Not all clones are created equal. At least that’s what the folks at Lucasfilm Animation think when it comes to the imminent return of the infamous Clone Force 99 in season two of The Bad Batch.

Created by Star Wars guru Dave Filoni, based on an idea from the franchise creator himself George Lucas, season one of The Bad Batch saw the titular group of specialised clone troopers go on the run from the newly formed Empire following the galaxy-wide execution of Order 66. Also joining the squad in their quest for freedom was a younger clone named Omega, voiced by New Zealand actor and former Neighbours star Michelle Ang.

Now, after a climatic season one finale which saw the team of intergalactic misfits face off against their former comrade Crosshair and witness the destruction of the clone facilities on Kamino, season two will pick up some months later. Ahead of The Bad Batch season two premiere, we were lucky enough to catch up with Ang, along with supervising director Brad Rau, and head writer Jennifer Corbett, to chat about what fans can expect.

“I think fans can expect a lot more action,” Corbett explains. “A lot more lore, and then also there’s a lot more heart in season two as we get to know the characters a bit more and see them interact with other pivotal people. Both [those] that have already been established in Star Wars, and also some new faces who bring some great colourful shadings to the Star Wars world.”

Omega in a scene from ‘Star Wars: The Bad Batch’ season two

As for Ang’s young clone Omega, the audience will also have a chance to see her character continue to evolve over the course of the new season. “We’re moving away from the naive child,” Ang explains, “and into a slightly more adolescent zone… she’s ready to challenge people. She’s ready to challenge her brothers [and] she’s ready to challenge her view of the world and how it could be.

“And it’s exciting because I feel like in season two we get to explore some higher stakes emotions, and we get to go to some dark places. We also get to see the Batch and Omega come up against obstacles that they can’t surmount… it’s a slightly mature and slightly darker experience.”

Of course, in an ever-expanding Star Wars universe, the time period between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope is increasingly becoming familiar story ground for the franchise. With other live-action shows such as Andor and Obi-Wan Kenobi already filling in the gaps, The Bad Batch has the advantage of occurring in the earlier days of the Empire’s rise. However, the show still relies on the Lucasfilm Story Group to avoid any potential continuity issues.

As director Brad Rau reveals, “For The Bad Batch, we’re fortunate that we’re still a little earlier in the timeline than some of the other shows, like Andor and Obi-Wan. So that gives it a little bit of room to move. But also, we rely heavily on the Lucasfilm Story Group to help us so that we don’t cross the streams, [that we] make sure that we’re all staying nice and continuous all the way through.”

Central to the story which drives The Bad Batch are the various members of Clone Force 99 who are all voiced by The Clone Wars voice actor Dee Bradley Baker. Besides voicing every single member of the former Grand Army of the Republic, Baker gives life to each of the show’s key characters, Hunter, Wrecker, Tech, Crosshair, and Echo. It would seem that Baker’s colleagues each have their own favourite member of the team though.

“Dee is so fabulous,” Rau explains. “Just massive salute to Dee; he’s the best. It’s so fun to work with him. I definitely identify with Tech, the most of all of them.”

“I like Crosshair,” Corbett adds. “And particularly how Dee voices Crosshair. It’s just… I feel him.”

While the show’s head writer and director were quick to pick their favourite clone, the decision was a little harder for Ang.

“It’s such a hard question,” the voice actor admits. “I really loved how, in season two, we get to see Omega and develop specific relationships with each of her brothers. You know, Hunter was obviously a main figure for season one. But in season two, we really get to understand the dynamic between her and the rest of the Batch. I’ve always loved Wrecker, but.. Omega gets to play a lot more with Echo and Tech [during this season], which is great.”

All the difficulties in selecting her favourite member of the Batch aside, Ang also admits that she is surprised at the passion shown by fans for both the show and the Star Wars franchise as a whole.

“Well, I’m new to the whole galaxy and the fan base,” Ang reveals. “I went to Star Wars Celebration at the start of this year, which was my very first convention, period. So I was absolutely floored by the volume, and the passion and the in-depth knowledge.

“But, actually, most importantly, I was really touched and it felt like a very safe space for all kinds of individuality. Like the acceptance meter was off the charts. I just loved how many different people from many different walks of life just got to be the truest essence of themselves in a very nonjudgmental space. Yeah, it’s it feels like a very welcoming family.”

Fans will have the chance to see what Star Wars: The Bad Batch season two has in store for their own favourite clones when the season premieres on Disney+ on January 4 with a special double episode.

LEAD IMAGE: Tech, Hunter, Omega, and Echo in a scene from ‘Star Wars: The Bad Batch’ season two