Ever since the sequel trilogy ended with the horrible conclusion that was, “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” many fans have chosen to forget or just not acknowledge that it is a part of the canon. With recent Star Wars media, Dave Filoni, the man behind many of the improvements made for the sequels, has been working to plant plot lines that make the “Palpatine return” line in “Rise of Skywalker” actually make sense.
“Star Wars: The Bad Batch” released its third and final season on Feb. 23 with a three-episode premiere that showed two perspectives, since the group split up after last season. Episodes one and three focus on the young clone, Omega, and ex-member, Crosshair, attempting to devise a plan to escape the secret facility they are trapped in. Episode two focuses on Hunter and Wrecker as they follow a lead to potentially find the facility that Omega is at.
I really enjoyed the first and third episodes, as it felt more aligned with what I was expecting from this season; it showed more behind the scenes of the Empire’s cloning experiments. It also was more engaging through its use of Omega and Crosshair, both of whom have never really been on the same side.
These episodes were the first time that these characters were forced to work together to devise a plan and escape the facility. In comparison, the second episode felt generic and boring through its filler style format. It drew me in at the beginning with a mysterious planet and a catchup to what the other members of clone force ‘99 are up to after a time skip, but fell short of my expectations with its boring premise that nearly left me sleeping by the end of its 30 minute run-time.
The show started off slow and childish in its first season, as it felt very reminiscent of “Star Wars: Rebels” first season. Like “Rebels,” which gained more maturity and creative storylines as the show went on, “The Bad Batch” has been improving in those same aspects. There are still the occasional filler episodes thrown in, such as a number of episodes last season and the second episode of this season. But the show has gotten better, focusing heavily on the main storyline of the “Bad Batch” attempting to live a semi-normal life while the Empire’s cloning keeps dragging the group back into action.
The premiere did leave me hopeful for the rest of the season, as it has set up some mysteries that could very well lead to a known-dead character coming back by the end of the season. The switch-up in character dynamics looks interesting and there could be some potential for standout moments in the show. With this being the final season of the show, it looks to end off with a satisfying send off to the once unknown group.
