everything objectively or to see his experiences as spiritual lessons. People who are like Apollo response to emotional pain by distancing themselves from these feelings and rise above their emotions through intellectual understanding, a mindful spiritual practice, or repeating their own principles to themselves. In the myths, Apollo had a connection to the mysterious realm of the Hyperboreans, and taking his chariot pulled by swans, he went there during the winter months. The realm of the Hyperboreans was the ânortherly realm beyond the mountainsâ, and on a psychological level, this realm was depicted as a distant place of retreat, a starry world, another dimension, an Underworld or an enlightened world. Regardless of its depictions, the Hyperborean aspect of Apollo leads to feelings of isolation from others and the tendency to occasionally disappearing from this world into another.
As the far-distant one, Crosshair has the tendency to see the bigger picture. Throughout season 1, Crosshair explains his reasonings why he joins the Empire willingly, and keeps accusing Hunter that he cannot see the bigger picture. Moreover, Crosshair prefers to stay above his emotions when chaos breaks out. For example, when the food fight breaks out between the Bad Batch and the regular clone troopers, Crosshair chooses to ignore the commotion and continue to eat until his meal gets ruined. Interestingly, his transfer to the snowy planet of Barton IV can be interpreted as his travels to the realm of the Hyperboreans, despite the realm is not necessarily located in the Arctic Region by the Ancient Greeks. Though, the need to keep his helmet on can be Crosshairâs Hyperborean aspect of Apollo.
As the god of the sun, nothing hides from Apollo, like light shines through the darkness to expose every hidden thing. The Apolloâs clear-sightedness enables a person to see through lies, ulterior motives and hidden information. In the myths, on the day Hermes was born, he proceeded to steal cows from his half-brother Apollo. He hid his tracks by tying branches to his feet, and he laid down a false trail by having the cows walk backwards. When Apollo discovered his cattle were stolen, he noticed tracks that seemed to lead in the opposite direction, and he was not fooled. When Apollo demanded Hermes to reveal where his stolen cows were hidden, Hermes lied and tried to pass himself off as an innocent infant, in which Apollo did not buy into any of his lies. Helios, the god who personifies the sun in Greek mythology and who shares the same title as God of the Sun with Apollo, also exhibits the same clear-sightedness. In the myths, Helios was the one who tells Demeter that her daughter Persephone had been abducted by Hades, and Zeus had permitted it to happen. Helios was also the one who told Hephaestus that his wife Aphrodite had been cheating on him with Ares.
We have seen how Crosshair can easily see through lies and anything hidden from plain sight. In âA Distant Echoâ, Crosshair quickly figures out why Rex strongly believes that Echo is alive and is adamant of rescuing him because Rex feels guilty for leaving Echo for dead at the Citadel. His deductions are based on his observations of Rexâs body language and changes to his voice tone. In âOn the Wings of Keeradaksâ, Crosshair uses his helmet scanner to see through the walls, and reports that their enemies and many droids are approaching them. In âAftermathâ, Crosshair is not convinced that Hunter has stunned Caleb, which caused the Padawan to fall to his death in the waterfall. He even inspects the surroundings and the bottom of the waterfall using his helmet scanner to confirm his suspicions. Then, he points out that Hunter should look down not across when he sees someone falls, showing his understanding of body language and how observant he is. In âReunionâ, an Elite Squad Trooper reported that he cannot detect any life signs aboard the Jedi cruiser because the scanner is not working due to atmospheric interferences. However, Crosshair immediately knows that Tech has jammed their sensors and that Clone Force 99 is still onboard the ship. He also manages to predict that Tech has tapped into their comms to track down their movements. In âReturn to Kaminoâ, Crosshair immediately catches on Wreckerâs lie that they did not bring Omega with them. We know that our pupils dilate when we lie, and I am sure that Crosshair can see that even when we wear sunglasses or helmets with dark visor. I am also sure that Crosshair would never be impressed by magic tricks since they involve misdirection, deception and illusions. He is so observant that he can easily debunk the magic tricks. If you are hiding something, both Hunter and Crosshair will catch on quickly but with different methods â Hunter can sense it while Crosshair can observe it.
Crosshairâs Apollo archetype balances out his Poseidon archetype. When Crosshair unleashes his emotions, they are depicted as storms. The sun only comes out when the storms subside, indicating that he has finally calmed down and he now can see the truth. This motif is shown twice, which are in âKamino Lostâ and âThe Outpostâ. In âKamino Lostâ, the raging storm on Kamino has subsided by the time the Bad Batch reaches the landing platform at daybreak. The sun comes out, which is a rare occurrence in Kamino. At this moment, Crosshairâs anger, disappointment and sadness towards his teammates have returned to stable conditions after all the explosive arguments they have. When Hunter offers him a chance to rejoin the team, Crosshair turns it down because he sees through Hunterâs intentions. Hunter wants Crosshair to give up his life as a soldier and his allegiance with the Empire, which makes his offer conditional. This contradicts Hunterâs unconditional love towards his teammates (including Crosshair), and if Crosshair chooses to rejoin the team, it will mean that he chooses to sacrifice his values and live in the lie that everyone is fine with him (which is clearly not true because Tech, Wrecker and Echo aim their blasters at Crosshair, thinking that he is going to shoot Hunter). Crosshair can see through this inconsistency and he refuses to return.
In âThe Outpostâ, Crosshair and the injured Mayday endure the freezing conditions as they return to the Imperial base. Once they arrive there, the snow has stopped falling and the winds have ceased. The sun is hanging above the base as Crosshair begs Lieutenant Nolan to send a medic to save Maydayâs life. Nolan refuses, claiming that it will be a waste of the Empireâs resources. As Mayday succumbs to his injuries, Crosshair finally sees the truth â the Empire never cares about the clones because they are expendable, including him. The sun shining above Crosshair symbolizes his light side as the Empireâs cruelty towards the clones has been exposed in broad daylight. The Ice Vulture circling above Crosshair represents his dark side as Crosshair makes the decision to kill Lieutenant Nolan. The mountains behind Crosshair are positioned to look like the wings of the Ice Vulture â as if Crosshair has become the Ice Vulture. I interpret the Ice Vulture as the equivalent of the raven, Apolloâs sacred bird that represents his dark side. In the Greek myth, the raven was once white, and Apollo assigned it to keep an eye on his mortal wife Coronis, who was pregnant with his child. The bird reported to the god that she was cheating on him. Apollo responded by turning the ravenâs feathers from white to black, and he killed Coronis, which he later regretted it. However, he managed to save his unborn son from her body, and gave him to Chiron the centaur to raise. This son was Asclepius, who became the god of healing and medicine. Surprisingly, Apolloâs sacred birds â swans, crows and ravens â are known for their loyalty, and the same goes for vultures. These birds fit Crosshair well as loyalty is important to him.
Apollo is the favourite son of Zeus, and he is the second most important Greek god (the first being Zeus). From his birth, Apollo proclaims that his life mission is to carry out his fatherâs will. As the favourite son, Apollo people are likely to be basked in parental love, approval and praises, especially from traditional parents, as if there is a brightness cast about them. They are the success in the making, a positive reflection on their parents, and an achiever in a culture that values accomplishments. If they do not have a biological father, they will seek out the approval of other people who resemble Zeus. Crosshair has this archetypal affinity to excel and to please, and he constantly seeks out approval from Hunter, who has the Zeus archetype. This is hinted in âThe Bad Batchâ when Crosshair smirks as Hunter praises his sharpshooting skills. Crosshair also looks up to Commander Cody and Commander Mayday, who both have higher authority than him.
When Anakin (who has the higher authority as he is a Jedi General) leads the Bad Batch and Rex to rescue Echo, Crosshair is seen following and aiding him. In âA Distant Echoâ, Anakin is seen checking out Crosshairâs rifle, and Crosshair is fine with it (possibly even feeling proud that he is being noticed by a Jedi General). When Anakin is snatched away by a keeradak, Crosshair shoots a grappling line towards the flying reptile so Hunter can use it to track down Anakin. When the Bad Batch and Rex find Anakin has been pinned down by the creature and is surrounded by the Poletecs, Hunter commands Wrecker and Crosshair to carry out Plan âRockslideâ. Wrecker proceeds to push a boulder down to distract the Poletecs while Crosshair shoots an electric dart at the leg of the keeradak, forcing it to release Anakin. When Anakin tells them to split up so they can find Echo easier, Crosshair follows Anakin and saves him from almost being cornered by battle droids. Crosshair is also seen fighting alongside Anakin and Echo in the episode âOn the Wings of Keeradaksâ. In âUnfinished Businessâ, although Crosshair tells the rest of the Bad Batch and Rex to go as he helps them to buy some time, they stay back to see him performing impressive trickshots. I am sure that by staying back to watch his performance boosts Crosshairâs ego because he loves showing off and all eyes are on him. Crosshair is probably more determined to impress Anakin when he is present to witness his impressive trickshot where he destroys a group of battle droids with only one shot. Some fans jokingly say that Crosshair is disappointed that he does not receive praises from Anakin after that trickshot, so he feels the need to bring down Wrecker by jumping in to say that âhe wonât top him next timeâ.
Apollo is the lawgiver as he provides cities their legal institutions and a structure for communities to work together and settle disputes. He also interprets law, and he supports order and moderation. He is uncomfortable with chaos, turbulence or passionate intensity. He intends to bring form and provide order through rules, laws, measure and time. As the upholders of law and order, Apollo people have a strong conviction that they know what is right and good for everyone. They may be idealists who envision a time when all people may live peacefully under the rule of law that will guarantee justice and fairness. All clones have the Apollo archetype as they follow orders without much questioning. Although the Bad Batch has a tendency to deviate from standard protocol, they still mostly follow orders. When Order 66 is issued, the inhibitor chips enhance the Apollo archetype to the point that the clones mercilessly execute their Jedi Generals that they have been working together for years.
Crosshair takes on the law-and-order aspect of Apollo strongly, even taking the saying âgood soldiers follow ordersâ seriously. In âAftermathâ, Crosshair is somehow affected by the inhibitor chip, and tries to shoot Caleb Dume down despite Hunter keeps telling him to stand down. Crosshair later gets angry at Hunter for helping Caleb to escape and lying that the Padawan has been eliminated. To him, an order is an order, and Hunter should have completed the mission objective without considering the morality of the given order. When the Bad Batch refuses to execute Saw Gerrera and his people, Crosshair grumbles about the need to debate about morality, and states that they need to complete the mission. He believes that Saw Gerrera and his people are enemies of the Empire, and they should be eliminated. He even blames Hunter for making the team disobey orders, which causes them to be branded as traitors to the Empire.
With the effects of his inhibitor chip get amplified, Crosshair leaves the Bad Batch and joins the Empire. He carries out orders without hesitation. In âReplacementsâ, Crosshair orders his Elite Squad to execute the civilians associated with Saw Gerrera, and he even executes one of the members of his Elite Squad for refusing to obey his order. In âDevilâs Dealâ, he follows Rampartâs order and shoots one of Senator Taaâs lekku, which allows Rampart to arrest General Cham Syndulla, his wife and other insurgents for the attempted assassination of the Senator. In âThe Solitary Cloneâ, he carries out Governor Grottonâs order to execute Tawni Ames when Commander Cody fails to do so. In âReturn to Kaminoâ, Crosshair reveals that he already has his inhibitor chip removed, and that he willingly pledges his loyalty to the Empire. This shocks the Bad Batch and Hunter refuses to believe it, but Crosshair says that this is who he is. It is not out of character for Crosshair to stay loyal with the Empire even without the effects of the inhibitor chip because of his strong Apollo archetype. He even chooses to return to the Empire despite he is left on the Kaminoan platform for 32 rotations because he is a soldier of the Empire. When Commander Cody talks about the rumour that more Clone Troopers have been questioning Order 66, which explains the increasing number of their desertion, Crosshair describes them as traitors like the Jedi.
Moreover, Crosshair is shown to have a strong conviction of what he thinks it is right and good for himself, the Bad Batch and Omega. In âAftermathâ, he strongly believes that the Bad Batch should have obeyed orders like good soldiers because he does not want the team to get into trouble with the higher-ups. In âReturn to Kaminoâ, He believes that he and the rest of the Bad Batch are meant to be soldiers as this is their purpose. This is why he tells them to stop running and join the Empire because the Empire cannot protect the galaxy without strength, and he hopes to be a part of it. In addition, he tries to take Omega away from the Bad Batch and intends to send her on a shuttle offworld. He claims that this is for her own good and theirs as well. He tells Hunter that Omega is in constant danger from living among fugitives like the Bad Batch (which he has a valid point there), and that Hunter should let her go to protect her.
In Greek mythology, Apollo is known to have sibling rivalry and friendship with his younger half-brother Hermes, the Messenger God, and with his older twin sister, Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt and Moon. Competition emerged between Apollo and Hermes when Hermes stole Apolloâs cattle, and from whom Apollo received the lyre. Shortly after Artemis was born, she helped her mother Leto during her prolonged labour with Apollo. There was one myth where Apollo and Artemis were called upon by their mother Leto to avenge Niobeâs insult. In a myth about Artemis and Orion, Apollo was jealous of her love towards the hunter, so he created a challenge for Artemis, causing her to unknowingly kill Orion. As an archetype of the sibling and favoured older brother, Apollo people can easily become part of a team effort. They are also competitors, and they do it well thanks to their emotional distance. Though, they may not win the top position because they appear cautious and do not inspire others to see them as leaders. They also lack the drive to amass either power or money, the vision, decisiveness, or ruthlessness of a Zeus archetype. Crosshair has a brotherly relationship with members of Clone Force 99, and he works well with them. In the episodes âOn the Wings of Keeradaksâ and âUnfinished Businessâ, he and Wrecker have a sibling rivalry where they compete each other on who can take down the most droids. Though, Crosshair does not work well with regular clone troopers with the exceptions of Commander Cody, Commander Mayday and Captain Rex (at the later part of the Clone Wars arc).
Apollo values prudence, avoids physical danger, is emotionally distant, and prefers being an observer. This makes him a side-liner, not a hero. During the Trojan War, Poseidon challenged Apollo to a duel. Apollo turned it down and explained that he was not going to fight for insignificant, short-lived mortals. He still refused to be drawn into combat even when his sister Artemis called him a coward (and somehow Hera gave her a beating for that). Furthermore, Apollo was shown to actively dislike heroes. He refused the help from Heracles through the Pythian Oracle. He also opposed Achilles during the Trojan War. Achilles died when he was struck in the heel by an arrow, which was a vulnerable spot as that had not been bathed in the river Styx. In some versions, it was Apollo who killed Achilles, but in other versions, he was the one who guided Paris to take the shot. Apolloâs action is not a heroic act â he shoots an arrow from a distance instead of getting involved in direct combat.
Crosshair is shown to have traits of the non-hero. As stated in âStar Wars: The Clone Wars: Character Encyclopedia - Join the Battle!â book, Crosshair can be cynical and bitter about the war. He is not like Wrecker, who enjoys the thrill of being on the battlefield and engaging physical combat like a hero. He is a sniper who carefully takes down his targets from afar and without revealing his position. Although he carries out his duty as a soldier seriously, he does not like being in the battlefield. The book also states that Crosshair has little regard for regular clone troopers because he views them as expendables. This aligns with Crosshair telling Captain Rex that he would have left Echo for dead because he is âjust another regâ.
Apollo is the archetype of the musician. The bow and the lyre are the two stringed instruments belonging to Apollo. He uses the bow to release arrows, while he plucks the lyre to bring forth music. As the most alert Greek god, he produces music that leads people to a clearly seen truth. Apollonian music expresses clarity and purity that bring harmony and lift spirits up. Moderation and beauty are the essence and the effect of his music, which helps to charm beasts and soothe the tormented mind. Aside from music, dance and poetry are also associated with Apollo. Apollonian art is associated with order, reason, harmony, clarity and structure, which is the opposite of Dionysian art (from Dionysus the god of wine and ecstasy), which is associated with chaos, ecstasy, turbulence, emotional conflicts and passion.
I have seen headcanons of Crosshair being a musical expert â he can sing well, he can write songs, and he can play musical instruments (like the piano and bass guitar). He is likely into classical music and ambient music. He also likes songs with poetic lyrics. There are also headcanons that Crosshair is into other music genres like rock, blues, alternative, rap, and heavy metal. I accept these headcanons because Apollonian and Dionysian are the opposites of the same coin. It will be in character for Crosshair to be drawn to chaos, irrationality, intense emotions and passion. In this YouTube video between 17:00 to 19:00, Dee Bradley Baker, who voices the Bad Batch, comes up with the idea of Crosshair singing âThe Time Warpâ from âThe Rocky Horror Picture Showâ (someone even made a short animatic about it in this link). The song talks about madness, chaos, sexual freedom, sensations, and being in the present, which are Dionysian values. Crosshair may be drawn to these opposite values. Aside from music, there are headcanons that Crosshair is a great dancer (mostly ballet), he writes poetry (perhaps to express his cynicism and bitterness towards the war), and he is into calligraphy, literature and aesthetic art, which align with Apollonian values.
People like Apollo tend to live in their heads, rather than in their bodies, emotions or imagination. Hence, Apollo men are not lovers. Their single-minded focus means that they are not easily distracted by attractive partners. Their relationships with women usually lack passion and emotional depth, which lead to both parties having a brother-sister relationship instead. With this arrangement, Apollo men tend to work best with Artemis and/or Athena women because these women are independent, competent and competitive, just like Apollo men. Though, Apollo men can be attracted to their opposites, which is shown in the myths where Apollo is in love with Sybil and Cassandra, who are psychic women â emotional, irrational, impractical and often unimpressed with him. Most Apollo men find these women fascinating, frustrating and unpredictable, and they may try to control them.
Although Apollo is handsome, virtuous and dependable, he is unsuccessful in love as he is rejected by Daphne, Cassandra, Sybil and Marpessa. Even his love for Hyacinth ends in tragedy when he accidentally kills Hyacinth in a discus-throwing contest. Jean Shinoda Bolen interpreted the women Apollo desires but gets rejected by them as the same women who also may reject Apollo men. These women reject Apollo because he lacks depth and intensity, emotional closeness and expressiveness, or sexual spontaneity. Some women reject an Apollo man because they sense that he is too attached to appearances.
Marpessa was loved by Apollo and a mortal man named Idas. Zeus allowed her to choose her lover between the two. Marpessa wisely chose Idas because she was aware that Apollo would desert her when she became old and grey. This myth can serve as a metaphor of choosing a âhumanâ relationship that has the potential to grow and change over time, rather than a relationship with the unchanging Apollo.
When it comes to his relationships with Sybil and Cassandra, Apollo mistakenly assumes that love can be given in exchange for what he can provide. Apollo granted Sybil the gift of prophecy (which was how the famous Sybilline oracles came about) but she rejected him. Apollo taught Cassandra the art of prophecy on the condition that she became his lover, but she did not keep her word. Apollo got his revenge by cursing her that nobody would believe her. With the onset of the Trojan War, Cassandra continuously tried to warn everyone about the future calamities but she was shut away as a mad woman.
Although an Apollo man is cut away from his instinctual, sexual, and sensual thoughts, these thoughts may arise occasionally. His ability to focus on goals combining with his sexual desire may cause him to pursue the person he loves with great enthusiasm and passion. This is similar to the myth where Apollo was struck by an arrow shot by Eros (also known as Amor or Cupid), causing him to fall in love with Daphne and he actively pursued her. If the woman has not fallen in love with him, like Daphne in this myth, she is unlikely to relate to the intensity of his feelings due to the lack of intimacy and communication in the early stages of the relationship. She may feel like a pursued Daphne and may flee from him, as she feels more like an object he wants to possess than a woman being wooed. The myth of Apollo and Daphne ended with Daphne turning into a laurel tree to escape from the god overtaking her. Apollo still loved her, and the laurel became his sacred tree, with her leaves being made into wreaths that adorned his hair.
Even if an Apollo man manages to win a womanâs heart, she may become disappointed at him with his tendency to âgo awayâ as a lover. She may even be unfaithful in his âabsenceâ like the myth of Apollo and Coronis as stated earlier. If a woman desires substance rather than form, needs emotional depth rather than the security of an enduring relationship, or her nature is passionate, intense and in the moment (like Aphrodite the Goddess of Love and Beauty), she will be unhappy with her relationship with an Apollo man. This is because an Apollo man often does not see the importance of sexual attraction, physical affection and intimate verbal communication. When facing relationship difficulties, the Apollo man often withdraws as he does not see them as his problems. He can stay comfortably in a relationship or a marriage marked by emotional distance and lack of passion. His partner may feel lonely because of his lack of emotional and communication depth. She may become more like Apollo and start to cut herself off from her emotions, or she may become more irrational or hysterical in an unsuccessful attempt to get him to react emotionally.
Fortunately, Crosshair has the Poseidon archetype to balance out his Apollo archetype. This means that he is âhandsome, virtuous and dependableâ like Apollo, while also capable of depth and intensity, emotional closeness and expressiveness, intimacy, and sexual spontaneity like Poseidon. This archetype combination may make him an ideal partner, but with Poseidonâs relentless passion combining Apolloâs single-mindedness, he risks mirroring the myth of Apollo and Daphne if his desired partner does not reciprocate his feelings. Moreover, there is a tendency that he may occasionally sway too far into one archetype if he is unbalanced. This is because Apollo and Poseidon are the opposites â Apollo is associated with emotional distance, while Poseidon is associated with overwhelming emotions. If Crosshair chooses to distance himself emotionally, he may go too far to the point of inadvertently pushing people away and becoming lonely. However, if he chooses to give into his intense emotions, he may carry out his actions too far and inadvertently hurt other people, which can cause them to become terrified of him. Hence, it is important for Crosshair to find his centre or âSelfâ so he can take on the best aspects of both archetypes while reducing the risk of being âtaken overâ by either of them. This is possible if his âSelfâ is strong, which is associated with Hestia, the main archetype of Echo.
Since Apollo is âabove it allâ due to being the sun god, he is emotionally distant. This causes him to communicate about his emotions indirectly. When people seek his advice about something that he does not clearly understand, Apollo speaks through the Delphic Oracle, which contains ambiguous messages that require interpretation. People around an Apollo person often have to interpret the cryptic words that hint at their feelings. The Apollo person will withdraw further if they get the meaning wrong or if they try to draw them out. It is ironic that Apollo, the god of clarity who can make a person speak so precisely and clearly about an impersonal subject, is unable to make a person express themselves clearly. Furthermore, Apolloâs emotional distance also means the tendency to avoid emotional conflict, like the god refusing to respond to Poseidonâs challenge to fight during the Trojan War. He prefers to assess or judge the situation or the person from a distance. He is unwilling to âget close upâ â be vulnerable and empathic â in order to truly know someone else.
It is clear that Crosshair struggles to express himself and his emotions through words â he prefers to express it through action. In âThe Bad Batchâ, Jesse gets angry at Crosshair because he interprets his words as insulting the regular clone troopers and disrespecting Captain Rex. In âA Distant Echoâ, Rex interprets Crosshairâs words as he does not care about Echo, which causes him to angrily punch Crosshair. In these occasions, Hunter does not call out Crosshair or intervene when Rex punches Crosshair, possibly because he knows that Crosshair does not mean it. In âAftermathâ, Crosshairâs inhibitor chip is somehow activated, which causes him to become adamant about following orders. Crosshair does not understand what is wrong with himself, and his inability to properly communicate his issues with his teammates only worsens with the effects of the inhibitor chip. To make matters worse, Hunter, Tech, Wrecker and Echo do not understand what is wrong with Crosshair. They are confused of his behavioural change since they never have an issue with disobeying orders as they do it all the time. In addition, they are more focused on trying to escape the makeshift prison then dealing with Crosshairâs antics. Crosshair feels frustrated that they do not understand him and he withdraws from the team. He withdraws further when Omega tries to draw him out. In âReturn to Kaminoâ, Crosshair offers the Bad Batch to join the Empire so they can have a purpose again. Hunter counters that Crosshair does not get who they are. Crosshair feels hurt that they do not understand his intentions and feelings towards them, and warns them not to make the same mistake twice and become his enemy. Hunter tells him that they never are enemies. Throughout âKamino Lostâ, Crosshair keeps on explaining why he chooses to join the Empire willingly, but the Bad Batch does not get him and they struggle to accept that he does this without the influence of the inhibitor chip. This causes Crosshair to withdraw himself further to the point of refusing to rejoin the Bad Batch.
People who identify as Apollo are influenced by their innate characteristics, culture and family of origin. If their family discourages emotional expression and perception, as well as enforcing a culture that disapproves vulnerability, encourages competition, and rewards acquiring power, the Apollo person, especially if they are intelligent and good-looking, may become narcissistic. This negative aspect may be worsened if they have narcissistic parents. These parents are likely to make the Apollo child to become an extension of themselves. They feel better about themselves when their Apollo child âwinsâ and demand that their child reflects well on them. This child feels the need to win in order to retain the conditional love of their parents, which can lead to anxiety and they end up performing worse.
An Apollo person whose life is full of successes may become arrogant. Their sense of self may become inflated, as if they identify with the god or the archetype. They may forget that they are human, and may assume that they can take on much more that they are able. This can lead to disastrous results, just like what happens to PhaĂŤthon, the son of Helios. In this myth, PhaĂŤthon was told by his mother that he was the son of Helios, and the young man boosted about it. When he was not believed in, he set forth to find Helios to confirm the truth. Helios acknowledged his paternity, and to assure PhaĂŤthon further, he promised to grant him any favour he wished. PhaĂŤthon requested to drive the sun chariot across the sky for one day. At daybreak, PhaĂŤthon put on his fatherâs sun crown and climbed into the chariot. The great horses of the sun felt his unfamiliar and inexperienced hand on the reins and left the usual path taken by the sun. PhaĂŤthon lacked the strength or experience to check their flight, and the blazing heat of the sun scorched the earth. To save the earth from further damage, Zeus struck PhaĂŤthon down with a lightning bolt. Helios, distraught over the loss of his son, allowed the earth to go without light for one whole day, before once more putting the sun chariot on its regular course. Jean Shinoda Bolen interprets PhaĂŤthonâs assumption that he could drive Apolloâs chariot as âan ego tripâ that hurts others and causes him to be struck down.
The Bad Batch consists of Hunter, Tech, Wrecker and Crosshair, who are all enhanced clones. Crosshair views himself and his squad as more superior than the regular clone troopers or âregsâ. In âThe Bad Batchâ, Crosshair sneers at Jesse and tells him that they usually do not work with regs. In âA Distant Echoâ, Crosshair says that he would have left Echo for dead too because he is âjust a regâ (though his actions say otherwise). In âReturn to Kaminoâ, Hunter realizes that Tipoca City is being decommissioned, which is not a good sign because he has been informed that the Empire is phasing out clones next. Crosshair is unconcerned of it because he thinks that his loyalty to the Empire, his exceptional sharpshooting skills and his superiority will mean that he gets to keep his position. Moreover, he tries to convince the Bad Batch to join the Empire as they are superior to the âregularsâ and their strength can help the Empire to protect the galaxy. When the Bad Batch refuses his offer, he tells them that Kamino, the regular clones, and the Galactic Republic's time are over. He claims that the Empire will control the entire galaxy and he hopes to be a part of it. Crosshairâs assumption that he would be important to the Empire is his âego tripâ which hurts the Bad Batch, and it eventually causes him to be âstruck downâ when he realizes that he is disposable in the eyes of the Empire in spite of his skills, abilities and loyalty.
Apollo is known to be cruel and punitive, especially when he has been humiliated and dominated by someone else. He does not show mercy when he defeats a rival or when he enacts his revenge. In one myth, Marsyas the Satyr challenged Apollo to a musical contest, with the agreement that the victor could do whatever he liked to the loser. There were many variations of the contest, but the most notable one was that Apollo won the contest because he could play the lyre upside down, but Marsyas could not do it with his flute. As punishment for his hubris to challenge a deity, Apollo had Marsyas tied to a tree and stripped his skin off alive, which is inhumane and cruel. In another myth, after Cassandra did not keep her word, Apollo allowed her to keep the gift of prophecy, but he proclaimed that nobody would believe in her. This punishment is both creative and cruel as Cassandra suffers both for knowing the horrible future and living through it.
Crosshair has been shown to be capable of cruelty, especially towards those who disobeys his orders. In âReplacementsâ, ES-01 questions Crosshairâs leadership and the efficiency of the clones. He also tells Crosshair that the Empire is currently hiring human recruits, which means Crosshair may soon be replaced. This must have been humiliating to Crosshair, and with his emotional intensity, he is not going to let it slide so easily. When Crosshair decides to execute the civilians in compliance with the order to wipe out Saw Gerreraâs camp, ES-01 refuses to comply because he feels that the order is wrong. He takes over leadership as he tells the squad to ignore Crosshair and they should bring the civilians in for questioning. Crosshair coldly reminds ES-01 that the reason he is put in charge is because he is willing to do whatever it needs to be done. Crosshair then shoots ES-01 in the chest and in front of the squad as a punishment of his insubordination. Although not as cruel as Apollo flaying Marsyas alive, it is enough to cause the rest of the squad to obey his command and execute the civilians.
In âReunionâ, Crosshair hunts down the Bad Batch for being traitors to the Empire. He and his troops surround them at the end of the ion engine chamber, and he orders one of his troops to activate the engine. His plan is to trap the Bad Batch within the ion engine and force them to surrender as to avoid being burned by the engine flare. However, the Bad Batch manages to outsmart Crosshair and escape from being incinerated, while Crosshair gets burned by the ion engine. In âReturn to Kaminoâ, when the Elite Squad Troopers reject Crosshairâs order to stand down, he makes a creative trickshot to execute all four of them at once.
Although Apollo is known for his clarity, moderation and healing abilities, the Ancient Greeks also believed that his poisoned arrows brought pestilence and sudden deaths to mortals. Jean Shinoda Bolen interpreted these poisoned arrows as âvenomous wordsâ uttered by an Apollo person. When a moderate, rational Apollo person unleashes his fury, he unleashes his repressed emotions that are primitive, undeveloped and irrational. The Apollo person becomes a venomous snake that harms others with words. His hostile words are often directed towards his loved or respected ones who have hurt him, humiliated him, or did not live up to his expectations. Though, his own positive self is the major casualty. Dee Bradley Baker describes Crosshairâs voice as âa coiled snakeâ, and his words are âdeliberate and ready to strikeâ â resembling the dark aspects of Apollo. We have seen how his venomous words have wounded many people around him. In âThe Bad Batchâ, Crosshairâs words have incited Jesseâs anger, which causes a conflict between the regular clone troopers and the Bad Batch to break out. In âA Distant Echoâ, Rex is wounded by Crosshairâs words and he punches the sniper in a fit of rage.
Throughout Season 1, Crosshair accuses Hunterâs failed leadership as the reason the squad is in trouble, which causes Hunter to start questioning his leadership skills, and he blames himself for leaving Crosshair behind. In âKamino Lostâ, Wrecker is hurt by Crosshairâs mocking his intelligence, and he points out that Crosshair never once tried to reunite with his teammates by his own volition, and that they would have accepted him back. In the same episode, Omega tells Crosshair that she wants to believe that the inhibitor chip has made him like this but she is wrong, indicating that she is hurt by his claim that he already has the chip removed and he willingly joins the Empire.
Since an Apollo person tends to live in their heads and uphold their values, they are often ruled by an idea of what it should be. They care greatly about their appearances, and they want order to their own worlds. They are unlikely to make choices based on their heart, emotions and instincts because these are devalued within them. As a result, an Apollo person can remain in a boring and meaningless job, an empty marriage, or a study course they are not interested in, despite knowing that something better exists out there. With their tendency to emotionally distance themselves, they are able to appear unaffected by the loss.
Crosshair is a sniper, which means he only takes the shot when he is absolutely certain that he can hit his target. Any slight miscalculation will give away his position and possibly compromise the mission. With that, I can see that Crosshair is a risk-averse person. This is evident when Omega suddenly shoots the rifle out of Crosshairâs hand, taking him by surprise. When she starts spraying several blaster bolts in his direction, Crosshair chooses to retreat as he cannot predict her movements, let alone predicting that she can use a blaster well.
We know that Crosshair is proud of being part of Clone Force 99 for they are known for their 100 percent success rate. This makes Crosshair believe that they deserve challenging missions as seen in the Hyperspace Stories #10 when he initially complains that the mission to investigate battle droids can be done by regular clone troopers. Being part of Clone Force 99 also means that Crosshair sees himself and his teammates as the more superior one. In âThe Bad Batchâ, when Rex takes charge of the mission to the Cyber Center, Crosshair challenges his authority because Clone Force 99 has been called in to help Rex, which means they (or more specifically, Hunter) should be in charge, not Rex.
With the rise of the Empire, the Bad Batch decides to defect because they do not agree with the Empireâs orders. They become mercenaries while also taking care of Omega. On the other hand, Crosshair doubles down on what he is made for and what he is always good at â as a soldier. He believes that the Bad Batch is made to be superior soldiers, and that the Empire will benefit from their skills and abilities. In âReturn to Kaminoâ, Crosshair offers the Bad Batch to stop running and join the Empire to have a purpose again. To him, being a soldier is all that matters, and it does not matter that his allegiance is to the Republic or to the Empire. He is angry that Hunter chooses to throw away the squadâs legacy and defect. He feels that Hunter has brought chaos to his ideal world and has tarnished the squadâs reputation. He even tells Hunter to let Omega go and stop pretending to be something that he is not â a father figure to Omega. He also looks down at Omega because she is a child, despite that she has proven many times that she is a helpful ally, and she even saves him from drowning.
Even if Crosshair knows that the Empire is bad news, he is unwilling to break away from his values and his ideal world. He tries to justify the Empireâs action of destroying Tipoca City, saying that the Clone Wars is over and now the Empire will expand their control across the galaxy. Although he is left stranded on Kamino for 32 rotations, he still chooses to return because he is a soldier of the Empire. Since Crosshair cannot see what lies ahead if he chooses to give up being a soldier, he is unwilling to take the risk and run away. He stays with the Empire because they can bring structure and stability to his life, like providing him food, weapons, clothing, shelter and payment. He even scoffs at the thought of being more than a soldier as he sneers at the Bad Batch for scavenging like rats in âReunionâ. He also calls the clones that are questioning the Empireâs orders as traitors like the Jedi in âThe Solitary Cloneâ. His tendency to live in his head and his decision to choose order above all else have made him physically and emotionally distant from everyone. The more detached he becomes, the lonelier he gets, which is shown throughout Season 2.
It is necessary for an Apollo person to grow beyond their rational and logical mind, and be in touch with their heart and body. Jean Shinoda Bolen has proposed four methods to grow beyond the Apollo archetype. The first method is to make room for Dionysus in the psyche. Apollo shared his temple at Delphi with Dionysus. Inside the temple, there was a grave of Dionysus, and the cult of Dionysus celebrated his death as an adult god and his reincarnation as a new-born infant. During the three winter months, Dionysus was worshipped and celebrated there, while Apollo went away to the realm of the Hyperboreans. Jean Shinoda Bolen interprets it as the Apollo person must realize the need to live in the moment, and to be absorbed in sensation, feeling, inner imagery, or outer experience, which will allow Dionysus to be present.
Many Apollo people can gain access to the Dionysus archetype through Dionysian music and dance. Dionysian music and dance are perceived as a bodily experience that invites people to dance spontaneously and without self-consciousness. They respond to the music instinctively, letting their bodies move with the flow of the music. In romance, Apollo people are goal-oriented and technique minded. They tend to stay aware of the clock and they may be self-conscious in how they express their love. By allowing Dionysus to take over the romantic aspects, the person becomes more focused in the present and becomes less conscious of their sensuality and methods of expressing love. The relationship will feel like a soulful communion or an emotional merger. I have seen fans describing Crosshair being critical of his appearance and becoming anxious in pleasuring his partner, and I think these are true to his Apollo character. With that, he must learn to let Dionysus in his romantic life, and this can be done with encouragements from his partner.
Hunter is innately Dionysus while Crosshair is more like Apollo. They are the opposites and they balance each other out. When Hunter focuses too much on his body or other people, Crosshair likely helps to shift his focus. For example, in âAftermathâ, Crosshair wants Hunter to focus on the mission and stop being bothered by Omega. It is possible when Crosshair stays in his head for too long, Hunter encourages him to let go and live in the moment. I have mentioned that Dee Bradley Baker once proposed the idea of Crosshair singing âThe Time Warpâ, which evokes the Dionysus archetype. Dee Bradley Baker once joked that Crosshair would be the one that sits in the back of the classroom eating a bottle of glue (link here), which also evokes the Dionysus archetype. This means that it is possible for Crosshair to move his Apollo archetype aside for the Dionysus archetype.
One of Apolloâs principles is âKeep the woman under ruleâ, and Jean Shinoda Bolen interprets as an Apollo manâs tendency to suppress his anima, the unconscious feminine of a man. Carl Jung views the anima or inner woman as the realm of emotions and relatedness, which is linked to the manâs emotionality and capacity for closeness and receptivity, which is usually undeveloped. With that, the second method to grow beyond the Apollo archetype will require one to liberate the anima or inner woman. This liberation means to have a positive regard for âfeminineâ values, which allows one to honour their own feelings and the feelings of others. This method helps an Apollo person to get out of their head and into their heart or body, which enables them to feel connected to nature and all living beings. According to Jean Shinoda Bolen, most Apollo men gradually develop their anima through loving women who do not live in their heads and who can speak for their feelings. An Apollo person often hurts other peopleâs feelings unconsciously or due to their self-centered attitude. The Apollo person must be willing to listen and learn about feelings so they can be more caring towards others and not wanting to offend others.
Although Crosshair is surrounded by his brothers, he is free to liberate his anima (which is discussed in this link) under the encouragement of his brothers. Hunter has a strong Demeter anima, which is the mother archetype. Wrecker has a strong Aphrodite anima, which is the lover and creative woman archetype. Echo has a strong Persephone anima, or more specifically Persephone Queen of the Underworld. Demeter, Aphrodite and Persephone are associated with emotions, instincts and connectedness with others, which can help Crosshair to develop some positive regards for these values. Echo also has a strong Hestia anima, which is the wise maiden aunt archetype. This wise maiden aunt archetype can encourage Crosshair to follow his heart. Like Echo, Omega has a strong Persephone archetype, but it is more towards Persephone the Kore, which is the maiden archetype. This maiden archetype can encourage Crosshair to have a hopeful outlook in life, to be willing to trust others, and to be kind and compassionate. Even though Tech has a strong Athena anima, which is a feminine archetype that leans more towards living in oneâs head and becoming detached from the heart and body, he has the Hermes archetype to counter it. Since Hermes is known to be an alchemist, a guide of souls and the rescuer of the child, he has the ability to unite masculinity and femininity, which is extremely helpful for Crosshair. By surrounding with people who view emotions, instincts, sensuality, and connectedness with others as positive values, Crosshair can learn to listen and be more considerate of other peopleâs feelings.
When a person is a sun-blessed Apollo, they begin life with a favoured status and with some advantages that help them to succeed in this world. The successful Apollo person usually takes credit for their accomplishments and assumes that their success is well deserved, leading them to become prideful. They may also blame others for not succeeding, without considering other factors such as circumstances, status quo, personality or intelligence. Hence, the third method to grow beyond the Apollo archetype will require one to learn humility. An Apollo person may need to actually be in someoneâs shoes, or to suffer loss and feel grief, before they realize how arrogant they were and how much they did not know or appreciate. They may need to make a terrible mistake and be forgiven to experience humility. They may need to grow older and go through humbling experiences to become wiser.
The events of âThe Outpostâ finally gives Crosshair the hard lesson of humility. By working alongside Commander Mayday, Crosshair is able to actually feel the fit of a different pair of shoes. Although Mayday is a regular clone trooper, he is highly experienced, confident without a hint of hubris, and caring towards others. Yet, Lieutenant Nolan looks down at him for being a clone. After Crosshair and Mayday realize that the stolen cargo that they are sent to retrieved contain Stormtrooper gear, Mayday gets upset that they and their fellow brothers are thrown aside despite their combat service, sacrifice and loyalty. From here, Crosshair finally sees and feels himself in the same position as Mayday â the Empire still chooses to cast him aside despite his loyalty, exceptional skills and his supposed superiority as an enhanced clone. Later, Crosshair loses Mayday and he feels immense grief over his death. He is furious at Lieutenant Nolan for refusing to provide medical attention to Mayday. Lieutenant Nolan represents the worst aspects of an Apollo person â arrogant, cruel, thinking he is above everyone else despite lacking of command experience, and disregarding others who are below him. Upon witnessing and experiencing Nolanâs cruelty and hubris, Crosshair finally realizes how arrogant he was in the past. He also finally realizes that he did not appreciate the Republic, the Jedi, the Bad Batch, regular clones like Rex and Cody, and Omega, who are all better than how the Empire treats him and other clones. Crosshairâs decision to kill Lieutenant Nolan represents his decision to kill off his arrogant self and choose to become humble.
An Apollo person has a tendency to always do what is expected of them, without questioning whether they really want to do it. Since young, they gain love and approval for conforming to the rules, which is not difficult for them based on their archetypal nature. It often takes around the time when a mid-life crisis hits to make them start questioning their life. The fourth method to grow beyond the Apollo archetype requires one to make decisions based on love instead of logic. Once an Apollo person starts following their heart, they step out of the boundaries of their âknownâ rational world. They become human: they know that they are now vulnerable and they may make mistakes, but they are willing to take risks. They also give up the emotional distance that both protect them and keep them isolated.
Crosshair has a natural tendency to do what is expected of him, and he does it without questioning. He gains love and approval for being a good soldier that follows orders. His self-worth is based on what he is good at â as a soldier and as a sharpshooter. As a result, he does not see himself being more than a soldier and a sharpshooter. However, throughout the series, we are seeing Crosshair starts to follow his heart. In âReunionâ, Admiral Rampart orders Crosshair to execute Clone Force 99 for their desertion have made them traitors to the Empire. However, Crosshair reveals that he never intended to kill them in âReturn to Kaminoâ, which means he is going against the Empireâs orders. Moreover, in âRescue on Rylothâ, when Howzer chooses to stand up to the Empire and helps the rebels to escape, Crosshair does not choose to execute him for treason or for going against orders, which he has done previously to ES-01 in âReplacementsâ. Furthermore, in âKamino Lostâ, Crosshair chooses to save Omega from drowning even though his action does not fully regain his brothersâ trust. Although Crosshair is disappointed that the Bad Batch refuses his offer to join the Empire, he still chooses to protect them, lying in his report that they have perished in the bombardment of Tipoca City. In âThe Outpostâ, Crosshair gives up the mission to retrieve the stolen cargo, and chooses to bring Mayday back to the Imperial base in hopes that he will get medical treatment. In âTipping Pointâ, Crosshair shoots the Stormtroopers but he chooses to stun Emerie Karr instead. He does this because Emerie has been at least kind to him, and it is possible that he knows that she is a female clone like Omega. When he attempts to escape, he sends Plan 88 to the Bad Batch, warning them to hide as the Empire is after Omega. He puts his brothers and sister above his need to be rescued. Of course, this journey wonât be easy for Crosshair, but as long as he continues to put an effort to let love be his motivator, he would gradually see himself as more than a soldier and a sharpshooter, and realize that his self-worth is not determined by people with authority. He would also learn to be vulnerable and be willing to take a leap of faith into the unknown.
I have the Apollo archetype as my animus. I was born into a well-off family that prioritizes education. I was able to earn very good grades and show off my various talents. With that, I was treated as âthe golden childâ in the family, receiving many praises from my family, relatives, teachers and even strangers. Many of my uncles and aunts would compare me with my cousins, saying how I was better than them in every way. I have to admit that all the love and approval had made me arrogant and judgmental. During my college and university years, I went to study law under my familyâs suggestion. The reason was that I could work in the legal firms owned by my uncle and aunt. Besides, being a lawyer meant that I could gain a higher status in society and I could protect myself from people who wanted to take advantage of me.
I thought I have a clear future path ahead of me. However, the day after I took my first examination to become a lawyer, I had a terrible realization: my father would have never recognized me as his daughter if I wasnât smart or talented. My parents separated since I was three, and my father had pretended that I never existed in his life. That all changed when I started to perform well in school, and he started introducing me to his business partners and workers. He was proud of my achievements and boosted about how he was a great father to me, when in reality, he was rarely there for me emotionally throughout my childhood. This realization devastated me. I almost lost sense of my identity. I did not know myself beyond my intelligence, skills and talents. I found myself only being held in high esteem based on what I could give to my family â excellent grades, high status, the perfect image of a family that raises a child to be a successful woman, etc. I was lost, not knowing where to go â this was not the life I wanted.
Then, I was denied by my uncle and aunt to work in their legal firms. I also failed my examination, which shocked my family because I always passed my examinations in my first attempt. They pressured me to retake the exams in hopes that I could pass and become a lawyer. They wanted me to earn the high status and get a stable job. Though, I had lost the motivation to become a lawyer, and I failed my retake. Since then, I became âthe black sheepâ in the family, and now my family threw various words to berate me. I also failed in my first relationship, which hurt me immensely. I wandered around aimlessly, unable to find a job because I could not find one that piqued my interest. I slipped into depression once more as my future became bleak and uncertain.
When I watched âThe Outpostâ and saw what Crosshair was going through, I saw myself in him. I saw a proud child, doing everything in their power to please those with authority, only to find that their efforts mean nothing to them, and they get casted aside instead. I was touched by the episode, and I had compassion towards Crosshair. As I saw him starting to move beyond his Apollo archetype, I found myself doing the same. Currently, I am studying a Masterâs Degree in the field of education, which I have found a passion for it. My father has apologized for causing so much childhood trauma on me and he is willing to make amends, which strengthens our father-daughter bond. He now tells me that I can be whoever I want to be, and that I am more than my intelligence, skills and talents. I start to become more in touch with my instincts and emotions. I learn to be humble and less judgmental. I learn to embrace the positive and negative traits of Apollo, while choosing to move beyond this archetype. I hope to see Crosshair continuing this journey, just as I am doing now.
If you have not had the chance to read @archetypesanalysis INCREDIBLE pieces exploring the personalities of the Batch members, I encourage you to do so. I'll be reposting their other pieces as well, but wanted to start with Crosshair's. There is a lot of in-depth analysis in here that helps give clarity and motivation to a lot of how Crosshair thinks and operates. This is part 2 for Crosshair.
There is more for Crosshair soon! I have only touched upon his innate archetypes, but I still have to analyze his anima (unconscious feminine side of a man), which consists of two archetypes!
I have mentioned the two archetypes that made up his anima in the other Bad Batch analyses.
I am still busy with my assignments but the analysis is currently WIP. I aim to publish it before the series finale.
This is the sixth instalment of my Bad Batch analysis. This character analysis has two parts: innate archetypes and anima. I will be referring to âGods in Everymanâ by Jean Shinoda Bolen for this first part analysis. This innate archetype analysis is split into two parts.
Part 1 | Part 2
Crosshair has two main archetypes: Poseidon and Apollo. His innate archetype is Poseidon, or Neptune as the Romans called him, and he is the God of the Sea. He is linked with tidal waves and earthquakes; hence, he is called Flood-bringer and Earth-shaker. He is bad-tempered, violent, vindictive, destructive, and dangerous, and these characteristics are represented by tempest, turbulence and the raging sea. However, he can also calm the sea â storms instantly stop when he drives his golden chariot drawn by white horses over the waves, and sea monsters play around it. The sea is the realm of emotions and instincts, and it is part of the unconscious. The shallow water is where personal and readily retrievable emotions and memories can be found, while the deep sea is where repressed personal feelings and instincts reside, and it is the emotional realm we share collectively. Underground water represents the deep introverted feelings that are unexpressed and unseen.
All clones have the Poseidon archetype as their innate archetype because their donor Jango Fett is innately Poseidon (Mandalorians generally have Poseidon as their innate archetype). However, this archetype is generally diluted as clones are genetically modified to be more compliant and docile. Besides that, their military training also further dilutes the effect of this archetype. Nevertheless, their Poseidon archetype motivates the clones to seek their individuality. Hence, this archetype is expressed through them in different ways such as having individual names, wearing customized armour, and sporting different hairstyles and tattoos. Even with the desire to be unique individuals, the clones also value honour, loyalty, brotherhood and community, which are all values of Poseidon. Surprisingly, these values are also upheld by most Mandalorians and the people living on Pabu.
Kamino is a remote planet covered by the ocean after the Great Flood. Instead of petitioning aid from the Galactic Republic, the Kaminoans use genetic engineering to adapt their genetic codes, flora and fauna to the new watery environment. They also build their cities in higher land and on stilts. There is an abundance of life in the ocean such as the aiwhas, the Kamoradon Sea Dragon, fish and krill. The planet often experiences heavy rain, and some parts of the year is covered by heavy electrical storms. Kamino is the home of the clones. Their donor Jango Fett did live there for 10 years as he oversaw the training of the clones and raised his unaltered clone as his son, whom he named Boba Fett. Surrounded by the ocean and sea creatures, Kamino is in the realm of Poseidon, and anyone familiar with this planet are usually innately Poseidon. I believe that the Kaminoans are innately Poseidon, especially before the Great Flood. They use science and technology to adapt and survive through the environmental changes. However, once they start using genetic engineering to better themselves, they end up suppressing the Poseidon archetype. They perceive this archetype as no longer beneficial after the Great Flood, and it should be left in the past, submerged in the ocean like their old infrastructure. They become generally expressionless, which can be a sign of being âcut awayâ from the realm of emotions. The monotone and sterile environment in Tipoca City shows how much they have supressed this archetype. In Legends, the Kaminoans used to be expressive and they had a dance called Nahra where they would display their emotions, which is now frowned upon.
Almost all clones started off with a diluted Poseidon archetype and it is maintained through military training. Of course, there are exceptions like the Domino Squad, whom they have expressed their individuality when they were cadets. Once the clones leave Kamino and join the war, their Poseidon archetype gets cultivated. How much this innate archetype gets cultivated depends on many factors like the environment, the experiences, the people they are surrounded with, etc. For example, clones who are assigned to Anakin, Ahsoka, Obi-Wan, Yoda, Plo Koon and Shaak Ti have their Poseidon archetype being cultivated positively because they are seen and treated as individuals, not expendables. On the other hand, the clones who are assigned to be Coruscant Guards have a minimal cultivation of the Poseidon archetype as their loyalty to the Republic usually supersedes their loyalty to their fellow clone brothers. Clones who have survived through various battles will have greatly cultivated their Poseidon archetype.
As the god of the sea, Poseidon can plunge into the watery depths and stay under the sea as long as he wants. He can also rise swiftly to the surface by commanding his horses to pull his chariot. This makes Poseidon the archetype of the deep-sea diver. A person who identifies with Poseidon can dive deeply into the watery realm of emotions and stay there as long as they want to. They can feel all sorts of intense emotions that can take the forms of great beauty and monsters of the deep. They can dive so deep to the point that vision must be abandoned and they have to sense the emotions and instincts hidden in the darkness. As deep-sea divers, they have a sense of emotional depth, intensity and complexity. This archetype is expressed through art and literature, music, dance, architecture and psychotherapy when it involves diving into the collective human depth.
The world around us tends to force us to cut off the Poseidon archetype. However, one can enter the realm of emotions and be overwhelmed by it like a drowning person when they drink or when they are consumed by a strong emotion (especially if that emotion is bottled up for too long). Though, there are some cultures that connect well with the realm of emotions and allow their people to be more emotional, irrational and expressive. This is especially true for cultures that have experienced suffering historically, where art, dance, music and literature are valued, and their museums mostly contain cultural artifacts (e.g. coins, statues, artwork, traditional clothing, armour and weapons) and natural artifacts (e.g. fossils, minerals, animal and plant specimens).
Like Zeus, the Empireâs domain is the sky, which is the realm of will and power. To rise upwards, one must âleave the earthâ to see the forest not the individual trees. It is a highly competitive workplace and anyone who cannot keep up the pace will be left behind. Those who manage to reach the top ranks in the Empire tend to live in their heads and express themselves through power and words. They are cut off from their hearts, hence, they lack sympathy for others. They are also cut off from their emotions and sensuality. They see their bigger picture perspective as superior, hence, they view the people below them as expendables and are willing to sacrifice them to achieve their goals. However, the clones, being Poseidon, do not share such values. They instead value loyalty, brotherhood, teamwork, creativity and innovation. Unlike the people working for the Empire, the clones are supportive of each other, and they are unwilling to leave their own behind. The Empire looks down at such values, which may explain why they always plan on casting them out after Order 66 is carried out.
The inhibitor chip not just makes the clones to mindlessly kill the Jedi, it also strips away their individuality and values â which is like suppressing their Poseidon archetype. Furthermore, the decommissioning of clones and Project War-Mantle are carried out to replace the clones with Stormtroopers, which consists of people that are willing to strip away their individuality to serve the Empire. Finally, the aerial bombardment being carried out to destroy Tipoca City, the home of the clones, symbolizes the Empire raining down lightning (like Zeus) to destroy the realm of emotions and instincts, and the city being submerged underwater symbolizes the Empireâs values â the suppression of emotions, instincts, sensuality and connections with nature and other people. I also feel that the Empire destroying Kamino could serve as an allegory of the British Empire almost decimated the MÄori people and culture because I find that the MÄori peopleâs connection with nature, loyalty and caring towards community, the desire to preserve their traditions, creative arts such as carving, tattoos and performing arts evoke the Poseidon archetype.
On the other hand, Pabu serves as the haven for the clones. It is a remote island surrounded by the ocean, and there is an abundance of life and nature like the moon-yos, fish and fruits. The people living there are refugees who have fled from war and conflict. They understand each otherâs sufferings and they treat each other like family. They are also welcoming towards the Bad Batch. The Archium is a museum built to store the peopleâs cultural artifacts that Phee has liberated. The people respect nature as they acknowledge the moon-yos as the islandâs native animals and allow them to roam freely. Despite all its beauty and abundance, the island experiences earthquakes and tidal waves. The people have built an early warning system to alert them when there is a risk of a sea surge, and rescue ladders for evacuation. Although the tidal wave has destroyed Lower Pabu, rendering many people homeless, they are resilient and they work together to rebuild Lower Pabu (with the help of the Bad Batch). The residents on Pabu uphold the values of the Poseidon archetype, which are shared by the clones, making the island as the perfect place for the clones to settle down after the war.
Crosshair has enhanced eyesight. It is said that the eyes are the window to the soul because the eyes reflect our emotions and thoughts. This means that his genetic modification not just intensifies his eyesight, it also intensifies his emotions and instincts. This also means Crosshair has an enhanced Poseidon archetype, which is why some fans think that he is the closest we can get to Jango Fett. As a deep-sea diver, Crosshair is an emotionally intense person. Even as he lurks in a corner and stays calm, his intensity leaks out and can make people feel uncomfortable around him. His eyes depict various emotions like anger, pain and sadness.
Since Crosshair feels intensely, this means that he tends to stay in one emotion for a long time and it takes time for the emotion to subside. This can become a problem, for example, if he is angry, he will stay angry for a long time. To make matters worse, he is likely to unleash his anger towards everyone, regardless it is his target or an innocent victim, just like the saying âget caught in the crosshairsâ (hence, Crosshair is a fitting name for him). This is equivalent to the forces of nature destroying everything and everyone on its path without discrimination. Aside from anger and sadness, if Crosshair is in pain, he feels it more intensely than normal people. That is why Dr. Hemlock using the interrogation droid to torture Crosshair is extremely cruel (and it hints that he understands Crosshair well enough to find ways to break him). Normal people will feel intense pain from the torture method, but Crosshair feels it much worse and the pain lingers longer in his body and mind. It is remarkable that Crosshair can still talk, stand, shoot and walk after going through the intense pain.
Of course, the emotional intensity is not all negative â there are some positives. Since Crosshair is accepted and loved for who he is by the Bad Batch, he can be emotionally responsive and physically demonstrative. Besides, being surrounded by people who expresses themselves freely can help Crosshair to develop positive traits of being an emotionally intense person. There are headcanons that Crosshair laughs loudly, which I believe is in character for him â it is just that he only does it in private or with his brothers. I believe that he almost always shows his deep affection to his loved ones in private. In âAftermathâ, Wrecker says that he and Crosshair cry upon seeing the new armoury. Even though Crosshair does not want to admit it, it is in character for him to be so emotionally overwhelmed that he sheds tears. Besides that, Crosshair is extremely loyal and can develop long-lasting ties with other people, even those who are his opposites. He is fiercely protective of his loved ones and will resort to physical fights to protect them. With the access to the deep sea, which is the collective human emotional depth, Crosshair has the capacity to understand other peopleâs emotions, making him emotionally mature and intelligent. For example, if you feel intense pain from something that is normally not that painful to a normal person, Crosshair will not judge you and instead acknowledges your feelings as valid. If you have an unusual phobia, he will understand you and help you. I do believe that if Crosshair was with the Bad Batch in âThe Crossingâ, he would understand Omegaâs grief of losing Echo and comfort her.
In a romantic context, Crosshair will fall deeply in love. His expressions of love will probably be rough, intense, passionate and dominating, and these may be done consciously or unconsciously. If you try to hide from him, he will still find you. If you try to downplay your beauty, he will still think you are beautiful. If he is in the mood but you are not, he will probably pull you into the same mood as him (as long as you are fine with it). It is like he drags you into the watery depths of his emotions and instincts, flooding your consciousness so you will share his feelings.
Though, it is not out of character for Crosshair to be soft and tender, and this requires him to develop the âdolphinâ in himself. In Greek mythology, Poseidon saw the Nereid Amphitrite dancing and he fell in love with her. Jean Shinoda Bolen interprets the love is more than sexual desire, and that Amphitrite attracts his inner image of his beloved, which Carl Jung describes it as âanimaâ, the unconscious feminine side of a man. Poseidon courted her with how he was used to â dominating and overpowering her with his intensity. This frightened her and she fled to the Atlas Mountains to escape him. Delphinus (or Dolphin) found her, then pleaded his case charmingly, and she agreed to marry Poseidon. In gratitude, Poseidon made the Dolphin into a starry constellation.
It is essential for a Poseidon person to learn from the Dolphin, a creature at home in his own watery realm. Poseidon people must learn to give up the need to dominate, and instead focus on his relationships with others. By developing the âdolphinâ in themselves, they can attune themselves to another person (like the dolphin can find Amphitrite although she is hiding), and be sensitive, caring and communicative at a deep level. Since emotions are naturally present in the watery realm, skills such as enhancing rapport, empathic understanding and emotional expressiveness can come naturally for Poseidon people. With encouragement and opportunity for development, they can master their feelings like how people master their artistic and mental skills. If a Poseidon person evolves with the help of the dolphin, their effect with their loved ones will be like âliving in a beautiful undersea palaceâ where they share an emotional depth, which is a beautiful aspect of a relationship. This is a common theme for many soft Crosshair headcanons and fanfictions, and the romantic setting usually takes place at beaches.
The name Poseidon means husband of Da (posis Das), which is a name for the earth. He wields a trident, and he is symbolized by two animals: the bull and the horse (or more specifically, the stallion). The trident, bull and horse are abstract statements of his sexuality, fertility and sexual prowess. As the husband of earth, Poseidon strikes the earth with his trident to bring forth water, which brings life and fertility to the land. I have seen headcanons of Crosshair being a gardener or a cook, and these are surprisingly fitting for him as the life-giving Poseidon. Moreover, being the life-giving Poseidon also means that the clones can be great fathers. As the trident bearer, there are two sides that Crosshair and the rest of the clones have: they have multiple partners with no strings attached, or they are loyal and committed in a relationship. Like Poseidon, their partner preferences are diverse: smart and independent, emotional and sensitive, shy and obedient, quiet and mysterious, bratty and rebellious, funny and mischievous, calm and collected, tough and resilient, caring and loving, etc.
Poseidon is seen as an archetype of the wild man, which is a symbol of masculinity that is filled with instincts and is in touch with nature. Unfortunately, this archetype is disregarded and feared, hence, it is repressed by the patriarchal society. If this archetype is liberated and brought into the consciousness, it can be a source of strength and power, teaching a person to be courageous and loving. We are seeing a rise of male characters who are emotional and sensitive, which are now seen as positive traits. This leads to an appreciation and empowerment of this wild man archetype. The clones do exhibit this archetype to some extent â they are not afraid to fight and die in a war, yet they are loving and caring towards children.
Like Zeus and Hades, Poseidon is an archetype of the king. People who identify strongly as Poseidon desires to âbe somebody importantâ and seeks power, control and respect. However, they lack the impersonality, strategic thinking, and force of will like Zeus to be successful. Due to their intense feelings associated with Poseidon, they are not good losers and can easily be enraged. In the myth, Zeus, Poseidon and Hades drew lots to divide the world: Zeus got the sky, Poseidon got the sea, while Hades got the underground. Poseidon was not satisfied with his lot, so he competed with other gods for possession of cities. In one myth, Poseidon and Athena competed for the city of Athens. Athena presented the olive tree, while Poseidon used his trident to strike a rock, producing a saltwater spring. When Athenaâs gift was judged to be more useful, the enraged Poseidon flooded the surrounding plains, which might explain why Athens was located next to three separate rivers at that time. Poseidon was also unsuccessful in claiming Argos from Hera, Aegina from Zeus and Naxos from Dionysus. There is also one myth where Poseidon unsuccessfully plotted against Zeus.
Having a strong Poseidon trait, Crosshair seeks to âbe somebody importantâ as he sees himself and Clone Force 99 as more superior than the regular clone troopers. He is highly competitive and is unafraid to challenge for authority. For example, in âThe Bad Batchâ, Rex decides to take charge of the mission after Cody is injured, and Crosshair questions the legitimacy of Rexâs authority since Cody has called in Clone Force 99 for this mission, which means the authority to carry out this mission should be under Clone Force 99. Moreover, Crosshair is the only one who challenges Hunterâs leadership skills in âAftermathâ, âReturn to Kaminoâ and âKamino Lostâ. He even wants to remove Hunterâs role as a leader and possibly taking the leadership role for himself in âAftermathâ. Crosshair being given the Clone Commander rank by Admiral Tarkin, which is higher than Hunterâs Clone Sergeant rank, probably satisfies his desire of having more power than Hunter.
Poseidon is known as the implacable enemy in Greek mythology. In Homerâs Odyssey, Odysseus blinded Poseidonâs one-eyed Cyclops son Polyphemus and escaped from being eaten. This resulted in Odysseus facing Poseidonâs wrath, leading him to spend 10 years trying to return home. This eye-for-an-eye justice is vengeance that takes nothing else into consideration, even going so far as âHe who is not with me is against meâ (very similar to what Anakin Skywalker tells Obi-Wan Kenobi in âRevenge of the Sithâ because Anakin is innately Poseidon). In addition, Poseidon is a grudge holder, and with his emotional intensity, he can hold it for a long time and innocents are not spared from his wrath. This is depicted in one myth where Poseidon and Apollo had an agreement with King Laomedon to build the walls of Troy in return for payment. When the construction was completed, the Trojan king refused to pay, and Poseidon avenged himself âunto the second and third generationâ, dragging Priam (King Laomedonâs son), Paris and Hector (King Laomedonâs grandchildren) to face his wrath.
The archetype of Poseidon as the implacable enemy is present in Boba Fett, Dogma and Crosshair. After Boba witnesses Jedi Master Mace Windu kills his father Jango Fett, he becomes obsessed with seeking revenge against the Jedi. He and his mentor Aurra Sing attempt to assassinate Mace Windu, which results in the destruction of the Star Destroyer Endurance and the deaths of many innocent people (though he does not want to hurt others and he does these things reluctantly). Even though his plan fails and he is sent to prison, he still refuses to forgive the Jedi. When Dogma realizes that Pong Krell has betrayed the Republic and the clones, even taking advantage of his blind loyalty, he becomes enraged and kills the Jedi to avenge his brothers. After the Bad Batch leaves Crosshair behind in âAftermathâ, Crosshair holds a grudge against them for the entire Season 1. At the beginning of âBounty Lostâ, the vengeful Crosshair pursues the Bad Batch relentlessly even though he is severely burned by the ion engine. In âReturn to Kaminoâ, Crosshair wants them to join the Empire to have a purpose again, but they refuse. This prompts Crosshair to warn them not to make the same mistake twice and not to become his enemy. In âThe Outpostâ, Crosshair gets revenge of Maydayâs death by killing Lieutenant Nolan, who refuses to provide medical help and causes Mayday to succumb to his injuries.
Although Poseidon is known for his anger, destructiveness, and otherwise stormy disposition, he also has a peaceful and merciful aspect to his personality. In his calmer moods, he visited his Ethiopian worshippers, who gave him rich sacrifices, and he forgot his pursuit of Odysseus for some time. In an act of mercy and an earthquake, he turned Thessaly, which had been an enormous lake, into dry land. He also changed Ino and her son into sea gods when they threw themselves into the sea, and appointed Castor and Pollux as protectors of sailors who could calm the storms. Moreover, the Ancient Greeks gave Poseidon various titles such as âSaviour of Sailorsâ, âAverter of Earthquakesâ, âThe Creator and Tamer of Horsesâ and âThe Leader of Nymphsâ. They prayed to Poseidon even in cities where the god of sea was not the cityâs patron god to ensure the sailors and fishermen would have a safe journey. With that, it is possible for Crosshair to be peaceful and merciful, though, this is a rare occurrence. The one time we see Crosshair briefly showing his calmer side is in âAftermathâ, when Omega tells him that it is not his fault that he feels angry and that he cannot help it.
Poseidon is treated as a shadow of Zeus because the emotional aspect of the father archetype is being repressed or buried. Hence, this archetype becomes undeveloped and inaccessible to those who have severed their emotionality. This can lead to emotional instability and the tendency to react out of proportion to whatever sets them off. In the social context, there is a need to control how much emotions one can show that is deemed appropriate. Poseidon people can be emotionally expressive, but they can reach to the point when their emotions âtake overâ. A person who is taken over by their fluctuating subjective feelings, who takes no one else and no situation into consideration is described as self-centered and emotionally inappropriate. They are also viewed as emotionally immature or unstable, and even âout of their mindsâ. If they resemble a resentful, angry Poseidon, they are likely to be violent and abusive, especially when alcohol further loosens their controls. Based on my observations and my readings of various headcanons, I see that Crosshair can be both emotionally immature and mature depending on how well he controls his emotions.
Poseidonâs mythology emphasizes his resentments and retributions. He represents the dark aspect of the father archetype that seeks revenge â âan eye for an eyeâ. As a negative emotional complex, Poseidon vengeance can become all-consuming and destructive to oneâs personality as well as towards whom the hostility is directed. A person who obsessively fantasizes about seeking revenge is also consumed by this powerful negative aspect of Poseidon.
If a Poseidon person is constantly criticised for being âtoo emotionalâ or ânot rational enoughâ, they may internalize the criticism and continue to judge themselves negatively even when the external criticism has ceased. This can lead to poor self-esteem and they are likely to repress their emotionality. Their wellbeing and worthiness will be adversely affected, especially if they harbour powerful negative feelings such as resentment or the desire for revenge. This is common among men, but it can also happen on women.
Poseidon is the bringer of tidal waves and earthquakes. These two natural disasters represent powerful emotions that topples rationality and swallows up reality, causing a person to âgo madâ. New construction or reconstruction can only begin after the waters recede or the earth becomes stable again. The calmness for the observing ego comes, allowing the person to understand the experience and reconstruct themselves and the relationships they have at least destroyed temporarily. The âtidal waveâ can be interpreted as an amplified version of oneâs usual emotional nature. For example, a person may react to a current pain by opening the floodgates to more grief and rage. These feelings are not new, only greater. The âearthquakeâ can be interpreted as oneâs emotions being kept underground. The introverted feelings are like underground water that follows fault lines, and as pressure builds up underground, some mild tremors are felt but they are usually disregarded. Only after a major quake we remember the previous ârumblingsâ that hinted at the instability and emotionality below the surface. The earthquake represents primitive rage in which a person may irrationally attack others, which may devastate not only others but also (and even more) themselves.
Crosshair has shown to unleash his âtidal wavesâ and âearthquakesâ a few times. In âAftermathâ, Crosshair is angry that Hunter refuses to execute Order 66 and that he let Caleb Dume escape, even lying that he stuns the Padawan and causes him to fall to his death. This causes tension to rise between him and Hunter, but it is eased temporarily by Echo, Tech and Wrecker. Things do not go well for Crosshair, especially when his meal is ruined during the food fight, prompting him to unleash his rage by hitting two clones with his tray. When Hunter disobeys orders for the second time by letting Saw Gerrera and his people go, Crosshairâs anger grows and he begins to challenge Hunterâs authority. Crosshair becomes more annoyed when Hunter decides to believe Omegaâs warning and go back to Kamino to save her. As he has expected, the Bad Batch gets arrested for treason and is thrown into the brig. Crosshairâs anger becomes greater as he blames Hunterâs leadership for getting the team into trouble, and that every decision he has made since Kaller has been wrong. Realizing that Crosshairâs inhibitor chip is slightly working, Tarkin asks Nala Se to intensify the chipâs programming. I believe this operation not just intensifies Crosshairâs loyalty to the Empire, it also intensifies his feelings of anger, loss and betrayal towards his teammates. These amplified feelings are eventually unleashed like a tidal wave when Crosshair fires first at Hunter, leading to a gun battle between the Bad Batch and the clones loyal to the Empire.
In âReturn to Kaminoâ and âKamino Lostâ, Tech, Echo, Wrecker and Omega go to Kamino to rescue Hunter, who is captured by the Empire. Kamino is dark and stormy, representing Crosshairâs turbulent emotions towards his old teammates. He is still angry at them for leaving him behind, but he has no intention to kill them despite they are branded as traitors to the Empire. He proves it by killing all four Elite Squad Troopers who refuse to obey his command and stand down. He offers the Bad Batch to join the Empire but they refuse, which angers him. When Crosshair reveals that he already has his inhibitor chip removed a long time ago, and that he willingly pledges loyalty to the Empire, Hunter and the rest of the team are shocked. Crosshair claims that this is who he is, but Hunter refuses to accept it and stuns him. Even though Crosshair is unconscious, his rage has probably reached its boiling point as he remembers his teammates refusing to join the Empire and refusing to accept that he willingly joins the Empire.
As Tipoca City gets bombarded by the Empire, the Bad Batch is forced to flee into the depths of the sinking city. As the city sinks into the ocean, the compartments get flooded, which represents Crosshairâs amplified feelings of rage, disappointment and betrayal finally bursting open, threatening to drown the Bad Batch, including Crosshair himself. Crosshairâs amplified emotions are shown when he rejects Omegaâs help to free him, and when he pushes her away after she rescues him. Even as the Bad Batch manages to escape from the flooded compartments, water bursts through the cracks on the tunnels and the Kamoradon Sea Dragon further damages the tunnels as it tries to eat the Bad Batch. These represents Crosshairâs emotional tidal wave still moving to unleash its destructive force towards himself and the Bad Batch. This is evident as Crosshair is bitter that his team has thrown away their legacy, and he blames Hunterâs failed leadership for causing them to end up in a situation where they are going to die. He also blames his teammates for letting Omega (âthe kidâ) to call the shots and accuses Hunter for taking things personally. Crosshairâs emotional tidal wave finally subsides as daybreak comes, represented by the placid ocean and the clear sky of Kamino.
In âThe Outpostâ, Crosshair is reassigned to the Imperial depot on the snowy planet Barton IV. When he, Lieutenant Nolan and the clone troopers land there, it is snowing and strong winds are blowing. The snow and strong winds represent Crosshairâs inner emotions. Ever since Commander Cody tells Crosshair that they all make their own choices and they have to live with them too at the end of âThe Solitary Cloneâ, Crosshair is unable to sleep and eat well. Moreover, he is lonely as other regular clone troopers do not want to associate with him, and that Cody later deserts the Empire. Although he seems to be disinterested of the fate of the clones because he views himself as more superior than the regular clone troopers, his inner emotions show how he is really feeling. He is fuming when Rampart refers to Cody by his designation number and he mocks the loyalty of the clone troopers due to the increasing rate of desertion. He probably also feels that the passing of the Imperial Defense Recruitment Bill is unfair because it forces the clones into retirement, which is being protested by many clone troopers. Crosshair supresses these feelings and his questioning of the Empireâs actions because he just wants to be âa good soldierâ, which is all that matters to him. This is why he is unbothered by the snow and strong winds of Barton IV because his Imperial armour has shielded him from the harsh environment literally and from his inner emotions metaphorically.
Crosshair starts to open up slightly when Commander Mayday extends his warmth and kindness to him. When Mayday gives him a tour of the Imperial depot and its surroundings, the strong winds have subsided and there is less snowfall. This change of weather indicates that this companionship has helped to ease Crosshairâs inner emotions albeit temporary. Moreover, this meeting can be interpreted as Crosshairâs subconscious is calling for help because âmaydayâ is an internationally recognized radio word to signal distress. When Crosshair steps on a pressure mine that is hidden underneath the snow, it serves as a warning sign to him that his inner emotions and questioning of the Empireâs actions have become a ticking time bomb. The pressure is building up and it will explode any time. Before Crosshair steps on the mine, the tunnel above him and Mayday rumbles, which can be interpreted as an early warning sign of Crosshairâs destructive emotions. Thankfully, Mayday disarms the pressure mine and by slowly lifting his foot, Crosshair is able to escape from danger for now. When facing an overwhelming number of raiders, Crosshair shoots at a power generator, which causes an explosion that takes out the raiders. However, the explosion also creates cracks on the mountain and causes rocks and snow to fall onto the raidersâ hideout, in which Crosshair and Mayday have to escape from. The cracks on the mountain indicates that Crosshairâs inner emotions and questioning of the Empireâs actions are starting to leak out. It is like water starts to leak out from a cracked bottle due to the pressure. Though, Crosshair and Mayday think that the cracks are mild and ignore them, just like most people ignore the mild tremors coming from the earth.
When they go to recover the stolen cargo, they discover that the cargo contains stormtrooper armour for the new Imperial Military. Mayday is upset that he and his brothers are being treated horribly despite their combat service, loyalty and sacrifices. His sentence âWeâre good soldiers, we followed orders, and for what?â finally hits Crosshair and intensifies his inner feelings and questioning of the Empireâs actions. Then, loud rumbling sounds can be heard and the ground begins to shake. This indicates that Crosshair has reached his breaking point and he can no longer contain his inner emotional turmoil. An avalanche comes running down towards Crosshair and Mayday. The avalanche (which can be seen as an icy tidal wave) represents Crosshair reacting to his current emotional turmoil by opening the floodgates to more turmoil. The avalanche buries Crosshair and Mayday, which causes Mayday to get injured and Crosshair to lose his helmet and expose himself to the cold. This disaster symbolizes Crosshairâs destructive emotions have devastated Mayday and Crosshair himself. Now, Crosshair, with his helmet off, is forced to face the aftermath of his actions and emotions. Since the emotional floodgates are opened, strong winds and snowfall, which also represent Crosshairâs emotional turmoil, appear as Crosshair brings the injured Mayday back to the Imperial base. They are forced to endure the icy and freezing conditions without proper equipment and supplies. The strong winds and snowfall only subside when Crosshair and Mayday finally arrive at the Imperial base. The clear weather indicates that Crosshair has let go of his ego and his emotional turmoil as he is only focused on making sure Mayday gets medical treatment.
Across the world, many people live in places that are prone to natural disasters such as storms, earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, and tsunamis. Some people choose to move away from these places, but many choose to stay. They learn to read the weather or seismological reports. From experience, they learn what to expect, how to prepare, and what to build that is likely to survive a potentially destructive wave or quake. People whose Poseidon emotionality can overwhelm their egos must become conscious of their own susceptibility and must learn as much as possible about its conditions and warnings. They must develop ways to live with this powerful part of them. Similarly, people who are affected by the destructiveness of Poseidon, as lived out in someone else, must learn to detect the warning signs.
In âPabuâ, Hunter is able to sense the incoming tremor before it hits the island, just like the moon-yos quickly retreating before the rumbling comes. He tenses up, and before he suggests that they retreat, a small tremor rocks throughout the island and sea. The residents of Pabu, especially Shep and Lyana disregard the small tremor because it is a common occurrence on the island. Not long after, a larger tremor comes, which concerns everyone. This scene shows that Hunter is extremely sensitive to changes of pressure, and a slight change is enough to prompt him to take quick, decisive actions. By interpreting the tremors as powerful and destructive emotions, it can be said that Hunter is able to detect the warning signs given out by Crosshairâs inner emotions. This is evident in âAftermathâ when Hunter is able to sense that Crosshair is staring at him intensely despite his eyes are closed and Crosshair is wearing his helmet. He probably already knew that Crosshair is going to ask him about the Padawan when he asks âwhat?â to Crosshair. Thanks to his enhanced senses, Hunter can quickly pick up changes to Crosshairâs emotions. He takes action when he senses even a slight increase of intensity of Crosshairâs emotions.
In the Hyperspace Stories #10, the Bad Batch is sent to Hylanth, a moon in the Outer Rim for a mission involving battle droids. This mission seems to frustrate Crosshair as the words âbattle droidsâ are written in bold, indicating a greater emphasis of these words. Hunter senses his frustration and tells him that they have their orders. Crosshair then explains that he is not questioning the orders, but he just feels that this mission can be carried out by the regular clone troopers. After Tech explains that the battle droids they are sent to investigate have been modified, Crosshair says that âmaybe there is hope for this mission yetâ because he likes to be challenged. This causes Hunter to tease Crosshair for sounding grumpy. I feel that Hunter does not tell Crosshair to shut his mouth when his words irk Jesse and Rex in the Clone Wars episodes because Hunter does not sense any increased tension from Crosshairâs words and that it is just on brand of his dark, twisted sense of humour. However, in âAftermathâ, when Crosshair starts shooting at Caleb Dume, Hunter quickly orders him to stand down. Furthermore, in âReturn to Kaminoâ, tension rises between Hunter and Crosshair due to the reveal that Crosshair already has his inhibitor chip removed and that he willingly joins the Empire. Before Crosshair can shoot, Hunter stuns him, indicating that his quick, decisive actions are meant to dilute Crosshairâs intense emotions. Hunterâs Dionysus archetype enables him to sense changes to Crosshairâs emotions like the mysterious and uncontrollable tides that flow and ebb in nature, and his Demeter anima motivates him to care for Crosshairâs emotional needs. His Zeus archetype helps him to take immediate action to calm Crosshair down, though, this tactic does not always work because he may not fully understand how and why Crosshair feels that way, which is evident in the comic and the episodes stated earlier.
Besides Hunter, the rest of the Bad Batch have their own ways to handle Crosshairâs emotionality. Wrecker, who has a strong Aphrodite anima, is drawn to Crosshairâs intense emotions. He attends to Crosshairâs emotional needs by annoying him and shifting his focus so his emotions can subside faster, which is shown in the Hyperspace Stories #10, âThe Bad Batchâ and âAftermathâ. Even when Crosshair reacts angrily at him, he remains loving towards him. Moreover, Wrecker encourages Crosshair to be emotionally expressive, which is evident in âAftermathâ as Wrecker corrects Crosshair that they both did cry seeing the new armoury. Besides that, Wrecker is an explosive expert, which means that he can handle Crosshairâs destructive and explosive emotions as he knows how to disarm it.
Tech, who is Hades the Good Counsellor, accepts that Crosshair is severe and unyielding, and that nobody, not even Crosshair himself can change that. Techâs subjective understanding enables him to accept Crosshairâs decision to join the Empire and let go of the emotional pain inflicted by him as seen in âKamino Lostâ. In âPabuâ, after a larger tremor rocks throughout the island, Tech warns that the island is vulnerable to a sea surge with the risk ranging from highly probable to imminent. His prediction comes true when the islandâs early warning system later comes to life. By interpreting the tremors and sea surge as powerful and destructive emotions, it can be said that Tech is well-prepared in predicting and handling Crosshairâs intense and destructive emotions, like he is the head of the emergency or disaster management. When Crosshairâs inner emotions begin to leak out or show its cracks, Tech takes notice of it and expects the worst outcome. With that, motivated by his Athena anima and his Hermes archetype, he raises his defence and diverts others away from Crosshair before his emotions are unleashed. Once Crosshairâs emotions subside, Tech assesses the aftermath, carries out the recovery process, and implements better preparations to mitigate its destructive forces.
For Echo, who has the Hephaestus archetype, handles Crosshairâs emotionality by being stubborn and being the family peacekeeper. In âAftermathâ, when Echo senses the rising tension between Hunter and Crosshair, he questions why the clone troopers turn on their general Jedi Master Depa Billaba despite they have been serving her for years. This causes Tech to explain about the regular clonesâ programming, which distracts Hunter while Wrecker distracts Crosshair. With that, Echo is able to ease the tension temporarily. Later in the episode, Echo takes on a more assertive approach in dealing with Crosshairâs intense emotions. When Crosshair grumbles about the team debating their choices and they need to complete the mission of eliminating the insurgents, Echo tells him to wake up and see that the Empire has sent them to kill innocent civilians. Then, when Crosshair demands Hunter to explain why he has gone soft, Echo tells him to stop it as there is no use of fighting and they should focus on escaping the prison. Moreover, since Echo has a strong Hestia anima, he is usually unaffected by Crosshairâs emotionality, and he is not judgemental towards Crosshair.
Omega, who is highly perceptive thanks to her Persephone archetype, can sense that Crosshair is angry. She reaches out to him and sits beside him. She then pleads with him not to do what he is going to do. She tells him that it is not his fault that he is feeling angry and that he canât help it, which briefly softens him. In âKamino Lostâ, Omega once again approaches Crosshair and observes that he never liked Kamino. She understands him as she has spent most of her life inside Nala Seâs private laboratory alone until the creation of the Bad Batch, which is why she is determined to find them all again. Her receptive personality makes her kind and compassionate, and it gives her the ability to try to see things from Crosshairâs perspective, so she can reach out to him from the emotional level.
Besides the Bad Batch, Cody and Mayday have shown the ability to handle Crosshairâs emotionality. In âThe Bad Batchâ, after Crosshairâs words incite anger in Jesse, Cody reminds him that they are all on the same mission and he needs to cut his attitude. In âThe Solitary Cloneâ, Cody specially requests Crosshair to be part of the mission and he chuckles at Crosshairâs humour. Codyâs no-nonsense attitude and authority gain Crosshairâs respect. As for Mayday, he shares a heater with Crosshair and starts a conversation with him, which helps Crosshair to open up. He also gives Crosshair a tour of the Imperial base so he can be familiarized with the new place and the planetâs harsh environment. He even encourages Crosshair to humour him as he disarms the pressure mine that Crosshair has stepped onto it. Although Mayday does not have any proper tools and equipment to disarm the mine, his experience and creativity help him to save Crosshair. I have interpreted that the pressure mine represents Crosshairâs emotionality as a ticking time bomb, and with Maydayâs ability to disarm it without proper equipment, it can be said that Mayday is highly experienced in handling people with intense emotions like Crosshair.
Although Crosshair is cold and rude, he is fortunate to be accepted and loved for who he is by the Bad Batch, Cody and Mayday. His relationships with them, especially with the Bad Batch, help him to develop his âdolphinâ, allowing him to have a better understanding and control of his own emotions. It is believed that Crosshair has the habit of pushing boundaries to test people â to see whether they can handle his emotionality and stay, or become disgusted and run away from him. He probably knows how his intense emotionality scares most people away, and he does not want to waste time on people who do not appreciate and accept him for who he is. He also wants to spare himself from the hurt and betrayal. Crosshair is grateful that the Bad Batch chooses to stay with him, and in return, he gives his loyalty and respect to them. Unfortunately, that all changes with the issue of Order 66.
When Order 66 is issued, Crosshairâs inhibitor chip is somehow activated. He becomes adamant in carrying out orders without question. Influenced by the order, he tries to shoot Caleb Dume down. Hunter keeps telling Crosshair to stand down but to no avail. Crosshair later gets angry that Hunter has allowed Caleb to escape and has lied that the Padawan has been eliminated. His anger intensifies when Hunter defies orders to eliminate Saw Gerrera and his people. When the Bad Batch is thrown into prison for disobeying orders, Crosshair blames Hunterâs leadership for getting the team into trouble. Hunter, Tech, Wrecker and Echo do not understand what is wrong with Crosshair. They never have an issue with disobeying orders because they do it all the time. Crosshair also does not understand what is wrong with himself. The inhibitor chip has âtampered his access to the emotional realmâ (for regular clones, the chip âinhibits their access to the emotional realmâ), thus, hampering his emotional control. Crosshair probably feels frustrated that nobody, not even himself can figure out what has gone wrong. To make matters worse, Hunter, Tech, Wrecker and Echo are more focused on trying to escape instead of taking care of Crosshair, which may have frustrated him further because he thinks that they are indifferent towards him. Omega, who notices his anger, is the only person to reach out to him, and she is able to comfort him for a brief moment.
After Crosshairâs operation, the effects of the inhibitor chip are intensified, along with his anger towards his teammates, especially Hunter. His amplified rage is eventually unleashed towards his teammates when he fires the first shot, starting a gunfight. When the Bad Batch manages to leave Kamino, Crosshair feels bitter that they have left him behind. They have always stay by his side no matter how intense his emotions can get, but this time, they run away from him â like Amphitrite fleeing from Poseidon, and some people moving away from places prone to natural disasters. Crosshair feels betrayed by their actions.
The Bad Batch later finds out about the inhibitor chip, and they suspect that it has caused Crosshair to betray them. In âReplacementsâ, Hunter is angry at himself for leaving Crosshair behind. Omega comforts him and says that they will find a way to bring Crosshair back. Even though they now have the knowledge about the inhibitor chip and how to remove it, they are actively trying to avoid Crosshair, who is hunting them down because they are traitors to the Empire. Due to their last gunfight, they probably think that Crosshair is trying to kill them. When Crosshair manages to catch up with the Bad Batch in âReunionâ, Hunter and Omega try to snap him out of the effects of the inhibitor chip but to no avail. Tech already predicts that Crosshair will not be convinced due to his severe and unyielding nature, so he has prepared an escape plan for the team. After barely escaping from Crosshairâs relentless chase, the Bad Batch is probably aware of his wrath and decides to stay away from him for some time. In âRescue on Rylothâ, when the Bad Batch spots Crosshair in the city, they step back to discuss their plans for they do not want to be noticed and hunted down again. However, a probe droid hovers above them and Crosshair is alerted to their presence. The team wants to abandon the rescue mission, but Omega manages to convince them to continue on. After the Bad Batch successfully carries out the rescue mission, Rampart realizes that he has underestimated them and gives Crosshair permission to hunt them down. Crosshairâs eyes and smile show his conflicting emotions â he is happy to have a chance to approach his teammates again, but he still harbours anger and sadness towards them.
In âReturn to Kaminoâ, Hunter explains to Crosshair that they did not have a choice when they left Kamino without him, in which Crosshair counters âand I did?â. He probably feels angry and betrayed that Hunter tries to justify his actions for leaving him behind. When Tech, Wrecker and Echo walk into a trap set up by Crosshair, Hunter keeps thinking that Crosshair is going to kill all of them. Although Crosshair is angry that Hunter has betrayed everything they once stood for and is not loyal to him, he is willing to give them a chance because he believes they can be brothers again. He proves his loyalty towards them by killing his own Imperial squad (he even has it planned out by placing the reflecting mirrors to make the trickshot). He offers them to join the Empire, but they refuse. Hunter even counters that Crosshair does not get who they are, which angers him once more. Crosshairâs anger intensifies when Hunter refuses to accept that he already has his inhibitor chip removed and he willingly joins the Empire, even claiming that this is who he is. Even though Crosshair is still mad at the Bad Batch throughout âKamino Lostâ, he still follows them and saves Omega from drowning. However, he notices that Wrecker, Tech and Echo aiming their blasters at him because they think he is going to shoot Hunter. From there, Crosshair knows that no matter what he does, their trust has been broken and there is nothing he can do to regain that trust. Perhaps in the past, he can express his trustworthiness through action (because he finds it difficult to express it through words), but now, it does not work anymore. Hunter offers a chance for Crosshair to return to the team, but this will require him to give up the Empire and his identity as a soldier. Perhaps in the past, Hunter gives unconditional love to Crosshair, but now, his offer is seen as conditional to Crosshair. This may have caused Crosshair to question whether the love he gave in the past was even truly unconditional. Crosshair probably feels betrayed and bitter that Hunter does not fully understand him, which strengthens his decision to not return, making the fallout more severe and tragic.
Fortunately, all hope is not lost for Crosshair. We know that nature is both generative and destructive, just like Poseidon who can bring life and fertility, or death and destruction. After a natural disaster, given the time and space, nature heals itself and the survivors of the disaster become stronger. With that, it is possible for Crosshair to return â we just need to give him time and space. Omega understands this well, thanks to her Persephone archetype. Persephone is the symbol of spring, representing new life appearing after a brutal winter. Before Omega leaves with the Bad Batch, she tells Crosshair that he is still their brother and that he is her brother too. She holds onto hope that he will return, but it must be done according to his time â nobody cannot force him to come back now.
Although Crosshair is still angry at them, he is saddened to see them leave him on the Kamino platform. Throughout season 1, Crosshair laments how Hunter has thrown away their past achievements and missions. Those memories are of great importance to him and he finds it difficult to let go. People who are like Poseidon are more focused on the past and present, and accompanied with their intense emotions, they may replay their memories constantly or become entranced by what is happening right now. It is likely that Crosshair contemplates his memories with the Bad Batch as he waits for 32 rotations for the Empire to rescue him. With Tipoca City, the home of the clones, have sunk into the ocean, all the memories the clones share have become part of the collective emotional realm. Crosshair likely takes on the archetype of the deep-sea diver as he ventures into the collective emotional realm and reminisces about his time with the Bad Batch.
In the collective emotional realm, Crosshair probably replays all the good and bad times they have shared, including the times where his emotions got the better of him and everyone had to clean up the mess he had caused. There might have been bitter feelings, but they all learned from their mistakes and moved on. Perhaps from here, Crosshair finally understands Hunterâs actions and feelings. He may realize that Hunter feels awful for leaving him behind, and that he blames himself for losing him. After losing Crosshair to the Empire, Hunter is determined to keep the remaining teammates safe, and becomes overprotective towards them (which is motivated by the negative Demeter anima). This may explain why they never try to go after him and get him back. Moreover, Crosshair may also realize that his intense rage has influenced Hunterâs overprotective tendencies. Hunter thinks that Crosshair is trying to kill them, which causes him to prioritize in rescuing his remaining teammates from Crosshairâs wrath. When the Bad Batch and Crosshair reunite in Bracca, Crosshairâs wrath remains intense, which causes the Bad Batch to run away again and attempt to hide.
Furthermore, Crosshair may come to understand why Hunter refuses to accept that he willingly joins the Empire. Hunter wants to believe that Crosshair is being âheld captiveâ by the Empire (like Persephone being held captive in the Underworld) and that they can free him by removing his inhibitor chip. When that belief turns out to be untrue, Hunterâs overprotective tendencies return. He believes that this is his only chance to get Crosshair back, and he is determined to do anything to achieve that. He keeps trying to reason with Crosshair but to no avail. He offers Crosshair a chance to return but this requires Crosshair to give up the Empire and the soldierâs life. Crosshair is disappointed that his love has become conditional, thus, he rejects the offer.
As Crosshair comes to see things from Hunterâs perspective, he learns to understand why Hunter has acted this way, even though he does not agree with him (like Techâs quote âUnderstanding you does not mean that I agree with you.â) This helps Crosshair to let go of his rage towards Hunter and the rest of the Bad Batch. He also comes to take responsibility for his actions and emotions. After he gets rescued by the Empire, he lies in his report that Clone Force 99 have perished in the bombardment because his loyalty to his teammates remains strong and he wants to protect them from afar. I do believe that Crosshair still holds onto some hope that he can still reconcile with the Bad Batch despite his belief that they will not come back for him. He probably still believes the unconditional love they gave to him in the past is real, and it can happen again. This is hinted in âTipping Pointâ when Crosshair sends Plan 88 to tell the Bad Batch to hide as the Empire is after Omega. His message is then discovered by Tech when he checks the teamâs old comm channels. If Crosshair believes that the Bad Batch has given up on him and there is no possibility of reconciliation, he will not have sent Plan 88 using his old code and expect that they will find it.
In âThe Solitary Cloneâ, Crosshair seems to have calmed down and becomes slightly mellow. He even tries to join the regular clone troopers for breakfast, which is something the old Crosshair will not do. This change of behaviour makes me believe that Crosshair has made contact with the collective human emotional depth during the 32 rotations on the Kamino platform. However, the Empire rejects the values of Poseidon, and Rampart even taunts the clones for having these values. Crosshair feels unappreciated and lonely, and to make matters worse, Cody does not take his loyalty well. Many people believe that Crosshair only carries out Governor Grottonâs order to execute Tawni Ames because Governor Grotton threatens Cody with the consequences of not carrying out his order, and Crosshair wants to protect Cody. Just like his action of saving Omega was met with hostility from the Bad Batch, Crosshairâs action upsets Cody and causes him to desert the Empire. Losing Cody may have worsened Crosshairâs loneliness and the feeling of being unappreciated, and this causes him to shut himself off from everyone, which is represented by him putting on his helmet and walking away by the end of the episode. His shields are up, and he becomes emotionally detached. By doing so, he is actively ignoring and suppressing his emotions. He loses his connection with his innate archetype until he meets Mayday in âThe Outpostâ. Maydayâs kindness opens the floodgates and helps Crosshair to truly be himself once more.
After âThe Outpostâ, I find myself relate to Crosshair immensely, especially on the emotional level. That episode helps me to discover that Poseidon is my main animus, which is the unconscious masculine side of a woman. I am emotional and sensitive. I like to go to museums and learn about history and geography. I am always fascinated by marine life and underwater beauty (especially coral reefs). I have always been drawn to natural disasters because I am fascinated by their destructive forces and the aftermath (a hint of my intense yet destructive emotions). My anger or sadness tend to hold on much longer. I used to hold grudges and they could last for years (I try not to do that anymore). Since I am the only emotional one in the family, I constantly get criticized for expressing my emotions â when I laugh loudly, I am âimpoliteâ; when I start yelling angrily, I am ârudeâ; when I burst into tears or scream out of fear, I am âweakâ and âpatheticâ. My family expects me to be level-headed, and every time my intense emotions leak out, I am told that âI cannot survive in this societyâ. My aunts prioritize being level-headed so much that they cannot comprehend real people and fictional characters acting on their emotions, even going so far as to calling them âstupidâ for letting their emotions to flood their rationality. I also do not find comfort in school as I constantly get bullied by others. I remember crying a lot, but nobody came to help me or comfort me. Until one day, I snapped and resorted to anger to defend myself from the bullies. Since then, I became hot-tempered and this is something I am not proud of (genetics may have played a part because my maternal grandfather and mother are both hot-tempered). I remember one teacher described me as âmanipulativeâ because âI constantly cry to get peopleâs attentionâ, and I end up feeling that it would be best if nobody cares about my venting so as to not being labelled as âan attention seekerâ.
The constant criticisms and judgements received have caused me to develop a habit of bottling up my emotions. I keep ignoring and repressing my emotions until I can no longer hold back. My intense emotions get unleashed in a destructive manner, which hurts everyone, including myself. This has damaged my friendships and relationships. Even some of my friends who allow me to express my feelings and vent my troubles are taken aback by my intensity. Once, they have to remove me from the friend group temporarily and give me a timeout. I do take responsibility for my actions and appreciate the second chance they have given me. To stop myself from further damaging my relationships, I decide to shut myself off from everyone when I find my emotions have become unstable. However, this causes some people to inquire my emotional state and pressure me to tell them. When I refuse to share my feelings, they call me âungratefulâ, ârudeâ or âselfishâ. But when I share my feelings, thus, unleashing its intensity and destructive force, they are taken aback and get hurt. They either become distant and cold towards me or judge me harshly for being emotional. This only make me feel that it is best that I keep my emotions and troubles away from other people, and that I should not share my burdens with others since they usually do not understand me. I isolate myself further from people and resort to carry a heavy burden on my shoulders. I canât help but to internalize these criticisms and judgements. I feel ashamed to be emotional and I tend to judge myself harshly when I show emotions. I have been rejecting my Poseidon animus until I finally see myself in Crosshair. I am learning to accept that âthis is who I amâ like Crosshair. I also find it heart-warming that Crosshair is surrounded by people who love and accept him despite his intense emotions. I would love to be part of the Bad Batch because I would feel safe to express my emotions and be myself.
Since Poseidon people are susceptible to be taken over by strong emotions, they need to develop abilities to observe, reflect and think objectively. One method is to develop an observing ego. In Jungian psychological terms, the ego is the consistent, observing, remembering, and deciding element in the psycheâwhat you mean when you say, âI.â A complex is an archetypal pattern that has become charged with emotion. When an emotional complex has more power or energy than the ego, it can temporarily âtake overâ or âpossessâ the personality. For example, a father may become âlike a man possessedâ and bent on vengeance when his child is hurt. He may become like Poseidon in relentless pursuit of Odysseus â he is so consumed with rage and revenge that he is not available to support or comfort and help heal his child. This same complex may be activated by the same situation in another man with a stronger ego. He may have vivid fantasies of retribution, but realizes that he must struggle with the hatred that threatens him, knowing that his childâs wellbeing is of greater importance.
When an emotional complex takes over, the âIâ is put out of commission. The Poseidon person may be unconscious or blind to what is happening, while people around them react in different ways. They may be humoured, avoided, or feared. The emotional complex they are possessed with may provoke an equivalent unconscious complex in others. The Poseidon person may also struggle with the complex, feeling themselves overreacting or behaving in ways that are âout of characterâ. By learning to observe a complex, the focus and energy are shifted from the complex to the ego. The âIâ sees what is happening and resists being taken over by the complex. The complex loses energy and influence, and it recedes. During this process, the Poseidon person and their relationships can grow in depth when compassion is given to themselves and to others who are affected by the complex. Two archetypes can be developed to help Poseidon people to deserve an observing ego, which are the Zeus archetype that enables them to see circumstances objectively and dispassionately (which is an archetype Hunter has), and the Hades archetype that enables them to recognize that their emotions are often connected to archetypal images, which are patterns that exist in the collective unconscious (which is Techâs innate archetype).
Instead of expressing their emotions in a destructive manner, Poseidon people can channel their emotional depth and intensity into creative work such as drama, poetry, literature, music and art. With that, the Hermes archetype (which is an archetype Tech has) must be developed. As the Messenger God and Guide of Souls, the Hermes archetype can bring forth the potentially disruptive emotions hidden in the depths and turn them into emotionally expressive works. Besides Hermes, the Hephaestus archetype (which is Echoâs innate archetype) can also help Poseidon people to transform their emotions into creative work. Hephaestus, the God of the Forge, is a rejected god; but instead of erupting like a volcano, he channels his intense emotions to create beautiful and useful objects. He expresses his emotions in a creative manner. This difference is shown in how Echo and Crosshair react to the Empireâs mistreatment to the clones. Echo channels his anger through constructive means by joining Rexâs resistance network, rescuing the clones from the Empire, and turning Trace Martezâs repair shop into a refuge for the rescued clones. On the other hand, Crosshair channels his anger through destructive means by killing Lieutenant Nolan to avenge Maydayâs death.
It is important for Poseidon people to learn how to dilute the effects of this powerful archetype. The first method involves them to give up the need to dominate and learn from the âDolphinâ as previously stated. The second method involves the development of other archetypes, specifically those that have the ability to think of the consequences, to become objective, and to achieve some distance. Zeus and Athena are the archetypes commonly developed to dilute Poseidonâs effect, but the most common archetype to be developed is Apollo, which serves as Crosshairâs other main archetype.
If you have not had the chance to read @archetypesanalysis INCREDIBLE pieces exploring the personalities of the Batch members, I encourage you to do so. I'll be reposting their other pieces as well, but wanted to start with Crosshair's. There is a lot of in-depth analysis in here that helps give clarity and motivation to a lot of how Crosshair thinks and operates.
Thank you for the repost @lightwise! I am glad to hear that you love my analyses on the personalities of the Bad Batch members! <3
I think your favourite character is Crosshair, right? He is also my favourite since "The Outpost".
The reason why I write about Crosshair last because he is the most complex and his relationships with the Bad Batch members are crucial to understand his character.
This is the sixth instalment of my Bad Batch analysis. This character analysis has two parts: innate archetypes and anima. I will be referring to âGods in Everymanâ by Jean Shinoda Bolen for this first part analysis. This innate archetype analysis is split into two parts.
Part 1 | Part 2
Apollo is the God of the Sun, and he is second only to Zeus as the most important Greek god. The Romans called him âApolloâ like the Greeks, or âPhoebusâ, which means âbright, shining, pureâ. He is also the god of the arts (especially of music, dance and poetry), prophecy and archery. He is the lawgiver and punisher of wrongs, the protector of herdsmen, and the patron of medicine, who can also bring plagues. He is often depicted with a bow and a lyre, and the laurel is his sacred plant. His two famous precepts, âKnow thyselfâ and âNothing in excessâ are inscribed on his temple at Delphi. Although he is noted for clarity and form, he has a lesser-known darker aspect, with both light and dark reflected in his symbols. Apollo is known as the pure, holy and cleansing god, which are all associated with the sun, his most important symbol. Swans are Apolloâs sacred birds, but so do crows and ravens, which represent his dark side. Snakes and wolves are also associated with Apollo. As a punisher of wrongs, Apollo is known to be cruel and can act vindictively.
The Apollo archetype is the most common archetype found in real people and in fictional characters. The clones have a strong Apollo archetype due to their military training and genetic modifications that cause them to be more inclined in following orders. This archetype is further enhanced during Order 66 as the inhibitor chip causes the clones to carry out orders without question. Crosshair has an enhanced Apollo archetype due to his genetic modification that grants him enhanced eyesight.
Apollo is an archer. His bow and arrow shafts are golden like the sun. It takes will, skill and practice to be an archer. An accomplished archer can aim for a distant target and be confident of hitting it, which comes naturally for people with strong Apollo archetype. People who identify as Apollo are logical and can easily relate to objective reality. They know what they want and have the will to accomplish their goal. They have a sense of future time, which enables them to plan ahead and set goals (like aiming at a target). Their targets are realistic, require effort to achieve it, and grant recognition. Crosshair is an accomplished sniper who is confident of hitting his targets from afar, even when the surroundings are a blur. In the Hyperspace Stories #10, Crosshair warns Wrecker that he can blast a flea off his back from 200 meters away in the pouring rain, and that he can do the same thing to Wreckerâs new toy. This indicates that Crosshair will do anything to accomplish his goals regardless of how difficult his goals are. Adding to his severe and unyielding personality, he has a very strong will to achieve his goals. Moreover, his goals are realistic for they are tangible and objective (for example, taking down a platoon of battle droids is a tangible goal). Like an archer, Crosshair has an excellent sense of future time, which enables him to plan out his trickshots perfectly as he knows where to place the reflecting mirrors and when to shoot to make those trickshots.
Apollo is the Greek god of prophecy, even though he himself does not prophesize. He gained this title by killing a great dragon or serpent named Python and taking over the oracle of Delphi as his temple, a site with a long history of prophetic divination. Through this myth, he was called Pythian Apollo and his priestess was Pythia. Apolloâs mediums were all women and their psychic divinations came from their communion with him. When people came to Apolloâs temple to consult with his oracle, the Pythia would enter a trance state and the priest would put questions to her and take down her words. The response would be turned over to another priest, who usually put it into the rhythm of poetry, though the meaning of the words was often obscure and ambiguous. Apollo as the god of prophecy fits his future-mindedness, like an archer who aims for a faraway target.
Crosshair has shown to exhibit some traits of Apollo as the god of prophecy, but it is usually limited to his ability to plan trickshots. He expertly places the reflecting mirrors on the surfaces as he has already predicted the movements of his targets. He also knows when to make the shot, which enables him to wipe out his targets with one precise shot. In âReturn to Kaminoâ, Tech notices that Crosshair has placed the reflecting mirrors on the walls of the training ground. The placement of mirrors allows Crosshair to take down all four Imperial troopers in one shot, while leaving the Bad Batch unscathed. Crosshair only makes the trickshot when the Imperial troopers refuse to stand down. This indicates that he has foreseen that the Imperial troopers will disobey his order, and that he has planned their deaths. Moreover, the placement of mirrors also indicates that he has foreseen the positions of the Imperial troopers and the Bad Batch will take once they are in the training ground, and he ensures that his trickshot will take down all the Imperial troopers but not harm the Bad Batch.
@wwheeljack has shared this link that explains the observation training taken by military snipers. In this exercise, the snipers observe the various given objects for a short period of time. Then, they need to remember and describe what they have seen â they are not allowed to say the names of the objects. This exercise reminds me of how the oracle of Delphi is sought out by the Ancient Greeks, which evokes the Apollo archetype. It does feel that Crosshairâs enhanced eyesight and sniper training have enhanced his Apollo archetype.
As the goal-oriented archer and the god of the sun and prophecy, Apollo is the far-distant one. He can live in the future, always planning ahead. He can rise above the situation or âgo skywardâ to see everything objectively or to see his experiences as spiritual lessons. People who are like Apollo response to emotional pain by distancing themselves from these feelings and rise above their emotions through intellectual understanding, a mindful spiritual practice, or repeating their own principles to themselves. In the myths, Apollo had a connection to the mysterious realm of the Hyperboreans, and taking his chariot pulled by swans, he went there during the winter months. The realm of the Hyperboreans was the ânortherly realm beyond the mountainsâ, and on a psychological level, this realm was depicted as a distant place of retreat, a starry world, another dimension, an Underworld or an enlightened world. Regardless of its depictions, the Hyperborean aspect of Apollo leads to feelings of isolation from others and the tendency to occasionally disappearing from this world into another.
As the far-distant one, Crosshair has the tendency to see the bigger picture. Throughout season 1, Crosshair explains his reasonings why he joins the Empire willingly, and keeps accusing Hunter that he cannot see the bigger picture. Moreover, Crosshair prefers to stay above his emotions when chaos breaks out. For example, when the food fight breaks out between the Bad Batch and the regular clone troopers, Crosshair chooses to ignore the commotion and continue to eat until his meal gets ruined. Interestingly, his transfer to the snowy planet of Barton IV can be interpreted as his travels to the realm of the Hyperboreans, despite the realm is not necessarily located in the Arctic Region by the Ancient Greeks. Though, the need to keep his helmet on can be Crosshairâs Hyperborean aspect of Apollo.
As the god of the sun, nothing hides from Apollo, like light shines through the darkness to expose every hidden thing. The Apolloâs clear-sightedness enables a person to see through lies, ulterior motives and hidden information. In the myths, on the day Hermes was born, he proceeded to steal cows from his half-brother Apollo. He hid his tracks by tying branches to his feet, and he laid down a false trail by having the cows walk backwards. When Apollo discovered his cattle were stolen, he noticed tracks that seemed to lead in the opposite direction, and he was not fooled. When Apollo demanded Hermes to reveal where his stolen cows were hidden, Hermes lied and tried to pass himself off as an innocent infant, in which Apollo did not buy into any of his lies. Helios, the god who personifies the sun in Greek mythology and who shares the same title as God of the Sun with Apollo, also exhibits the same clear-sightedness. In the myths, Helios was the one who tells Demeter that her daughter Persephone had been abducted by Hades, and Zeus had permitted it to happen. Helios was also the one who told Hephaestus that his wife Aphrodite had been cheating on him with Ares.
We have seen how Crosshair can easily see through lies and anything hidden from plain sight. In âA Distant Echoâ, Crosshair quickly figures out why Rex strongly believes that Echo is alive and is adamant of rescuing him because Rex feels guilty for leaving Echo for dead at the Citadel. His deductions are based on his observations of Rexâs body language and changes to his voice tone. In âOn the Wings of Keeradaksâ, Crosshair uses his helmet scanner to see through the walls, and reports that their enemies and many droids are approaching them. In âAftermathâ, Crosshair is not convinced that Hunter has stunned Caleb, which caused the Padawan to fall to his death in the waterfall. He even inspects the surroundings and the bottom of the waterfall using his helmet scanner to confirm his suspicions. Then, he points out that Hunter should look down not across when he sees someone falls, showing his understanding of body language and how observant he is. In âReunionâ, an Elite Squad Trooper reported that he cannot detect any life signs aboard the Jedi cruiser because the scanner is not working due to atmospheric interferences. However, Crosshair immediately knows that Tech has jammed their sensors and that Clone Force 99 is still onboard the ship. He also manages to predict that Tech has tapped into their comms to track down their movements. In âReturn to Kaminoâ, Crosshair immediately catches on Wreckerâs lie that they did not bring Omega with them. We know that our pupils dilate when we lie, and I am sure that Crosshair can see that even when we wear sunglasses or helmets with dark visor. I am also sure that Crosshair would never be impressed by magic tricks since they involve misdirection, deception and illusions. He is so observant that he can easily debunk the magic tricks. If you are hiding something, both Hunter and Crosshair will catch on quickly but with different methods â Hunter can sense it while Crosshair can observe it.
Crosshairâs Apollo archetype balances out his Poseidon archetype. When Crosshair unleashes his emotions, they are depicted as storms. The sun only comes out when the storms subside, indicating that he has finally calmed down and he now can see the truth. This motif is shown twice, which are in âKamino Lostâ and âThe Outpostâ. In âKamino Lostâ, the raging storm on Kamino has subsided by the time the Bad Batch reaches the landing platform at daybreak. The sun comes out, which is a rare occurrence in Kamino. At this moment, Crosshairâs anger, disappointment and sadness towards his teammates have returned to stable conditions after all the explosive arguments they have. When Hunter offers him a chance to rejoin the team, Crosshair turns it down because he sees through Hunterâs intentions. Hunter wants Crosshair to give up his life as a soldier and his allegiance with the Empire, which makes his offer conditional. This contradicts Hunterâs unconditional love towards his teammates (including Crosshair), and if Crosshair chooses to rejoin the team, it will mean that he chooses to sacrifice his values and live in the lie that everyone is fine with him (which is clearly not true because Tech, Wrecker and Echo aim their blasters at Crosshair, thinking that he is going to shoot Hunter). Crosshair can see through this inconsistency and he refuses to return.
In âThe Outpostâ, Crosshair and the injured Mayday endure the freezing conditions as they return to the Imperial base. Once they arrive there, the snow has stopped falling and the winds have ceased. The sun is hanging above the base as Crosshair begs Lieutenant Nolan to send a medic to save Maydayâs life. Nolan refuses, claiming that it will be a waste of the Empireâs resources. As Mayday succumbs to his injuries, Crosshair finally sees the truth â the Empire never cares about the clones because they are expendable, including him. The sun shining above Crosshair symbolizes his light side as the Empireâs cruelty towards the clones has been exposed in broad daylight. The Ice Vulture circling above Crosshair represents his dark side as Crosshair makes the decision to kill Lieutenant Nolan. The mountains behind Crosshair are positioned to look like the wings of the Ice Vulture â as if Crosshair has become the Ice Vulture. I interpret the Ice Vulture as the equivalent of the raven, Apolloâs sacred bird that represents his dark side. In the Greek myth, the raven was once white, and Apollo assigned it to keep an eye on his mortal wife Coronis, who was pregnant with his child. The bird reported to the god that she was cheating on him. Apollo responded by turning the ravenâs feathers from white to black, and he killed Coronis, which he later regretted it. However, he managed to save his unborn son from her body, and gave him to Chiron the centaur to raise. This son was Asclepius, who became the god of healing and medicine. Surprisingly, Apolloâs sacred birds â swans, crows and ravens â are known for their loyalty, and the same goes for vultures. These birds fit Crosshair well as loyalty is important to him.
Apollo is the favourite son of Zeus, and he is the second most important Greek god (the first being Zeus). From his birth, Apollo proclaims that his life mission is to carry out his fatherâs will. As the favourite son, Apollo people are likely to be basked in parental love, approval and praises, especially from traditional parents, as if there is a brightness cast about them. They are the success in the making, a positive reflection on their parents, and an achiever in a culture that values accomplishments. If they do not have a biological father, they will seek out the approval of other people who resemble Zeus. Crosshair has this archetypal affinity to excel and to please, and he constantly seeks out approval from Hunter, who has the Zeus archetype. This is hinted in âThe Bad Batchâ when Crosshair smirks as Hunter praises his sharpshooting skills. Crosshair also looks up to Commander Cody and Commander Mayday, who both have higher authority than him.
When Anakin (who has the higher authority as he is a Jedi General) leads the Bad Batch and Rex to rescue Echo, Crosshair is seen following and aiding him. In âA Distant Echoâ, Anakin is seen checking out Crosshairâs rifle, and Crosshair is fine with it (possibly even feeling proud that he is being noticed by a Jedi General). When Anakin is snatched away by a keeradak, Crosshair shoots a grappling line towards the flying reptile so Hunter can use it to track down Anakin. When the Bad Batch and Rex find Anakin has been pinned down by the creature and is surrounded by the Poletecs, Hunter commands Wrecker and Crosshair to carry out Plan âRockslideâ. Wrecker proceeds to push a boulder down to distract the Poletecs while Crosshair shoots an electric dart at the leg of the keeradak, forcing it to release Anakin. When Anakin tells them to split up so they can find Echo easier, Crosshair follows Anakin and saves him from almost being cornered by battle droids. Crosshair is also seen fighting alongside Anakin and Echo in the episode âOn the Wings of Keeradaksâ. In âUnfinished Businessâ, although Crosshair tells the rest of the Bad Batch and Rex to go as he helps them to buy some time, they stay back to see him performing impressive trickshots. I am sure that by staying back to watch his performance boosts Crosshairâs ego because he loves showing off and all eyes are on him. Crosshair is probably more determined to impress Anakin when he is present to witness his impressive trickshot where he destroys a group of battle droids with only one shot. Some fans jokingly say that Crosshair is disappointed that he does not receive praises from Anakin after that trickshot, so he feels the need to bring down Wrecker by jumping in to say that âhe wonât top him next timeâ.
Apollo is the lawgiver as he provides cities their legal institutions and a structure for communities to work together and settle disputes. He also interprets law, and he supports order and moderation. He is uncomfortable with chaos, turbulence or passionate intensity. He intends to bring form and provide order through rules, laws, measure and time. As the upholders of law and order, Apollo people have a strong conviction that they know what is right and good for everyone. They may be idealists who envision a time when all people may live peacefully under the rule of law that will guarantee justice and fairness. All clones have the Apollo archetype as they follow orders without much questioning. Although the Bad Batch has a tendency to deviate from standard protocol, they still mostly follow orders. When Order 66 is issued, the inhibitor chips enhance the Apollo archetype to the point that the clones mercilessly execute their Jedi Generals that they have been working together for years.
Crosshair takes on the law-and-order aspect of Apollo strongly, even taking the saying âgood soldiers follow ordersâ seriously. In âAftermathâ, Crosshair is somehow affected by the inhibitor chip, and tries to shoot Caleb Dume down despite Hunter keeps telling him to stand down. Crosshair later gets angry at Hunter for helping Caleb to escape and lying that the Padawan has been eliminated. To him, an order is an order, and Hunter should have completed the mission objective without considering the morality of the given order. When the Bad Batch refuses to execute Saw Gerrera and his people, Crosshair grumbles about the need to debate about morality, and states that they need to complete the mission. He believes that Saw Gerrera and his people are enemies of the Empire, and they should be eliminated. He even blames Hunter for making the team disobey orders, which causes them to be branded as traitors to the Empire.
With the effects of his inhibitor chip get amplified, Crosshair leaves the Bad Batch and joins the Empire. He carries out orders without hesitation. In âReplacementsâ, Crosshair orders his Elite Squad to execute the civilians associated with Saw Gerrera, and he even executes one of the members of his Elite Squad for refusing to obey his order. In âDevilâs Dealâ, he follows Rampartâs order and shoots one of Senator Taaâs lekku, which allows Rampart to arrest General Cham Syndulla, his wife and other insurgents for the attempted assassination of the Senator. In âThe Solitary Cloneâ, he carries out Governor Grottonâs order to execute Tawni Ames when Commander Cody fails to do so. In âReturn to Kaminoâ, Crosshair reveals that he already has his inhibitor chip removed, and that he willingly pledges his loyalty to the Empire. This shocks the Bad Batch and Hunter refuses to believe it, but Crosshair says that this is who he is. It is not out of character for Crosshair to stay loyal with the Empire even without the effects of the inhibitor chip because of his strong Apollo archetype. He even chooses to return to the Empire despite he is left on the Kaminoan platform for 32 rotations because he is a soldier of the Empire. When Commander Cody talks about the rumour that more Clone Troopers have been questioning Order 66, which explains the increasing number of their desertion, Crosshair describes them as traitors like the Jedi.
Moreover, Crosshair is shown to have a strong conviction of what he thinks it is right and good for himself, the Bad Batch and Omega. In âAftermathâ, he strongly believes that the Bad Batch should have obeyed orders like good soldiers because he does not want the team to get into trouble with the higher-ups. In âReturn to Kaminoâ, He believes that he and the rest of the Bad Batch are meant to be soldiers as this is their purpose. This is why he tells them to stop running and join the Empire because the Empire cannot protect the galaxy without strength, and he hopes to be a part of it. In addition, he tries to take Omega away from the Bad Batch and intends to send her on a shuttle offworld. He claims that this is for her own good and theirs as well. He tells Hunter that Omega is in constant danger from living among fugitives like the Bad Batch (which he has a valid point there), and that Hunter should let her go to protect her.
In Greek mythology, Apollo is known to have sibling rivalry and friendship with his younger half-brother Hermes, the Messenger God, and with his older twin sister, Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt and Moon. Competition emerged between Apollo and Hermes when Hermes stole Apolloâs cattle, and from whom Apollo received the lyre. Shortly after Artemis was born, she helped her mother Leto during her prolonged labour with Apollo. There was one myth where Apollo and Artemis were called upon by their mother Leto to avenge Niobeâs insult. In a myth about Artemis and Orion, Apollo was jealous of her love towards the hunter, so he created a challenge for Artemis, causing her to unknowingly kill Orion. As an archetype of the sibling and favoured older brother, Apollo people can easily become part of a team effort. They are also competitors, and they do it well thanks to their emotional distance. Though, they may not win the top position because they appear cautious and do not inspire others to see them as leaders. They also lack the drive to amass either power or money, the vision, decisiveness, or ruthlessness of a Zeus archetype. Crosshair has a brotherly relationship with members of Clone Force 99, and he works well with them. In the episodes âOn the Wings of Keeradaksâ and âUnfinished Businessâ, he and Wrecker have a sibling rivalry where they compete each other on who can take down the most droids. Though, Crosshair does not work well with regular clone troopers with the exceptions of Commander Cody, Commander Mayday and Captain Rex (at the later part of the Clone Wars arc).
Apollo values prudence, avoids physical danger, is emotionally distant, and prefers being an observer. This makes him a side-liner, not a hero. During the Trojan War, Poseidon challenged Apollo to a duel. Apollo turned it down and explained that he was not going to fight for insignificant, short-lived mortals. He still refused to be drawn into combat even when his sister Artemis called him a coward (and somehow Hera gave her a beating for that). Furthermore, Apollo was shown to actively dislike heroes. He refused the help from Heracles through the Pythian Oracle. He also opposed Achilles during the Trojan War. Achilles died when he was struck in the heel by an arrow, which was a vulnerable spot as that had not been bathed in the river Styx. In some versions, it was Apollo who killed Achilles, but in other versions, he was the one who guided Paris to take the shot. Apolloâs action is not a heroic act â he shoots an arrow from a distance instead of getting involved in direct combat.
Crosshair is shown to have traits of the non-hero. As stated in âStar Wars: The Clone Wars: Character Encyclopedia - Join the Battle!â book, Crosshair can be cynical and bitter about the war. He is not like Wrecker, who enjoys the thrill of being on the battlefield and engaging physical combat like a hero. He is a sniper who carefully takes down his targets from afar and without revealing his position. Although he carries out his duty as a soldier seriously, he does not like being in the battlefield. The book also states that Crosshair has little regard for regular clone troopers because he views them as expendables. This aligns with Crosshair telling Captain Rex that he would have left Echo for dead because he is âjust another regâ.
Apollo is the archetype of the musician. The bow and the lyre are the two stringed instruments belonging to Apollo. He uses the bow to release arrows, while he plucks the lyre to bring forth music. As the most alert Greek god, he produces music that leads people to a clearly seen truth. Apollonian music expresses clarity and purity that bring harmony and lift spirits up. Moderation and beauty are the essence and the effect of his music, which helps to charm beasts and soothe the tormented mind. Aside from music, dance and poetry are also associated with Apollo. Apollonian art is associated with order, reason, harmony, clarity and structure, which is the opposite of Dionysian art (from Dionysus the god of wine and ecstasy), which is associated with chaos, ecstasy, turbulence, emotional conflicts and passion.
I have seen headcanons of Crosshair being a musical expert â he can sing well, he can write songs, and he can play musical instruments (like the piano and bass guitar). He is likely into classical music and ambient music. He also likes songs with poetic lyrics. There are also headcanons that Crosshair is into other music genres like rock, blues, alternative, rap, and heavy metal. I accept these headcanons because Apollonian and Dionysian are the opposites of the same coin. It will be in character for Crosshair to be drawn to chaos, irrationality, intense emotions and passion. In this YouTube video between 17:00 to 19:00, Dee Bradley Baker, who voices the Bad Batch, comes up with the idea of Crosshair singing âThe Time Warpâ from âThe Rocky Horror Picture Showâ (someone even made a short animatic about it in this link). The song talks about madness, chaos, sexual freedom, sensations, and being in the present, which are Dionysian values. Crosshair may be drawn to these opposite values. Aside from music, there are headcanons that Crosshair is a great dancer (mostly ballet), he writes poetry (perhaps to express his cynicism and bitterness towards the war), and he is into calligraphy, literature and aesthetic art, which align with Apollonian values.
People like Apollo tend to live in their heads, rather than in their bodies, emotions or imagination. Hence, Apollo men are not lovers. Their single-minded focus means that they are not easily distracted by attractive partners. Their relationships with women usually lack passion and emotional depth, which lead to both parties having a brother-sister relationship instead. With this arrangement, Apollo men tend to work best with Artemis and/or Athena women because these women are independent, competent and competitive, just like Apollo men. Though, Apollo men can be attracted to their opposites, which is shown in the myths where Apollo is in love with Sybil and Cassandra, who are psychic women â emotional, irrational, impractical and often unimpressed with him. Most Apollo men find these women fascinating, frustrating and unpredictable, and they may try to control them.
Although Apollo is handsome, virtuous and dependable, he is unsuccessful in love as he is rejected by Daphne, Cassandra, Sybil and Marpessa. Even his love for Hyacinth ends in tragedy when he accidentally kills Hyacinth in a discus-throwing contest. Jean Shinoda Bolen interpreted the women Apollo desires but gets rejected by them as the same women who also may reject Apollo men. These women reject Apollo because he lacks depth and intensity, emotional closeness and expressiveness, or sexual spontaneity. Some women reject an Apollo man because they sense that he is too attached to appearances.
Marpessa was loved by Apollo and a mortal man named Idas. Zeus allowed her to choose her lover between the two. Marpessa wisely chose Idas because she was aware that Apollo would desert her when she became old and grey. This myth can serve as a metaphor of choosing a âhumanâ relationship that has the potential to grow and change over time, rather than a relationship with the unchanging Apollo.
When it comes to his relationships with Sybil and Cassandra, Apollo mistakenly assumes that love can be given in exchange for what he can provide. Apollo granted Sybil the gift of prophecy (which was how the famous Sybilline oracles came about) but she rejected him. Apollo taught Cassandra the art of prophecy on the condition that she became his lover, but she did not keep her word. Apollo got his revenge by cursing her that nobody would believe her. With the onset of the Trojan War, Cassandra continuously tried to warn everyone about the future calamities but she was shut away as a mad woman.
Although an Apollo man is cut away from his instinctual, sexual, and sensual thoughts, these thoughts may arise occasionally. His ability to focus on goals combining with his sexual desire may cause him to pursue the person he loves with great enthusiasm and passion. This is similar to the myth where Apollo was struck by an arrow shot by Eros (also known as Amor or Cupid), causing him to fall in love with Daphne and he actively pursued her. If the woman has not fallen in love with him, like Daphne in this myth, she is unlikely to relate to the intensity of his feelings due to the lack of intimacy and communication in the early stages of the relationship. She may feel like a pursued Daphne and may flee from him, as she feels more like an object he wants to possess than a woman being wooed. The myth of Apollo and Daphne ended with Daphne turning into a laurel tree to escape from the god overtaking her. Apollo still loved her, and the laurel became his sacred tree, with her leaves being made into wreaths that adorned his hair.
Even if an Apollo man manages to win a womanâs heart, she may become disappointed at him with his tendency to âgo awayâ as a lover. She may even be unfaithful in his âabsenceâ like the myth of Apollo and Coronis as stated earlier. If a woman desires substance rather than form, needs emotional depth rather than the security of an enduring relationship, or her nature is passionate, intense and in the moment (like Aphrodite the Goddess of Love and Beauty), she will be unhappy with her relationship with an Apollo man. This is because an Apollo man often does not see the importance of sexual attraction, physical affection and intimate verbal communication. When facing relationship difficulties, the Apollo man often withdraws as he does not see them as his problems. He can stay comfortably in a relationship or a marriage marked by emotional distance and lack of passion. His partner may feel lonely because of his lack of emotional and communication depth. She may become more like Apollo and start to cut herself off from her emotions, or she may become more irrational or hysterical in an unsuccessful attempt to get him to react emotionally.
Fortunately, Crosshair has the Poseidon archetype to balance out his Apollo archetype. This means that he is âhandsome, virtuous and dependableâ like Apollo, while also capable of depth and intensity, emotional closeness and expressiveness, intimacy, and sexual spontaneity like Poseidon. This archetype combination may make him an ideal partner, but with Poseidonâs relentless passion combining Apolloâs single-mindedness, he risks mirroring the myth of Apollo and Daphne if his desired partner does not reciprocate his feelings. Moreover, there is a tendency that he may occasionally sway too far into one archetype if he is unbalanced. This is because Apollo and Poseidon are the opposites â Apollo is associated with emotional distance, while Poseidon is associated with overwhelming emotions. If Crosshair chooses to distance himself emotionally, he may go too far to the point of inadvertently pushing people away and becoming lonely. However, if he chooses to give into his intense emotions, he may carry out his actions too far and inadvertently hurt other people, which can cause them to become terrified of him. Hence, it is important for Crosshair to find his centre or âSelfâ so he can take on the best aspects of both archetypes while reducing the risk of being âtaken overâ by either of them. This is possible if his âSelfâ is strong, which is associated with Hestia, the main archetype of Echo.
Since Apollo is âabove it allâ due to being the sun god, he is emotionally distant. This causes him to communicate about his emotions indirectly. When people seek his advice about something that he does not clearly understand, Apollo speaks through the Delphic Oracle, which contains ambiguous messages that require interpretation. People around an Apollo person often have to interpret the cryptic words that hint at their feelings. The Apollo person will withdraw further if they get the meaning wrong or if they try to draw them out. It is ironic that Apollo, the god of clarity who can make a person speak so precisely and clearly about an impersonal subject, is unable to make a person express themselves clearly. Furthermore, Apolloâs emotional distance also means the tendency to avoid emotional conflict, like the god refusing to respond to Poseidonâs challenge to fight during the Trojan War. He prefers to assess or judge the situation or the person from a distance. He is unwilling to âget close upâ â be vulnerable and empathic â in order to truly know someone else.
It is clear that Crosshair struggles to express himself and his emotions through words â he prefers to express it through action. In âThe Bad Batchâ, Jesse gets angry at Crosshair because he interprets his words as insulting the regular clone troopers and disrespecting Captain Rex. In âA Distant Echoâ, Rex interprets Crosshairâs words as he does not care about Echo, which causes him to angrily punch Crosshair. In these occasions, Hunter does not call out Crosshair or intervene when Rex punches Crosshair, possibly because he knows that Crosshair does not mean it. In âAftermathâ, Crosshairâs inhibitor chip is somehow activated, which causes him to become adamant about following orders. Crosshair does not understand what is wrong with himself, and his inability to properly communicate his issues with his teammates only worsens with the effects of the inhibitor chip. To make matters worse, Hunter, Tech, Wrecker and Echo do not understand what is wrong with Crosshair. They are confused of his behavioural change since they never have an issue with disobeying orders as they do it all the time. In addition, they are more focused on trying to escape the makeshift prison then dealing with Crosshairâs antics. Crosshair feels frustrated that they do not understand him and he withdraws from the team. He withdraws further when Omega tries to draw him out. In âReturn to Kaminoâ, Crosshair offers the Bad Batch to join the Empire so they can have a purpose again. Hunter counters that Crosshair does not get who they are. Crosshair feels hurt that they do not understand his intentions and feelings towards them, and warns them not to make the same mistake twice and become his enemy. Hunter tells him that they never are enemies. Throughout âKamino Lostâ, Crosshair keeps on explaining why he chooses to join the Empire willingly, but the Bad Batch does not get him and they struggle to accept that he does this without the influence of the inhibitor chip. This causes Crosshair to withdraw himself further to the point of refusing to rejoin the Bad Batch.
People who identify as Apollo are influenced by their innate characteristics, culture and family of origin. If their family discourages emotional expression and perception, as well as enforcing a culture that disapproves vulnerability, encourages competition, and rewards acquiring power, the Apollo person, especially if they are intelligent and good-looking, may become narcissistic. This negative aspect may be worsened if they have narcissistic parents. These parents are likely to make the Apollo child to become an extension of themselves. They feel better about themselves when their Apollo child âwinsâ and demand that their child reflects well on them. This child feels the need to win in order to retain the conditional love of their parents, which can lead to anxiety and they end up performing worse.
An Apollo person whose life is full of successes may become arrogant. Their sense of self may become inflated, as if they identify with the god or the archetype. They may forget that they are human, and may assume that they can take on much more that they are able. This can lead to disastrous results, just like what happens to PhaĂŤthon, the son of Helios. In this myth, PhaĂŤthon was told by his mother that he was the son of Helios, and the young man boosted about it. When he was not believed in, he set forth to find Helios to confirm the truth. Helios acknowledged his paternity, and to assure PhaĂŤthon further, he promised to grant him any favour he wished. PhaĂŤthon requested to drive the sun chariot across the sky for one day. At daybreak, PhaĂŤthon put on his fatherâs sun crown and climbed into the chariot. The great horses of the sun felt his unfamiliar and inexperienced hand on the reins and left the usual path taken by the sun. PhaĂŤthon lacked the strength or experience to check their flight, and the blazing heat of the sun scorched the earth. To save the earth from further damage, Zeus struck PhaĂŤthon down with a lightning bolt. Helios, distraught over the loss of his son, allowed the earth to go without light for one whole day, before once more putting the sun chariot on its regular course. Jean Shinoda Bolen interprets PhaĂŤthonâs assumption that he could drive Apolloâs chariot as âan ego tripâ that hurts others and causes him to be struck down.
The Bad Batch consists of Hunter, Tech, Wrecker and Crosshair, who are all enhanced clones. Crosshair views himself and his squad as more superior than the regular clone troopers or âregsâ. In âThe Bad Batchâ, Crosshair sneers at Jesse and tells him that they usually do not work with regs. In âA Distant Echoâ, Crosshair says that he would have left Echo for dead too because he is âjust a regâ (though his actions say otherwise). In âReturn to Kaminoâ, Hunter realizes that Tipoca City is being decommissioned, which is not a good sign because he has been informed that the Empire is phasing out clones next. Crosshair is unconcerned of it because he thinks that his loyalty to the Empire, his exceptional sharpshooting skills and his superiority will mean that he gets to keep his position. Moreover, he tries to convince the Bad Batch to join the Empire as they are superior to the âregularsâ and their strength can help the Empire to protect the galaxy. When the Bad Batch refuses his offer, he tells them that Kamino, the regular clones, and the Galactic Republic's time are over. He claims that the Empire will control the entire galaxy and he hopes to be a part of it. Crosshairâs assumption that he would be important to the Empire is his âego tripâ which hurts the Bad Batch, and it eventually causes him to be âstruck downâ when he realizes that he is disposable in the eyes of the Empire in spite of his skills, abilities and loyalty.
Apollo is known to be cruel and punitive, especially when he has been humiliated and dominated by someone else. He does not show mercy when he defeats a rival or when he enacts his revenge. In one myth, Marsyas the Satyr challenged Apollo to a musical contest, with the agreement that the victor could do whatever he liked to the loser. There were many variations of the contest, but the most notable one was that Apollo won the contest because he could play the lyre upside down, but Marsyas could not do it with his flute. As punishment for his hubris to challenge a deity, Apollo had Marsyas tied to a tree and stripped his skin off alive, which is inhumane and cruel. In another myth, after Cassandra did not keep her word, Apollo allowed her to keep the gift of prophecy, but he proclaimed that nobody would believe in her. This punishment is both creative and cruel as Cassandra suffers both for knowing the horrible future and living through it.
Crosshair has been shown to be capable of cruelty, especially towards those who disobeys his orders. In âReplacementsâ, ES-01 questions Crosshairâs leadership and the efficiency of the clones. He also tells Crosshair that the Empire is currently hiring human recruits, which means Crosshair may soon be replaced. This must have been humiliating to Crosshair, and with his emotional intensity, he is not going to let it slide so easily. When Crosshair decides to execute the civilians in compliance with the order to wipe out Saw Gerreraâs camp, ES-01 refuses to comply because he feels that the order is wrong. He takes over leadership as he tells the squad to ignore Crosshair and they should bring the civilians in for questioning. Crosshair coldly reminds ES-01 that the reason he is put in charge is because he is willing to do whatever it needs to be done. Crosshair then shoots ES-01 in the chest and in front of the squad as a punishment of his insubordination. Although not as cruel as Apollo flaying Marsyas alive, it is enough to cause the rest of the squad to obey his command and execute the civilians.
In âReunionâ, Crosshair hunts down the Bad Batch for being traitors to the Empire. He and his troops surround them at the end of the ion engine chamber, and he orders one of his troops to activate the engine. His plan is to trap the Bad Batch within the ion engine and force them to surrender as to avoid being burned by the engine flare. However, the Bad Batch manages to outsmart Crosshair and escape from being incinerated, while Crosshair gets burned by the ion engine. In âReturn to Kaminoâ, when the Elite Squad Troopers reject Crosshairâs order to stand down, he makes a creative trickshot to execute all four of them at once.
Although Apollo is known for his clarity, moderation and healing abilities, the Ancient Greeks also believed that his poisoned arrows brought pestilence and sudden deaths to mortals. Jean Shinoda Bolen interpreted these poisoned arrows as âvenomous wordsâ uttered by an Apollo person. When a moderate, rational Apollo person unleashes his fury, he unleashes his repressed emotions that are primitive, undeveloped and irrational. The Apollo person becomes a venomous snake that harms others with words. His hostile words are often directed towards his loved or respected ones who have hurt him, humiliated him, or did not live up to his expectations. Though, his own positive self is the major casualty. Dee Bradley Baker describes Crosshairâs voice as âa coiled snakeâ, and his words are âdeliberate and ready to strikeâ â resembling the dark aspects of Apollo. We have seen how his venomous words have wounded many people around him. In âThe Bad Batchâ, Crosshairâs words have incited Jesseâs anger, which causes a conflict between the regular clone troopers and the Bad Batch to break out. In âA Distant Echoâ, Rex is wounded by Crosshairâs words and he punches the sniper in a fit of rage.
Throughout Season 1, Crosshair accuses Hunterâs failed leadership as the reason the squad is in trouble, which causes Hunter to start questioning his leadership skills, and he blames himself for leaving Crosshair behind. In âKamino Lostâ, Wrecker is hurt by Crosshairâs mocking his intelligence, and he points out that Crosshair never once tried to reunite with his teammates by his own volition, and that they would have accepted him back. In the same episode, Omega tells Crosshair that she wants to believe that the inhibitor chip has made him like this but she is wrong, indicating that she is hurt by his claim that he already has the chip removed and he willingly joins the Empire.
Since an Apollo person tends to live in their heads and uphold their values, they are often ruled by an idea of what it should be. They care greatly about their appearances, and they want order to their own worlds. They are unlikely to make choices based on their heart, emotions and instincts because these are devalued within them. As a result, an Apollo person can remain in a boring and meaningless job, an empty marriage, or a study course they are not interested in, despite knowing that something better exists out there. With their tendency to emotionally distance themselves, they are able to appear unaffected by the loss.
Crosshair is a sniper, which means he only takes the shot when he is absolutely certain that he can hit his target. Any slight miscalculation will give away his position and possibly compromise the mission. With that, I can see that Crosshair is a risk-averse person. This is evident when Omega suddenly shoots the rifle out of Crosshairâs hand, taking him by surprise. When she starts spraying several blaster bolts in his direction, Crosshair chooses to retreat as he cannot predict her movements, let alone predicting that she can use a blaster well.
We know that Crosshair is proud of being part of Clone Force 99 for they are known for their 100 percent success rate. This makes Crosshair believe that they deserve challenging missions as seen in the Hyperspace Stories #10 when he initially complains that the mission to investigate battle droids can be done by regular clone troopers. Being part of Clone Force 99 also means that Crosshair sees himself and his teammates as the more superior one. In âThe Bad Batchâ, when Rex takes charge of the mission to the Cyber Center, Crosshair challenges his authority because Clone Force 99 has been called in to help Rex, which means they (or more specifically, Hunter) should be in charge, not Rex.
With the rise of the Empire, the Bad Batch decides to defect because they do not agree with the Empireâs orders. They become mercenaries while also taking care of Omega. On the other hand, Crosshair doubles down on what he is made for and what he is always good at â as a soldier. He believes that the Bad Batch is made to be superior soldiers, and that the Empire will benefit from their skills and abilities. In âReturn to Kaminoâ, Crosshair offers the Bad Batch to stop running and join the Empire to have a purpose again. To him, being a soldier is all that matters, and it does not matter that his allegiance is to the Republic or to the Empire. He is angry that Hunter chooses to throw away the squadâs legacy and defect. He feels that Hunter has brought chaos to his ideal world and has tarnished the squadâs reputation. He even tells Hunter to let Omega go and stop pretending to be something that he is not â a father figure to Omega. He also looks down at Omega because she is a child, despite that she has proven many times that she is a helpful ally, and she even saves him from drowning.
Even if Crosshair knows that the Empire is bad news, he is unwilling to break away from his values and his ideal world. He tries to justify the Empireâs action of destroying Tipoca City, saying that the Clone Wars is over and now the Empire will expand their control across the galaxy. Although he is left stranded on Kamino for 32 rotations, he still chooses to return because he is a soldier of the Empire. Since Crosshair cannot see what lies ahead if he chooses to give up being a soldier, he is unwilling to take the risk and run away. He stays with the Empire because they can bring structure and stability to his life, like providing him food, weapons, clothing, shelter and payment. He even scoffs at the thought of being more than a soldier as he sneers at the Bad Batch for scavenging like rats in âReunionâ. He also calls the clones that are questioning the Empireâs orders as traitors like the Jedi in âThe Solitary Cloneâ. His tendency to live in his head and his decision to choose order above all else have made him physically and emotionally distant from everyone. The more detached he becomes, the lonelier he gets, which is shown throughout Season 2.
It is necessary for an Apollo person to grow beyond their rational and logical mind, and be in touch with their heart and body. Jean Shinoda Bolen has proposed four methods to grow beyond the Apollo archetype. The first method is to make room for Dionysus in the psyche. Apollo shared his temple at Delphi with Dionysus. Inside the temple, there was a grave of Dionysus, and the cult of Dionysus celebrated his death as an adult god and his reincarnation as a new-born infant. During the three winter months, Dionysus was worshipped and celebrated there, while Apollo went away to the realm of the Hyperboreans. Jean Shinoda Bolen interprets it as the Apollo person must realize the need to live in the moment, and to be absorbed in sensation, feeling, inner imagery, or outer experience, which will allow Dionysus to be present.
Many Apollo people can gain access to the Dionysus archetype through Dionysian music and dance. Dionysian music and dance are perceived as a bodily experience that invites people to dance spontaneously and without self-consciousness. They respond to the music instinctively, letting their bodies move with the flow of the music. In romance, Apollo people are goal-oriented and technique minded. They tend to stay aware of the clock and they may be self-conscious in how they express their love. By allowing Dionysus to take over the romantic aspects, the person becomes more focused in the present and becomes less conscious of their sensuality and methods of expressing love. The relationship will feel like a soulful communion or an emotional merger. I have seen fans describing Crosshair being critical of his appearance and becoming anxious in pleasuring his partner, and I think these are true to his Apollo character. With that, he must learn to let Dionysus in his romantic life, and this can be done with encouragements from his partner.
Hunter is innately Dionysus while Crosshair is more like Apollo. They are the opposites and they balance each other out. When Hunter focuses too much on his body or other people, Crosshair likely helps to shift his focus. For example, in âAftermathâ, Crosshair wants Hunter to focus on the mission and stop being bothered by Omega. It is possible when Crosshair stays in his head for too long, Hunter encourages him to let go and live in the moment. I have mentioned that Dee Bradley Baker once proposed the idea of Crosshair singing âThe Time Warpâ, which evokes the Dionysus archetype. Dee Bradley Baker once joked that Crosshair would be the one that sits in the back of the classroom eating a bottle of glue (link here), which also evokes the Dionysus archetype. This means that it is possible for Crosshair to move his Apollo archetype aside for the Dionysus archetype.
One of Apolloâs principles is âKeep the woman under ruleâ, and Jean Shinoda Bolen interprets as an Apollo manâs tendency to suppress his anima, the unconscious feminine of a man. Carl Jung views the anima or inner woman as the realm of emotions and relatedness, which is linked to the manâs emotionality and capacity for closeness and receptivity, which is usually undeveloped. With that, the second method to grow beyond the Apollo archetype will require one to liberate the anima or inner woman. This liberation means to have a positive regard for âfeminineâ values, which allows one to honour their own feelings and the feelings of others. This method helps an Apollo person to get out of their head and into their heart or body, which enables them to feel connected to nature and all living beings. According to Jean Shinoda Bolen, most Apollo men gradually develop their anima through loving women who do not live in their heads and who can speak for their feelings. An Apollo person often hurts other peopleâs feelings unconsciously or due to their self-centered attitude. The Apollo person must be willing to listen and learn about feelings so they can be more caring towards others and not wanting to offend others.
Although Crosshair is surrounded by his brothers, he is free to liberate his anima (which is discussed in this link) under the encouragement of his brothers. Hunter has a strong Demeter anima, which is the mother archetype. Wrecker has a strong Aphrodite anima, which is the lover and creative woman archetype. Echo has a strong Persephone anima, or more specifically Persephone Queen of the Underworld. Demeter, Aphrodite and Persephone are associated with emotions, instincts and connectedness with others, which can help Crosshair to develop some positive regards for these values. Echo also has a strong Hestia anima, which is the wise maiden aunt archetype. This wise maiden aunt archetype can encourage Crosshair to follow his heart. Like Echo, Omega has a strong Persephone archetype, but it is more towards Persephone the Kore, which is the maiden archetype. This maiden archetype can encourage Crosshair to have a hopeful outlook in life, to be willing to trust others, and to be kind and compassionate. Even though Tech has a strong Athena anima, which is a feminine archetype that leans more towards living in oneâs head and becoming detached from the heart and body, he has the Hermes archetype to counter it. Since Hermes is known to be an alchemist, a guide of souls and the rescuer of the child, he has the ability to unite masculinity and femininity, which is extremely helpful for Crosshair. By surrounding with people who view emotions, instincts, sensuality, and connectedness with others as positive values, Crosshair can learn to listen and be more considerate of other peopleâs feelings.
When a person is a sun-blessed Apollo, they begin life with a favoured status and with some advantages that help them to succeed in this world. The successful Apollo person usually takes credit for their accomplishments and assumes that their success is well deserved, leading them to become prideful. They may also blame others for not succeeding, without considering other factors such as circumstances, status quo, personality or intelligence. Hence, the third method to grow beyond the Apollo archetype will require one to learn humility. An Apollo person may need to actually be in someoneâs shoes, or to suffer loss and feel grief, before they realize how arrogant they were and how much they did not know or appreciate. They may need to make a terrible mistake and be forgiven to experience humility. They may need to grow older and go through humbling experiences to become wiser.
The events of âThe Outpostâ finally gives Crosshair the hard lesson of humility. By working alongside Commander Mayday, Crosshair is able to actually feel the fit of a different pair of shoes. Although Mayday is a regular clone trooper, he is highly experienced, confident without a hint of hubris, and caring towards others. Yet, Lieutenant Nolan looks down at him for being a clone. After Crosshair and Mayday realize that the stolen cargo that they are sent to retrieved contain Stormtrooper gear, Mayday gets upset that they and their fellow brothers are thrown aside despite their combat service, sacrifice and loyalty. From here, Crosshair finally sees and feels himself in the same position as Mayday â the Empire still chooses to cast him aside despite his loyalty, exceptional skills and his supposed superiority as an enhanced clone. Later, Crosshair loses Mayday and he feels immense grief over his death. He is furious at Lieutenant Nolan for refusing to provide medical attention to Mayday. Lieutenant Nolan represents the worst aspects of an Apollo person â arrogant, cruel, thinking he is above everyone else despite lacking of command experience, and disregarding others who are below him. Upon witnessing and experiencing Nolanâs cruelty and hubris, Crosshair finally realizes how arrogant he was in the past. He also finally realizes that he did not appreciate the Republic, the Jedi, the Bad Batch, regular clones like Rex and Cody, and Omega, who are all better than how the Empire treats him and other clones. Crosshairâs decision to kill Lieutenant Nolan represents his decision to kill off his arrogant self and choose to become humble.
An Apollo person has a tendency to always do what is expected of them, without questioning whether they really want to do it. Since young, they gain love and approval for conforming to the rules, which is not difficult for them based on their archetypal nature. It often takes around the time when a mid-life crisis hits to make them start questioning their life. The fourth method to grow beyond the Apollo archetype requires one to make decisions based on love instead of logic. Once an Apollo person starts following their heart, they step out of the boundaries of their âknownâ rational world. They become human: they know that they are now vulnerable and they may make mistakes, but they are willing to take risks. They also give up the emotional distance that both protect them and keep them isolated.
Crosshair has a natural tendency to do what is expected of him, and he does it without questioning. He gains love and approval for being a good soldier that follows orders. His self-worth is based on what he is good at â as a soldier and as a sharpshooter. As a result, he does not see himself being more than a soldier and a sharpshooter. However, throughout the series, we are seeing Crosshair starts to follow his heart. In âReunionâ, Admiral Rampart orders Crosshair to execute Clone Force 99 for their desertion have made them traitors to the Empire. However, Crosshair reveals that he never intended to kill them in âReturn to Kaminoâ, which means he is going against the Empireâs orders. Moreover, in âRescue on Rylothâ, when Howzer chooses to stand up to the Empire and helps the rebels to escape, Crosshair does not choose to execute him for treason or for going against orders, which he has done previously to ES-01 in âReplacementsâ. Furthermore, in âKamino Lostâ, Crosshair chooses to save Omega from drowning even though his action does not fully regain his brothersâ trust. Although Crosshair is disappointed that the Bad Batch refuses his offer to join the Empire, he still chooses to protect them, lying in his report that they have perished in the bombardment of Tipoca City. In âThe Outpostâ, Crosshair gives up the mission to retrieve the stolen cargo, and chooses to bring Mayday back to the Imperial base in hopes that he will get medical treatment. In âTipping Pointâ, Crosshair shoots the Stormtroopers but he chooses to stun Emerie Karr instead. He does this because Emerie has been at least kind to him, and it is possible that he knows that she is a female clone like Omega. When he attempts to escape, he sends Plan 88 to the Bad Batch, warning them to hide as the Empire is after Omega. He puts his brothers and sister above his need to be rescued. Of course, this journey wonât be easy for Crosshair, but as long as he continues to put an effort to let love be his motivator, he would gradually see himself as more than a soldier and a sharpshooter, and realize that his self-worth is not determined by people with authority. He would also learn to be vulnerable and be willing to take a leap of faith into the unknown.
I have the Apollo archetype as my animus. I was born into a well-off family that prioritizes education. I was able to earn very good grades and show off my various talents. With that, I was treated as âthe golden childâ in the family, receiving many praises from my family, relatives, teachers and even strangers. Many of my uncles and aunts would compare me with my cousins, saying how I was better than them in every way. I have to admit that all the love and approval had made me arrogant and judgmental. During my college and university years, I went to study law under my familyâs suggestion. The reason was that I could work in the legal firms owned by my uncle and aunt. Besides, being a lawyer meant that I could gain a higher status in society and I could protect myself from people who wanted to take advantage of me.
I thought I have a clear future path ahead of me. However, the day after I took my first examination to become a lawyer, I had a terrible realization: my father would have never recognized me as his daughter if I wasnât smart or talented. My parents separated since I was three, and my father had pretended that I never existed in his life. That all changed when I started to perform well in school, and he started introducing me to his business partners and workers. He was proud of my achievements and boosted about how he was a great father to me, when in reality, he was rarely there for me emotionally throughout my childhood. This realization devastated me. I almost lost sense of my identity. I did not know myself beyond my intelligence, skills and talents. I found myself only being held in high esteem based on what I could give to my family â excellent grades, high status, the perfect image of a family that raises a child to be a successful woman, etc. I was lost, not knowing where to go â this was not the life I wanted.
Then, I was denied by my uncle and aunt to work in their legal firms. I also failed my examination, which shocked my family because I always passed my examinations in my first attempt. They pressured me to retake the exams in hopes that I could pass and become a lawyer. They wanted me to earn the high status and get a stable job. Though, I had lost the motivation to become a lawyer, and I failed my retake. Since then, I became âthe black sheepâ in the family, and now my family threw various words to berate me. I also failed in my first relationship, which hurt me immensely. I wandered around aimlessly, unable to find a job because I could not find one that piqued my interest. I slipped into depression once more as my future became bleak and uncertain.
When I watched âThe Outpostâ and saw what Crosshair was going through, I saw myself in him. I saw a proud child, doing everything in their power to please those with authority, only to find that their efforts mean nothing to them, and they get casted aside instead. I was touched by the episode, and I had compassion towards Crosshair. As I saw him starting to move beyond his Apollo archetype, I found myself doing the same. Currently, I am studying a Masterâs Degree in the field of education, which I have found a passion for it. My father has apologized for causing so much childhood trauma on me and he is willing to make amends, which strengthens our father-daughter bond. He now tells me that I can be whoever I want to be, and that I am more than my intelligence, skills and talents. I start to become more in touch with my instincts and emotions. I learn to be humble and less judgmental. I learn to embrace the positive and negative traits of Apollo, while choosing to move beyond this archetype. I hope to see Crosshair continuing this journey, just as I am doing now.
Here's my current prediction for Omega's story from season 1 to season three using the Heroine's Journey as a model.
Separation from the Feminine. Omega leaves Kamino behind, and with it her central mother figure, Nala Se, a woman who is Creatrix of her many brothers, benevolent and ruthless, Creator/Destroyer. Nala Se represents an ambivalent figure to Omega. She is loved by her, but she lived in a cloistered lab, and likely saw Nala Se's ruthlessness, as well as her love. In Murdock's Heroine's Journey, the heroine is unhappy in the world that represents her feminine origins.
Identification with the Masculine and Gathering of Allies. Most of our story of the Bad Batch, is Omega's journey with her younger big brothers. They are aspects of her animus, the masculine side of her, and she identifies with them, learns from them. They are the Muscle Man [Wrecker], Hunter [Literally, the Hunter], The Professor [Tech], and eventually, the Psychopomp [Crosshair]. Allies include Cid, Echo (a Reg brother), Phee, and many more.
Road of Trials, Meeting Ogres and Dragons. Many stories of rancors, dragons, scoundrels, battles. Season 1 and season 2.
Finding the boon of success Pabu. After many trials, (we see bits of vice in Omega at the start of season 2, a little of the potential for avariciousness we see in Jango and Boba, mostly ameliorated with influence of her brothers and the old Serennan man). But Pabu is the success, the utopia well-earned, a life with her brothers.
Awakening to feelings of spiritual aridity; death The life of adventure with her brothers, brings Omega the absence of one brother striking off independently, the other brother dead (maybe). Season 3, Omega will realize that her life with her brothers that she emulated and desired leads to their danger. She will question herself and what she means to them.
Initiation and Descent to the Goddess Omega will meet a Dark Shadow of herself--Emerie, the version of herself raised by a malevolent father figure, Dr. Hemlock. He is neither the benevolent paternal figure of Hunter, nor the neutral Creatrix like her mother. Dr. Hemlock is a malevolent Creator/Destroyer and perversion of that mythic figure. Omega will come to understand her Shadow in Emerie, and what could have been an aspect of herself down another path. In addition, she will also meet the Goddess that can help reconcile her place in the galaxy, and her place. This could be represented by Asajj, a woman who has been raised and tutored by multiple people, kind [Jedi] and dark [Sith], and found her own way, her own power, not completely defined by simple dichotomies, embracing what she has learned of Jedi, Sith, Witches.
Urgent yearning to Reconnect with the Feminine Omega will revisit what it means to be Nala Se's Creation and Daughter, to be Emerie's sister. That Feminine is represented in this story by cloning itself, and Omega's former (and current Mt. Tantiss) life of medical research of being assistant and aide to Nala Se -- the life that had been intended for Omega. This does not mean Omega will be Nala Se's assistant in her future adult life. But it does mean reconciling with her Mother Figure's legacy of the clones, and how she can help them herself, using her own knowledge gleaned from working on Kamino and on Mt Tantiss.
Healing the Mother/Daughter Split We have never seen Omega and Nala Se hold a conversation with each other. It will be time for a maturing Omega to confront her Creatrix, to understand or reconcile her ambivalent feelings towards her. This may also be represented in having EMERIE, Omega's Shadow, reconcile with Nala Se, the Mother figure she might perceive as having abandoned her to Dr. Hemlock.
Healing the Wounded Masculine This was always going to be Crosshair. He represents the psychopomp, the final state of the Animus, the masculine that is the guide, who has gone to death, and out of it. He has been symbolized by the Ice Vulture [remember the sacred symbolism of the vulture], and Joel Aron talked about the "angelic" lighting above Crosshair in his cell. Angels and vultures are all psychopomps. Omega will heal her inner psychopomp, the masculine guide, the part of her broken masculine, and in need of flying again, soaring above with sharp eyes.
Integration of the Masculine and Feminine Omega's final stage in the Heroine's Journey. She will combine and integrate the positive Masculine in her life (of which there is much!) of her warrior brothers, that have helped her to reach out in the world and fight, with the Feminine of her origins, the clever clone, assistant to the Creatrix of them all. Like Nala Se, she can be clever creator and destroyer (she was trained to do Nala Se's work after all), but she will destroy what harms her Mother's creations. She is the Omega, the last Clone. She is the Legacy of Jango Fett, a man who gave his own blueprint to create millions of doomed boys that will destroy and be destroyed in turn, and the Legacy of Nala Se, the woman who used that DNA to create them. Jango and Nala were always mirror characters in the story--both seemingly dispassionately, created millions of doomed children for a war machine. Yet neither were wholly evil, both loved fiercely and were/are honorable. Both loved one clone (the Alpha, and the Omega, respectively). Omega will embody the positive aspects of both these complicated legacies.
I love that you have given many great points here.
I have many points to add about Omega's Heroine's Journey based on my understanding on Jean Shinoda Bolen's "Goddesses in Everywoman". She has discussed additional information regarding the Heroine's Journey in the last chapter of her book, "The Heroine in Everywoman".
Jennifer Corbett and Brad Rau did discuss that Omega is going to encounter a few female characters in season 3. Asajj Ventress is one of them, which I believe she is going to be the Hecate to Omega's Persephone. After Persephone emerges from the Underworld, Hecate becomes her guide to and out of the Underworld. It is possible that Ventress would help Omega to transition from the Kore (maiden) to the Queen of the Underworld. Though, this is likely to be one episode. After this encounter, Omega would have the confidence to navigate this journey by herself, like Echo does with his Persephone anima.
I do agree that Emerie serves as Omega's Shadow. From the interviews, Emerie is created by Nala Se but is "raised" by Hemlock. Hemlock is the patriarchal father who molds Emerie into a compliant and emotionally withdrawn medical assistant - two traits that define a "successful" woman in a patriarchal society. Emerie is stuck as Persephone the Kore, unable to be assertive as she is resigned to her fate given by Hemlock and Nala Se. She is the non-heroine because she views herself as a victim, and everything she does is only because other people tell her to do - she has no autonomy. She also does not consider escaping (and tries to persuade Crosshair not to attempt an escape) because she views this defiance would be a death-bringer, like Hades abducting Persephone. Emerie could serve as a warning to Omega like "this is what would happen to you if you do not grow beyond the Kore".
The psychopomp is the "guide of souls", and it is mainly used to refer to Hermes (and sometimes Hecate) in Greek mythology. I interpret Tech as the psychopomp because he has the strongest Hermes archetype. Though, Hermes is present in one's journey to the Underworld, which all the Bad Batch members are going through now. They all would benefit from Hermes to get out of the Underworld and undergo change. Crosshair does has a strong Poseidon archetype that helps him to link with his emotions and instincts - the unconscious realm, while his strong Apollo archetype links to his consciousness. Jean Shinoda Bolen proposes the Poseidon man to develop the Hermes archetype so he has a "guide of souls" to express his emotions in a creative manner. I also think Crosshair's Apollo archetype would benefit from Hermes so he could be willing to take risk and break free.
In Jean Shinoda Bolen's book, there are two versions of non-heroines: one who goes along with other people's choices (she becomes a self-made victim), and one who stays at the crossroads (unable to make decisions or take action). Emerie is the self-made victim because she follows whatever Hemlock tells her to do. Omega may experience being victimized because of Hemlock. She becomes a medical assistant but her choice is made half-heartedly because she is planning to escape with Crosshair. However, since Mount Tantiss is heavily guarded, Omega is forced on stay at the crossroads, unable to make decisions or take action to escape. She can only see her life passing her by. Hemlock is reducing her to become a victim.
However, Omega refuses to become a victim. She keeps clinging onto hope, despite the physical toll can be too much for her to bear. Her choice to stay hopeful makes her a heroine. Like Psyche's first task of "sorting the seeds", Omega is now at the crossroads and she must sort out her priorities. For now, she knows she cannot escape on her own, so she has to wait for the opportune time. She works as a medical assistant but it's an act to not raise suspicion. Besides, she wants to escape with Crosshair, but he is hopeless and unwilling to help her. With that, her main priorities would be to cling onto hope, take care of Crosshair and put on an act of compliance.
According to Jean Shinoda Bolen, there are a few stages a woman must encounter in her heroine's journey.
"to reclaim the power of the snake" - Many statues of goddesses have snakes entwining them, and the snake is interpreted as "the power held by the goddess". A woman who reclaims the power of the snake means she reclaims her power over her life. Everyone on Mount Tantiss is bringing down Omega, including Crosshair (whose voice is like a coiled snake) who thinks escaping is hopeless. Omega is unwilling to give up hope, and she is unwilling to let Crosshair give up hope as well. Right here, she is "reclaiming the power of the snake" or "reclaiming Crosshair" because she is his brother.
2. "to resist the power of the bear" - The bear is interpreted as maternal instincts that may turn the heroine into a captive of her instincts. The heroine must honor its importance to her, but must also exercise conscious choice to resist its power because archetypes exist outside time and are unconcerned with our realities. The interviews stated that Omega would take on a caretaker role, especially towards Crosshair. It is possible that Omega must learn that as much as she cares about Crosshair, she cannot force him to hold onto hope or to trust others - she must let him learn in his own accord. Moreover, as much as she wants to rescue the clone prisoners on Mount Tantiss, she must "resist her maternal instincts" as she and Crosshair make their escape. She can later plan a way to go back and rescue them.
3. "to fend off death and destruction" - In the journey, the heroine must face enemies or demons that represent something destructive, primitive, undeveloped, distorted or evil in the human psyche that seeks to overpower and defeat her. The enemy or demon may be a shadow element, a negative part of her psyche, or psyche of other individuals who want to hurt, dominate, humiliate or control the heroine. Omega must fend off many enemies or demons: Hemlock, Emerie, Nala Se not being a good mother figure to her, Crosshair's venomous and hopeless words, any threat to give up hope, and the thought that her presence is constantly putting the Bad Batch on peril.
4. "to survive loss and grief" - The loss and grief can be loss of a relationship or loss of an aspect of ourselves. For Omega, she grieves the destruction of her home, the broken relationship with Crosshair, Echo leaving the Bad Batch, losing Tech, and now separated from Hunter, Wrecker and Echo. She would also have to grieve the loss of her innocence as she grows to become mature and assertive. However, she is unwilling to give into her grief, and by choosing to go on, she chooses the path of the heroine.
5. "getting through the dark and narrow passage" - The Bad Batch is currently in the Underworld. Without Tech as their navigator, they are fractured and lost. They do not know how to keep on moving, to have a clear passage and to stay hopeful. They have to learn to activate the Hermes archetype within themselves, which usually involves an instinct coming in suddenly. It is possible that Tech would come back to guide them through the dark and narrow passage - to represent hope has returned. Once they get out of the Underworld, vitality and light return.
6. "evoking the transcendent function" - When the heroine finds herself in an unclear situation or in a dilemma, with every path seems disastrous or a dead-end, she has to stay true to her principles and loyalties until someone or something unexpectedly comes to her aid. To stay with the situation, with the expectation that an answer will come, sets the inner stage for what Carl Jung called âthe transcendent functionâ - meaning something from the unconscious will arise to solve the problem or show the way to an ego (or heroine) who needs help from something beyond itself (or in herself).
In the myth of Eros and Psyche, Aphrodite gave Psyche four tasks that required more of what she could do. Each time, she was initially overwhelmed, and then help or advice came - through ants, a green reed, an eagle and a tower. In the myth of Atalanta, Hippomenes loved her and entered the race to win her hand in marriage. He knew he couldn't win the race, so he prayed for Aphrodite, who helped him to win the race and Atalanta.
The transcendent function can also be expressed through synchronistic events - âcoincidencesâ that turn
out to be meaningful, unforeseen âaccidentalâ happenings that lead us somewhere we couldnât have known we would go and that yet turn out uncannily right. The Hermes archetype is the one who opens up these moments (as stated in her book "Gods in Everyman"), giving emotional clarity and symbolic insights to help resolve a problem. This makes me believe that as the Bad Batch gets overwhelmed by their unclear paths and perils, they must learn to stay true to their principles and loyalties (Hunter, Wrecker and Echo stay true to their commitment to find Omega; Omega stays optimistic; and Crosshair remains loyal to Omega). As long as they stay true to themselves, the transcendent function would come in perhaps a "miracle", giving them a different approach to solve their problems. I speculate this "miracle" to be Tech's return from the Underworld - like Hermes has come to the team's rescue.
A creative insight is similar to a transcendent function: when there is not-yet known solution to a problem, the creator has faith that an answer exists, and stays with the situation until the solution comes. The creator is often in the state of heightened tension, and trusts the process of incubation, out which something new can emerge. I interpret this creative insight to come from the Aphrodite archetype for she is known to be the archetype of a creative woman, and an alchemical goddess (Hermes is the alchemical god). Wrecker has the Aphrodite anima, so he may take on this method to help himself and his team.
7. "from victim to heroine" - The heroine's journey is an individuation quest. In this path, the heroine may find, lose, and rediscover what has meaning to her, until she holds on to these values in all kinds of
circumstances that test her. She may repeatedly encounter whatever
threatens to overcome her, until finally the danger of losing her
selfhood is over. For Omega, she must hold onto her kindness, optimism and compassion, as she constantly gets threatened by the evils, cruelty and pessimism around her. She must not lose her Self throughout her journey. The individuation journey is not limited to just heroines. Heroes also go through it, especially if they strongly identify as the divine child archetype (associated with the Dionysus archetype - the innate archetype of Hunter). Since the Bad Batch are divine children, they all go through this journey - to become true to themselves. Jean Shinoda Bolen also talks about this in "Gods in Everyman".
Life presents us with repeated opportunities to face what we fear, what we need to become conscious of, or what we need to master. It is a cyclic journey to go through a dark place at peace and in harmony with our deepest values, and not be negatively affected at all. The Bad Batch will go through this journey to further individualize themselves - they move from "victims" trapped into the roles they are "made to be" to become heroes in their own stories - moving beyond their archetypes and becoming more human.
So what is the end of the heroine's journey?
In the myth of Eros and Psyche, they both reunited. Their marriage was honored on Mount Olympus and Psyche gave birth to a daughter named Joy. In the myth of Atalanta, she chose to take the gold apples thrown by Hippomenes, which meant she lost the race and married him. After proving her courage and competency, many heroines do not end with her becoming a conquering hero or riding off the sunset like a cowboy hero. Instead, her journey ends with union, reunion and home.
The individuation journeyâthe psychological quest for wholenessâends in the union of opposites - the inner marriage of "masculine" and "feminine" aspects of the personality. The journey ends with the person having the ability to be both active and receptive, autonomous and intimate, to work and to love. These are parts of ourselves that we can come to know through life experiences, parts that are inherent in all of us. This is the human potential with which we start. For Omega's heroine's journey, she would unite the "masculine" values of the clone troopers and the "feminine" values of herself and other feminine figures in her life.
The individuation journey has occurred in the Bad Batch arc back in the Clone Wars, where the Bad Batch guides Rex on a psychological quest to individualize himself. This means the Bad Batch already has gone through this individuation journey, and they are going through it one more time with the rise of the Empire. Since the final episode is called "The Cavalry Has Arrived", which is the first quote said by Wrecker when the Bad Batch first appeared in the Clone Wars, it is highly possible that the series finale would mirror the Clone Wars arc - it's like poetry, it rhymes.
The end of the individuation journey is seemingly unspectacular for it usually parallels real life - like after defeating evil and you return to your seemingly normal life. This may explain why the ending "may not give Omega a possibility of being the larger narrative of the Star Wars saga" because the writers probably chose to focus more of the emotional impact. It is possible that all 6 Bad Batch members survive and they choose to stay together - symbolizing union, reunion and home. It would be bittersweet because they have to go through so much pain, grief and trauma to finally make it out and be together once more. The ending may not be "huge" by Star Wars standards, but it would be emotionally impactful and hopeful - teaching us the journey we must take, and that we write our own stories.
This is the sixth instalment of my Bad Batch analysis. This character analysis has two parts: innate archetypes and anima. I will be referring to âGods in Everymanâ by Jean Shinoda Bolen for this first part analysis. This innate archetype analysis is split into two parts.
Part 1 | Part 2
Crosshair has two main archetypes: Poseidon and Apollo. His innate archetype is Poseidon, or Neptune as the Romans called him, and he is the God of the Sea. He is linked with tidal waves and earthquakes; hence, he is called Flood-bringer and Earth-shaker. He is bad-tempered, violent, vindictive, destructive, and dangerous, and these characteristics are represented by tempest, turbulence and the raging sea. However, he can also calm the sea â storms instantly stop when he drives his golden chariot drawn by white horses over the waves, and sea monsters play around it. The sea is the realm of emotions and instincts, and it is part of the unconscious. The shallow water is where personal and readily retrievable emotions and memories can be found, while the deep sea is where repressed personal feelings and instincts reside, and it is the emotional realm we share collectively. Underground water represents the deep introverted feelings that are unexpressed and unseen.
All clones have the Poseidon archetype as their innate archetype because their donor Jango Fett is innately Poseidon (Mandalorians generally have Poseidon as their innate archetype). However, this archetype is generally diluted as clones are genetically modified to be more compliant and docile. Besides that, their military training also further dilutes the effect of this archetype. Nevertheless, their Poseidon archetype motivates the clones to seek their individuality. Hence, this archetype is expressed through them in different ways such as having individual names, wearing customized armour, and sporting different hairstyles and tattoos. Even with the desire to be unique individuals, the clones also value honour, loyalty, brotherhood and community, which are all values of Poseidon. Surprisingly, these values are also upheld by most Mandalorians and the people living on Pabu.
Kamino is a remote planet covered by the ocean after the Great Flood. Instead of petitioning aid from the Galactic Republic, the Kaminoans use genetic engineering to adapt their genetic codes, flora and fauna to the new watery environment. They also build their cities in higher land and on stilts. There is an abundance of life in the ocean such as the aiwhas, the Kamoradon Sea Dragon, fish and krill. The planet often experiences heavy rain, and some parts of the year is covered by heavy electrical storms. Kamino is the home of the clones. Their donor Jango Fett did live there for 10 years as he oversaw the training of the clones and raised his unaltered clone as his son, whom he named Boba Fett. Surrounded by the ocean and sea creatures, Kamino is in the realm of Poseidon, and anyone familiar with this planet are usually innately Poseidon. I believe that the Kaminoans are innately Poseidon, especially before the Great Flood. They use science and technology to adapt and survive through the environmental changes. However, once they start using genetic engineering to better themselves, they end up suppressing the Poseidon archetype. They perceive this archetype as no longer beneficial after the Great Flood, and it should be left in the past, submerged in the ocean like their old infrastructure. They become generally expressionless, which can be a sign of being âcut awayâ from the realm of emotions. The monotone and sterile environment in Tipoca City shows how much they have supressed this archetype. In Legends, the Kaminoans used to be expressive and they had a dance called Nahra where they would display their emotions, which is now frowned upon.
Almost all clones started off with a diluted Poseidon archetype and it is maintained through military training. Of course, there are exceptions like the Domino Squad, whom they have expressed their individuality when they were cadets. Once the clones leave Kamino and join the war, their Poseidon archetype gets cultivated. How much this innate archetype gets cultivated depends on many factors like the environment, the experiences, the people they are surrounded with, etc. For example, clones who are assigned to Anakin, Ahsoka, Obi-Wan, Yoda, Plo Koon and Shaak Ti have their Poseidon archetype being cultivated positively because they are seen and treated as individuals, not expendables. On the other hand, the clones who are assigned to be Coruscant Guards have a minimal cultivation of the Poseidon archetype as their loyalty to the Republic usually supersedes their loyalty to their fellow clone brothers. Clones who have survived through various battles will have greatly cultivated their Poseidon archetype.
As the god of the sea, Poseidon can plunge into the watery depths and stay under the sea as long as he wants. He can also rise swiftly to the surface by commanding his horses to pull his chariot. This makes Poseidon the archetype of the deep-sea diver. A person who identifies with Poseidon can dive deeply into the watery realm of emotions and stay there as long as they want to. They can feel all sorts of intense emotions that can take the forms of great beauty and monsters of the deep. They can dive so deep to the point that vision must be abandoned and they have to sense the emotions and instincts hidden in the darkness. As deep-sea divers, they have a sense of emotional depth, intensity and complexity. This archetype is expressed through art and literature, music, dance, architecture and psychotherapy when it involves diving into the collective human depth.
The world around us tends to force us to cut off the Poseidon archetype. However, one can enter the realm of emotions and be overwhelmed by it like a drowning person when they drink or when they are consumed by a strong emotion (especially if that emotion is bottled up for too long). Though, there are some cultures that connect well with the realm of emotions and allow their people to be more emotional, irrational and expressive. This is especially true for cultures that have experienced suffering historically, where art, dance, music and literature are valued, and their museums mostly contain cultural artifacts (e.g. coins, statues, artwork, traditional clothing, armour and weapons) and natural artifacts (e.g. fossils, minerals, animal and plant specimens).
Like Zeus, the Empireâs domain is the sky, which is the realm of will and power. To rise upwards, one must âleave the earthâ to see the forest not the individual trees. It is a highly competitive workplace and anyone who cannot keep up the pace will be left behind. Those who manage to reach the top ranks in the Empire tend to live in their heads and express themselves through power and words. They are cut off from their hearts, hence, they lack sympathy for others. They are also cut off from their emotions and sensuality. They see their bigger picture perspective as superior, hence, they view the people below them as expendables and are willing to sacrifice them to achieve their goals. However, the clones, being Poseidon, do not share such values. They instead value loyalty, brotherhood, teamwork, creativity and innovation. Unlike the people working for the Empire, the clones are supportive of each other, and they are unwilling to leave their own behind. The Empire looks down at such values, which may explain why they always plan on casting them out after Order 66 is carried out.
The inhibitor chip not just makes the clones to mindlessly kill the Jedi, it also strips away their individuality and values â which is like suppressing their Poseidon archetype. Furthermore, the decommissioning of clones and Project War-Mantle are carried out to replace the clones with Stormtroopers, which consists of people that are willing to strip away their individuality to serve the Empire. Finally, the aerial bombardment being carried out to destroy Tipoca City, the home of the clones, symbolizes the Empire raining down lightning (like Zeus) to destroy the realm of emotions and instincts, and the city being submerged underwater symbolizes the Empireâs values â the suppression of emotions, instincts, sensuality and connections with nature and other people. I also feel that the Empire destroying Kamino could serve as an allegory of the British Empire almost decimated the MÄori people and culture because I find that the MÄori peopleâs connection with nature, loyalty and caring towards community, the desire to preserve their traditions, creative arts such as carving, tattoos and performing arts evoke the Poseidon archetype.
On the other hand, Pabu serves as the haven for the clones. It is a remote island surrounded by the ocean, and there is an abundance of life and nature like the moon-yos, fish and fruits. The people living there are refugees who have fled from war and conflict. They understand each otherâs sufferings and they treat each other like family. They are also welcoming towards the Bad Batch. The Archium is a museum built to store the peopleâs cultural artifacts that Phee has liberated. The people respect nature as they acknowledge the moon-yos as the islandâs native animals and allow them to roam freely. Despite all its beauty and abundance, the island experiences earthquakes and tidal waves. The people have built an early warning system to alert them when there is a risk of a sea surge, and rescue ladders for evacuation. Although the tidal wave has destroyed Lower Pabu, rendering many people homeless, they are resilient and they work together to rebuild Lower Pabu (with the help of the Bad Batch). The residents on Pabu uphold the values of the Poseidon archetype, which are shared by the clones, making the island as the perfect place for the clones to settle down after the war.
Crosshair has enhanced eyesight. It is said that the eyes are the window to the soul because the eyes reflect our emotions and thoughts. This means that his genetic modification not just intensifies his eyesight, it also intensifies his emotions and instincts. This also means Crosshair has an enhanced Poseidon archetype, which is why some fans think that he is the closest we can get to Jango Fett. As a deep-sea diver, Crosshair is an emotionally intense person. Even as he lurks in a corner and stays calm, his intensity leaks out and can make people feel uncomfortable around him. His eyes depict various emotions like anger, pain and sadness.
Since Crosshair feels intensely, this means that he tends to stay in one emotion for a long time and it takes time for the emotion to subside. This can become a problem, for example, if he is angry, he will stay angry for a long time. To make matters worse, he is likely to unleash his anger towards everyone, regardless it is his target or an innocent victim, just like the saying âget caught in the crosshairsâ (hence, Crosshair is a fitting name for him). This is equivalent to the forces of nature destroying everything and everyone on its path without discrimination. Aside from anger and sadness, if Crosshair is in pain, he feels it more intensely than normal people. That is why Dr. Hemlock using the interrogation droid to torture Crosshair is extremely cruel (and it hints that he understands Crosshair well enough to find ways to break him). Normal people will feel intense pain from the torture method, but Crosshair feels it much worse and the pain lingers longer in his body and mind. It is remarkable that Crosshair can still talk, stand, shoot and walk after going through the intense pain.
Of course, the emotional intensity is not all negative â there are some positives. Since Crosshair is accepted and loved for who he is by the Bad Batch, he can be emotionally responsive and physically demonstrative. Besides, being surrounded by people who expresses themselves freely can help Crosshair to develop positive traits of being an emotionally intense person. There are headcanons that Crosshair laughs loudly, which I believe is in character for him â it is just that he only does it in private or with his brothers. I believe that he almost always shows his deep affection to his loved ones in private. In âAftermathâ, Wrecker says that he and Crosshair cry upon seeing the new armoury. Even though Crosshair does not want to admit it, it is in character for him to be so emotionally overwhelmed that he sheds tears. Besides that, Crosshair is extremely loyal and can develop long-lasting ties with other people, even those who are his opposites. He is fiercely protective of his loved ones and will resort to physical fights to protect them. With the access to the deep sea, which is the collective human emotional depth, Crosshair has the capacity to understand other peopleâs emotions, making him emotionally mature and intelligent. For example, if you feel intense pain from something that is normally not that painful to a normal person, Crosshair will not judge you and instead acknowledges your feelings as valid. If you have an unusual phobia, he will understand you and help you. I do believe that if Crosshair was with the Bad Batch in âThe Crossingâ, he would understand Omegaâs grief of losing Echo and comfort her.
In a romantic context, Crosshair will fall deeply in love. His expressions of love will probably be rough, intense, passionate and dominating, and these may be done consciously or unconsciously. If you try to hide from him, he will still find you. If you try to downplay your beauty, he will still think you are beautiful. If he is in the mood but you are not, he will probably pull you into the same mood as him (as long as you are fine with it). It is like he drags you into the watery depths of his emotions and instincts, flooding your consciousness so you will share his feelings.
Though, it is not out of character for Crosshair to be soft and tender, and this requires him to develop the âdolphinâ in himself. In Greek mythology, Poseidon saw the Nereid Amphitrite dancing and he fell in love with her. Jean Shinoda Bolen interprets the love is more than sexual desire, and that Amphitrite attracts his inner image of his beloved, which Carl Jung describes it as âanimaâ, the unconscious feminine side of a man. Poseidon courted her with how he was used to â dominating and overpowering her with his intensity. This frightened her and she fled to the Atlas Mountains to escape him. Delphinus (or Dolphin) found her, then pleaded his case charmingly, and she agreed to marry Poseidon. In gratitude, Poseidon made the Dolphin into a starry constellation.
It is essential for a Poseidon person to learn from the Dolphin, a creature at home in his own watery realm. Poseidon people must learn to give up the need to dominate, and instead focus on his relationships with others. By developing the âdolphinâ in themselves, they can attune themselves to another person (like the dolphin can find Amphitrite although she is hiding), and be sensitive, caring and communicative at a deep level. Since emotions are naturally present in the watery realm, skills such as enhancing rapport, empathic understanding and emotional expressiveness can come naturally for Poseidon people. With encouragement and opportunity for development, they can master their feelings like how people master their artistic and mental skills. If a Poseidon person evolves with the help of the dolphin, their effect with their loved ones will be like âliving in a beautiful undersea palaceâ where they share an emotional depth, which is a beautiful aspect of a relationship. This is a common theme for many soft Crosshair headcanons and fanfictions, and the romantic setting usually takes place at beaches.
The name Poseidon means husband of Da (posis Das), which is a name for the earth. He wields a trident, and he is symbolized by two animals: the bull and the horse (or more specifically, the stallion). The trident, bull and horse are abstract statements of his sexuality, fertility and sexual prowess. As the husband of earth, Poseidon strikes the earth with his trident to bring forth water, which brings life and fertility to the land. I have seen headcanons of Crosshair being a gardener or a cook, and these are surprisingly fitting for him as the life-giving Poseidon. Moreover, being the life-giving Poseidon also means that the clones can be great fathers. As the trident bearer, there are two sides that Crosshair and the rest of the clones have: they have multiple partners with no strings attached, or they are loyal and committed in a relationship. Like Poseidon, their partner preferences are diverse: smart and independent, emotional and sensitive, shy and obedient, quiet and mysterious, bratty and rebellious, funny and mischievous, calm and collected, tough and resilient, caring and loving, etc.
Poseidon is seen as an archetype of the wild man, which is a symbol of masculinity that is filled with instincts and is in touch with nature. Unfortunately, this archetype is disregarded and feared, hence, it is repressed by the patriarchal society. If this archetype is liberated and brought into the consciousness, it can be a source of strength and power, teaching a person to be courageous and loving. We are seeing a rise of male characters who are emotional and sensitive, which are now seen as positive traits. This leads to an appreciation and empowerment of this wild man archetype. The clones do exhibit this archetype to some extent â they are not afraid to fight and die in a war, yet they are loving and caring towards children.
Like Zeus and Hades, Poseidon is an archetype of the king. People who identify strongly as Poseidon desires to âbe somebody importantâ and seeks power, control and respect. However, they lack the impersonality, strategic thinking, and force of will like Zeus to be successful. Due to their intense feelings associated with Poseidon, they are not good losers and can easily be enraged. In the myth, Zeus, Poseidon and Hades drew lots to divide the world: Zeus got the sky, Poseidon got the sea, while Hades got the underground. Poseidon was not satisfied with his lot, so he competed with other gods for possession of cities. In one myth, Poseidon and Athena competed for the city of Athens. Athena presented the olive tree, while Poseidon used his trident to strike a rock, producing a saltwater spring. When Athenaâs gift was judged to be more useful, the enraged Poseidon flooded the surrounding plains, which might explain why Athens was located next to three separate rivers at that time. Poseidon was also unsuccessful in claiming Argos from Hera, Aegina from Zeus and Naxos from Dionysus. There is also one myth where Poseidon unsuccessfully plotted against Zeus.
Having a strong Poseidon trait, Crosshair seeks to âbe somebody importantâ as he sees himself and Clone Force 99 as more superior than the regular clone troopers. He is highly competitive and is unafraid to challenge for authority. For example, in âThe Bad Batchâ, Rex decides to take charge of the mission after Cody is injured, and Crosshair questions the legitimacy of Rexâs authority since Cody has called in Clone Force 99 for this mission, which means the authority to carry out this mission should be under Clone Force 99. Moreover, Crosshair is the only one who challenges Hunterâs leadership skills in âAftermathâ, âReturn to Kaminoâ and âKamino Lostâ. He even wants to remove Hunterâs role as a leader and possibly taking the leadership role for himself in âAftermathâ. Crosshair being given the Clone Commander rank by Admiral Tarkin, which is higher than Hunterâs Clone Sergeant rank, probably satisfies his desire of having more power than Hunter.
Poseidon is known as the implacable enemy in Greek mythology. In Homerâs Odyssey, Odysseus blinded Poseidonâs one-eyed Cyclops son Polyphemus and escaped from being eaten. This resulted in Odysseus facing Poseidonâs wrath, leading him to spend 10 years trying to return home. This eye-for-an-eye justice is vengeance that takes nothing else into consideration, even going so far as âHe who is not with me is against meâ (very similar to what Anakin Skywalker tells Obi-Wan Kenobi in âRevenge of the Sithâ because Anakin is innately Poseidon). In addition, Poseidon is a grudge holder, and with his emotional intensity, he can hold it for a long time and innocents are not spared from his wrath. This is depicted in one myth where Poseidon and Apollo had an agreement with King Laomedon to build the walls of Troy in return for payment. When the construction was completed, the Trojan king refused to pay, and Poseidon avenged himself âunto the second and third generationâ, dragging Priam (King Laomedonâs son), Paris and Hector (King Laomedonâs grandchildren) to face his wrath.
The archetype of Poseidon as the implacable enemy is present in Boba Fett, Dogma and Crosshair. After Boba witnesses Jedi Master Mace Windu kills his father Jango Fett, he becomes obsessed with seeking revenge against the Jedi. He and his mentor Aurra Sing attempt to assassinate Mace Windu, which results in the destruction of the Star Destroyer Endurance and the deaths of many innocent people (though he does not want to hurt others and he does these things reluctantly). Even though his plan fails and he is sent to prison, he still refuses to forgive the Jedi. When Dogma realizes that Pong Krell has betrayed the Republic and the clones, even taking advantage of his blind loyalty, he becomes enraged and kills the Jedi to avenge his brothers. After the Bad Batch leaves Crosshair behind in âAftermathâ, Crosshair holds a grudge against them for the entire Season 1. At the beginning of âBounty Lostâ, the vengeful Crosshair pursues the Bad Batch relentlessly even though he is severely burned by the ion engine. In âReturn to Kaminoâ, Crosshair wants them to join the Empire to have a purpose again, but they refuse. This prompts Crosshair to warn them not to make the same mistake twice and not to become his enemy. In âThe Outpostâ, Crosshair gets revenge of Maydayâs death by killing Lieutenant Nolan, who refuses to provide medical help and causes Mayday to succumb to his injuries.
Although Poseidon is known for his anger, destructiveness, and otherwise stormy disposition, he also has a peaceful and merciful aspect to his personality. In his calmer moods, he visited his Ethiopian worshippers, who gave him rich sacrifices, and he forgot his pursuit of Odysseus for some time. In an act of mercy and an earthquake, he turned Thessaly, which had been an enormous lake, into dry land. He also changed Ino and her son into sea gods when they threw themselves into the sea, and appointed Castor and Pollux as protectors of sailors who could calm the storms. Moreover, the Ancient Greeks gave Poseidon various titles such as âSaviour of Sailorsâ, âAverter of Earthquakesâ, âThe Creator and Tamer of Horsesâ and âThe Leader of Nymphsâ. They prayed to Poseidon even in cities where the god of sea was not the cityâs patron god to ensure the sailors and fishermen would have a safe journey. With that, it is possible for Crosshair to be peaceful and merciful, though, this is a rare occurrence. The one time we see Crosshair briefly showing his calmer side is in âAftermathâ, when Omega tells him that it is not his fault that he feels angry and that he cannot help it.
Poseidon is treated as a shadow of Zeus because the emotional aspect of the father archetype is being repressed or buried. Hence, this archetype becomes undeveloped and inaccessible to those who have severed their emotionality. This can lead to emotional instability and the tendency to react out of proportion to whatever sets them off. In the social context, there is a need to control how much emotions one can show that is deemed appropriate. Poseidon people can be emotionally expressive, but they can reach to the point when their emotions âtake overâ. A person who is taken over by their fluctuating subjective feelings, who takes no one else and no situation into consideration is described as self-centered and emotionally inappropriate. They are also viewed as emotionally immature or unstable, and even âout of their mindsâ. If they resemble a resentful, angry Poseidon, they are likely to be violent and abusive, especially when alcohol further loosens their controls. Based on my observations and my readings of various headcanons, I see that Crosshair can be both emotionally immature and mature depending on how well he controls his emotions.
Poseidonâs mythology emphasizes his resentments and retributions. He represents the dark aspect of the father archetype that seeks revenge â âan eye for an eyeâ. As a negative emotional complex, Poseidon vengeance can become all-consuming and destructive to oneâs personality as well as towards whom the hostility is directed. A person who obsessively fantasizes about seeking revenge is also consumed by this powerful negative aspect of Poseidon.
If a Poseidon person is constantly criticised for being âtoo emotionalâ or ânot rational enoughâ, they may internalize the criticism and continue to judge themselves negatively even when the external criticism has ceased. This can lead to poor self-esteem and they are likely to repress their emotionality. Their wellbeing and worthiness will be adversely affected, especially if they harbour powerful negative feelings such as resentment or the desire for revenge. This is common among men, but it can also happen on women.
Poseidon is the bringer of tidal waves and earthquakes. These two natural disasters represent powerful emotions that topples rationality and swallows up reality, causing a person to âgo madâ. New construction or reconstruction can only begin after the waters recede or the earth becomes stable again. The calmness for the observing ego comes, allowing the person to understand the experience and reconstruct themselves and the relationships they have at least destroyed temporarily. The âtidal waveâ can be interpreted as an amplified version of oneâs usual emotional nature. For example, a person may react to a current pain by opening the floodgates to more grief and rage. These feelings are not new, only greater. The âearthquakeâ can be interpreted as oneâs emotions being kept underground. The introverted feelings are like underground water that follows fault lines, and as pressure builds up underground, some mild tremors are felt but they are usually disregarded. Only after a major quake we remember the previous ârumblingsâ that hinted at the instability and emotionality below the surface. The earthquake represents primitive rage in which a person may irrationally attack others, which may devastate not only others but also (and even more) themselves.
Crosshair has shown to unleash his âtidal wavesâ and âearthquakesâ a few times. In âAftermathâ, Crosshair is angry that Hunter refuses to execute Order 66 and that he let Caleb Dume escape, even lying that he stuns the Padawan and causes him to fall to his death. This causes tension to rise between him and Hunter, but it is eased temporarily by Echo, Tech and Wrecker. Things do not go well for Crosshair, especially when his meal is ruined during the food fight, prompting him to unleash his rage by hitting two clones with his tray. When Hunter disobeys orders for the second time by letting Saw Gerrera and his people go, Crosshairâs anger grows and he begins to challenge Hunterâs authority. Crosshair becomes more annoyed when Hunter decides to believe Omegaâs warning and go back to Kamino to save her. As he has expected, the Bad Batch gets arrested for treason and is thrown into the brig. Crosshairâs anger becomes greater as he blames Hunterâs leadership for getting the team into trouble, and that every decision he has made since Kaller has been wrong. Realizing that Crosshairâs inhibitor chip is slightly working, Tarkin asks Nala Se to intensify the chipâs programming. I believe this operation not just intensifies Crosshairâs loyalty to the Empire, it also intensifies his feelings of anger, loss and betrayal towards his teammates. These amplified feelings are eventually unleashed like a tidal wave when Crosshair fires first at Hunter, leading to a gun battle between the Bad Batch and the clones loyal to the Empire.
In âReturn to Kaminoâ and âKamino Lostâ, Tech, Echo, Wrecker and Omega go to Kamino to rescue Hunter, who is captured by the Empire. Kamino is dark and stormy, representing Crosshairâs turbulent emotions towards his old teammates. He is still angry at them for leaving him behind, but he has no intention to kill them despite they are branded as traitors to the Empire. He proves it by killing all four Elite Squad Troopers who refuse to obey his command and stand down. He offers the Bad Batch to join the Empire but they refuse, which angers him. When Crosshair reveals that he already has his inhibitor chip removed a long time ago, and that he willingly pledges loyalty to the Empire, Hunter and the rest of the team are shocked. Crosshair claims that this is who he is, but Hunter refuses to accept it and stuns him. Even though Crosshair is unconscious, his rage has probably reached its boiling point as he remembers his teammates refusing to join the Empire and refusing to accept that he willingly joins the Empire.
As Tipoca City gets bombarded by the Empire, the Bad Batch is forced to flee into the depths of the sinking city. As the city sinks into the ocean, the compartments get flooded, which represents Crosshairâs amplified feelings of rage, disappointment and betrayal finally bursting open, threatening to drown the Bad Batch, including Crosshair himself. Crosshairâs amplified emotions are shown when he rejects Omegaâs help to free him, and when he pushes her away after she rescues him. Even as the Bad Batch manages to escape from the flooded compartments, water bursts through the cracks on the tunnels and the Kamoradon Sea Dragon further damages the tunnels as it tries to eat the Bad Batch. These represents Crosshairâs emotional tidal wave still moving to unleash its destructive force towards himself and the Bad Batch. This is evident as Crosshair is bitter that his team has thrown away their legacy, and he blames Hunterâs failed leadership for causing them to end up in a situation where they are going to die. He also blames his teammates for letting Omega (âthe kidâ) to call the shots and accuses Hunter for taking things personally. Crosshairâs emotional tidal wave finally subsides as daybreak comes, represented by the placid ocean and the clear sky of Kamino.
In âThe Outpostâ, Crosshair is reassigned to the Imperial depot on the snowy planet Barton IV. When he, Lieutenant Nolan and the clone troopers land there, it is snowing and strong winds are blowing. The snow and strong winds represent Crosshairâs inner emotions. Ever since Commander Cody tells Crosshair that they all make their own choices and they have to live with them too at the end of âThe Solitary Cloneâ, Crosshair is unable to sleep and eat well. Moreover, he is lonely as other regular clone troopers do not want to associate with him, and that Cody later deserts the Empire. Although he seems to be disinterested of the fate of the clones because he views himself as more superior than the regular clone troopers, his inner emotions show how he is really feeling. He is fuming when Rampart refers to Cody by his designation number and he mocks the loyalty of the clone troopers due to the increasing rate of desertion. He probably also feels that the passing of the Imperial Defense Recruitment Bill is unfair because it forces the clones into retirement, which is being protested by many clone troopers. Crosshair supresses these feelings and his questioning of the Empireâs actions because he just wants to be âa good soldierâ, which is all that matters to him. This is why he is unbothered by the snow and strong winds of Barton IV because his Imperial armour has shielded him from the harsh environment literally and from his inner emotions metaphorically.
Crosshair starts to open up slightly when Commander Mayday extends his warmth and kindness to him. When Mayday gives him a tour of the Imperial depot and its surroundings, the strong winds have subsided and there is less snowfall. This change of weather indicates that this companionship has helped to ease Crosshairâs inner emotions albeit temporary. Moreover, this meeting can be interpreted as Crosshairâs subconscious is calling for help because âmaydayâ is an internationally recognized radio word to signal distress. When Crosshair steps on a pressure mine that is hidden underneath the snow, it serves as a warning sign to him that his inner emotions and questioning of the Empireâs actions have become a ticking time bomb. The pressure is building up and it will explode any time. Before Crosshair steps on the mine, the tunnel above him and Mayday rumbles, which can be interpreted as an early warning sign of Crosshairâs destructive emotions. Thankfully, Mayday disarms the pressure mine and by slowly lifting his foot, Crosshair is able to escape from danger for now. When facing an overwhelming number of raiders, Crosshair shoots at a power generator, which causes an explosion that takes out the raiders. However, the explosion also creates cracks on the mountain and causes rocks and snow to fall onto the raidersâ hideout, in which Crosshair and Mayday have to escape from. The cracks on the mountain indicates that Crosshairâs inner emotions and questioning of the Empireâs actions are starting to leak out. It is like water starts to leak out from a cracked bottle due to the pressure. Though, Crosshair and Mayday think that the cracks are mild and ignore them, just like most people ignore the mild tremors coming from the earth.
When they go to recover the stolen cargo, they discover that the cargo contains stormtrooper armour for the new Imperial Military. Mayday is upset that he and his brothers are being treated horribly despite their combat service, loyalty and sacrifices. His sentence âWeâre good soldiers, we followed orders, and for what?â finally hits Crosshair and intensifies his inner feelings and questioning of the Empireâs actions. Then, loud rumbling sounds can be heard and the ground begins to shake. This indicates that Crosshair has reached his breaking point and he can no longer contain his inner emotional turmoil. An avalanche comes running down towards Crosshair and Mayday. The avalanche (which can be seen as an icy tidal wave) represents Crosshair reacting to his current emotional turmoil by opening the floodgates to more turmoil. The avalanche buries Crosshair and Mayday, which causes Mayday to get injured and Crosshair to lose his helmet and expose himself to the cold. This disaster symbolizes Crosshairâs destructive emotions have devastated Mayday and Crosshair himself. Now, Crosshair, with his helmet off, is forced to face the aftermath of his actions and emotions. Since the emotional floodgates are opened, strong winds and snowfall, which also represent Crosshairâs emotional turmoil, appear as Crosshair brings the injured Mayday back to the Imperial base. They are forced to endure the icy and freezing conditions without proper equipment and supplies. The strong winds and snowfall only subside when Crosshair and Mayday finally arrive at the Imperial base. The clear weather indicates that Crosshair has let go of his ego and his emotional turmoil as he is only focused on making sure Mayday gets medical treatment.
Across the world, many people live in places that are prone to natural disasters such as storms, earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, and tsunamis. Some people choose to move away from these places, but many choose to stay. They learn to read the weather or seismological reports. From experience, they learn what to expect, how to prepare, and what to build that is likely to survive a potentially destructive wave or quake. People whose Poseidon emotionality can overwhelm their egos must become conscious of their own susceptibility and must learn as much as possible about its conditions and warnings. They must develop ways to live with this powerful part of them. Similarly, people who are affected by the destructiveness of Poseidon, as lived out in someone else, must learn to detect the warning signs.
In âPabuâ, Hunter is able to sense the incoming tremor before it hits the island, just like the moon-yos quickly retreating before the rumbling comes. He tenses up, and before he suggests that they retreat, a small tremor rocks throughout the island and sea. The residents of Pabu, especially Shep and Lyana disregard the small tremor because it is a common occurrence on the island. Not long after, a larger tremor comes, which concerns everyone. This scene shows that Hunter is extremely sensitive to changes of pressure, and a slight change is enough to prompt him to take quick, decisive actions. By interpreting the tremors as powerful and destructive emotions, it can be said that Hunter is able to detect the warning signs given out by Crosshairâs inner emotions. This is evident in âAftermathâ when Hunter is able to sense that Crosshair is staring at him intensely despite his eyes are closed and Crosshair is wearing his helmet. He probably already knew that Crosshair is going to ask him about the Padawan when he asks âwhat?â to Crosshair. Thanks to his enhanced senses, Hunter can quickly pick up changes to Crosshairâs emotions. He takes action when he senses even a slight increase of intensity of Crosshairâs emotions.
In the Hyperspace Stories #10, the Bad Batch is sent to Hylanth, a moon in the Outer Rim for a mission involving battle droids. This mission seems to frustrate Crosshair as the words âbattle droidsâ are written in bold, indicating a greater emphasis of these words. Hunter senses his frustration and tells him that they have their orders. Crosshair then explains that he is not questioning the orders, but he just feels that this mission can be carried out by the regular clone troopers. After Tech explains that the battle droids they are sent to investigate have been modified, Crosshair says that âmaybe there is hope for this mission yetâ because he likes to be challenged. This causes Hunter to tease Crosshair for sounding grumpy. I feel that Hunter does not tell Crosshair to shut his mouth when his words irk Jesse and Rex in the Clone Wars episodes because Hunter does not sense any increased tension from Crosshairâs words and that it is just on brand of his dark, twisted sense of humour. However, in âAftermathâ, when Crosshair starts shooting at Caleb Dume, Hunter quickly orders him to stand down. Furthermore, in âReturn to Kaminoâ, tension rises between Hunter and Crosshair due to the reveal that Crosshair already has his inhibitor chip removed and that he willingly joins the Empire. Before Crosshair can shoot, Hunter stuns him, indicating that his quick, decisive actions are meant to dilute Crosshairâs intense emotions. Hunterâs Dionysus archetype enables him to sense changes to Crosshairâs emotions like the mysterious and uncontrollable tides that flow and ebb in nature, and his Demeter anima motivates him to care for Crosshairâs emotional needs. His Zeus archetype helps him to take immediate action to calm Crosshair down, though, this tactic does not always work because he may not fully understand how and why Crosshair feels that way, which is evident in the comic and the episodes stated earlier.
Besides Hunter, the rest of the Bad Batch have their own ways to handle Crosshairâs emotionality. Wrecker, who has a strong Aphrodite anima, is drawn to Crosshairâs intense emotions. He attends to Crosshairâs emotional needs by annoying him and shifting his focus so his emotions can subside faster, which is shown in the Hyperspace Stories #10, âThe Bad Batchâ and âAftermathâ. Even when Crosshair reacts angrily at him, he remains loving towards him. Moreover, Wrecker encourages Crosshair to be emotionally expressive, which is evident in âAftermathâ as Wrecker corrects Crosshair that they both did cry seeing the new armoury. Besides that, Wrecker is an explosive expert, which means that he can handle Crosshairâs destructive and explosive emotions as he knows how to disarm it.
Tech, who is Hades the Good Counsellor, accepts that Crosshair is severe and unyielding, and that nobody, not even Crosshair himself can change that. Techâs subjective understanding enables him to accept Crosshairâs decision to join the Empire and let go of the emotional pain inflicted by him as seen in âKamino Lostâ. In âPabuâ, after a larger tremor rocks throughout the island, Tech warns that the island is vulnerable to a sea surge with the risk ranging from highly probable to imminent. His prediction comes true when the islandâs early warning system later comes to life. By interpreting the tremors and sea surge as powerful and destructive emotions, it can be said that Tech is well-prepared in predicting and handling Crosshairâs intense and destructive emotions, like he is the head of the emergency or disaster management. When Crosshairâs inner emotions begin to leak out or show its cracks, Tech takes notice of it and expects the worst outcome. With that, motivated by his Athena anima and his Hermes archetype, he raises his defence and diverts others away from Crosshair before his emotions are unleashed. Once Crosshairâs emotions subside, Tech assesses the aftermath, carries out the recovery process, and implements better preparations to mitigate its destructive forces.
For Echo, who has the Hephaestus archetype, handles Crosshairâs emotionality by being stubborn and being the family peacekeeper. In âAftermathâ, when Echo senses the rising tension between Hunter and Crosshair, he questions why the clone troopers turn on their general Jedi Master Depa Billaba despite they have been serving her for years. This causes Tech to explain about the regular clonesâ programming, which distracts Hunter while Wrecker distracts Crosshair. With that, Echo is able to ease the tension temporarily. Later in the episode, Echo takes on a more assertive approach in dealing with Crosshairâs intense emotions. When Crosshair grumbles about the team debating their choices and they need to complete the mission of eliminating the insurgents, Echo tells him to wake up and see that the Empire has sent them to kill innocent civilians. Then, when Crosshair demands Hunter to explain why he has gone soft, Echo tells him to stop it as there is no use of fighting and they should focus on escaping the prison. Moreover, since Echo has a strong Hestia anima, he is usually unaffected by Crosshairâs emotionality, and he is not judgemental towards Crosshair.
Omega, who is highly perceptive thanks to her Persephone archetype, can sense that Crosshair is angry. She reaches out to him and sits beside him. She then pleads with him not to do what he is going to do. She tells him that it is not his fault that he is feeling angry and that he canât help it, which briefly softens him. In âKamino Lostâ, Omega once again approaches Crosshair and observes that he never liked Kamino. She understands him as she has spent most of her life inside Nala Seâs private laboratory alone until the creation of the Bad Batch, which is why she is determined to find them all again. Her receptive personality makes her kind and compassionate, and it gives her the ability to try to see things from Crosshairâs perspective, so she can reach out to him from the emotional level.
Besides the Bad Batch, Cody and Mayday have shown the ability to handle Crosshairâs emotionality. In âThe Bad Batchâ, after Crosshairâs words incite anger in Jesse, Cody reminds him that they are all on the same mission and he needs to cut his attitude. In âThe Solitary Cloneâ, Cody specially requests Crosshair to be part of the mission and he chuckles at Crosshairâs humour. Codyâs no-nonsense attitude and authority gain Crosshairâs respect. As for Mayday, he shares a heater with Crosshair and starts a conversation with him, which helps Crosshair to open up. He also gives Crosshair a tour of the Imperial base so he can be familiarized with the new place and the planetâs harsh environment. He even encourages Crosshair to humour him as he disarms the pressure mine that Crosshair has stepped onto it. Although Mayday does not have any proper tools and equipment to disarm the mine, his experience and creativity help him to save Crosshair. I have interpreted that the pressure mine represents Crosshairâs emotionality as a ticking time bomb, and with Maydayâs ability to disarm it without proper equipment, it can be said that Mayday is highly experienced in handling people with intense emotions like Crosshair.
Although Crosshair is cold and rude, he is fortunate to be accepted and loved for who he is by the Bad Batch, Cody and Mayday. His relationships with them, especially with the Bad Batch, help him to develop his âdolphinâ, allowing him to have a better understanding and control of his own emotions. It is believed that Crosshair has the habit of pushing boundaries to test people â to see whether they can handle his emotionality and stay, or become disgusted and run away from him. He probably knows how his intense emotionality scares most people away, and he does not want to waste time on people who do not appreciate and accept him for who he is. He also wants to spare himself from the hurt and betrayal. Crosshair is grateful that the Bad Batch chooses to stay with him, and in return, he gives his loyalty and respect to them. Unfortunately, that all changes with the issue of Order 66.
When Order 66 is issued, Crosshairâs inhibitor chip is somehow activated. He becomes adamant in carrying out orders without question. Influenced by the order, he tries to shoot Caleb Dume down. Hunter keeps telling Crosshair to stand down but to no avail. Crosshair later gets angry that Hunter has allowed Caleb to escape and has lied that the Padawan has been eliminated. His anger intensifies when Hunter defies orders to eliminate Saw Gerrera and his people. When the Bad Batch is thrown into prison for disobeying orders, Crosshair blames Hunterâs leadership for getting the team into trouble. Hunter, Tech, Wrecker and Echo do not understand what is wrong with Crosshair. They never have an issue with disobeying orders because they do it all the time. Crosshair also does not understand what is wrong with himself. The inhibitor chip has âtampered his access to the emotional realmâ (for regular clones, the chip âinhibits their access to the emotional realmâ), thus, hampering his emotional control. Crosshair probably feels frustrated that nobody, not even himself can figure out what has gone wrong. To make matters worse, Hunter, Tech, Wrecker and Echo are more focused on trying to escape instead of taking care of Crosshair, which may have frustrated him further because he thinks that they are indifferent towards him. Omega, who notices his anger, is the only person to reach out to him, and she is able to comfort him for a brief moment.
After Crosshairâs operation, the effects of the inhibitor chip are intensified, along with his anger towards his teammates, especially Hunter. His amplified rage is eventually unleashed towards his teammates when he fires the first shot, starting a gunfight. When the Bad Batch manages to leave Kamino, Crosshair feels bitter that they have left him behind. They have always stay by his side no matter how intense his emotions can get, but this time, they run away from him â like Amphitrite fleeing from Poseidon, and some people moving away from places prone to natural disasters. Crosshair feels betrayed by their actions.
The Bad Batch later finds out about the inhibitor chip, and they suspect that it has caused Crosshair to betray them. In âReplacementsâ, Hunter is angry at himself for leaving Crosshair behind. Omega comforts him and says that they will find a way to bring Crosshair back. Even though they now have the knowledge about the inhibitor chip and how to remove it, they are actively trying to avoid Crosshair, who is hunting them down because they are traitors to the Empire. Due to their last gunfight, they probably think that Crosshair is trying to kill them. When Crosshair manages to catch up with the Bad Batch in âReunionâ, Hunter and Omega try to snap him out of the effects of the inhibitor chip but to no avail. Tech already predicts that Crosshair will not be convinced due to his severe and unyielding nature, so he has prepared an escape plan for the team. After barely escaping from Crosshairâs relentless chase, the Bad Batch is probably aware of his wrath and decides to stay away from him for some time. In âRescue on Rylothâ, when the Bad Batch spots Crosshair in the city, they step back to discuss their plans for they do not want to be noticed and hunted down again. However, a probe droid hovers above them and Crosshair is alerted to their presence. The team wants to abandon the rescue mission, but Omega manages to convince them to continue on. After the Bad Batch successfully carries out the rescue mission, Rampart realizes that he has underestimated them and gives Crosshair permission to hunt them down. Crosshairâs eyes and smile show his conflicting emotions â he is happy to have a chance to approach his teammates again, but he still harbours anger and sadness towards them.
In âReturn to Kaminoâ, Hunter explains to Crosshair that they did not have a choice when they left Kamino without him, in which Crosshair counters âand I did?â. He probably feels angry and betrayed that Hunter tries to justify his actions for leaving him behind. When Tech, Wrecker and Echo walk into a trap set up by Crosshair, Hunter keeps thinking that Crosshair is going to kill all of them. Although Crosshair is angry that Hunter has betrayed everything they once stood for and is not loyal to him, he is willing to give them a chance because he believes they can be brothers again. He proves his loyalty towards them by killing his own Imperial squad (he even has it planned out by placing the reflecting mirrors to make the trickshot). He offers them to join the Empire, but they refuse. Hunter even counters that Crosshair does not get who they are, which angers him once more. Crosshairâs anger intensifies when Hunter refuses to accept that he already has his inhibitor chip removed and he willingly joins the Empire, even claiming that this is who he is. Even though Crosshair is still mad at the Bad Batch throughout âKamino Lostâ, he still follows them and saves Omega from drowning. However, he notices that Wrecker, Tech and Echo aiming their blasters at him because they think he is going to shoot Hunter. From there, Crosshair knows that no matter what he does, their trust has been broken and there is nothing he can do to regain that trust. Perhaps in the past, he can express his trustworthiness through action (because he finds it difficult to express it through words), but now, it does not work anymore. Hunter offers a chance for Crosshair to return to the team, but this will require him to give up the Empire and his identity as a soldier. Perhaps in the past, Hunter gives unconditional love to Crosshair, but now, his offer is seen as conditional to Crosshair. This may have caused Crosshair to question whether the love he gave in the past was even truly unconditional. Crosshair probably feels betrayed and bitter that Hunter does not fully understand him, which strengthens his decision to not return, making the fallout more severe and tragic.
Fortunately, all hope is not lost for Crosshair. We know that nature is both generative and destructive, just like Poseidon who can bring life and fertility, or death and destruction. After a natural disaster, given the time and space, nature heals itself and the survivors of the disaster become stronger. With that, it is possible for Crosshair to return â we just need to give him time and space. Omega understands this well, thanks to her Persephone archetype. Persephone is the symbol of spring, representing new life appearing after a brutal winter. Before Omega leaves with the Bad Batch, she tells Crosshair that he is still their brother and that he is her brother too. She holds onto hope that he will return, but it must be done according to his time â nobody can force him to come back now.
Although Crosshair is still angry at them, he is saddened to see them leave him on the Kamino platform. Throughout season 1, Crosshair laments how Hunter has thrown away their past achievements and missions. Those memories are of great importance to him and he finds it difficult to let go. People who are like Poseidon are more focused on the past and present, and accompanied with their intense emotions, they may replay their memories constantly or become entranced by what is happening right now. It is likely that Crosshair contemplates his memories with the Bad Batch as he waits for 32 rotations for the Empire to rescue him. With Tipoca City, the home of the clones, have sunk into the ocean, all the memories the clones share have become part of the collective emotional realm. Crosshair likely takes on the archetype of the deep-sea diver as he ventures into the collective emotional realm and reminisces about his time with the Bad Batch.
In the collective emotional realm, Crosshair probably replays all the good and bad times they have shared, including the times where his emotions got the better of him and everyone had to clean up the mess he had caused. There might have been bitter feelings, but they all learned from their mistakes and moved on. Perhaps from here, Crosshair finally understands Hunterâs actions and feelings. He may realize that Hunter feels awful for leaving him behind, and that he blames himself for losing him. After losing Crosshair to the Empire, Hunter is determined to keep the remaining teammates safe, and becomes overprotective towards them (which is motivated by the negative Demeter anima). This may explain why they never try to go after him and get him back. Moreover, Crosshair may also realize that his intense rage has influenced Hunterâs overprotective tendencies. Hunter thinks that Crosshair is trying to kill them, which causes him to prioritize in rescuing his remaining teammates from Crosshairâs wrath. When the Bad Batch and Crosshair reunite in Bracca, Crosshairâs wrath remains intense, which causes the Bad Batch to run away again and attempt to hide.
Furthermore, Crosshair may come to understand why Hunter refuses to accept that he willingly joins the Empire. Hunter wants to believe that Crosshair is being âheld captiveâ by the Empire (like Persephone being held captive in the Underworld) and that they can free him by removing his inhibitor chip. When that belief turns out to be untrue, Hunterâs overprotective tendencies return. He believes that this is his only chance to get Crosshair back, and he is determined to do anything to achieve that. He keeps trying to reason with Crosshair but to no avail. He offers Crosshair a chance to return but this requires Crosshair to give up the Empire and the soldierâs life. Crosshair is disappointed that his love has become conditional, thus, he rejects the offer.
As Crosshair comes to see things from Hunterâs perspective, he learns to understand why Hunter has acted this way, even though he does not agree with him (like Techâs quote âUnderstanding you does not mean that I agree with you.â) This helps Crosshair to let go of his rage towards Hunter and the rest of the Bad Batch. He also comes to take responsibility for his actions and emotions. After he gets rescued by the Empire, he lies in his report that Clone Force 99 have perished in the bombardment because his loyalty to his teammates remains strong and he wants to protect them from afar. I do believe that Crosshair still holds onto some hope that he can still reconcile with the Bad Batch despite his belief that they will not come back for him. He probably still believes the unconditional love they gave to him in the past is real, and it can happen again. This is hinted in âTipping Pointâ when Crosshair sends Plan 88 to tell the Bad Batch to hide as the Empire is after Omega. His message is then discovered by Tech when he checks the teamâs old comm channels. If Crosshair believes that the Bad Batch has given up on him and there is no possibility of reconciliation, he will not have sent Plan 88 using his old code and expect that they will find it.
In âThe Solitary Cloneâ, Crosshair seems to have calmed down and becomes slightly mellow. He even tries to join the regular clone troopers for breakfast, which is something the old Crosshair will not do. This change of behaviour makes me believe that Crosshair has made contact with the collective human emotional depth during the 32 rotations on the Kamino platform. However, the Empire rejects the values of Poseidon, and Rampart even taunts the clones for having these values. Crosshair feels unappreciated and lonely, and to make matters worse, Cody does not take his loyalty well. Many people believe that Crosshair only carries out Governor Grottonâs order to execute Tawni Ames because Governor Grotton threatens Cody with the consequences of not carrying out his order, and Crosshair wants to protect Cody. Just like his action of saving Omega was met with hostility from the Bad Batch, Crosshairâs action upsets Cody and causes him to desert the Empire. Losing Cody may have worsened Crosshairâs loneliness and the feeling of being unappreciated, and this causes him to shut himself off from everyone, which is represented by him putting on his helmet and walking away by the end of the episode. His shields are up, and he becomes emotionally detached. By doing so, he is actively ignoring and suppressing his emotions. He loses his connection with his innate archetype until he meets Mayday in âThe Outpostâ. Maydayâs kindness opens the floodgates and helps Crosshair to truly be himself once more.
After âThe Outpostâ, I find myself relate to Crosshair immensely, especially on the emotional level. That episode helps me to discover that Poseidon is my main animus, which is the unconscious masculine side of a woman. I am emotional and sensitive. I like to go to museums and learn about history and geography. I am always fascinated by marine life and underwater beauty (especially coral reefs). I have always been drawn to natural disasters because I am fascinated by their destructive forces and the aftermath (a hint of my intense yet destructive emotions). My anger or sadness tend to hold on much longer. I used to hold grudges and they could last for years (I try not to do that anymore). Since I am the only emotional one in the family, I constantly get criticized for expressing my emotions â when I laugh loudly, I am âimpoliteâ; when I start yelling angrily, I am ârudeâ; when I burst into tears or scream out of fear, I am âweakâ and âpatheticâ. My family expects me to be level-headed, and every time my intense emotions leak out, I am told that âI cannot survive in this societyâ. My aunts prioritize being level-headed so much that they cannot comprehend real people and fictional characters acting on their emotions, even going so far as to calling them âstupidâ for letting their emotions to flood their rationality. I also do not find comfort in school as I constantly get bullied by others. I remember crying a lot, but nobody came to help me or comfort me. Until one day, I snapped and resorted to anger to defend myself from the bullies. Since then, I became hot-tempered and this is something I am not proud of (genetics may have played a part because my maternal grandfather and mother are both hot-tempered). I remember one teacher described me as âmanipulativeâ because âI constantly cry to get peopleâs attentionâ, and I end up feeling that it would be best if nobody cares about my venting so as to not being labelled as âan attention seekerâ.
The constant criticisms and judgements received have caused me to develop a habit of bottling up my emotions. I keep ignoring and repressing my emotions until I can no longer hold back. My intense emotions get unleashed in a destructive manner, which hurts everyone, including myself. This has damaged my friendships and relationships. Even some of my friends who allow me to express my feelings and vent my troubles are taken aback by my intensity. Once, they have to remove me from the friend group temporarily and give me a timeout. I do take responsibility for my actions and appreciate the second chance they have given me. To stop myself from further damaging my relationships, I decide to shut myself off from everyone when I find my emotions have become unstable. However, this causes some people to inquire my emotional state and pressure me to tell them. When I refuse to share my feelings, they call me âungratefulâ, ârudeâ or âselfishâ. But when I share my feelings, thus, unleashing its intensity and destructive force, they are taken aback and get hurt. They either become distant and cold towards me or judge me harshly for being emotional. This only make me feel that it is best that I keep my emotions and troubles away from other people, and that I should not share my burdens with others since they usually do not understand me. I isolate myself further from people and resort to carry a heavy burden on my shoulders. I canât help but to internalize these criticisms and judgements. I feel ashamed to be emotional and I tend to judge myself harshly when I show emotions. I have been rejecting my Poseidon animus until I finally see myself in Crosshair. I am learning to accept that âthis is who I amâ like Crosshair. I also find it heart-warming that Crosshair is surrounded by people who love and accept him despite his intense emotions. I would love to be part of the Bad Batch because I would feel safe to express my emotions and be myself.
Since Poseidon people are susceptible to be taken over by strong emotions, they need to develop abilities to observe, reflect and think objectively. One method is to develop an observing ego. In Jungian psychological terms, the ego is the consistent, observing, remembering, and deciding element in the psycheâwhat you mean when you say, âI.â A complex is an archetypal pattern that has become charged with emotion. When an emotional complex has more power or energy than the ego, it can temporarily âtake overâ or âpossessâ the personality. For example, a father may become âlike a man possessedâ and bent on vengeance when his child is hurt. He may become like Poseidon in relentless pursuit of Odysseus â he is so consumed with rage and revenge that he is not available to support or comfort and help heal his child. This same complex may be activated by the same situation in another man with a stronger ego. He may have vivid fantasies of retribution, but realizes that he must struggle with the hatred that threatens him, knowing that his childâs wellbeing is of greater importance.
When an emotional complex takes over, the âIâ is put out of commission. The Poseidon person may be unconscious or blind to what is happening, while people around them react in different ways. They may be humoured, avoided, or feared. The emotional complex they are possessed with may provoke an equivalent unconscious complex in others. The Poseidon person may also struggle with the complex, feeling themselves overreacting or behaving in ways that are âout of characterâ. By learning to observe a complex, the focus and energy are shifted from the complex to the ego. The âIâ sees what is happening and resists being taken over by the complex. The complex loses energy and influence, and it recedes. During this process, the Poseidon person and their relationships can grow in depth when compassion is given to themselves and to others who are affected by the complex. Two archetypes can be developed to help Poseidon people to deserve an observing ego, which are the Zeus archetype that enables them to see circumstances objectively and dispassionately (which is an archetype Hunter has), and the Hades archetype that enables them to recognize that their emotions are often connected to archetypal images, which are patterns that exist in the collective unconscious (which is Techâs innate archetype).
Instead of expressing their emotions in a destructive manner, Poseidon people can channel their emotional depth and intensity into creative work such as drama, poetry, literature, music and art. With that, the Hermes archetype (which is an archetype Tech has) must be developed. As the Messenger God and Guide of Souls, the Hermes archetype can bring forth the potentially disruptive emotions hidden in the depths and turn them into emotionally expressive works. Besides Hermes, the Hephaestus archetype (which is Echoâs innate archetype) can also help Poseidon people to transform their emotions into creative work. Hephaestus, the God of the Forge, is a rejected god; but instead of erupting like a volcano, he channels his intense emotions to create beautiful and useful objects. He expresses his emotions in a creative manner. This difference is shown in how Echo and Crosshair react to the Empireâs mistreatment to the clones. Echo channels his anger through constructive means by joining Rexâs resistance network, rescuing the clones from the Empire, and turning Trace Martezâs repair shop into a refuge for the rescued clones. On the other hand, Crosshair channels his anger through destructive means by killing Lieutenant Nolan to avenge Maydayâs death.
It is important for Poseidon people to learn how to dilute the effects of this powerful archetype. The first method involves them to give up the need to dominate and learn from the âDolphinâ as previously stated. The second method involves the development of other archetypes, specifically those that have the ability to think of the consequences, to become objective, and to achieve some distance. Zeus and Athena are the archetypes commonly developed to dilute Poseidonâs effect, but the most common archetype to be developed is Apollo, which serves as Crosshairâs other main archetype.
Unfortunately, since my semester has started and I have assignments to do, I do not think I can complete my character analysis of Crosshair before The Bad Batch Season 3 premiere. However, I did manage to finish about two-thirds of it.
Since Crosshair's character analysis is the longest, I think it's alright for me to release the analysis in parts, so you all can read it without getting overwhelmed by information.
The first part would be released, and it's about 18 pages long!
For this analysis, I will be referring to âGoddesses in Everywomanâ and âGods in Everymanâ by Jean Shinoda Bolen. I will be talking about the Bad Batch Season 3 Celebration Europe trailer and the official Season 3 trailer. I will also refer to the titles of Season 3 episodes for this analysis. I will make some predictions for Season 3, so if you do not want to read into it, you can just scroll away.
We know the traumatising scene in âPlan 99â â Tech severs the connection between the cable cars and he falls. Hunter, Echo, Wrecker and Omega mourn for their fallen brother. However, many fans believe that Tech is alive, and he will return in season 3. I am one of those people. After watching the Season 2 finale, I mourn for the loss, but I also want to cling onto any possible hints that he is alive. With that, I delve deeper into archetypal psychology (while I was ill at that time), and I have discovered many interesting clues that make me believe that Tech is alive.
To the people who do not believe that Tech is alive and do not want him to return in Season 3 due to personal reasonings like finding meaning in death and dealing with grief, I understand and respect all your opinions. I just do not like the excuses of âwe need more sufferingâ or âI like sufferingâ to âjustifyâ why Tech should not come back in Season 3.
With that said, I am mainly using my understanding of archetypal psychology to explain why I believe Tech is alive. Some points have been discussed in my analysis of the 3 seasons, but I am going to expand these points here.
1. Voluntary descent into the Underworld
In the myths, most people descend into the Underworld involuntarily. This is done either through death or abduction. In psychological terms, people involuntarily descend into the Underworld when they go through a traumatic experience, or they lose meaning, hope or purpose in life. However, there are myths where people descend into the Underworld voluntarily.
Some heroes take on this journey with love as their motivation. In the myth of Eros and Psyche, Aphrodite ordered Psyche to enter the Underworld with a small box for Persephone to fill it with beauty ointment. This was Psycheâs fourth and final task that she must do if she wanted to reunite with her husband Eros. In the myth of Orpheus, he went to Hades seeking his dead wife Eurydice. In one myth of Dionysus, he entered the Underworld to resurrect his dead mother Semele. Â Besides love, some heroes are motivated by wisdom. In the myth of Odysseus, he ventured into the Underworld to seek help from a blind seer named Tiresias, so he could find his way home. In Roman mythology Aeneid, Aeneas entered the Underworld to seek the shade of his father, and he had a prophetic vision of Romeâs destiny. The journey to the Underworld is part of a heroic task. For example, in Greek mythology, the twelfth and final labour of Heracles was to capture and bring Cerberus, the three-headed dog that guards the gates of the Underworld. He was able to overpower the beast with his bare hands and bring it out of the Underworld, thus completing his twelve labours.
By enacting Plan 99, Tech voluntarily descends into the Underworld â and he is the only one to do so in Season 2. Meanwhile, the rest of the Bad Batch involuntarily descend into the Underworld through grief or abduction. Techâs sacrifice is described as âheroicâ and âintentionalâ, which are keywords for a voluntary descend into the Underworld. Besides, Tech is motivated by love and wisdom as he makes this descent. He wants to seek out information about the whereabouts of Crosshair and Omega, so they can finally reunite with Hunter, Wrecker and Echo.
However, voluntary descents are done at great risks for there is no guarantee of a safe return. As Tech voluntarily descends into the Underworld, his fate becomes uncertain, which will explain why ambiguous wordings are used to describe his fate: âheâs goneâ, âheâs not coming back in this episode at leastâ, âsort of sacrifices himselfâ, âmy life as a soldier has come to an endâ, âitâs kind of a loss, itâs complicated (with averted eyes)â, âplummeted out of sightâ, etc.
2. Broken goggles indicate dismemberment
As the Bad Batch mourns for their loss, Dr. Hemlock arrives to capture them. He throws a pair of Techâs broken goggles to Hunter, saying that this is the only thing they could salvage from the wreckage. Judging from the state of the goggles, it seems that the goggles were smashed on impact and were later removed. Moreover, some fans see this as mirroring the last time we saw Echo after his apparent death in the Citadel, in which we saw Echoâs charred helmet being left behind.
The goggles have always been a part of Techâs identity. He is the most recognizable for wearing it. Cid even gives him the nickname âGogglesâ. Besides the goggles, his eyes also formed part of his identity. When Phee first meets Tech, she calls him âBrown Eyesâ, hinting that she is drawn to his eyes despite all clones have brown eyes. Losing the goggles means that Tech has lost part of his identity, which is a form of psychological dismemberment. In Jungian psychology, anything that has been âdismemberedâ is thrown into the Underworld and it becomes part of our Shadow, which consists the parts we have deemed as unacceptable, shameful or even traumatic. I have seen fanarts about Tech being alive but he loses his sight, which can be considered as a form of physical and psychological dismemberment.
We have seen 3D models of Tech without his goggles, and he looks different from his usual look. When he wears the goggles, he looks friendly and approachable. Without the goggles, he looks serious and intimidating. We know that the goggles records everything, and in addition to giving Tech a friendly and approachable look, it enables him to get close to anyone and gather vital information. This is useful most of the time, especially during the Clone Wars as Tech acts as the bridge between Clone Force 99 and other people. However, this will become difficult during the rise of the Empire as the galaxy becomes more dangerous. A friendly look will likely draw unnecessary attention and people are more likely to pick on you. This may have been a problem for Tech in some mercenary jobs. For example, when Phee brings the Bad Batch to a cantina to purchase an artifact, Tech stays in the Marauder to provide them a getaway. I think Tech being assigned to this role is not just due to his piloting skills, but the fact that he looks âtoo friendlyâ to blend in with the crowd that mostly has questionable morals. Instead, Hunter and Wrecker are chosen as Pheeâs muscle as they can blend in with the crowd so Lanse Crowder and his henchmen will let their guard down (as for Omega, she acts as Pheeâs young apprentice).
If Tech needs to sneak in and acquire confidential Imperial files, an intimidating look will help. Without his goggles, Tech can easily take on the serious and intimidating look to blend it with the Imperials and/or scare off the low-level Imperials. This new look can also be useful for Tech to blend in with pirates, smugglers, mercenaries and bounty hunters â to show that he is someone you should not mess with.
I do believe that we may see Tech taking on a different look (and a different identity) in Season 3. I once imagined his new appearance to resemble a figure wearing black armour (quite similar to the one shown in the official Season 3 trailer). His different look may indicate that âthe old friendly Tech is goneâ, but this does not necessarily mean that Tech will be brainwashed by Hemlock and become a clone assassin. It will just mean that he has to suppress his friendly side in order to find Crosshair and Omega.
3. Techâs archetype combination: Hades, Hermes and Athena
In my two-part character analysis of Tech (innate archetype and anima), I identify Tech to have three main archetypes: Hades (the God of the Underworld), Hermes (the Messenger God) and Athena (the Goddess of Wisdom).
Since Tech is innately Hades, this means that he is used to the Underworld as his exceptional mind already serves as his Underworld. Based on the footage shown in the Celebration Europe trailer and the official Season 3 trailer, I can see that each member of the Bad Batch is in their own versions of the Underworld: Hunter is loss of purpose, Echo is loneliness, Wrecker is monsters, Omega is abduction, and Crosshair is hopelessness. This leaves me a question: what is Techâs Underworld? The answer is⌠I do not really know. His mind already resembles the Underworld and he can easily spend long hours by himself â as if he is familiar with this dark and mysterious territory. If you try to subject Tech with the Underworlds experienced by other members of the Bad Batch, he will most probably be unaffected by it. He is probably aware of these aspects of the Underworld, and he is not afraid to face them. Since the writers intended to bring the Bad Batch into the Underworld and keep them there for some time by the Season 2 finale, it would explain why they had to take Tech out of the picture. Tech would have made their journeys to the Underworld at least bearable and he would have brought them out of their dark places quickly. Without Tech, the Bad Batch would have to struggle for months (since there is a time jump hinted in the trailers). Moreover, Techâs disappearance resembles Hades wearing the cap of invisibility â Tech has become Hades the Unseen One, âinvisibleâ to everyone.
As Athena, Tech is a powerful strategist that gears towards practicality and pragmatism, which enables him to get an upper hand over his enemies. His craftiness and emotional distance can lead him to âdo whatever it worksâ to accomplish his goals or defeat his enemies. With this in mind, I believe that Tech already has a strategy in mind when he decides to enact Plan 99. Although he is well-aware that his action will hurt his teammates, he does it because âit is the only wayâ he can succeed in his mission of finding Crosshair (and later Omega). In Greek mythology, Athena is the ally and guide of many heroes. When Heracles is tasked to capture Cerberus, Athena and Hermes act as his guides to the Underworld, helping him to complete his final labour. In orphic theology, Athena is depicted as a rescuer of Dionysus, the God of Wine and Ecstasy. In this myth, she managed to save the heart of the infant Dionysus that had been torn into pieces. She then gave the heart to Zeus, who sewed it to his own thigh, allowing Dionysus to be reborn. By taking these two myths into consideration, Tech takes on the guide and rescuer of the Bad Batch, who are heroes.
Among his archetypes, I find that Hermes is the strongest in Tech. As the messenger, Tech can easily travel through different places to gather information, just like Hermes who can swiftly travel between Olympus, earth and the Underworld. As the trickster, Tech can sneak around, make an escape, steal data, hack into machinery and break through confidential files with ease. As the alchemist, Tech can create new things and strategies to help him and his teammates.
Hermes is known to be the guide of souls and the rescuer of the child. As a psychopomp, he accompanies the souls of the dead to the Underworld (psychologically, he is the archetype that helps people during significant life transitions). In his myths, Hermes has rescued Ares who was trapped in the bronze jar, has brought Persephone out of the Underworld, and has saved Dionysus at least twice. These two roles have been present in Tech since his first appearance. It is highly likely that these roles would become more prominent in Season 3. I believe that Tech would lead Hunter, Echo and Wrecker to rescue Crosshair and Omega. Once the team is reunited, Tech would become the guide of souls as he helps the Bad Batch (and himself) to find meaning in their sufferings, to integrate all aspects of themselves, and to be transformed by their journeys to the Underworld: Hunter would learn to embrace human seasonal changes and become a hero; Echo would learn to become more assertive and be unafraid to revisit his trauma; Wrecker would learn to think before he acts; Crosshair would learn to be vulnerable and let love be his motivator; Omega would become more mature and assertive as she guides others through dark times; and Tech would learn to be more in touch with his emotions.
According to Jean Shinoda Bolen, Hermes has the innate potential to become a guide of souls and a seeker of meaning. This potential can be unleashed by venturing down into the depths of the Underworld, which will lead a person to undergo a spiritual evolution. They will gain valuable insight from this journey and will return to pass down what they have learned. This is similar to Hermes bringing Persephone (the soul) out of the Underworld and back to her mother Demeter. This myth became the basis for the Eleusinian Mysteries, which was the most sacred and important religious rituals of Ancient Greece that celebrated the return of Persephone from the Underworld. The ancients believed that those who were initiated into the mysteries would gain a reason to live in joy and die without fearing death.
In Season 1, Tech is more focused on monetary gains to support the Bad Batch after they defect from the Empire. They start to work for Cid by taking up mercenary jobs. For example, in âRampageâ, the Bad Batch is tasked to rescue Muchi from Zygerrian slave traders, which is the right thing to do, and according to Tech, they can earn a decent amount of credits. In âWar-Mantleâ, when the team discusses whether they should deviate from their job and rescue Gregor, Tech reminds them that Cid will not compensate them if they choose to deviate, and they will go hungry without the money to buy food.
I believe Season 2 is when Tech starts to undergo a spiritual evolution. In âSpoils of Warâ, the Bad Batch agrees to Cidâs promise to free them from their debts if they succeed in retrieving one of Count Dookuâs war chests. Although Techâs left femur is fractured during the mission, he is determined to retrieve the war chest and use the fortune for the teamâs benefit. However, I believe Techâs meeting with Romar is what changes him, which initiates his spiritual evolution. Romar has survived the bombardment of Serenno City, and he now lives in the woods alone. He is not interested in Dookuâs war chests, and instead, he is more interested in persevering his Serennian culture, which gives him meaning in life. When Tech manages to fix the datacore and restore data about Serennian culture, Romar is overjoyed because his life now has meaning once more â as if his soul is rescued from the Underworld. This may have initiated him into the Eleusinian Mysteries, giving him the reason to continue living in joy and gaining the bravery to help Tech and Echo to find Omega before the Imperials do. Before the Bad Batch leaves, Romar tells Tech that he is staying behind as he is a survivor, which seems to have impacted Tech. I believe that Romar has acted as a wise elder that sends Tech on the spiritual journey, making him realize that helping others is more meaningful than carrying out mercenary jobs to make ends meet. Even though Tech gains nothing from helping Romar, he finds it meaningful.
However, Tech is not as vocal as Echo because of his loyalty to Hunter (motivated by his Athena anima). Hunter wants the team to lay low and not get involved in the fight against the Empire. Tech knows Hunter has the teamâs best interest in mind, so he does not object. Though, it is possible that Tech is starting to become frustrated. In âFasterâ, Tech complains to Cid that giving Hunter and Echo the job to deliver 50 cases of nerf nuggets is a waste of their skills and talents. He also does not want to follow Cid for another mission, but he goes for it because of Wrecker and Omega. When they must win the race to free Cid and her debt to Millegi, Tech reminds Wrecker and Omega that Cidâs dealings with individuals of questionable integrity have caused her to repeatedly use the Bad Batch to solve her problems, which has become a problematic pattern. It does seem that Tech is starting to get tired of Cid and he begins to find this current life as meaningless. He probably wants more of this life but he cannot.
After Echo leaves the Bad Batch, Tech turns all of his energy to work, which is his way of dealing with the loss. I also believe that Tech becomes intensely focused on work because he is determined to fully pay off the teamâs debt so they can be free and do whatever they want in life. Since Echo leaves to join Rexâs resistance network, which gives him meaning in life, Tech may have become more motivated to achieve that goal for the Bad Batch (and himself). However, by focusing intensely on work, Tech has become emotionally withdrawn, which leads to tensions and misunderstandings. In âThe Crossingâ, Omega thinks that Tech is unbothered by Echoâs absence and that he is unsympathetic towards her grief. When Tech realizes that his intense emotional withdrawal has inadvertently hurt his loved ones, he learns to understand himself better and learns to grow.
In âRetrievalâ, the Bad Batch goes to retrieve the stolen Marauder in Mokkoâs factory. Tech points out that Mokko appears to be using his power and means as a leverage over his workers, which consist of adolescent miners. He finds Mokkoâs operation to be similar to the Empire. After the Bad Batch manages to free the miners from Mokkoâs oppressive rule, Omega realizes that there are other threats besides the Empire. Tech reassures her that there are many good people out there like them. Their actions of liberating the miners have helped them to reconnect with their souls â they once again find what gives them meaning in life.
Since Cid refuses to help the Bad Batch after they lost the Marauder during the mission to acquire ipsium, the team begins to keep a distance from her. They probably begin to feel that Cid is taking advantage of them and she would never release them from their debts. In âMetamorphosisâ, when Cid provides intel about a downed ship that they can scavenge for parts, the team demands a higher share of the cut and threatens to not return. Tech knows that their agreement with Cid is not mutually beneficial, but they cannot sever ties so easily because Cid knows compromising information about them. Hence, Tech proposes to treat this mission as their last for Cid â which means they are going for a strike. Perhaps Tech hopes that the strike can teach Cid a lesson, and it can give the Bad Batch alternative options to earn credits like working with Phee.
It does seem that all goes well once the Bad Batch teams up with Phee â they are taking on more meaningful jobs (which involve retrieving artifacts that are mostly culturally significant to the people on Pabu), and they now have the option to stay permanently on Pabu. However, in âTipping Pointâ, Tech realizes that Crosshair is being held captive by Dr. Hemlock and that Crosshair has sent Plan 88 to warn them that they have been targeted by the Empire. Tech now probably realizes the severity of the situation faced by the Bad Batch. He is probably well-prepared for the possibility that he has to carry out Plan 99 if anything goes wrong. Surprisingly, Plan 88 is called âThe Seekerâ, which makes me believe that this serves as an initiation for Tech to become Hermes the Seeker of Meaning. After all, Tech is now motivated to seek out Hemlock and his base in order to find Crosshair.
When the mission to Eriadu goes horribly wrong, Tech realizes that he must venture down into the Underworld (the Empire) so he can seek access to the mysteries hidden in the forbidden depths of the Empire (since the location and purpose of the Advanced Science Division led by Hemlock are hidden). With that, Tech carries out Plan 99, which is equivalent to him being initiated into the Eleusinian Mysteries as he âno longer fears deathâ. Before Heracles descended into the Underworld to capture Cerberus as his twelfth and final labour, he was initiated into the Eleusinian Mysteries to ensure that he would be able to safely return. He was also accompanied by Hermes and Athena on his journey. Since Tech is innately Hades, he is no stranger to the depths of the Underworld. Moreover, his Hermes and Athena archetypes are powerful enough to act as his guides to the Underworld. With that, it is highly possible that Tech survives the fall as he undergoes a full spiritual evolution, and he would return wiser than ever in Season 3.
4. The Abduction of Persephone: Hecate, Helios and Hermes
In the Greek myth, Persephone was kidnapped by Hades with the approval given by her father Zeus. Her mother Demeter heard echoes of her cries and rushed to find her. Demeter spent 9 days and 9 nights searching for Persephone across the earth (Coincidentally, 9 days and 9 nights can sound like 99 â Clone Force 99, Plan 99). At dawn on the tenth day, Demeter met Hecate, the Goddess of the Dark Moon, Crossroads, Witchcraft and Ghosts. Hecate told Demeter that she had heard Persephone screaming for help but did not know what happened to her. She suggested that they both go to Helios, the God of the Sun who shared this title with Apollo. Helios, who had witnessed the incident, told Demeter what had happened. Feeling betrayed and grief-stricken, Demeter ceased functioning as the Goddess of Grain, plunging the earth into an eternal winter that threatened to wipe out the human race. No gifts or honours could appease Demeter as she made it clear that she would not allow anything to grow until Persephone was returned to her. Zeus finally gave in and sent Hermes to bring Persephone out of the Underworld and restored her to Demeter. After the mother and daughter reunited, Demeter restored fertility and growth to the earth.
At the end of âMetamorphosisâ, Lama Su (Zeus) tells Dr. Hemlock (Hades) that he needs to capture Omega (Persephone) if he wants to control Nala Se (Demeter â though not as strong as Hunter) and force her to carry out a project for the Empire. At the end of âPlan 99â, Hemlock successfully kidnaps Omega, and Hunter (Demeter) is too late to stop him. Despite not knowing where Omega is taken to, Hunter is determined to get her back and he will not stop searching for her. Since the trailers show Omegaâs hair has grown longer to resemble Emerieâs hairstyle, and that Hunterâs hair has also grown slightly longer, this means that Hunter has sent months searching for Omega. His armour becoming more worn out with colours fading away indicates that he has not stopped to rest in his frantic search for he does not want Omega to wait for another day â like Demeter did not eat, sleep or bathe as she searched for Persephone.
In the Celebration Europe trailer, Rex tells Hunter âThat kid (referring to Omega) may be the key to whatever is happening on Mount Tantissâ. I believe this scene is from âA Different Approachâ. We know that anything about Mount Tantiss and its experiments are confidential. When the ships heading to Mount Tantiss encounter problems such as extensive damage of the ship or hijacking, the Imperials will erase the databanks to prevent anyone from discovering the destination and the purposes of the experiments. The Imperials will also commit suicide, taking all confidential information to their graves. The databanks are also heavily encrypted, which provides extra protection for anyone who manages to retrieve them before deletion.
Based on Rexâs sentence, it seems that someone has provided him the information about Mount Tantiss and the experiments being conducted there. However, Rex only suspects that Omega may be related to the experiments on Mount Tantiss â which means they are still uncertain about her precise location (even though the audience knows that she is there). So, who could have sent such confidential information to Rex? I do not think it is Scorch or Emerie because if it was either one of them, they would have confirmed that Omega is on Mount Tantiss. Perhaps it could be one of the undercover clones working for Rexâs resistance network? It is possible, but any information about the Advanced Science Division (Hemlock, Mount Tantiss, cloning experiments, clone prisoners) are heavily encrypted and Hemlock is certain that nobody can break through these safeguards. However, there is one person proven to have the capability to do so â Tech.
I believe that Tech would take on the roles of Hecate, Helios and Hermes. As the Goddess and Protector of the entranceways, Hecate was worshipped in ancient Athens as a protector of the household, alongside Zeus, Hestia, Hermes and Apollo. In Hesiodâs Theogony, she was depicted as a goddess of great honour with domains in sky, earth and sea. By the fifth century BCE, she has taken on a darker depiction as the Goddess of Witchcraft, Ghosts and the Dark Moon. Some sources represented her as the guardian of the gates to the Underworld, or as the keeper of keys to the Underworld. As the Goddess of the Crossroads, she took the form of a triple-goddess or a triple-faced goddess. Due to her association with being âbetweenâ, she is depicted as a âliminalâ goddess that has the ability to cross from the Underworld to the physical world with ease. She also acted as a mediator between the Olympians and Titans, and between the mortals and the divine. Her liminal role is reflected in a number of her cult titles: Apotropaia (that turns away or protects); Enodia (on the way); Propulaia/Propylaia (before the gate); Triodia/Trioditis (who frequents crossroads); KlĂŞidouchos (holding the keys).
Tech may have taken the role of Hecate when he finds out that Crosshair is being held captive by Hemlock but he does not know where Crosshair is. This sends him on a journey to find him. It is possible that Tech would have come to know that Omega has been kidnapped by Hemlock. This would push him further to locate them. Like Hecate, Tech would stand on the crossroads between the Empire, the pirates and smugglers, and Rexâs resistance network. He would sneak into the Empire (the Underworld) to find any information regarding Hemlock and the Advanced Science Division, and then he would send that information to Rex, who would later inform Hunter about it. I believe that Tech found out information regarding Mount Tantiss and the cloning experiments being carried out there. He would have related this information to the Bad Batchâs discovery of a downed ship in âMetamorphosisâ, in which the ship contained Kaminoan technology and a cloned Zillo Beast, which was later captured by the Empire. This discovery led Tech to theorize that the Empire destroyed the cities of Kamino to take control of its cloning technology for nefarious purposes. With that in mind, Tech would suspect that Hemlock is associated with these cloning experiments on Mount Tantiss, and that Crosshair and Omega are being held captive there. This information would give Hunter, Wrecker and Echo a different approach to find Crosshair and Omega.
Of course, suspicion would not be enough for Tech. He would need confirmation that Crosshair and Omega are on Mount Tantiss. He would also need the layout and floor plan of Mount Tantiss so he could precisely locate where Crosshair and Omega would be held captive. By studying the security measures of Mount Tantiss, Tech would be able to find the best infiltration point, devise the best method of escaping, and prepare for any traps that could hinder the rescue mission like the poisonous gas created by Hemlock in âTipping Pointâ. He might gain this information through confidential databases or through a secret communication with Emerie and/or Scorch (though Emerie might be more likely). I believe âThe Returnâ is when Tech reveals to the Bad Batch that he is alive. This time, Tech would take on the role of Helios as he could definitely confirm that Crosshair and Omega are on Mount Tantiss. He would provide the layout and floor plan of Mount Tantiss, allowing Hunter, Wrecker and Echo to plan out a rescue mission. I believe that âInfiltrationâ and âExtractionâ would be the rescue mission, and Tech would take on the role of Hermes, or more specifically, as the guide of souls and the rescuer of the child. Tech would lead Hunter, Wrecker and Echo to infiltrate Mount Tantiss, and they would successfully rescue Crosshair and Omega.
When I analyse the Bad Batch arc in the Clone Wars, I discover that Tech has taken on the roles of Hecate, Helios and Hermes. In âThe Bad Batchâ, the Bad Batch, Rex and Jesse manage to infiltrate the Cyber Center on Anaxes, which the Separatists are using it to receive Rexâs battle strategy algorithm to predict the Republicâs tactics. When Tech hacks into the computer system, he discovers that the algorithm is not stored inside the centerâs memory banks. Instead, the algorithm is being broadcasted from another planet called Skako Minor. This discovery is shocking to both Tech and Rex. Right here, Tech has taken on the role of Hecate as he is now at the crossroads between Anaxes and Skako Minor, and he is providing Rex a different approach to stop the Separatists from winning. Tech then takes on the role of Helios as he digs deeper and finds an audio signal that sounds like a human voice. Under Rexâs request, Tech sends a transmission requesting the personâs identity, which turns out to be âCT-1409â â Echoâs identification number. Tech also drops the voiceâs masking so they can clearly hear that it is the voice of a clone trooper.
In âA Distant Echoâ and âOn the Wings of Keeradaksâ, Tech takes on the role of Hermes. As the guide of souls, Tech brings the Bad Batch, Rex and Anakin to Skako Minor, which serves as the Underworld to Echo (and Rex). He flies into a storm but manages to safely land on the planetâs surface. When Anakin is captured by a keeradak, Tech gives the coordinates so Crosshair can shoot a grappling hook at the flying reptile, which allows Hunter to use it to track down Anakin. After rescuing Anakin from the Poletecs, Tech becomes the translator (or Hermes the god of speech) that helps the team and the Poletecs to understand each other. When Tech loses Echoâs signal, Hunter, Wrecker, Crosshair and Anakin begin to fear that Echo is actually dead and the Separatists are using him to lure them into a trap. However, Tech does not believe in that, and neither does Rex. This can be interpreted as Tech helping Rex to hold onto hope. After Tech and Rex manage to find Echo in a stasis chamber, Tech uses his expertise to safely disconnect Echo from the computer. Then, as droids begin to surround Anakin and the clones on a long narrow pipe, Tech uses a recording to summon several keeradaks, allowing all of them to escape using an alternate route. Thanks to his powerful Hermes archetype, Tech ensures that the rescue mission will be a success. As Hermes the rescuer of the child, he plays a vital role on rescuing Echo, who has the Persephone anima. I believe that he would do it again for Omega and Crosshair.
5. Tech vs Hemlock
Tech and Hemlock share the same archetype combination, but they take on different sides. Tech is the good Hades as he is willing to share his inner riches to others (as Hades the Plouton) and he is able to understand and respect other peopleâs decisions and subjective values (as Hades the Good Counsellor). Hemlock is the evil Hades as he takes on the archetype of the abductor and the shadow of the father archetype (or the Shadow of Zeus). The Empire and Palpatine, with all their might, power and control, represent Zeus. Imperials like Tarkin and Hemlock take on the Zeus archetype as they are prominent figures of the Empire (even having a meeting on the Summit, which is where Zeus resides on his throne). The Empire announces that the clone troopers will be sent for retirement, but they are acting out a terrible secret in the shadows. Hemlock represents the Shadow as he is the one requesting the Empire to send him dissident clone troopers for his inhumane experiments as he believes that eliminating them will not root out the problem of rogue clones within the Empire. Hemlock is abducting these clone troopers into Mount Tantiss, which is the Underworld. He even abducts Omega, who is innately Persephone, so he can force Nala Se to carry out an important project for the Empire. He even threatens to torture Omega for Nala Seâs defiance and failures.
Tech is the good Hermes as he is the guide of souls, the seeker of meaning, and the rescuer of the child. On the other hand, Hemlock is the sociopathic Hermes as he takes on the negative side of the trickster. This is evident when Hemlock pretends to be Hermes the rescuer of the child as he tells Omega that he is here to return her to Nala Se (like Hermes restoring Persephone to her mother Demeter). Although he is right to some extent, Omega does not want to go back to Nala Se because she does not want to be separated from her brothers, and she does not want to be turned into an experiment by the Kaminoans. Hemlock is aware of her resistance, so he resorts to kidnap her. Hemlock does restore Omega to Nala Se, but he actually traps both of them in the Underworld, preventing them from escaping and forcing them to do whatever he wants from them.
In the trailers, we see Hemlock walking beside Palpatine as he commences a project for Nala Se. It does seem that Hemlock has become Palpatineâs right-hand man, making him Athena the archetype of âthe fatherâs daughterâ. He upholds all of Palpatineâs commands no matter how horrible they are. Tech has this Athena archetype on him as he is loyal to Hunter, but he also has a tendency to deviate from Hunterâs orders when he thinks it is necessary. Besides, Hunter being a good leader also influences Tech to take on more positive traits of Athena.
Hemlock seems to know how to psychologically break the Bad Batch: he tortures Crosshair with an interrogation droid; he throws Techâs broken goggles to Hunter and points out his failed leadership; he imprisons, restrains and tortures Omega until she starts to lose hope. Since Tech and Hemlock represent the opposite sides of their archetypes (good vs evil), I feel that Tech is the best candidate to take down Hemlock.
6. Techâs wrath
I have seen headcanons describing Techâs wrath as the scariest, and I agree. Although Tech is calm and collected, there are times we can see Tech holding back his anger and frustration. His exceptional mind is one factor why you should never hurt Tech or his loved ones, but I believe there is another factor â his Hades archetype.
In one Greek myth, Theseus and Pirithous both wanted to marry a daughter of Zeus. Theseus chose Helen of Troy while Pirithous chose Persephone (despite she was already married to Hades). They both enter the Underworld and become trapped there. One version of the myth stated that they sat on the rocks and snakes coiled around their legs, which turned their bottoms and legs into stone. Another version stated that Hades had prepared a feast and invited them to sit, and they unknowingly sat in chairs of forgetfulness and were ensnared by chains or snakes. Heracles later encountered them when he was on a quest to capture Cerberus. Heracles managed to release Theseus, though some of his thigh and bottom are left attached to the rock or chair. However, the earth shook when Heracles tried to free Pirithous, serving as a sign that he was doomed to stay behind because his desire to have the goddess for himself was extremely insulting. Taking this myth as reference, I feel that Tech would psychologically torture anyone who dares to hurt him or his loved ones â giving them trauma and possibly ruining their entire lives.
We know that Tech is very protective of his loved ones. In âAftermathâ, when a clone shock trooper whacks Hunter in the stomach with a blaster, Wrecker and Tech are angry and ready to square off with the shock trooper. I believe that Tech loses his cool when he is unable to prevent a regular clone trooper from knocking Echo out with a tray. He may have become violent, causing Hunter, Wrecker, Crosshair and Omega to stop the food fight, restrain Tech, and bring the unconscious Echo to the medbay. I do believe that the Bad Batch knows that it is the end of the world when Tech loses his temper.
I believe that Tech would play a vital role in rescuing Crosshair and Omega from Mount Tantiss. I suspect that this would happen in the mid-season 3 episodes, which are âInfiltrationâ and âExtractionâ. This rescue mission could be interpreted as Techâs wrath was upon Hemlock. Once the Empire realized that the Bad Batch managed to infiltrate Mount Tantiss and break out two clone prisoners, this would indicate that the security and confidentiality of the Weyland facility had been severely compromised. Hemlock would lose his job, high status, respect and reputation. He would also lose funding and support for his experiments. If Emerie Karr did secretly help Omega and Crosshair to escape, it would rub salt into Hemlockâs wound because she was his assistant and he trusted her. This rescue mission would ruin Hemlockâs life forever, stripping away his purpose and meaning in his life â as if Tech had dragged him into the Underworld and chained him there as punishment.
7. Tech already knew Plan 99 has to happen
This is my theory of what happened to Tech: he uses Plan 99 to fake his death and uses Hemlockâs overconfidence to his advantage.
As the Messenger God, Hermes can travel across the sky, earth and the Underworld with ease. As an archetype, he helps a person to be aware of the past, present and future (the sky is associated with the present and future; the earth is associated with the past and present; the Underworld is timeless). Since Tech has a strong Hermes, he is able to make connections with the past and present to predict the future, which makes him an excellent strategist.
In âTipping Pointâ, Echo seeks Techâs help in decrypting data from a file aboard an Imperial ship carrying clone prisoners. After Tech manages to decrypt the data, he discovers that the Imperial ship was assigned to the Advanced Science Division, but there are no records of its location and purpose. He also discovers that the Advanced Science Division is headed by Dr. Hemlock, who has been expelled from the Republic Science Corps for his unauthorized and unorthodox experiments. Although Tech does not understand why clone prisoners are sent to Hemlock, but he is shocked to find that Crosshair is one of them, which indicates that Crosshair has turned against the Empire. Tech also checks all comm channels and finds a recent distress signal from Crosshairâs old code, which states âPlan 88 â the Seekerâ. Tech believes that Crosshair is warning the Bad Batch that they have been targeted by the Empire, or more specifically, Hemlock.
Since clone prisoners are being sent to Hemlock, Tech probably believes that the Advanced Science Division is carrying out cloning experiments like cloning the Zillo Beast as they have discovered it in âMetamorphosisâ. The Empire is now replacing Clone Troopers with Stormtroopers, so why would Hemlock need clones for? Tech would suspect that it has something to do with Clone X, a clone trooper with his identifying markings removed and is brainwashed to become an assassin. If that is the case, why would Hemlock be targeting the Bad Batch? Tech would suspect that Hemlock is after Omega because she has the unaltered genetic template of Jango Fett, which is why a bounty is placed on her head in Season 1. He may think that Hemlock wants the genetic template for his cloning experiments.
Moreover, previous records of clone prisoners reveal that Crosshair has been sent to Hemlock a few rotations ago. Then, the Plan 88 signal is sent recently, possibly from Hemlockâs base. Tech would suspect that Crosshair has heard that Hemlock is after the Bad Batch (especially Omega) and he manages to send them a warning. This would mean that their attempts to lay low have been futile. It is possible that their missions to Serenno, Coruscant and the downed ship with the Zillo Beast have caught the Empireâs attention. To make matters worse, they have left AZI with Cid, and AZI is a Kaminoan medical droid, which will attract Hemlockâs attention. Since they have crossed Cid by refusing to work for her, it is only a matter of time before she sells them out to Hemlock. It would be dangerous for them to step foot on Ord Mantell or to carry out any mercenary jobs because the Empire is now after them.
Since Hemlock is a high ranked Imperial, his base of operations would have tight security, and Tech may find it surprising that Crosshair managed to send the Plan 88 signal to them. Tech probably begins to wonder if Crosshairâs actions would serve as proof to Hemlock that the Bad Batch is alive, and he is now waiting for them to come and rescue Crosshair. This would serve as a trap as Hunter has suspected. Although Tech is determined to rescue Crosshair, they would have to do it in secret. Echo reports that Hemlock will be on Eriadu, and they can plant a tracking device on his shuttle so they can locate his base and Crosshair. It is a risky plan, especially with the knowledge that the Empire is targeting them, so everything must go smoothly. At this moment, Tech is probably preparing for the worst-case scenario. If the plan goes wrong, their position would be compromised, and Hemlock would suspect that they are involved in this because they have received Crosshairâs distress signal. Hemlock would have known about Clone Force 99 by now, and he would tighten all security measures, which would make it more difficult for them to locate and rescue Crosshair. Furthermore, a failed mission may result in all of them getting captured by the Empire, which is not an ideal outcome. With that, Tech is well-prepared to carry out Plan 99 if the mission goes wrong.
Surely enough, the mission does go wrong and Tech carries out Plan 99. Being the smartest one in the team, he would find a way to survive the fall. He also left his broken goggles at the wreckage to make Hemlock assume that he is dead and the Bad Batch did come back to retrieve his body (but they forgot the goggles). After all, clones do not leave their own kind behind. As the cable car speeds up and carries Hunter, Echo, Wrecker and Omega away, Tech probably would have predicted that Omega would get injured because she is not wearing any armour. This would prompt the team to bring her to Ord Mantell because AZI would know how to save her life. They would not have the time to search for Tech. Besides, with Hunterâs pessimism, he would assume that Tech did not make it, and as the leader, he would convince others that Tech is dead.
Now that the team is back in Ord Mantell, Tech would have predicted Cidâs betrayal. He also would have predicted Omega being kidnapped by Hemlock, which would force Hunter to join Rexâs resistance network for he needs all their help to rescue her. As Hemlock sees the grief on the teamâs faces, he is convinced that Tech is dead. With the smartest team member âdeadâ, Hemlock thinks that he has won, and he is now unstoppable. He now has Omega, and he firmly believes that the rest of the Bad Batch will not be able to find out Mount Tantiss, where he has imprisoned her and Crosshair. After all, all data associating the Advanced Science Division is heavily encrypted and he believes that no clone can break through his security measures. This explains why he is not worried about the loss of an Imperial shuttle carrying clone prisoners and he disregards the possibility that the clones will have access to the confidential data. However, we all know that Tech is able to bypass his security measures.
It seems that Hemlock is overconfident of his abilities, and this would be his downfall. He certainly has underestimated the clones, especially on how paternal they can be. I believe that he also has underestimated Techâs intellect. After using Plan 99 to fake his death, Tech would go on an undercover mission. He would take on a new identity and a new appearance. He would venture deep into the Imperial files as he searches for Crosshair and Omega. Once he found any information linking to them, he would deliver it to Rex, who would later inform Hunter about it. For now, all Tech needed was time and patience as he waited for Hemlock to become so overconfident that he finally slipped, allowing Tech to take advantage of it. Right now, Tech is playing a game of chess, and everyone has taken their designated positions, just as he has intended them to do. After all, he is the mastermind.
For the overall series analysis, I will be referring to âGoddesses in Everywomanâ and âGods in Everymanâ by Jean Shinoda Bolen. I will be talking about the Bad Batch Season 3 Celebration Europe trailer and the official Season 3 trailer. I will also refer to the titles of Season 3 episodes for this analysis. I will make some predictions for Season 3, so if you do not want to read into it, you can just scroll away.
I view the overall theme of the series from the Persephone archetype. Persephone is the innate archetype of Omega, and we mostly view this series from her perceptive. In my character analysis of Omega, I have stated that the Persephone archetype is an âanima womanâ. The anima is described by Carl Jung as âthe unconscious feminine side of a manâ. With that, I interpret that Omega is the âanimaâ to all clones. Since all clones (except the unaltered clones Boba Fett and Omega) are genetically modified to be more docile and compliant to ensure that they follow orders without questioning, this means that their Persephone archetype resembles the Kore (ânameless maidenâ). Though, after going through traumatic experiences, their Persephone can transition to Queen of the Underworld, becoming more mature and assertive. This is what happens to Echo as stated in my character analysis of him. What Omega goes through can be a shared experience for the clones.
After looking from a wider perspective, I interpret each season as a transition period taken by the Persephone archetype. Season 1 is about life-changing choices. According to Jean Shinoda Bolen, the Persephone woman is âa good girlâ that wants to please her Demeter mother. She is obedient, compliant, cautious and often sheltered. She is too attached to her mother that she lacks assertiveness and independence. She often waits for someone or something to transform her life. When the Persephone woman falls in love with a man, she may go through the stage of being Persephone âthe pawnâ, in which she becomes the object to be possessed in a power struggle between a man and her mother. This man usually has a typical âbad boyâ personality, or he may come from a different social class or culture. He may be the first person who has not treated the Persephone woman as a pampered princess, and will not put up with her âprincessâ act.
The Demeter mother will view this man as Hades, the god of the Underworld that kidnaps Persephone in the Greek myth. He is different from âthe nice young manâ she has envisioned. Since the Persephone woman is a usually compliant daughter, her mother may feel confident of attacking her choice of men. Her mother may strongly disapprove the manâs personality, character or background. She may occasionally question her daughterâs judgment, competence and morals. However, the manâs ability to resist her mother is one reason why the Persephone daughter is attracted to him.
The Persephone woman may be, for the first time, at odds with her mother and her standards of good girl behaviour. Her mother or family may forbid her to see the man she loves. She may agree to their decision, but later sneaks off to meet him. Alternatively, she may try to convince her mother of his good qualities. Soon, the man usually demands that she confronts her mother or give up trying to get her motherâs approval. He may propose her to live with him, marry him, leave the area with him, or cut off contact with her mother. In this struggle, the Persephone woman has two choices: she goes back to her mother and becomes the restored compliant daughter, or she takes her chance and runs away with him.
If the Persephone woman chooses to rebel and run away, she may begin her journey towards becoming a separate, self-determining human being. She may be exposed to new experiences that shapes her identity. However, she does so at the risk of trading a dominating mother for a dominating man. If she chooses to return to her mother, she will continue to be âthe good girlâ but she risks losing her sense of identity. Regardless of her choices, there are no easy outcomes, and her decision will lead to life-changing consequences. By defying her mother, the Persephone woman has changed and is no longer the compliant person she once was. She cannot ever go back to the old ways. Fortunately, reconciliation with her mother can come later, after she has gained emotional independence.
Order 66 and the rise of the Empire put the clones in this struggle faced by the Persephone archetype. They can choose to be loyal to the Empire, or run away from the Empire. Omega chooses to leave Nala Se and run away with the Bad Batch. Hunter, Tech, Wrecker and Echo choose to run away from the Empire. Rex, Gregor, Howzer and some of his men also choose to rebel. However, their rebellion comes with a downside: they are branded as traitors to the Empire. Rex has to be careful in building up his resistance network. Gregor tries to escape but he gets recaptured, and the Bad Batch has to come to save him. Howzer and some of his men are thrown into prison. The Bad Batch becomes mercenaries that work for Cid, who is unreliable and has questionable morals. On the other hand, Crosshair and the majority of the clones choose to stay with the Empire and be âgood soldiersâ. Though, Crosshair is secretly rebelling the Empire as he never plans to kill the Bad Batch. Instead, he tries to convince the Bad Batch to join the Empire so they can have a purpose. When the Bad Batch still refuses to join the Empire, Crosshair lies to the Empire that they have perished during the bombardment of Tipoca City as he tries to protect them.
Regardless of their decisions, there are life-changing consequences with no good outcomes. Project War-Mantle is actively carried out to replace the Clone Troopers with Stormtroopers. Nala Se is taken to Mount Tantiss as the Empire needs her skills and expertise for nefarious purposes. Tipoca City, which serves as the home for the clones, is destroyed by the Empire. The Clone Wars have truly ended. The clones cannot go back to their old ways. Moreover, the Bad Batch is not the same anymore as Crosshair refuses to rejoin the squad. Although they cannot go back to what they were once before, reconciliation is possible in the future, just like Omega believing that Crosshair will return because he is still their brother and her brother.
Season 2 is about the slow descent to the Underworld. Throughout Season 2, the Kiners have made cryptic tweets by inserting tiny texts underneath the sentence âmade by mematicâ. These texts form this poem:
âCan you hear me?
Iâm down here at the bottom.
My words cannot reach you.
And you canât reach me.
But you are with me.
Here at the bottom.
At the end.â
I interpret this poem as âthe descent to the Underworldâ. In Greek mythology, Persephone is gathering flowers in a meadow with her companions. She leaves them as she is drawn to a beautiful narcissus. When she picks the flower, the ground splits open before her, and Hades comes in with his gold chariot pulled by black horses. He seizes the terrified maiden, who screams for her father Zeus. However, Zeus ignores her cries because he has given Hades the approval to abduct her and make her his unwilling bride. Hades plunges down to the abyss, carrying Persephone deep into the Underworld. Then the earth closes over, as if nothing has happened.
The Underworld is separated from all the realms. Hence, nobody can hear Persephone crying for help. She is âdown here at the bottomâ â in the Underworld. Her words cannot reach anyone above the Underworld, and nobody from other realms can reach her. I interpret the words âBut you are with me. Here at the bottomâ as Hades telling Persephone that he is with her in the Underworld â he is telling her to accept her fate of becoming his wife, and that she would never see her mother Demeter and the sunlight again. The words âAt the endâ may be a depiction of the Underworld as the realm of the dead and as the archetypal image of depression.
In the myths, most enter the Underworld or meet Hades involuntarily. The most common method is through death, or more specifically physical death. Facing probable or certain death can lead a person to experience the descent to the Underworld. In âRuins of Warâ, Rampart shoots Captain Wilco, causing him to fall off a cliff as if he has descended to the Underworld. We have also seen the clones being sent to die in heroic deaths or unnecessary deaths. In âThe Outpostâ, Mayday breathes his last when he gives up living due to the realization that the clones are nothing more than expendables to the Empire despite their loyalty and sacrifice, and that Lieutenant Nolan refuses to give him medical treatment.
The other involuntarily descent is caused by victimization â being abused, feeling helpless or experiencing terror. This causes the person to be âabductedâ to the Underworld, just like Persephoneâs fate. In âTipping Pointâ, Howzer and two of his men are being shuttled off-world by the Imperials. Thankfully, Echo, Gregor, Nemec and Fireball manage to intercept the shuttle and rescue them. Howzer does not know where they are being sent to, but he does recall that several clone troopers were transferred off-world in rotations, and they never came back. It is later revealed that these clones are sent to Mount Tantiss for Dr. Hemlock.
Mount Tantiss is created by Timothy Zahn for the novel âHeir to the Empireâ. The name âTantissâ is intended by Zahn as a reference to Tantalus, a figure in Greek mythology who cooks up his son Pelops in a stew and serves it to the gods to test their omniscience. The gods immediately know something is amiss, but Demeter, who is grief-stricken by the loss of her daughter Persephone, absentmindedly eats part of the boyâs shoulder. The gods then put Pelops back together and resurrect him. He gets an ivory prosthetic shoulder made by Hephaestus to replace the missing part of his shoulder. As for Tantalus, he is thrown into Tartarus, and made to stand in a pool of water beneath a fruit tree with low branches. Whenever he reaches for the fruit, the branches raise from his grasp. Whenever he bends down to drink, the water recedes below his level.
Tartarus is the darkest, deepest part of the Underworld where the Titans are imprisoned after the Olympians successfully overthrow them. In the later myths, mortals who go against the gods are sent to Tartarus for punishment. Using this analogy, the clones who disobey and question Imperial orders are sent to Mount Tantiss (their version of Tartarus) for Dr. Hemlock to carry out inhumane experiments on them. Furthermore, Crosshair also ends up on Mount Tantiss for killing Lieutenant Nolan. On the other hand, Omega is kidnapped by Dr. Hemlock and is trapped on Mount Tantiss, mirroring the abduction of Persephone. Emerie Karr, who is Hemlockâs medical assistant, believes that it is futile to escape from Mount Tantiss.
Hades and Dionysus, the God of Wine and Ecstasy, are connected to the Underworld. The Underworld is âthe Shadow worldâ where anything that is unacceptable or too painful are dismembered and thrown here. Dionysus, being the dismembered archetype, knows this feeling of descending into the Underworld all too well. In âThe Clone Conspiracyâ, Rex manages to save Senator Riyo Chuchi from an assassin, who is revealed to be a clone trooper. The identity of Clone X is unknown as his identifying markings have been removed. It is widely believed that Dr. Hemlock has been brainwashing clone prisoners and turning them into Clone X. It is as if these clones have their identities âdismemberedâ and âthrown into the Underworldâ â they have become mere shadows of their true identities. This is similar to the dead inhabitants of the Underworld that exist as ghostly shades forever. They are required to drink from the river of forgetfulness (Lethe) to forget their earthly life. Once they forget their earthly life, they may be reincarnated with no memory of their previous existence.
In psychological terms, the descent to the Underworld is a sign of depression. Incidents such as losing a loved one, being abused, losing the way of being, surviving a traumatic accident, losing a job, or going through a breakup or divorce can cause a person to lose meaning, purpose or hope in life. They feel cut off from everything that used to give them meaning and joy. They become Hades the recluse as they shut themselves off and may withdraw from reality. After losing Tech, Hunter, Echo and Wrecker involuntarily descend into the Underworld. Wrecker loses his joyful personality and weeps. Hunter gives up the possibility that Tech may be alive. He gives up continuing the mission to find Crosshair and decides to settle down on Pabu with Omega. Echo grieves by himself on the Marauder. Coincidentally, if you take the first letter of the last four tracks of Season 2, which are âPlan 99â, âThe Sacrificeâ, âStandoffâ and âDonât Stop Searchingâ, you get âPTSDâ, which is the short form for post-traumatic stress disorder. The Bad Batch (and the audience) suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder after losing Tech â an involuntary descent into the Underworld.
Hunter, who has the Demeter anima, is taking on the negative aspect of this archetype after losing Crosshair to the Empire. He is determined to keep his remaining teammates together. He wants all of them to keep a low profile and find a place far away from the Empire. He refuses to get involved with Rexâs resistance network because he feels that it is futile to fight back the Empire. From his perspective, the Empire is a powerful monster who has snatched Crosshair away from him, and he blames himself for the loss. After they lose Tech in a failed mission to locate Crosshair, Hunter becomes more depressed and he blames himself for the loss. He gives up the mission to find Crosshair and decides that they should settle down on Pabu since he believes that Tech has made the sacrifice so they can live. I believe that Hunter would become overprotective and overcontrolling if they managed to settle down on Pabu. He probably would not let Omega out of his sight, and he probably would not allow Wrecker to try anything new. He would probably try to convince Echo to abandon his fight against the Empire. Of course, his plan is ruined when Omega is kidnapped by Hemlock.
In various myths, some people enter the Underworld or meet Hades voluntarily. Examples of notable figures like Orpheus, Psyche, Odysseus, Aeneas, Heracles and Dionysus descend into the Underworld as their heroic tasks. However, voluntary descents are done at great risks as there is no guarantee of a safe return. By enacting Plan 99, Tech is the only one who descends into the Underworld voluntarily, and his fate is uncertain for now.
People have complained about the pacing and shifting tone of Season 2. One side we are in a colourful world of Riot Racing or going on a treasure hunt, while on the other side we are looking into the evils of the Empire and their cruelty towards the clones. I think the drastically opposing tones have something to do with fantasy and nightmares. The Underworld is the realm of the unconscious, in which we enter through imagination, dreams and nightmares.
When Persephone becomes depressed (possibly being dominated and limited by people who keep her bound to them), she bottles up her negative feelings and withdraws into the shadowy world of an imagined life. She may spend too much time by herself or retreat to her imaginary world to get away from people who are abusive or intrusive towards her. She cuts herself off from people with her imaginary world, turning it into a safe haven when the real world seems too difficult or too demanding. However, this sanctuary may become a prison. By constantly withdrawing from reality, Persephone people may slip into psychosis. Some choose to avoid the harsh reality by staying psychotic. Some may use their mental illness as a metamorphosis, as they become more aware of themselves and break free from constrictions.
Many clones are confining themselves with their fantasies. After spending 6 months of laying low since âKamino Lostâ, Hunter thinks he and the rest of the Bad Batch are free. Cid warns him that the Empire is expanding their control and they will soon turn their attention to her operations on Ord Mantell and the Bad Batch will be in trouble. Cid sends them on a mission to retrieve one of Dooku's war chest so they can pay off their debt and be truly free. Hunter wants to give Omega a safe place to live, so he agrees to the mission, with the intention of using the fortune to buy their freedom and move somewhere far from the Empire. However, Echo wants to use the fortune to help Rex's resistance network because the Empire is growing in power, and they should be doing more. Hunter keeps trying to run away from reality and holds onto the belief that they all can be safe from the Empire. He does not want to get involved with the clone rebellion because he does not want that kind of life for Omega. His fantasy almost comes true when Phee introduces him to Pabu, and he wants to settle down there with Omega. However, his fantasy turns into a nightmare when Omega gets kidnapped, and he now faces the harsh reality.
The clones who are loyal to the Empire keep holding onto their purpose as soldiers. They are willing to follow orders and make sacrifices for the Empire. However, their fantasy is shattered when the Empire passes the Bill to force the clones into retirement and replace them with Stormtroopers. Crosshair keeps trying to ignore all the warning signs, believing that his loyalty and superiority will keep him around for the Empire. His mindset is completely shattered in âThe Outpostâ. On the other hand, Riyo Chuchi thinks that she can prevent the Bill from being passed, and actively does everything to expose Rampart's involvement in the bombardment of Tipoca City. She is successful with the help of Rex and the Bad Batch, but Palpatine manages to twist their efforts for his benefit, and the Bill is passed, which shatters her fantasy.
The events of âPlan 99â have sent the Bad Batch into the Underworld. I believe that season 3 would show the Bad Batch in the Underworld and how they would get out of there. This would mirror the myth of Demeter and Persephone, which is used to describe seasonal changes, specifically from winter to spring. Coincidentally, the Bad Batch Season 3 will start at February 21 (winter) and will end at May 1 (spring), and this was once a possibility that I have thought about after the announcement of Season 3 last year (and it came true!). I have only seen the low-quality Bad Batch Season 3 Celebration Europe trailer, but based on the scenes, I can see that the Bad Batch is suffering in their own versions of the Underworld. Even their clothing only consists of black, white, grey or fading colours. The official Season 3 trailer seems to confirm my findings further.
Omega now wears the uniform of the medical assistant, like her sister Emerie Karr. She is shown in two hairstyles: one is her Season 2 hairstyle, and the other is a longer hair that resembles Emerieâs hairstyle. The change in hairstyle indicates the passing of time. Initially, she has a hopeful and innocent glint in her eyes. However, as time passes, Omega becomes tired and depressed â she is losing hope. She is also shown to be experimented on. Hemlock has warned Nala Se that her failure and defiance will lead Omega to be tortured since Nala Se cares about her. Moreover, troopers are seen to escort her wherever she goes and she is locked in a tight cell â she is bound and limited by Hemlockâs orders. Omegaâs Underworld resembles what Persephone has experienced when she is abducted by Hades â she does nothing but sit, and thinks that she will never see the light of day, pick a flower, or see her mother Demeter again. She does not eat, drink or smile at all.
Crosshair looks absolutely defeated. He knows Omega is with him now, and he probably has heard about what happened to Tech. In âTipping Pointâ, Crosshair sends Plan 88 to warn the Bad Batch to hide because the Empire is after Omega. He expects them to do what he says. Instead, they try to find him, which leads to them losing Tech and Omega being kidnapped by Hemlock. Crosshair is devastated and disappointed at his brothers. He becomes hopeless that they would come to rescue him and Omega. After all, they have disappointed him for disobeying his orders, and he can no longer see what is ahead of him accurately. After his prediction has been proven wrong, Crosshair probably starts questioning whether he knows himself and his brothers well enough. His identity and ego have been damaged by the harsh realization of the Empireâs cruelty towards the clones in âThe Outpostâ, and now, his identity and ego are further damaged by this incident. It is worth noting that the Underworld being the realm of the unconscious is where the ego dissolves and a person may be overcome by irrational fears. With his ego damaged, Crosshair may be overwhelmed by anxiety and depression. This would explain why Crosshair angrily yells âI am not them!â to Omega when she tells him that she is not giving up on him because he is her brother. Crosshair no longer identifies himself as part of the Bad Batch. He is no longer confident with his abilities and his teammatesâ abilities. He is also consumed by rage and grief, and he lashes out at Omega. His Underworld resembles a broken Apollo and Artemis, an enraged Poseidon, and a depressed Hera.
Hunter and Echo are seen on a snowy planet. The wintery environment represents Hunterâs grief and rage at his loss. He is determined to find Omega and he is not going to let her wait for another day. His Underworld resembles a grieving Demeter, who sits in her temple and refuses to function as the Goddess of Grain. The earth is plunged into an eternal winter, and famine threatens to wipe out the human race. No gifts and honours can appease her as she refuses to allow anything to grow until her daughter Persephone is returned to her. In the official Season 3 trailer, Hunterâs bandana no longer has the skull symbol that represents Clone Force 99. He probably covers up the symbol because the family is fractured, and he feels that he has failed as their leader. Right now, he resembles a broken Zeus. Moreover, Hunterâs pessimism has consumed him and has affected others. Although they do not go back to find Tech, Hunter just assumes that Tech did not make it, and weeps for him. Echo and Wrecker are convinced by Hunter that Tech is gone, though Omega takes a while to be convinced. His pessimism gets stronger when Hemlock throws Techâs broken goggles at him, and psychologically attacks him about the crushing weight of the leader upon losing a teammate. He now resembles Dionysus being trapped in the Underworld, consumed by grief and rage, and he does not know a way out. The Season 3 poster shows Hunterâs battle-worn helmet in a position that resembles the helmet-marked graves of clone troopers from âVictory and Deathâ. I interpret it as Hunter has been âburied in his graveâ and he is currently in the Underworld, which matches his Dionysus archetype because Dionysus has a grave in Apolloâs sanctuary at Delphi.
Echo is barely present in both trailers. I interpret it as Echo withdrawing from his teammates and investing all his energy into his work for the rebellion. In âTruth and Consequencesâ, Echo does not like the loneliness due to his traumatic experiences back on Skako Minor. However, we see him grieving by himself on the Marauder, looking sadly at the empty seat where Tech once sat on. Losing Tech has caused Echo to experience loneliness once more, which is his Underworld. Echo is like a depressed Persephone, who fades away and withdraws from everyone because she feels (often inappropriately) guilty, blameworthy and powerless. This makes sense because Echo is the one who introduces the Bad Batch to Cid, who ends up betraying them to the Empire and causing Omega to be kidnapped by Hemlock. Moreover, Echo is also the one who gives Tech the data to be decrypted, leading them to discover that Crosshair has turned on the Empire and is now being held captive by Dr. Hemlock. He proposes the team to travel to Eriadu so they can plant a homing beacon on Hemlockâs ship, which will help them to find Hemlockâs base and Crosshairâs location. However, their plan goes awry and they lose Tech. Echo probably feels guilty about everything that has happened. He probably blames himself for introducing Cid to the team and for proposing the plan to Eriadu despite none of these are his fault. He feels powerless to prevent these tragedies from happening. His loneliness, self-criticism and feelings of inadequacy cause him to withdraw from Hunter and Wrecker. Since Echo struggles to express his feelings with words, he ends up channelling his grief and rage through work, like what Hephaestus does. However, this will cause Echo to withdraw further and risk suffering from a burnout â like his inner âfireâ may be put out as he becomes unbalanced and risks losing connection with his Hestia anima.
As for Wrecker, without Crosshair, Tech and Omega as his Apollo, Hermes and Athena (âthe voices of reasonâ), he may become more reckless and impulsive. This may explain why he complains about encountering and taking down monsters repeatedly in the Celebration Europe trailer â perhaps he accidentally wakes them up. It is possible that his recklessness and his tendency to act before he thinks have gotten him into many troubles that almost cost his life. His Underworld resembles a disgraced and broken Ares, like a hero, whose ego and worth are identified with success, experiences death through a major defeat on a competitive battlefield. Wrecker is once a hero who always has everyoneâs backs, but after losing Tech, he probably blames himself for failing to hold onto the falling cart long enough for Tech to get back up (even though he is not his fault at all). This major loss probably damages Wreckerâs heroic attitude and sense of immortality, dragging him to the Underworld. Monsters are usually the manifestations of our fears in our unconscious, and using this analogy, Wrecker is facing his fears as he fights the monsters.
What about Tech? Tech is currently in the Underworld with an uncertain fate. According to Hemlock, his broken goggles are the only thing he manages to salvage from the wreckage. The goggles (and his eyes) are part of Techâs identity, which is evident with Cid calling him âGogglesâ and Phee calling him âBrown Eyesâ. Now that Tech has lost his goggles, he has lost part of his identity. He is also now all alone, separated from his squad. This is called psychological dismemberment, where anything being âcut offâ is thrown deep into the unconscious (or the Underworld).
Each member of the Bad Batch is in their Underworlds. I view the Bad Batch as the complete psyche (or mind) as they complement each other perfectly. The loss of a member means they lose something important â as if the mind is going through a breakdown. Losing Crosshair means they lose the ability to see the bigger picture that the Empire is going to expand their control to the point that they have nowhere to run (Apollo), the willingness to fight for what is right (Artemis), and the importance of loyalty and brotherhood (Hera and Poseidon). Losing Echo means they lose their sense of Self (Hestia), the ability to channel their emotions through creative means (Hephaestus), and the ability to make sense of their loss and guide others through difficult times (Persephone Queen of the Underworld). Losing Tech means they lose hope (Hermes) and wisdom (Athena), and they end up in the Underworld without the ability to make sense of their suffering (Hades). Losing Omega means they lose compassion, optimism and receptiveness (Persephone). If they lose Wrecker, they would lose the ability to express their emotions (Ares), and the fun and vitality (Aphrodite). If they lose Hunter, they would lose valuable leadership (Zeus), unconditional love (Demeter), and the ability to embrace their uniqueness (Dionysus).
Based on the scenes shown in the Celebration Europe trailer, I believe that they are from episodes 1 to 4 because their productions were done or almost done before April 2023, where the Star Wars Celebration Europe took place. I believe episode 5 did not make it to the trailer due to incomplete production before April 2023 (and possibly being a spoiler-filled episode) or they only included very few scenes of episode 5 for the trailer. Joel Aaron (or joelaron on twitter), who is the Director of Cinematography Lighting & FX for Star Wars animation, including the Bad Batch, made a tweet on April 2023 saying that he is âsitting here after reviewing dailies just now, for a mid-season 3 episodeâ. Dailies are the prints of film scenes before editing. It is now confirmed that episodes 6 and 7 are the mid-season 3 episodes. He also said that the fans âwill be very, very fulfilledâ and âif you only knew who is on my screen as I type thisâ. This made me believe that mid-season 3 is when Crosshair and Omega get rescued because this would be very fulfilling for the fans. Since the official Season 3 trailer shows scenes of Omega riding a ship to escape with Crosshair, and scenes of Crosshair wearing his old armour (the Clone Wars era), this means that their return to the Bad Batch is not considered a spoiler. Many fans, including me, suspected that Joel Aaron was referring to Tech being on his screen because the Bad Batch reuniting as six members would indeed be very fulfilling for the fans.
Three episodes will be released for the Season 3 premiere, and their titles are âConfinedâ, âPaths Unknownâ and âShadows of Tantissâ. I believe these episodes would show the Bad Batch in the Underworld, so they will be depressing. Their decision to release these episodes in one day is a good idea because it will spare us from three weeks of depressive episodes. I think âConfinedâ would take place shortly after Season 2 finale, and this would be when Nala Se begins working on the project Emperor Palpatine has given to her, while Omega becomes a medical assistant. âPaths Unknownâ would likely have a time jump, and it would show Hunter and Wrecker have been spending a long time trying to find any information about Omegaâs whereabouts. Echo may or may not be with them. Hunter and Wrecker may seek out Fennec and Cad Bane since they used to hunt down Omega in Season 1. However, their search would come out empty-handed and they would feel lost. âShadows of Tantissâ would show Omegaâs hair has grown long, and she is now tired and depressed. She is also being experimented on. She is unwilling to give up on Crosshair but he lashes out at her.
Episode 4 is âA Different Approachâ, and I believe this is when Rex tells Hunter âThat kid (Omega) may be the key to whatever is happening on Mount Tantissâ (as revealed in the Celebration Europe trailer). It seems that they have gotten information about Mount Tantiss, which is supposed to be confidential. The clones may set off to gather more information, or to sought out the person who has provided the information. Episode 5 is âThe Returnâ, and I believe this is when Tech reveals to the Bad Batch that he is alive, and he has figured out the precise location of Crosshair and Omega. Tech would lead the Bad Batch on a rescue mission in episodes 6 and 7, which are âInfiltrationâ and âExtractionâ. In Greek mythology, Hermes is the one who brings Persephone out of the Underworld to be reunited with her mother Demeter. In my character analysis of Tech, I find Tech to have a strong Hermes archetype, which means he is crucial to the rescue mission.
In episodes 6 and 7, I believe that Hunter, Tech, Wrecker and Echo would infiltrate Mount Tantiss, and then extract Crosshair and Omega. Based on the official Season 3 trailer, there is a scene of a shuttle leaving Mount Tantiss at night and it is being chased by TIE fighters. The atmosphere seems rather peaceful and lacks commotion. This makes me believe that the rescue mission is a covert mission, and not an all-out war as we have hoped for. The Bad Batch only goes to rescue Crosshair and Omega, but they leave the other clones behind. Since the trailer only shows one shuttle leaving Mount Tantiss and it seems to be flown by Omega with Crosshair (and a hound?) in the ship, I believe that Tech, believing in all of their abilities, has proposed all of them to take different escape routes in order to increase their chances of a successful escape. As the Empireâs forces chase down the shuttle where Omega and Crosshair are on (because they are the most important), Hunter, Tech, Wrecker and Echo probably go around to distract and take down the Empireâs forces. This would help them to buy more time for Omega and Crosshair to leave the planet and enter hyperspace. Once they manage to enter hyperspace, Hunter, Tech, Wrecker and Echo would take alternative routes to escape. They would probably be reunited by the next episode.
With the Bad Batch whole again, Hunter is happy once more and vitality returns. This resembles the myth where Demeter finally reunites with her daughter Persephone, and she restores fertility and growth to the earth. I believe that Hunter only joins Rexâs resistance network to find Omega, and now that she has returned to him, he would probably decide to leave the resistance. He would want the Bad Batch to go back to a life they once had and could have â working as mercenaries, teaming up with Phee, and settling down on Pabu. He would want that kind of life to be completely restored to the Bad Batch. However, there is a saying that nobody comes out of the Underworld unscathed. In the myth of Demeter and Persephone, since Persephone has eaten the pomegranate seeds offered by Hades, she will spend half a year or two-thirds of the year with Demeter, and the remainder of the year in the Underworld with Hades. In the myth of Dionysus, he successfully goes into the Underworld and resurrects his dead mother Semele, turning him, as what Jean Shinoda Bolen describes, âfrom an eternal adolescent into a heroâ. The journey to the Underworld is an important part of a heroâs or a heroineâs journey. When one comes out of the Underworld, they will undergo change and transformation.
I suspect that episode 10 titled âIdentity Crisisâ may focus on the Bad Batch struggling with this change after coming out of the Underworld, most evidently Crosshair and Omega. Crosshair may try to enjoy the comfortable life that he deserves to experience at least once in his life, but he may be tormented by Maydayâs death, which gives him the need to fight the Empire so Mayday would not die in vain. Omega, after experiencing the horrors during her captivity on Mount Tantiss, may want to fight the Empire as well. As the team struggles with conflicting interests, Hunter may try to convince them to settle down and enjoy a comfortable life.
With Omega escaping from Mount Tantiss and now safe with the Bad Batch, Nala Se would stop working on Emperor Palpatineâs project, and she would not be moved by any threats made by Hemlock. With the project being halted with failed results, Emperor Palpatine would be disappointed. Moreover, the fact that the Bad Batch is able to find out Mount Tantiss, infiltrate the base and successfully escape with Omega and Crosshair (who are prisoners there) is highly concerning. In âTipping Pointâ, Tarkin is concerned that the loss of the ship that is supposed to transport Howzer and two of his men to Mount Tantiss will compromise the Weyland facility. He is also worried that the data inside the ship may be accessed by the rogue clone troopers who have hijacked the ship. Hemlock tries to reassure Tarkin that the facility will not be compromised because the clone prisoners do not know where they are taken to, and that the data is heavily encrypted. Yet, Tech is able to decrypt the confidential data. I believe that Hemlockâs overconfidence would be his downfall, and Tech would take full advantage of it. With the security and the secrecy of Mount Tantiss and the experiments being compromised, Hemlock would be in trouble. He would lose his job, high status, funding (and clones) for his experiments, respect and reputation. There may be a possibility that Hemlock would no longer be in charge of Mount Tantiss, and this position may be granted to Grand Admiral Thrawn (if they want to link it to the adaptation of âHeir to the Empireâ). If Emerie is secretly going against Hemlock, and she has helped Omega and Crosshair to escape, it would add insult to injury for Hemlock. With his entire life and work being ruined, Hemlock may go insane and become determined to get revenge on the Bad Batch and all the clones. He may send all of his forces, including multiple Clone X to destroy them. This may explain why the Empire invades Pabu, and why CX-1 says (probably to the Bad Batch) that the Empire is coming for all of them.
I suspect that episode 11 titled âPoint of No Returnâ may be the Empire invading Pabu as seen in the official Season 3 trailer. Pabu may or may not be destroyed. With their only safe haven being taken away, Hunter would come to realize that they cannot return to their supposed comfortable life. The Empire is expanding control to the point that nobody is safe from its oppressing rule and that nowhere is safe to hide. Hunter would finally lead the team back to Rexâs resistance network for their only choice is to fight the Empire. It is possible that the series finale would involve the Bad Batch and the clone rebellion attacking Mount Tantiss and taking down Hemlock once and for all. The series finale is titled âThe Cavalry Has Arrivedâ, which is the first quote said by Wrecker when the Bad Batch is first introduced in the Clone Wars. This makes me believe that the Bad Batch would come to help Rex and his army of clones to face Hemlock and possibly to blow up Mount Tantiss, which mirrors the Clone Wars episodes where the Bad Batch helps Rex and the Republic forces to defeat Admiral Trench and blow up his fleet.
In the Greek myth, Persephone eventually becomes the Queen of the Underworld. Whenever heroes or heroines descend to the Underworld, Persephone is there to receive them and be their guide. Notable figures such as Heracles, Psyche and Odysseus have been guided by Persephone during their journeys to the Underworld. Hecate, the Goddess of the Dark Moon, Crossroads, Witchcraft and Ghosts, becomes the constant companion of Persephone to and from the Underworld each year. According to Jean Shinoda Bolen, once a Persephone woman descends into her unconscious, explores the deep realm of archetypes (which is the collective unconscious), and does not fear returning to reexamine the experience, she can become a mediator between the conscious and the unconscious. People who have been to the Underworld and back can become a therapist-guide who can connect others with their own depths, guiding them to find symbolic meaning and understanding of what they find there.
When I am analysing the Bad Batch arc in the Clone Wars, I find that the Bad Batch act as the guides and therapists to Captain Rex. At the beginning of the arc, Rex is depressed and he has lost his creativity in helping the Republic to win the Battle of Anaxes. The Bad Batch is called in to help Rex. The Bad Batch guides Rex to three different places that represent the unconscious realm: the wilderness of Anaxes (the realm of emotions, instincts and memories), Skako Minor (the Underworld), and Admiral Trenchâs fleet (another form of the Underworld). This journey helps Rex to return to who he is, while breaking free from his identity as âjust a soldier to the Republicâ, which later helps him to survive Order 66. The Bad Batch (and Omega) may guide Rex and his resistance network to Mount Tantiss and defeat Hemlock once and for all. Omega may become an important guide to Mount Tantiss (the Underworld) because she used to work as a medical assistant when she was confined there, and she may no longer be afraid to go back and confront Hemlock.
It is possible that the Bad Batch would survive in the series finale. Season 1 finale titled âKamino Lostâ is described to be similar to âA New Hopeâ, especially with the scene of Omega watching sadly at the destroyed Tipoca City, which mirrors Luke Skywalker witnessing his home being burned down, and his uncle and aunt killed (this video mentions it from 51:43 to 52:38). Season 2 finale titled âPlan 99â is similar to âThe Empire Strikes Backâ as the Empire gains victory over the heroes. The team losing Tech, Cidâs betrayal and Emerie being revealed to be Omegaâs sister mirror the heroes losing Han Solo (surprisingly Han Solo and Tech share the Hermes archetype), Landoâs betrayal, and Darth Vader revealing to Luke that he is actually Lukeâs father. Following this pattern, it is possible that season 3 finale would be similar to âReturn of the Jediâ with the heroes reuniting and working together to take down the Empire. Though, it is possible that the clone rebellion would sustain heavy losses even if victory is gained (after all, they probably have to take down the many clones who have been brainwashed by Hemlock), which may cause Rex to give up fighting. There may be more clone survivors by the series finale (this is hinted in the Obi-Wan Kenobi series where a clone trooper is seen begging in the streets), but with Rex disbanding the resistance network, they would be scattered across the galaxy, just like the Mandalorians after the Great Purge. Although it would be a great idea to see the Bad Batch settle down on Pabu and live happily ever after, I think this is not possible with the rise of the Empire and that the official Season 3 trailer shows that the Empire invading Pabu. Since Star Wars is about hope, it is possible that the ending would show the Bad Batch and Omega joining the Rebel Alliance in its early stages. This would contrast Omega and Boba Fett well: Boba Fett is a lone bounty hunter who works for Darth Vader to capture Han Solo, and he ends up in the Sarlacc Pit (but he manages to escape), while Omega works alongside her brothers to fight the Empire, and they probably live long enough to see the Empire fall.
It is said that after a person comes out of the Underworld and heals, they will gain greater wisdom and spiritual understanding. They gain the capacity to grow through suffering and they learn to embrace the human seasonal changes. Just like nature, there will be periods of joy and grief throughout our lives. We must learn to accept changing human experiences and do not lose hope because even spring can emerge from the worst periods of winter. This aligns with the message given by Jennifer Corbett, the Head Writer and an Executive Producer of Star Wars: The Bad Batch, which are âeven in the darkest times, there is hopeâ and âtrust in family and fight for one anotherâ. The Bad Batch teaching us to embrace human seasonal changes and to remain hopeful even in the darkest times are powerful and important lessons, making the series a modern-day myth added to the Star Wars catalogue.
With the Bad Batch season 3 trailer just released and the season 3 premiere being set on February 21, I have decided to change my plan on publishing my Bad Batch analyses.
I will publish two of my series analyses of the Bad Batch. One will discuss about the theme of the overall series, and the other will discuss why I believe Tech is alive.
I am still working on my character analysis of Crosshair, and I hope to finish it before season 3 premiere. His character analysis has surpassed the total number of pages used for my character analysis of Tech (this means over 25 pages)! I will also try to finish my analysis of the Bad Batch character dynamics, hopefully before season 3 premiere as well.
The other two analyses of the Bad Batch are about my epiphany about the Bad Batch, and the Clone Wars arc. I will try to publish them (especially the Clone Wars arc) before the series finale on May 1.
Season 3 finale seems to set Din Djarin up for his final trial â to become a King. Throughout 3 seasons, Din has become a good Warrior, a great Lover and a positive Magician. These 3 archetypes are necessary for Din to become a good and generative King. His journey to become King begins when he formally adopts Grogu as his son as the King archetype is also known as the Father archetype.
The King has two functions: ordering, and providing fertility and blessing. The Armorer sends Din Djarin off of Mandalore and take Grogu on a journey, just like his teacher has done for him. This journey requires Din to pass down everything he has learned to Grogu, just like a father passing down his wisdom to his children. This journey can only be taken if Din lives according to âthe Way of the Mandalorianâ. Since Din has bathed in the Living Waters beneath the Mines of Mandalore and has not taken off his helmet after the ritual, he has embodied the Way in his own person and is worthy to pass down the Way to Grogu (though, Din can take off his helmet now as the Armorer has become lenient with the helmet rule â maybe season 4?).
After leaving Mandalore, Din offers to work for the New Republic as an independent contractor to hunt down Imperial remnants in the Outer Rim. He also receives a deed to a new cabin by Greef Karga so he can use the cabin between adventures. The King owns his land and people, and it is his responsibility to bring peace, order and fertility to his land and people. Anything or anyone outside the realm of the king is full of chaos. In this context, the New Republic and any planets allied with Din Djarin and the Mandalorians are in the realm of the King, where there is peace and order. Meanwhile, the Imperial remnants are outside the realm of the King, where there is chaos and strife. Moreover, Din has provided a blessing to Grogu â a family and a home.
In many stories, a good King starts off as a humble servant. This is because the King, who is at the Centre, serves as a mediator between the mortal and the divine, the seen and the unseen, the physical world and the spiritual world. This is how the King, through a higher power, gives orders and blessings to others. Din Djarin has been a humble servant to Boba Fett, Bo-Katan and now the New Republic. One day, he might rise to become a King.
The King starts off as the Divine Child. The Divine Child is all powerful but vulnerable and helpless. His presence symbolizes something new and creative â he produces new enthusiasm for life, and brings great peace and joy. He often brings opposing sides and people together for a brighter, kinder future in a way that no one else can, creating a world-transcending order, which is a characteristic function of the King. These empowering qualities cause people to believe in them and in their vision for a better world. The Divine Child becomes the hope for the next generation, hence, people have expectations on him.
We have seen Din Djarin having the ability to unite opposing forces and grant blessings to others. Kuiil thanks him for restoring peace to his valley. He blesses Grogu with the love and care of a parent. He restores peace to the village on Sorgan. He unites Cara Dune, Kuiil, IG-11 and Greef Karga to liberate Nevarro from Imperial control, which turns the planet into a respectable trading place for various citizens. He helps Cobb Vanth to unite the people of Mos Pelgo and the Tusken Raiders to kill the krayt dragon, effectively ending the feud between both groups. He helps the Frog Lady to reunite with her husband, which blesses her to have children. He teams up with Ahsoka to liberate the city of Calodan from the control of Morgan Elsbeth. He recruits Cara Dune, Boba Fett, Fennec, Mayfeld, Bo-Katan and Koska to help him rescue Grogu from Moff Gideon. He helps Boba Fett to take down the Pykes in Mos Espa and he gathers the people of Freetown to fight. He indirectly unites the Tribe and Bo-Katanâs Nite Owls to retake Mandalore.
However, evil forces will try to destroy the Divine Child when its presence is known. Fortunately, the Divine Child can attract external forces to protect them, so they will be protected and spirited away until they are strong enough to begin their lifeâs work and until the forces that would destroy them have spent their energy. Throughout the series, Din Djarin has been rescued by external forces multiple times â Death Watch Mandalorian warriors, Kuiil, IG-11, Grogu, Bo-Katan and her Nite Owls, Boba Fett and Fennec Shand, Luke Skywalker, New Republic Pilots, etc. It is as if the Force is constantly protecting him, pulling him out of situations where he would have died.
In âChapter 14: The Tragedyâ, Din tells Grogu that he is a special kid, and his ability to appreciate the specialness of a child can be reflected on himself â Din is as special as Grogu. Besides, Grogu is also a Divine Child as he is powerful yet vulnerable, and requires others to protect him until he can master his Force abilities. He is seen as someone who can unite opposing groups as it is possible Grogu would grow up to become a Mandalorian-Jedi like Tarre Vizsla.
This video by Generational Tech theorizes that Din Djarin was once part of the Disciples of the Whills, who are a group of Force worshippers. The Disciples of the Whills wear red robes, and they are seen on Jedha in âRogue Oneâ. If this is true, Din may be special and his meeting with Grogu can be seen as destined by the Force. I hope season 4 would show flashbacks of Dinâs life before he was rescued by the Mandalorians, and his time with his teacher.
Aq Vetina, the homeworld of Din Djarin does have architecture (the domed buildings) that are similar to those in Istanbul and Jerusalem. In addition, âDinâ means âreligion, way of lifeâ in Arabic, while âJarinâ (the 'd' is silent) means âcry of rejoicing, to sing, to shout, is full of joyâ in Hebrew. Moreover, the artists depict the Death Watch warriors in Dinâs flashback in a biblical and dreamy manner in some of the concept arts. One of the concept arts depict the Mandalorian warrior that rescue Din to be wearing white armour, as if he is an angel. I feel that the motifs and imagery are intentional to depict Din as the Divine Child.
Furthermore, it is strange that Din does not know about the significance of the Darksaber until he wins it from Moff Gideon. The Armorer and Paz Vizsla know about the Darksaber. This makes me wonder if foundlings are not told of the Darksaber, or that the information is kept away from Din. If it is the latter, it raises questions whether the Armorer knows something special about Din and that she is testing him by sending him on multiple quests, leading him to fulfil his destiny.
It is worth noting that the King has a bipolar Shadow: The Tyrant and the Weakling. The Tyrant is destructive as he hates and envies new life and creativity. He is threatened by new life so he exploits and abuses others to maintain his fragile position. The Tyrant also can become the Weakling as the Weakling is paranoid of someone would expose and overthrow him, hence, he has no inner peace. Who would take on the roles of the bipolar Shadow King is yet to be seen in season 4 (though I suspect itâs Grand Admiral Thrawn or anyone in the Imperial remnants since Moff Gideon is consumed by flames).
Oh this was such a good analysis and I really really love all the thought and research you put into this! I absolutely love this theory. It would also explain why Din has appeared to have a âsupporting roleâ to other characters throughout our story. Iâm really curious to see how your thoughts play into the new season.
I started studying archetypal psychology after watching The Mandalorian season 2 finale. I found Din Djarin fitted the roles of the Warrior and the Lover. I predicted that he would learn to become a Magician and finally a King.
I published all my Mandalorian analyses after season 3 finale, because I wanted to summarize my thoughts about season 3 and my predictions for what is next. Unfortunately, all my Mandalorian analyses were getting little to no traction. I believed it was due to the disappointing season 3 run. Though, I still have faith that it can get back on track eventually.
I am very grateful that you love my analyses. I have spent more than a year studying archetypal psychology to make sense of this series. Even though I was disappointed of season 3 due to its poor execution, I was glad that they still hold onto Din's heroic journey in its abstract form.
I still have a few more Mandalorian analyses if you want to read about. Though, I have to finish my Bad Batch analyses first and I am currently studying Masters, so it would take some time.
