#cid scaleback

She lost Nala Se...which was sort of glossed over in her excitement to be with her new bros, but still, that was the only "mother" she knew. And if anyone doubts how important that relationship was to her, just look at how fast she gravitates toward literally *any* female to fill that role.

She lost one brother right off. Yeah, sure, he was the surly, nasty one - but the way he initially was separated from them was not his choice.

She lost Kamino, the only home she had ever known, and as she made clear last week, she is *angry* about it.

Then, she lost Crosshair again, but in a very different way. This time, when they finally had a chance to be a whole family again with every member confirmed to be de-chipped, he chose to leave them. We heard her bitterly tell him "I was wrong about you", but she still felt terrible walking away from him.

And then the unthinkable happened. Echo also chose to leave. Echo, who is probably closer to her than any other brother except Hunter. Echo, who is the emotional anchor of the group, despite being the newest adult member. Echo, who always knows what to say to make her feel better. Echo, who is the most like her in personality - always ready to help someone in need, risk be damned. Like Crosshair, he chose to leave them...to leave her. And though his reasons are noble and selfless, it still hurts. It still feels like rejection.

And today she lost the Marauder, which isn't just a ship, it's a home. Lulu and her little trooper doll were on that ship. Gonky was on that ship. Her first bedroom with the little hanging rope lights that Wrecker decorated for her was on that ship. Echo's blanket that still smells like him was on that ship.

Every time she tries to steady herself, the rug is getting pulled out from under her. And when Tech asked her "what is your issue?" it made her feel like she was the only one struggling with it and it was wrong for her to feel that way. While I'm glad that they talked and that he admitted he still felt something about it, even though he can't express it very well...let's be honest, none of them are expressing their feelings well.

Hunter tells Tech to fix the mistake he made (in how he spoke to Omega), but I wonder if he was projecting a little. Echo left in the first place because Hunter wouldn't quit working for Cid - who clearly doesn't give a shit about them. And now their team is in shambles without him and I wonder if Hunter is questioning his choices. Echo stayed with Rex, but they could have too, it's not like Rex would have turned down the help. I know Hunter wants to keep Omega safe, but give me a break, she was safer in the Senate chamber spitting distance from Palpatine himself than she has been on any given mission they have taken for Cid, with all her sketchy jobs and spotty intel. Now with Cross *and* Echo gone, they are not nearly as formidable or effective. They're stretched thin, and that just makes their missions all the more dangerous.

She was under pressure from the Empire to give the batch up and that pressure could've ranged from vague threats to actual violence. We have no idea what they said/did when convincing her to take the money and give them up. They could have just offered the compensation and ensured her they would leave her alone or there could have been threats to her life, her livelihood, anything.

I, honestly, wasn't surprised when she gave them up. Again, she told us who she was from the very beginning. But, also, not everyone is going to be on the batch's side. There are going to be people who live in opposition of the end goal (and not everyone who isn't 100% assisting that end goal is evil either. some people are simply living their lives.) Cid has always been very much on her own side, covering her own ass, that's a big part of her character. She was never going to be in the batch's corner, she told us that from day one.

Covering for the batch wouldn't have made much sense and I didn't expect any different from her nor do I hate her for doing it. Not everyone who isn't 100% on the batch's side is an evil irredeemable enemy who must die bloody and in pain. As much as the batch was trying to live their lives and escape so was Cid. And covering for the batch was a threat to that life*. Of course she gave them up.

Disagree with what she did all you want* but she had her reasons and not all of them end in 'she got money so she gave them up and that means she is an evil SOB who should die'. I think there's room there for other motivations/discussions and I am disappointed that we didn't get to see her in S3. I would've loved to see her grumble and complain at least one more time.

*She yanked their chains and abused her power and made their lives hell. Could've cut them loose long ago instead of using them the way she did.