Which character does Wanda Sykes voice in Star Wars: The Bad Batch? Everything you need to know
In season 2 of Star Wars: The Bad Batch, Wanda Sykes lent her voice to the character Phee Genoa. Phee is depicted as a space pirate who holds contracts with Cid and serves as a mentor to Omega. Additionally, there are hints of romantic feelings between Phee and Tech.
Her first appearance in Star Wars: The Bad Batch was in the episode titled Spoils of War. As one of the Batch's pirate allies, Phee is portrayed as fiercely independent and determined, willing to navigate through perilous situations, including encounters with entities possessing relic powers.
Wanda Sykes as Phee Genoa in Star Wars: The Bad Batch
Sykes, known for her versatile acting across various shows and movies, adds her voice to the role of Phee, a pirate archaeologist with a penchant for treasure hunting. Phee's character draws comparisons to a blend of Indiana Jones and Doctor Aphra, perhaps even sharing connections with the infamous Hondo.
When Omega discovers a compass in a junkyard in season 2, episode 5, titled Entombed, Phee persuades Clone Force 99 to embark on a journey to an uncharted world using the coordinates from the compass.
Throughout the episode, Phee captivates the team with her storytelling, although Hunter remains skeptical about the existence and worth of the treasure. Despite facing numerous obstacles and dangerous encounters, the team eventually reaches their destination, finding the treasure exactly as Phee described.
However, they soon realize that the treasure comes with unforeseen consequences far beyond what Phee had anticipated. In the end, Phee achieves her goal, though at the cost of one droid's sacrifice.
While it might have been intriguing to see characters like Hondo or Doctor Aphra in a similar role, Sykes' portrayal of Phee is spot-on. She embodies a character driven by self-interest who is willing to overcome any obstacle, including encounters with relic-powered entities.
More about Wanda Sykes
Wanda Sykes, born March 7, 1964, is an accomplished American stand-up comedian, actress, and writer. Her career took off when she gained recognition as a writer on The Chris Rock Show and earned a Primetime Emmy Award in 1999.
Sykes is widely known for her recurring roles on CBS' The New Adventures of Old Christine (2006–10). She was also nominated for Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her performances in ABC's Black-ish (2015–2022) and Amazon's The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2020).
Beyond television, Sykes has appeared in notable films such as Monster-in-Law (2005), My Super Ex-Girlfriend (2006), Evan Almighty (2007), and License to Wed (2007).
Apart from Phee in Star Wars: The Bad Batch, she has lent her voice to other characters in animated films such as Over the Hedge, Barnyard, Brother Bear 2, Rio (2011), and two sequels of the Ice Age franchise (2012–2016).
Star Wars: The Bad Batch series overview
Star Wars: The Bad Batch is an animated television series produced by Lucasfilm Animation and created by Dave Filoni for Disney+. Serving as a sequel to Star Wars: The Clone Wars, the show follows Clone Force 99, also known as the Bad Batch, a group of elite clone troopers with genetic mutations.
These mutations allow them to resist the control of Emperor Palpatine's Order 66, making them fugitives of the Galactic Empire. The series is helmed by head writer Jennifer Corbett and supervising director Brad Rau.
Dee Bradley Baker provides the voices for the Bad Batch members and other clones in the series, while Michelle Ang stars as Omega, a female clone who joins the squad. The first season premiered on May 4, 2021, followed by the second season on January 4, 2023.
The third and last season began airing on February 21, 2024, and is scheduled to conclude after airing 15 episodes on May 1, 2024.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch is available to stream on Disney+.