Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Star Wars: The Bad Batch episode 1, "Aftermath."

Star Wars: The Bad Batch introduces a new character, Omega, who is the first female clone of Jango Fett. After Order 66 is activated, the Commandos of Clone Force 99, perplexed by their brethren’s behavior, return to Kamino to find that the Jedi have “betrayed” the Republic, which has now been converted into the Galactic Empire. Unaffected by the Empire’s brainwashing, the Bad Batch, sans Crosshair, take the young clone Omega with them as they flee the Empire. Omega, like the Bad Batch clones, is a Jango Fett clone with unique mutations, in her case being a female version of her template. Unlike the Bad Batch, however, Omega didn’t serve in a combat role, making her true purpose a mystery.

The Bad Batch, aka Clone Force 99, is an elite team of Clone Commandos who were mutated by the Kaminoans to be even more formidable than their standard clone brethren (nicknamed “regs”). Their newest member, Echo, was once a standard clone, but a near-death experience on Lola Sayu destroyed most of his body, and he was rebuilt as a cyborg by the Separatist Alliance. The Bad Batch’s mutations (and Echo’s cybernetics) rendered them immune to their control chips, so they retained their free will when Order 66 was enacted. Their sniper, Crosshair, was the one exception, having fallen under his chip’s influence and becoming a dangerous agent of the Empire. Now fugitives of the Empire, the Bad Batch must survive an increasingly hostile galaxy as the Empire grows in power. Omega’s full origin and the Kaminoans’ purpose for her will likely be a continuing mystery throughout the series.

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Jango Fett’s Clones & History Explained

Jango Fett and Clone Wars Troopers

The clone troopers are one of the most vital aspects of Darth Sidious’s master plan to destroy the Jedi and conquer the galaxy under Sith rule. Shortly after becoming the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic (via his Palpatine identity), Sidious had his apprentice, Darth Tyranus (aka Count Dooku), recruit the best possible template for an army of elite clones. The Mandalorian foundling, Jango Fett, was not only the galaxy’s best bounty hunter at the time, but he was renowned for his discretion, making him perfect for the Sith’s machinations. Unlike his Legends counterpart, Jango was uninterested in training his clones, but they nevertheless became one of the galaxy’s most effective non-Force using fighting forces.

Although the clone army was created to fight in a manufactured war and help destroy the Jedi, the clone troopers constantly demonstrated their free will. Clones replaced their numbers with names, personalized their appearance with tattoos and varying hairstyles, and sometimes customized their armor. The clones were, on a fundamental level, good men who believed themselves to be upholding democracy and often formed close friendships with the Jedi. Likely keeping this possibility in mind, Sidious and Dooku ensured the clones’ compliance in the eventual Jedi Purge through brainwashing.

As embryos, all clones received control chip implants which were activated when Order 66 was issued. The chips overrode the clones’ free will and compelled them to kill all Jedi, regardless of their friendships formed on the battlefields. The chips also changed the troopers’ personalities, making them cruel, brutal, and willing to support a regime that was antithetical to the Republic and what the clones had previously stood for. Although some clones managed to have their chips removed, Order 66 was ultimately a success, nearly wiping out the Jedi and allowing the Galactic Empire to replace the Republic. The few clones who retained their free will often oppose the Empire. Clone Captain Rex notably was an early member of the Rebel Alliance, fighting for the ideals he believed in during the Galactic Civil War.

How Jango Fett's Death Impacted Kamino's Clone Production

Jango fett Star wars attack of the clones

Regardless of his apathy toward the clone troopers, Jango Fett never lived to see them in action, falling in battle against Jedi Master Mace Windu mere minutes before the army of clone troopers engaged the Separatist Alliance’s droids. Shortly before Jango’s death, Kaminoan Prime Minister Lama Su revealed to Obi-Wan Kenobi that 200,000 clone trooper units were combat-ready and one million more were nearly there as well. While it isn’t made clear how many clones comprise a “unit,” Lama Su states in Star Wars: The Clone Wars episode “Clone Cadets” that Jango Fett’s demise proved troublesome to clone production.

Related: Clone Wars: How Mandalorian Culture Influenced Clone Troopers

With Jango Fett’s DNA now a finite commodity, the Kaminoan cloners were forced to “stretch” his DNA for continued Fett clones. This, according to Su, led to increasing instances of mutations in clone troopers. While minor mutations were not unheard of (clone trooper Hardcase was hyperactive due to a leak in his growth-acceleration chamber), some clones, such as 99, were not given combat roles and served maintenance duty on Kamino instead. Despite this, 99 had the heroic valor and strategic mind of any other clone trooper, helping ensure a Republic victory at the Battle of Kamino, though it came at the cost of his life.

The Bad Batch's Omega Explained

Omega in The Bad Batch

In the case of the Bad Batch, the Kaminoans created a small group of clones with intentional mutations, likely seeing the potential for elite units via genetic modifications. These clones were essentially super-soldiers, with physical and mental traits that exceeded that of any ordinary human (and even their standard clone brethren). As revealed in the first episode of The Bad Batch, “Aftermath,” Omega was secretly the fifth member of Clone Force 99, with her most obvious mutation being that she’s a female clone of Jango Fett. In Omega’s introduction, however, she was serving a non-combat role as Nala Se’s medical assistant.

Considering that the other four original Bad Batch clones were all intentionally created to be one-man armies, it’s perplexing why Omega wasn’t given a combat role. Toward the end of the first episode, Omega proves to be a crack shot with one of Star Wars' ubiquitous blasters, despite her claim of having no combat training. While this could be simple luck or a natural knack for weapons, considering Omega’s Fett heritage and upbringing among troopers, she may also have been subjected to some form of subconscious training that she’s unaware of. Omega is also notably much younger than the other Bad Batch members. If she’s secretly the fifth elite clone, she may not have undergone the same growth acceleration treatments that most clones had.

What Omega's Future In Star Wars Could Be

Star Wars The Bad Batch Clone Force 99

All members of the Bad Batch were given mutations for a specific combat-related reason. Omega’s only obvious modifications seem to be that she’s a female version of Jango Fett and lacks growth acceleration. One possibility is that Omega was created as a spy. As stated repeatedly in The Mandalorian, the clone army’s participation in the galaxy-spanning Clone Wars resulted in Jango Fett’s face and voice being quite recognizable. A female version of Jango may have an easier time going undercover for the Republic since she’d be just different enough from the rest of the clones. Omega’s potentially subconscious combat training could be only part of a series of protocols the Kaminoans raised her with, making her potentially one of the most dangerous and unpredictable clones of Jango Fett.

Related: Star Wars: Phase I and II Clone Trooper Armor Explained

With a possible lack of growth acceleration, Omega may also be able to live a full life, unlike her brethren, whose lifespans are unfortunately only half of what an ordinary human can have. The oldest clone troopers were born in 32 BBY, meaning that Omega could be in her late sixties by the time of the Star Wars sequel trilogy, if she survives the reign of the Empire. The only known clone trooper who lived during the sequel trilogy era is Kix, a medic who was placed in suspended animation at the end of the Clone Wars. Whatever Omega’s true purpose and modifications turn out to be, the first female Jango Fett clone looks to have an interesting role in future episodes of Star Wars: The Bad Batch.

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