The following contains spoilers for Star Wars: The Bad Batch Season 2, Episode 6, "Tribe," now streaming on Disney+.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch explores the early days of the Empire, and it's apparent there were many flaws. Andor showcased a lot of egos, bad politics and infighting, which weakened Palpatine's core as the Death Star was built. With its second season, The Bad Batch magnified the problem by revealing how Crosshair and Vice-Admiral Rampart have also been lying. That enabled Clone Force 99 to roam free in the shadows.
These problems are symptomatic of what occurs from the top down. Even the Emperor himself had issues with Darth Vader, paving the way for betrayal. Interestingly, as Episode 6, "Tribe," dives into Imperials embarking on another genocidal mission, a major error occurs on the troops' part. Had this been handled better, it could have drastically changed the future of the Empire.
The Bad Batch's 'Tribe' Includes a Massive Imperial Mistake
In "Tribe," Omega and the gang are helping Gungi on Kashyyyk. They initially planned to return the Wookiee home to find his tribe, only to realize Trandoshans and Imperials are razing the planet. They want its resources, adamant that any form of life will be killed if they're opposed. In the melee, the Trandoshans find lightsaber marks, realizing a member of the Jedi Order is still around.
The Imperials are flabbergasted because they thought Order 66 rendered all the Jedi extinct. However, when one Imperial soldier asks about informing the command center, the Trandoshan leader shoots that down. He wants to hunt the Jedi himself, so the communication doesn't end up being sent in. It's a huge gaffe, especially because all the villains end up dying as the Wookiees and the Batch fight back. Ths ensures the secret remains on the planet.
How 'Tribe' Could Have Affected the Entire Empire
Had this intel been relayed, Palpatine would have realized his enemies were still around. Sure, the Jedi numbers would have been less, but he could have still ramped up the manhunt for Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Palpatine might even have micromanaged, keeping a closer eye on Vader to ensure he wasn't emotional in hunting his former mentor, per the Obi-Wan Kenobi series.
Had all these ducks been lined up, it could have helped the Empire snuff out the Jedi earlier. It may have even gotten Palpatine to Luke at a young age on Tatooine where Obi-Wan was keeping watch. Palpatine may well have had the apprentice he always wanted, luring and conditioning Luke to the dark side, too. In addition, knowing the Jedi were colluding with Wookiees could have led the Empire to the Batch, outliers such as Rex and Cody, other Rebels, and maybe even the likes of Han Solo and Chewbacca.
The Batch and Kashyyyk are part of a bigger network, even if they themselves don't know it. All that was needed was an indicator, cutting the Emperor's ego down and rendering him more proactive. Ultimately, Palpatine would have been warned, spurring him to take action and possibly create more pathways to consolidating power after realizing he had a lot more potent dissidents on his hands.
The Bad Batch Seasons 1 and 2 are available to stream exclusively on Disney+.