Editor’s Note: The below contains spoilers for The Bad Batch Season 3.
One of the greatest strengths of theStar Warsanimated programming has been the shows’ ability to fill in the gaps in between theatrical installments in the franchise, giving the entire saga a greater sense of continuity.Star Wars: The Clone Wars helped flesh out the actual “war”that had only briefly been touched upon between the last two installments in the prequel trilogy, andStar Wars: Resistancehelped develop the new Galactic Civil War that predated the events of the sequel trilogy. The period of time between the original and prequel trilogy is not an unheralded era, as projects such asAndor, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Solo: A Star Wars Story, andStar WarsRebelshave all tackled this period. However,The Bad Batchhas been able to address one of the most confusing aspects ofStar Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalkerand turn it into a compelling storyline.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch
The ‘Bad Batch’ of elite and experimental clones make their way through an ever-changing galaxy in the immediate aftermath of the Clone Wars.
The Rise of Skywalkerwas hailed as a significant creative failurethat turned away from the bold creative decisions made by writer/directorRian Johnsonin the previous installmentin favor of an overtly safe, predictable “return to form” that left few feeling satisfied. While the decision to cut down the screen time for fan-favorite character Rose Tico (Kelly Marie Tran) and the last minute redemption of Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) were certainly distressing,the most egregious sin ofThe Rise of Skywalkerwas the last minute resurgence of Ian McDiarmid as Emperor Palpatine. To quoteOscar Isaac’s Poe Dameron, “somehow Palpatine returned,” and yet the revitalization of the franchise’s most recognizable force of evil was treated with little pomp and circumstance.
On a narrative level, bringing back Palpatine was a disappointingly “safe” way of relying upon an established antagonist instead of inventing anything new. The reveal of his survival also meant that the sacrifice made by Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) inStar Wars: Episode VI -Return of the Jediheld less weight. However,the logic of Palpatine returning through a series of cloned bodies was never introduced prior toThe Rise of Skywalker. While obviously it had been established that Palpatine had played an important part in the inception of the Clone Army in theStar Warsprequel trilogy, the transfer of his consciousness to a younger body was never fleshed out in any detail. Attempts toexplain the details of how his lineagecontinued only ended up raising more questions than it answered.
However,The Bad Batchshowed the origins of Palpatine’s cloning experimentsthrough the storylinefocused on Mount Tantiss. The secret Imperial facility is where Palpatine’s latent science unit performs a series of radical tests on young clones now that the former cloning facility on Kamino has been destroyed. The reveal suggests a greater foresight on Palpatine’s part; it makes sense that the most ruthless and selfish Sith Lord of all time would be thinking about how to extend his reign from the moment that he first took over the Galactic Senate. This is proven further with his obssession over his former Master, Darth Plagueis the Wise’s ability to influence midi-chlorians to create life.Luck may have been on his side, but Palpatine’s return to prominence inThe Rise of Skywalkeris revealed to be a plan that was over three decades in the works.
While it’s nice to see thatDave Filoniand the creative team behindThe Bad Batchare helping to break down the logic behind the sequel trilogy’s most confusing moments, it should not be the job of the Disney+ shows to exclusively retcon the last few film installments.The third season ofThe Mandaloriantook a creative dipwhen it attempted to tie in Grogu and Dr. Pershing (Omid Abtahi) to the origins of the First Order. However,Palpatine’s cloning experiments inThe Bad Batchare fundamentally linked to the main storyline.Since Omega (Michelle Ang) is considered a high profile target for Palpatine’s experiments because of her “high M-count,” it’s up to Hunter, Wrecker, Crosshair, and Echo to lead a mission to save her.
By showing how Omega’s body has become a commodity needed to extend Palpatine’s lifespan,The Bad Batchis able to delve deeper into the tragedy of the cloning programs. The clones themselves had no knowledge that they would be tools in the rise of the Empire, nor did they have any choice of having a life dedicated to military duty. It appears that the majority of the original clones of Jango Fett that were introduced inThe Clone Warshave now been retired in favor of the new recruits that are seen inRebelsand the originalStar Warstrilogy. However, the revelation thatPalpatine is willing to experiment with innocent childrenindicates that the Empire still view the clones to be a secondary species that they can treat in whatever cruel fashion they see fit.
‘The Bad Batch’ Season 3 Has a Clear MVP—and It Isn’t Omega
The Bad Batch really needed this member.
Althoughthe return ofIan McDiarmid’s voice as Palpatinehelps the series tie in to the larger saga,The Bad Batchcould not overly rely on a villain whose destiny is already set in the later films. However, the introduction of his cloning programs allowedThe Bad Batchto introduce Dr. Royce Hemlock (Jimmi Simpson), a cold-hearted doctor who becomes chief of Palpatine’s Imperial Science Division.Hemlock’s weaponization of science makes him squarely opposed to The Bad Batch on moral grounds— Clone Force 99 is trying to ensure that the other clones have their consciousness restored, Hemlock seems to have no empathy for his “test subjects.”
WhileThe Clone Warswas ostensibly aimed at generating interest in the franchise among younger viewers,The Bad Batchhas takenStar Warsanimation in a far darker directionby showing the true consequences of fascism and discrimination. Althoughthe ties toThe Rise of Skywalkerare a welcome means of bridging the gap between live-action and animation, the series itself has succeeded on its own merit.
The Bad Batchis available to stream on Disney+ in the U.S.
