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The Bad Batch Hunter - Blog Posts
Sucks to be you, buddy, cuz I’m thinkin’ of makin it a series >:D
A Father’s Tears…
I just wanna
Grab a handful
It looks so squishy and soft
My latest piece of Bad Batch fanart, a digital portrait of Hunter.
I think it’s also very important to consider the other side of this scene:
For us, as the audience, it’s very hard to extricate ourselves from the context we have of Crosshair’s actions. We know that Crosshair’s being torn between his loyalty to the Empire and his loyalty to his brothers. We know that Crosshair is having to make a choice for himself without considering how it will affect his squad. And we know that this is likely the first time in a long time that Crosshair has had to act on his own.
Hunter doesn’t know these things. What Hunter does know is that he needs to do what is best for the squad: a squad that now has a child with a high-value target painted on her head. A squad who Crosshair has very recently been doggedly hunting down. Hunter has seen Crosshair attempt to kill Jedi, civilians, and has actually seen him kill his own men when they refused his orders.
What Hunter knows is that Crosshair has no qualms killing, and has been after the squad for at least a month if not more. His and the Batch’s reaction to Crosshair raising his rifle towards Hunter is entirely understandable.
And I think that’s the part that hurts most.
Scene analysis
There's something that struck me about this scene – I’ve always had one single interpretation for it, ever since I watched it for the first time but I haven’t seen many people interpret it that way.
The thing is, I don’t think Crosshair was thinking about saving Omega here. At least I don’t think that was at the forefront of his mind. In fact, I don’t think it occurred to him that he was repaying her for saving him until she brought it up on the platform.
What I believe Crosshair was doing in that scene was protecting Hunter. Because Hunter would have jumped after Omega and Crosshair knew it and he had to stop him from doing it. We know the water is crawling with sea monsters and littered with debris, not to mention that Hunter may well drown in his frantic urge to save Omega. He can’t see into the water as well as Crosshair after all.
And I think that’s the case because throughout those two episodes we see numerous instances of Crosshair protecting or attempting to protect his brothers, from trying to convince them that the Empire is safer to killing his own squad and helping them fight the simulation droids (in that scene he sends a bolt flying above Hunter’s shoulder to dispatch the droid he’s fighting, proving that he’s not just fighting in self-defense).
That’s why I think his brothers’ rejection hurts so much afterwards. Why he huddles down in the pod looking hurt and he’s definitely hurt there. This isn’t about the Empire anymore this is about them. They’re telling him they don’t trust him anymore even after he’s repeatedly proven he won’t hurt them now that he hasn’t got his chip. Where they once let him use their shoulders as a rifle rest without a second thought (in TCW with Tech), they now turn their weapons on him just because the barrel of his gun got near Hunter.
(To be clear the angle makes it hard to tell just how close he was to aiming at him but I if you look closely you’ll see that he’s aiming over Hunter’s shoulder and Hunter only gets in the way once he turns around.)
I also think that’s the moment it starts to click - when Hunter turns to glare at him with suspicion we see Crosshair hesitate:
The camera lingers and something in his expression shifts, as if he's finally realizing what's going on.
So yeah, to me that’s what this scene is about. Hunter goes to jump and Crosshair’s knee jerk response is to stop him somehow. It’s not about Omega, it’s not about a life debt, it’s a simple response that’s been ingrained into him over the years.
Only now it's being rejected.
It’s been a while since I lovingly sketched a hand. I forgot how much I enjoy it
:)
YOU GUYS I FOUND IT!! I FOUND THE INSPIRATION FOR THE ART!!!
I agree with this analysis 100%
You are never supposed to go in after a drowning person. This is swimming safety 101! You are supposed to get a floatation device to them so that they get brought up to the surface and kept there. The reason for this is that it is incredibly hard to pull a person who is unconscious to the surface, especially in waters with a current. And if the person is conscious and struggling, it is highly likely that their panic will make them climb you to try and get to the surface, impeding your own swimming. There is a high likelihood that Hunter would’ve drowned attempting to save Omega. He has no floatation device, and though she is small, she’s still pretty deep down. Crosshair was either a) going to stop Hunter outright, or b) was setting up to grab him with his cable if things went south, which they were very likely to do.
Hunter should’ve thanked Crosshair. Not because he saved Omega, but because he was ready to save Hunter. Again.
Scene analysis
There's something that struck me about this scene – I’ve always had one single interpretation for it, ever since I watched it for the first time but I haven’t seen many people interpret it that way.
The thing is, I don’t think Crosshair was thinking about saving Omega here. At least I don’t think that was at the forefront of his mind. In fact, I don’t think it occurred to him that he was repaying her for saving him until she brought it up on the platform.
What I believe Crosshair was doing in that scene was protecting Hunter. Because Hunter would have jumped after Omega and Crosshair knew it and he had to stop him from doing it. We know the water is crawling with sea monsters and littered with debris, not to mention that Hunter may well drown in his frantic urge to save Omega. He can’t see into the water as well as Crosshair after all.
And I think that’s the case because throughout those two episodes we see numerous instances of Crosshair protecting or attempting to protect his brothers, from trying to convince them that the Empire is safer to killing his own squad and helping them fight the simulation droids (in that scene he sends a bolt flying above Hunter’s shoulder to dispatch the droid he’s fighting, proving that he’s not just fighting in self-defense).
That’s why I think his brothers’ rejection hurts so much afterwards. Why he huddles down in the pod looking hurt and he’s definitely hurt there. This isn’t about the Empire anymore this is about them. They’re telling him they don’t trust him anymore even after he’s repeatedly proven he won’t hurt them now that he hasn’t got his chip. Where they once let him use their shoulders as a rifle rest without a second thought (in TCW with Tech), they now turn their weapons on him just because the barrel of his gun got near Hunter.
(To be clear the angle makes it hard to tell just how close he was to aiming at him but I if you look closely you’ll see that he’s aiming over Hunter’s shoulder and Hunter only gets in the way once he turns around.)
I also think that’s the moment it starts to click - when Hunter turns to glare at him with suspicion we see Crosshair hesitate:
The camera lingers and something in his expression shifts, as if he's finally realizing what's going on.
So yeah, to me that’s what this scene is about. Hunter goes to jump and Crosshair’s knee jerk response is to stop him somehow. It’s not about Omega, it’s not about a life debt, it’s a simple response that’s been ingrained into him over the years.
Only now it's being rejected.
Okay, so apparently these exist? And they’re the perfect size for an itty bitty Omega to cuddle?? C’mon, you didn’t think I wouldn’t take advantage, did you?
I really should just make a Curly Hunter tag to collect these under.
Bad Batch recently off Kamino, and Tech has never seen this species before :O
Another curly Hunter for the ever-growing collection :)
Heehee
Also, what if Crosshair did the uneven pupils thing that birds do when one eye is in the light and the other is in shadow
When Discord discussions create hilarious imagery…
Blurred name just in case
And now I find myself in need of art showing Hunter’s eyes doing this!
@shyranno gave me the idea from one of their the Bad Batch: Downtime comics that Crosshair might have saved Omega in s1e16 out of love for Hunter, and not because he felt like he owed the kid. Somebody else, I can’t recall who though, convinced me of it with their interpretation of the scene: they said that Crosshair was preparing to stun Hunter to prevent him from trying to rescue the drowning child. He just happened to be able to see her and was able to reach her with his cable.
Anyone who knows anything about water rescue knows you’re not supposed to go in after a drowning person. You’re supposed to throw them a floatation device, especially in deep water. The reason for this is because the excess weight can drag you under as well, and their struggling can prevent you from swimming. Both people more than likely end up drowning.
So I think Crosshair, despite caring enough for Omega to want her safe from the impending fight between himself and his brothers, wasn’t planning on rescuing her from the ocean. It was a coincidence. And this piece came from my desire to see Hunter concede to Crosshair’s point that Omega is in danger as long as she is with the Batch. It might not be as much danger as if they’d left her on Kamino, or with the Lawquaines, but she is still in danger.
It’s also an excuse to indulge in a little Hunter hugging Omega properly, because that’s clearly not gonna happen in cannon anytime soon 😂
Curly Hunter is best Hunter :)
