With the first season of Star Wars: The Bad Batch concluded, fans are theorizing and looking ahead to the show's second season. Season 2 will continue to follow the stories of Omega and Clone Force 99. Recurring characters from season 1 like Rampart, Cid, and Nala Se will surely return as well. Fans certainly hope to also see more from characters like Rex and Fennec Shand.
While these characters are guaranteed or likely to return, there are plenty of others who fans are still hoping will be incorporated into the series. The characters best suited to joining the series are those who will challenge the identities and ideals of Clone Force 99 and those who are also struggling to navigate the rapidly changing galaxy around them.
Bo-Katan Kryze
Rex and the Republic clone troopers helped Bo-Katan take back her home from Maul in the Siege of Mandalore. Shortly after this, Order 66 was executed and the Empire was established, and the clones who helped Bo-Katan win back her home now held it under Imperial occupation. When Bo-Katan interacts with Boba Fett in The Mandalorian, she recognizes his clone voice and expresses disdain for him and clones in general.
The Bad Batch presents an opportunity to provide more insight into Mandalore in the early days of the Empire, Bo-Katan's history, and can show her grappling with the betrayal of the clones. It would be interesting for Clone Force 99 to help her and to challenge her perception of the clones, even if it doesn't change her perception completely.
Wolffe
In Star Wars Rebels, Wolffe is revealed to have his inhibitor chip removed and is living with Rex and Gregor on the planet Seelos. The Clone Wars showed how Rex removed his inhibitor chip and The Bad Batch showed him helping other clones and fighting back against the Empire. The Bad Batch also featured an episode where Clone Force 99 saved Gregor as he wanted out from the Empire.
It only makes sense to complete the story of the Rex-Gregor-Wolffe trio so the audience understands how they end up together free, without their inhibitor chips, and together on Seelos in Rebels. Just like with Rex, Gregor, Cut Lawquane, and Howzer, Wolffe can show the Bad Batch another path forward for clones.
Dryden Vos
As mercenaries working in the criminal underworld, the Bad Batch have already crossed paths with criminal organizations like the Hutt Cartel in the episode "Rampage" and the Pyke Syndicate in the episode "Infested." The Bad Batch could also cross paths or take on a job that involves the criminal organization Crimson Dawn and Dryden Vos.
Since an animated model for Dryden's character was created and used briefly in the final season of The Clone Wars, Lucasfilm likely has a plan to use this model in the future, just like they used the animated model of Caleb Dume that they created for season 7 of The Clone Wars in The Bad Batch's pilot episode. The Bad Batch may be forced to do some morally questionable things for the ruthless Dryden Vos and Crimson Dawn, prompting them to further question what they are and are not willing to do as mercenaries.
Hondo Ohnaka
As a fairly prominent and fan-favorite character in both The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels, it seems inevitable that Hondo will eventually enter The Bad Batch. In practically any situation he is in, Hondo always looks for how he can turn things to his advantage and earn a profit.
It would be interesting to see him adapting his business in the early days of the Empire and the challenges he will face. He would have a fun dynamic with the rest of the Bad Batch and might even bond with Omega in the same ways he bonded with Ezra.
Quinlan Vos
The Bad Batch hasn't featured any Jedi since Depa Billaba was killed and Hunter let Caleb Dume escape when Order 66 was executed in the pilot episode. It would be fascinating to see the Bad Batch helping a Jedi who survived Order 66 and to see a Jedi working with clones again.
Of the Order 66 survivors out there, Quinlan Vos seems like one of the best candidates given his ties to the criminal underworld. Some fans have even speculated that he was the Jedi who Cid worked with during the Clone Wars, which could provide the link to the Bad Batch being hired to help him in the first place.
Wullf Yularen
Wullf Yularen worked closely with Anakin Skywalker and the Jedi during the Clone Wars but when the Empire rises, he is loyal to them and becomes a colonel in the Imperial Security Bureau. Given his loyalty to the Republic and his relationship with the Jedi, fans have wondered how he reacted to the news of the Jedi's "treason" against the Republic and how he navigated the transition into the Empire.
The Bad Batch has an opportunity to answer these questions as it follows the Empire and Crosshair. It could be an interesting comparison to Crosshair as both characters were loyal to the Republic and had clearly defined roles with their identities now redefined by the Empire.
Maz Kanata
The pirate queen Maz Kanata has lived through many centuries and has seen the galaxy change in many significant ways. Her connections to the criminal underworld and her penchant for collecting rare artifacts could certainly lead to a job for the Bad Batch. She seems like the kind of person Cid would know about and conduct business with on occasion.
Much like she does with Han, Rey, and Finn in The Force Awakens, Maz can provide the Bad Batch with wisdom that helps them better examine their identities and their choices. She is a unique and quirky individual and one of the most underutilized sequel trilogy characters who can now receive more focus in The Bad Batch.
Cody
Fans have been clamoring to see what became of Cody after he obeyed Order 66 and turned against Obi-Wan Kenobi in Revenge of the Sith. Cody's story is particularly intriguing when it comes to his relationship with Rex given how close the characters were in the Clone Wars. A show like The Bad Batch that focuses on clones in the early days of the Empire seems like the perfect place to pick up Cody's story. He could show up in any of the scenes featuring Crosshair and the Empire, perhaps showing a prominent clone who like Crosshair is embracing the Empire.
Cody crossing paths with Rex would be particularly compelling, as would Cody interacting with Echo as they share a history as well (Cody also briefly worked with the rest of the Bad Batch before getting injured in The Clone Wars season 7). Unless Cody is being saved for the Kenobi series, The Bad Batch is the ideal place to continue his story.
Bossk
The Empire Strikes Back introduced fans to Bossk, the first Trandoshan in a galaxy far, far away. While Cid is also a Trandoshan, she and the bounty hunter Bossk have incredibly different personalities. He could provide an important juxtaposition to Cid.
Seeing such a juxtaposition and having her interact with another member of her species could help flesh out Cid's character more. This would be beneficial for her character and for the show as Cid felt more like a plot device and less like a fully formed character in season 1.
Boba Fett
As a clone, the sister of Omega, and as a rising bounty hunter in the criminal underworld, a young Boba Fett is the perfect character to join The Bad Batch. In season 1 he is mentioned numerous times as Lama Su seeks Jango Fett's unaltered DNA to successfully continue the cloning program. Lama Su fixates on getting Omega and her unaltered DNA since Boba cannot be found.
Season 2 can explain why the Kaminoans couldn't find Boba. More importantly, Boba will further challenge Omega's sense of identity and family, especially since Boba probably wouldn't have any interest in being her family. The series can also show how young Boba begins making a name for himself in the early days of the Empire and further establish his history with Fennec Shand long before The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett.