The Bad Batch is an animated series and there are still many Star Wars fans who dismiss this part of the universe as kid stuff. You can’t be more wrong. After a first season of inconsistent quality, The Bad Batch moved on with an excellent second season that just ended not only for me currently the best “Star Wars” series, but convinces with a rather dark implementation of very mature themes. This includes a story that is as exciting as it is complex, which is an elemental part of the saga but can only be told in terms of animation.
But first, the quick info that you can stream The Bad Batch on Disney+ and what the series is all about if you haven’t heard about it yet.
“The Bad Batch”: The “failed” clones
In the prequel trilogy, Obi-Wan (Ewan McGregor) discovers that a clone army has been created using the DNA of bounty hunter Jango Fett (Temuera Morrison). It now falls under the Senate. In the Clone Wars, they fight against Separatists alongside the Jedi. But the clones are part of Palpatine’s (Ian McDiarmid) secret plan to seize complete power. When he issues Order 66, they turn on their Jedi commanders and unexpectedly slaughter them.
The series “The Bad Batch” picks up there. The focus is on a clone unit that has been experimented on. Due to special genetic mutations, their four original members, Hunter, Wrecker, Crosshair, and Tech, are not the same, but individual aspects of their personalities and abilities are enhanced.
But they are considered a defective party, a “bad party” because, like the echo that also accompanies their unit, they have gained individuality. And so they defy – at least in part – the orders of the Empire. They must flee underground – with little Omega in tow. The girl is also a clone – and the Empire has a special interest in her…
Although the clones play an important role in the theatrical prequels, they are simply what they were made for: uniformed combat troops who blindly follow orders. But the series “The Clone Wars” and “Star Wars Rebels” already showed us how they develop over the years. They give themselves names, acquire individuality, come up with their own thoughts – and “Bad Batch” hits this target, especially with the second season just ending.
In the series we experience how the empire builds its power. A big theme in the second season is the creation of a new army: the stormtroopers. The clone soldiers have to give way and are picked out one by one and replaced by the numerous conscripts. In the second season it becomes clear again and again what fate awaits the clones, how contemptuous the Empire treats them.
Although the clones have life, they are only material to the realm
They were only made for war, now they are not allowed to fight and basically on the rubbish dump. They are seen by the Empire as “material” that can be destroyed, not sentient beings. This becomes especially clear in the twelfth episode of the second season, which is as bitter as it is dark.
Marksman Crosshair, the only member of the Bad Batch to remain loyal to the Empire, is assigned to help secure materials from a remote outpost on an ice planet. The clones there have already been decimated by weather, nature and enemies. Only a small squad survived.
Eventually, the clones stationed on the planet will all be dead. The last brave warrior is denied necessary medical attention because they don’t want to “waste it on material” – and the bitter punch line is: Inside the crates they protected with their lives are new, more modern gear that would have ensured their survival, but it’s only for stormtroopers and not clones.
The perfect place for one of the most complex ‘Star Wars’ themes
You wouldn’t really expect such a devastating episode in an animated story, but it fits in this animated series, who does a great job mixing politics and dealing with war veterans with fun adventures and strong character development. In fact, an animated series is the only way to tell.
How to deal with the millions of clones who have no political representation, who have acquired a surprising, unplanned individuality over time and want to decide their own destiny, is an immensely multifaceted and complex issue. It wouldn’t be possible to handle it in a limited-run movie. In addition to novels, a series is the perfect place – because you can cover the subject over and over again, intertwined with the actual adventure story, over a longer period of time.
However, for a live-action series, that wouldn’t be possible. After all, Temuera Morrison should embody all the characters, although he is now much too old for the interesting period between “Episode III” and “Episode IV”. However, an animated series doesn’t have to solve the problem of a single actor ending up in dozens of similar but different roles. That’s why you can only tell this story properly here in a format like “The Bad Batch” – and complement it with small live-action appearances like a pleading, old clone soldier in “Obi-Wan Kenobi”.
Of course, “The Bad Batch” doesn’t just offer cloning politics. The series always tells that, but also has great characters and a lot of action. The first season was rightfully criticized that too many episodes are just minor case-of-the-week missions, but mostly that the bad batch itself isn’t put to good use. Because it was mostly about the Rambo-esque perceptive Hunter developing paternal feelings for Omega – which is a bit too reminiscent of “The Mandalorian” and the “tough warrior turned sensitive protector” theme. But with the second season, this weakness has also been remedied.
Not only has Omega itself been like this for a long time that she saves the bad party at some point or another. Most notably, Hunter enters the second row, giving way to the rest of the team. Especially the technician, who is only gradually learning emotions, is given space for a really successful and exciting character arc. In addition, “The Bad Batch” tells a lot about the building of the empire (with some cameos from well-known characters) – which complements very nicely with the building of the New Republic currently being told in “The Mandalorian”.
Even the smallest details in “The Bad Batch” fit
And for those who still believe that “The Bad Batch” is a children’s series, hardly any other “Star Wars” project kills as much as the second season – although there is also one of many interesting and perfectly fitting side details here:
When the Bad Batch encounter Imperial troops on their missions, they always fire stun/shock rounds when it comes to clones, basically their brethren. But when they meet the now more common new stormtroopers, they don’t know that grace. This is one of the reasons why the number of bodies is growing. After all, the empire initially had to rely almost exclusively on the existing clone troopers, while more and more soldiers are now joining and driving them out.
I’m really looking forward to the third season of “The bad party“, more than any other Star Wars series. That even includes season 2 Andor and The Acolyte about the exciting new era of the High Republic.