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This Star Wars: The Bad Batch article contains spoilers.
This week’s dual episode arc on Star Wars: The Bad Batch not only gave us a closer look at the mysterious clone assassins created by Dr. Hemlock, but also set up the future partnership between Captain Rex and Commander Wolffe we always knew was coming. Though they may initially be on opposite sides in these episodes, fans already know the two are destined to work together to fight the Empire on Star Wars Rebels, which is set a few years after The Bad Batch. But we’ve never actually seen the moment Rex and Wolffe decided to band together before their time on Rebels.
Before the Bad Batch episode “Extraction,” the last time that Wolffe appeared chronologically was in The Clone Wars serving alongside Jedi Master Plo Koon, and obviously a lot has happened since then. We learn in “Extraction” that Wolffe believed Rex had died in the aftermath of Order 66. What Wolffe didn’t know is that his clone brother chose a very different path in the early days of the Empire, one Wolffe can’t quite understand. Yet.
Much to Rex’s dismay, Wolffe is leading the squadron sent to recapture Omega, seemingly unaware of what Hemlock and the Empire are doing to clones on Tantiss. Wolffe appears unsure of Rex’s words at first, shocked to learn the galactic government he serves would experiment on clones or outright kill them. But ultimately Rex plants enough doubt in Wolffe’s mind that he lets them escape with Omega.
Years after this encounter, we’ll next see Rex, Wolffe, and another member of Rex’s clone team, Gregor, in Rebels, living on the planet Seelo. This merry band of elder clones have retired, and are doing their best to stay off the Empire’s radar. But at the behest of Ahsoka Tano, a close friend and ally of Rex’s, the Spectres are sent to seek out Rex and his potential knowledge of Outer Rim planets suitable for a Rebel homebase. Rex is more than eager to help out Ahsoka’s allies, but Wolffe isn’t so sure. Wolffe is afraid that helping the Rebels will bring unnecessary attention their way, and threaten the quiet existence they’ve cultivated for themselves.
Unfortunately, Wolffe’s fears get the better of him, and he lets the Empire know of the Spectres’ presence on Seelo. He believes he’s trying to protect Rex and Gregor by warning the Empire, but he doesn’t realize just how badly he’s betrayed Rex until it’s too late. Rex ultimately forgives him, but the two are once again on different paths. Rex joins the Rebellion against the Empire while Wolffe and Gregor stay behind on Seelo.
However, Wolffe does redeem himself a couple years later when he joins in Spectres’ mission to liberate Lothal from the Empire. The mission is a success in the end, but Wolffe gives his life for the Rebel cause.
The brief interaction between Wolffe and Rex in The Bad Batch is the start of that journey for Wolffe. At this point in the timeline, it’s clear that Wolffe hasn’t been able to shake the Empire’s conditioning as well as Rex has, but his willingness to let them go shows he’s not totally lost to them either.
Hopefully this isn’t the last time we see Wolffe in The Bad Batch. If Rex and Clone Force 99 truly want to take on Hemlock and his secret facility on Tantiss, they’re going to need all the help they can get.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch is streaming now on Disney+.
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