Using the hashtag #UnwhitewashTheBadBatch, fans have been bringing attention to a glaring issue with The Bad Batch, which recently began its 2nd season. While most clones retain a skin tone more in line with Morrison’s, the titular group of “defectives” seemed to have a lighter shade than the others. The optics there are understandably questionable. While these concerns have been going around for some time, it looks as though the folks behind this particular Star Wars series have begun to take note.
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In an interview with Collider’s Maggie Lovitt, The Bad Batch director Brad Rau took some time to clear up how he and his team have taken these notes from fans into account. “We listened to all the concerns of the fans,” he revealed. “Interestingly, in Season 1, before Season 1 came out, we’re always doing this, we went back to look at the skin tones, and we made some corrections to make sure that we’re being true to the legacy of the clones in Clone Wars. Absolutely, 100%.” So at the very least, it looks as though the legitimate issues brought up by fans aren’t falling on plugged ears.
The worries from fans in this particular case have gone back at least 2 years, with whitewashing concerns surrounding The Bad Batch coming to light as early as 2021. Aside from the aforementioned group of main characters, it has also shed light on seeing others like Saw Gerrera (played by Forest Whitaker), whose skin color was curiously lighter in The Bad Batch despite being played both on and off-screen by the same Black actor over several years. Based on the show’s newly-premiered second season, it looks like things may be getting better in that regard, but the movement focusing on it has rightfully and understandably remained cautious.
From the clones in Star Wars to the unfortunate whitewashing of The Ancient One in Doctor Strange, this has been a long-running issue that extends far back in the history of American entertainment. In Hollywood and this country in general, people of color have historically seen far less representation as characters and actors (as well as in other roles in media) than white people. So any attempt to even those scales, as small of a change as it may be, is worth pursuing. In many cases, race doesn’t matter to a character’s identity. But in cases like The Bad Batch, it very much does, and that’s important to remember.
Still, it’s nice to know that Rau and his team are aware of this imbalance and are working to be more considerate. The Bad Batch is a solid piece of entertainment, and improving representation for groups who don’t often see themselves in mainstream media can only improve its appeal. Here’s hoping the folks at Lucasfilm keep that in mind.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch is available to stream on Disney Plus, with season 2 currently dropping new episodes on Wednesdays.
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Source: Collider
