Star Wars: The Bad Batchreturns for a disturbingly dark third season that lays the foundation for Emperor Palpatine’s horrific true agenda. The Empire’s grip has closed like a noose around every planet. A fractured Clone Force 99 (Dee Bradley Baker) reels from the tragic sacrifice of a beloved brother. Omega (Michelle Ang) and Crosshair are hostages of a monstrous scientist operating out of a top-secret base. Hunter and Wrecker’s desperate search for her has found scant clues. But hope continues to burn brightly against seemingly insurmountable odds. The supposedly defective clones don’t possess the genes to surrender. What they discover will shape galactic events for decades to come.
Season three culminates the series over a fifteen-episode arc broken down into two parts. The first eight episodes pick up directly after Omega’s capture by Dr. Hemlock (Jimmi Simpson). The premiere, “Confined,” focuses on the rigid structure of her imprisonment. Omega struggles to understand what Hemlock is doingto the cloneson Mount Tantiss. He captured her to force the cooperation of Nala Se (Gwendoline Yeo) after the Empire destroyed Kamino. She watches as her clone sister, Emerie (Keisha Castle-Hughes), continually takes blood samples from the prisoners. Omega’s trivial duties include feeding Lurcas, fierce native hounds that patrol the perimeter under electronic control.
Omega has fleeting glimpses of Crosshair as they move him throughout the facility. She steals tender moments at his cell to give him hope. Crosshair’s spirit has been broken. He warns Omega to forget about him and plot her own escape. Omega struggles with loneliness in her austere room. Her blonde hair growing longer as time slowly passes. There is one constant deviation from her numb routine. Nala Se secretly destroys every blood sample that is taken from Omega. She tells her beloved protégé that Hemlock can never be allowed to test her. Meanwhile, in a faraway sector, Hunter and Wrecker pay shamed crime boss Roland Durand (Tom Taylorson) a visit. They have something to trade for vital information.
Crosshair Broken
Star Wars: The Bad Batch
The Empire’s Nazi comparisons are solidified with gut-wrenching details and imagery. Hemlock is basically a CGI version of the barbaric Dr. Josef Mengele. The Emperor (Ian McDiarmid) has given him carte blanche and unlimited resources to achieve a nefarious goal. The clone army, now declared useless after the introduction of stormtroopers, offers a bountiful supply of experimental subjects. They are monkeys in a lab of terror. Hemlock can defile them with twisted impunity. Their lives mean nothing. Every clone is expendable…except for one.
The Bad Batchdrops clues like crumbs in a forest. But anyone familiar withStar Warslore knows exactly where the narrative goes. A thread first established inThe Last JediandThe Rise of Skywalkerthen continued inThe Mandalorian, is clearly apparent. Events here can be viewed as a spigot before it’s turned on. The scattered protagonists don’t see the completed puzzle. Their search for the pieces is based on loyalty, duty to each other, and, at its root,love for family. Omega wants to reunite with her brothers, but she’s tortured by Hemlock’s treatment of the clones. She’s the key that unlocks all doors. Hunter and Wrecker will stop at nothing to find her. Echo and Captain Rex join the fray as invaluable allies when the plot thickens, but one clone above all owns season three.
Crosshair will kick your ass and break a foot doing it. The series finally explores his motivations, troubling regrets, and a new path to fulfillment. He betrays his brothers for the Empire but can’t bring himself to kill them at the conclusion of Season 1. The second season showed Crosshair just how disposable he wasto the Empire. His efforts to be “a good soldier” blinded him to an obvious reality. Now, trapped and abused like an animal, he’s broken by despair. But Omega hasn’t given up on him. She’s the spark that reignites a dormant fire. Their time together is the best part of Season 3. Crosshair uncharacteristically risked himself to warn Clone Force 99 about the Empire’s hunt for Omega. Anyone coming for her has to deal with him, and he’s no joke. Crosshair may be troubled, but he’s still extremely lethal and capable.
Omega’s Vital Importance
The Bad Batchthoughtfully explores interpersonal dynamics. The clones have found their individuality. Hunter, who’s less of a focus, has a heartfelt monologue about purpose. Omega must be rescued. But they’re also brothers to the clones on Mount Tantiss. Freeing them becomes just as important. Hunter has no illusions aboutthe Empire’s power. He understands it’s a fight they must win. The clones fought bravely and wouldn’t allow their brothers to be discarded like trash.
Season 3 rivets with every episode. It builds like a slow boil to a thrilling mid-season finale. The series has blazing combat and incredible space battles. It looks like an awesome CGI show for kids, but it is really meant for mature audiences.The Bad Batchhas taken a more adult tone over its course. It ranks among thebestStar Warsshows. The remaining episodes will surely lead to a grand finale.Star Wars: The Bad Batchis a Lucasfilm production. Episodes one through eight of Season 3 are currently available on Disney+.
