What They Say:
The Batch has their ideology challenged.
The Review: Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
With a run of episodes that had ties to a number of other characters, The Bad Batch shifts gears to a mostly standalone piece but a useful one in a number of different ways. Watching how this series is establishing itself in-between two other big series is definitely interesting, particularly as the cast is so different from those quite varied pieces. Yes, the ‘Batch has different personalities and abilities that makes them unique, but it is just focusing on a group of clones as the leads. The Clone Wars ranged a lot of characters while Rebels worked similarly in a different direction. The Bad Batch also makes out by being the most recent series and taking the gains in animation to some great levels here as the series only looks more and more impressive as it progresses.
The premise for this one has the ‘Batch heading off to Raxus to retrieve an Imperial target and rescue them. With Cid having some good money riding on this, and the ‘Batch owing Cid significantly still, it’s pretty much a given their sense of honor will compel them to do it. But it’s almost the first time they really refuse because the person they’re after is Avi Singh, a senator and leader of the Confederation of Independent States, basically a Separatist that they fought against for years. With the Empire taking over, they’re pulling the independent systems under boot and heel and Raxus now has to pay fealty or pay the price. And he’s initially ready to do so since he knows his death is the price, but he does show some courage along the way. The episode works really well in giving the ‘Batch a chance to do an infil/exfil mission with Singh helping out along the way. It’s tight with solid action and the kind of professionalism that I love about the ‘Batch when on-mission.
What was interesting with this episode is that after the three-part arc we just had, Hunter gets Omega to stay behind with Cid to try and recover and process all that happened, which Omega isn’t keen on. As good as she is, she is still a kid and has to be treated somewhat differently. This leads to some amusing back and forth between her and Cid and it helps to flesh out Cid more so that she’s not quite so rough yet still very much a predator in their own right. What we end up seeing is Omega using her natural clone talents as a strategist here as she gets involved in the hologames and becomes something of a local sensation while the ‘Batch is gone. It’s cute and simple (hence our desire to see her end up at Canto Bite) but it also serves another point in that her split with Cid allows her to finish paying off the ‘Batches debt. How that may change the dynamic of the show going forward will be interesting to see.
In Summary:
A standalone episode after the arc we just had was a given but this one works to shift the balance of the story well going forward. Omega has gained more respect from Hunter (with Wrecker looking on knowingly) and the relationship with Cid should be different as well. I liked that we got some stress over the Confederacy here from the ‘Batch too. This episode brought on the great Alexander Siddig to play Singh, his first time in Star Wars I believe, and he got to play against Captain Bragg on the Imperial side, played by Shelby Young. She played Leia a few times in the Forces of Destiny project, so it was nice to see her find a way into this. And Sian Gifford had a lot of fun playing Singh’s droid, GS-8, in contrasting the ‘Batch as well. Another great cast and set of performances that felt natural and flowed well.
Chris has been writing about anime, manga, movies and comics for well on twenty years now. He began AnimeOnDVD.com back in 1998 and has covered nearly every anime release that’s come out in the US ever since.
