Did You Hear a Star From 'Sonic the Hedgehog' in 'Star Wars: The Bad Batch'? Details
Published Jan. 18 2023, 2:12 p.m. ET
Warning: The following article contains spoilers for Star Wars: The Bad Batch Season 2, Episode 4.
One fun guessing game to play in any Star Wars property is the identity behind the voices of new characters. Star Wars (and Sonic fans) everywhere immediately picked up on a recognizable timbre behind a new droid in Star Wars: The Bad Batch Season 2, Episode 4.
So who is Ben Schwartz and why does his voice sound so familiar? What droid does he voice in Star Wars: The Bad Batch Season 2, Episode 4?
Here's what we know about Ben Schwartz's vocal cameo in the latest episode of Star Wars: The Bad Batch.
TAY-0 is insulted that the Bad Batch assumed a droid couldn't win a race.
Ben Schwartz's role in 'Star Wars: The Bad Batch,' explained.
Cid (Rhea Perlman) introduces Omega (Michelle Ang), Wrecker, and Tech (both voiced by Dee Bradley Baker) to the world of riot racing (which is really pod racing, but this is a post-Republic world after all) in Star Wars: The Bad Batch Season 4, Episode 2. She eagerly tells the crew that her riot racer is going to make her a lot of money.
Cid's riot racer turns out to be TAY-0, a droid (voiced by the one and only Ben Schwartz). Tech expresses skepticism that a droid is Cid's money-making riot racer, which insults TAY-0 immensely.
TAY-0 asks Tech, "Do you have a problem with droids human?" He also goads Tech with, "Do you want to challenge TAY-0?" Tech calmly notes he doesn't have enough data to make an informed decision, prompting TAY-0 to quip, "Then take a seat, spectacled spectator!"
Tech was being rather rude to poor TAY-0, if you think about it.
Star Wars fans immediately realized it was Ben voicing the sassy TAY-0. How could viewers not recognize his voice? After all, Ben was the voice of Sonic in Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog 2.
However, Ben isn't just a voice actor. He was a (uncredited) stormtrooper in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Interestingly enough, hat wasn't Ben's only role in the first of the Star Wars sequel films.
He was also the co-vocal consultant (alongside Bill Hader) for BB-8, Rey's (Daisy Ridley) adorable droid companion. So this isn't Ben's first Star Wars droid-eo!
Will TAY-0 return in future episodes of 'Star Wars: The Bad Batch'? (SPOILERS)
There's no ruling out Ben returning to voice new characters in Star Wars: The Bad Batch, however, poor TAY-0 met his maker during an off moment at the riot races.
During a moment where TAY-0 was once again roasting Tech for his riot racing strategies, another racer plows into the sassy blue droid, completely blowing him apart and silencing his hilarious voice for all time. Needless to say the accident means TAY-0 was in no shape to race, hence why Tech took over.
We kind of (well no, we really) hope Ben returns to voice more Bad Batch characters in future episodes, given his scene-stealing moments as TAY-0.
New episodes of Star Wars: The Bad Batch drop on Disney Plus every Wednesday.