Review on The Bad Batch
Article contains spoilers for The Bad Batch season one, as well as minor spoilers for season two.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch season two premiered on January 4, 2023. Eleven of sixteen episodes are currently released, with the final episode dropping on March 29.
For an extremely brief summary of season one, The Bad Batch explores the life of the clone troopers after the events of Revenge of the Sith, and before the events of A New Hope. In the first season, we begin watching the transition of the Empire from clone to stormtroopers. We learn pretty quickly that the Empire has no use for the clones after the infamous “Order Sixty-Six,” and we follow events of the era through the eyes of Clone Force Ninety-nine. Otherwise known as “The Bad Batch.”
The Bad Batch was originally made up of five clones, Hunter, Wrecker, Tech, Echo, and Crosshair. However, at the beginning of season one, Crosshair betrays his team over a disagreement in choosing to protect a clone child named Omega. Crosshair decides to serve the Empire, while the rest of the Bad Batch goes rogue.
The rest of season one details their various adventures throughout the galaxy, where they explore their newfound freedoms and begin to learn more about Omega. Season one ends with the Bad Batch clashing and reuniting with Crosshair in Tipoca City, Kamino.
The first three episodes of season two take place after a short time skip after the events in Kamino. We’re immediately placed into a cold open of the clones dashing along a beachside, carrying a crate and fleeing from a bunch of overly large crustaceans. The gist of it is that Hunter, Wrecker, and Echo are running from a failed stealth mission, and need Tech and Omega’s help to escape.
Despite the show’s cold opening, it picks up almost right where it left off. The crew is still working for their informant Cid, though they aren’t satisfied with their work. All the clones–except for Hunter–want to be doing more in the battle against the Empire.
The first two episodes of the show cover a mission in which they’re trying to “do more” by raiding Count Dooku’s former manor. As one might expect, things on the mission take a turn for the worse.
The third episode of the show follows Crosshair, who’s back on duty for the first time since the events in Kamino. Crosshair goes on a mission with Commander Cody, Obi-wan Kenobi’s former clone commander, where they go to put down a minor rebellion on the planet Desix. The episode continues the trend of the clone army being used for evil. In the episode, we also learn that the rebels are only acting the way that they are because the Empire refuses to negotiate with them.
The Desix rebels use a reprogrammed Separatist droid army to defend themselves, giving the episode a non-traditional twist where the battle droids are the good guys.
Dee Bradley Baker reprises his role as most of the clones in the show, including our main cast of Hunter, Wrecker, Tech, and Echo. Baker does a masterful job of balancing the different characters’ personas and making them come to life.
If you enjoyed season one of The Bad Batch, the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series, and Tales of the Jedi, then you’ll love season two. Much like the other two shows, The Bad Batch doesn’t shy away from complex questions of morality, and the characters are consistently punished when they make stupid decisions. If you enjoy Star Wars media at all, The Bad Batch is worth the watch.
