Bad Batch Season 3 Episode 6-7 Review

It was nice to see a departure from the last few episodes of the cookie cutter, Bad Batch formula. This two-episode arc was back to dark and desperate theme of the season.  

We start with a secret meeting between senators Chuchi and Sing. It was interesting to see them again, but the meeting seemed pointless as a plot point. It was just an excuse to get Rex and the Batch together. A lot of this episode had creepy, intriguing and tense moments, but like the dark tone of this arc, although the great moments were overshadowed by some logical inconsistency. 

First, I love how the color scheme of these episodes, both interior and exterior, set the ominous tone for this arc. Right off the bat we see this black and dark purple landscape. Then, indoors, everything is so dimly lit, casting long shadows on the walls and floors. I believe this B’Omar monk style building is on a planet we saw in the Clone Wars 2008 animated film.

I want to focus on some of the peculiarities of the plot of these episodes, however. It was interesting to get more insight into the minds of these shadow clone operatives. So, the Empire seemingly took the best of the best clones and enhanced their conditioning to make them super soldiers. That makes sense, as they’re squeezing the most out of their resources that are approaching obsolescence. I find it strange, however, that the strike team that was sent on this crucial mission is an odd mix of standard clones, commando clones and TK conscripts. All of them are led by Commander Wolffe. That is my biggest critique of this episode.

These are the questions I have:

Why would Hemlock send standard clones? Commandos and shadow operatives I understand, but why regs?

What does he trust Wolffe with such an important mission? What has Wolffe done to earn the trust of the Empire with such a crucial mission?

How much longer will standard clone units be in service to the Empire?

Why didn’t the shadow clone follow Wolffe’s order’s? Whose order’s is he truly following? Is he programmed to be self-sufficient and make his own decisions about what’s best despite orders?

The plot points that raise the above questions didn’t make sense to me, but if those questions are answered well, that makes this period of time in the Star Wars galaxy that much more fascinating. We’ll see.

Another critique I have is mixed in with praise. The emotional changes Crosshair is experiencing are both endearing and uncomfortable at the same time. It’s very sweet to see him as such a nurturing, big brother/father figure towards Omega, but they’re laying it on a too thick; it’s coming unnaturally naturally to him. These moments should be more awkward and confusing. These changes should take a lot longer for him to undergo. I assume, however this rapid emotional evolution is plot driven, as they have to get it all in in one season. Critiques aside, I enjoyed the interactions. Once he’s fully able to channel his emotional flooding, I believe his hand will stop shaking.

It was very cool to see Commander Wolffe meet up with Rex, but it also seems forced. They need to plant the seeds for how Rex, Wolffe and Gregor will come together 15 years later in the rebels series; so it seems more plot than logic driven. That said, I enjoyed the moment.

Along the lines of that moment though, I’m surprised that all those clones didn’t say a word with the exception of very mild protest by the commando. Wolffe let Rex and the gang escape. Wolffe ordered the clones to fail their mission. Yes, that squad answered to him Wolffe, and yes, good soldiers follow orders, and yes his orders were to stand down. Still, something doesn’t parse. There should have been more protest, at least by the commando. Or, maybe after a little skirmish Wolffe convinces his team to go rogue and join Rex. The way that final scene ended was too easy.

The big picture of the season so far really continues to be, at least as I see it, explaining Palpatine’s cloning operation and thereby validating Rise of Skywalker, Rey, and the Sequel era as a whole. I keep coming back to this, but I hope Filoni’s team pulls it off. It will take a few years to keep creating all of this nice connective tissue, but I think he’s getting there. And despite the forced narrative of these two episodes, I think they still served this ultimate goal well. The arc ended perfectly with Rex telling Hunter that he has to figure out why Omega is so important to the Empire.