The Clone War is just over. Order 66 has been issued. Only problem is your squad of clone troopers is The Bad Batch. As it name implies, the Bad Batch does not quite follow orders like the rest of the Clone Troopers.
Welcome to the new animated series, Star Wars: The Bad Batch, available exclusively on Disney+.
First introduced in the final season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, the Bad Batch – officially known as Clone Force 99 – consists of five clone commandos – Hunter, Wrecker, Tech, Crosshair and Echo.
Hunter is the team leader. A strong and stoic soldier, he has extraordinarily keen senses that give him an edge when tracking down his targets.
On the other hand, Wrecker is a tower of a soldier. His powerful muscles make him vastly stronger than any clone trooper. And he takes pleasure in smashing things.
If Wrecker is the muscle, Tech is the brain. He is the computer and weapons specialist of the squad. Also the most talkative in the squad, Tech’s genetically-enhanced brain can process technical issues at speeds even faster than droids.
Not to mention, you always need a sniper and Crosshair is the one in the Bad Batch. His sharp vision gives him superior accuracy, while his customised sniper rifle gives him the ability to exterminate a target at long distances.
Finally, Echo is the former recon clone trooper who joined the Bad Batch towards the end of the Clone Wars. His knowledge of proper military tactics and strategy offers balance to the team’s “rogue” ways, while his socket-arm and cybernetic implants allow him to interact with computer systems.
In short, the Bad Batch is all you need to fight anything in the galaxy. Only problem is the Clone War is now over and not much fighting to do. Unless the squad asks for it…
The series follows the Bad Batch, as they navigate their way in a rapidly-changing galaxy in the immediate aftermath of the Clone War. The first episode is essentially a staging area for the entire series whereby you get introduced to the team members, their dynamics and other characters who look pivotal to the show.
It is really fun to hear the banter of the Bad Batch with their distinct characters and personalities. This is even more so, when you considered all of them are voiced by the same person, the talented voice actor Dee Bradley Baker.
You will be also introduced to a mysterious kid called Omega, whom the Bad Batch met when they returned to their home base of Kamino. In case you are not familiar, Kamino is the birthplace of clone troopers.
While we do not know how pivotal Omega might become in the future, she does have much screen time in the first episode. So, it is highly probably that Omega is going to play a major role in this series.
The first episode also saw Admiral Tarkin, Emperor Palpatine’s right-hand man, making an appearance at Kamino as well. And he is taking a special interest at the Bad Batch. Somehow, I think this episode will not be the last we see of the Admiral.
The Bad Batch is looking to be a very interesting and captivating series.
I mean, a group of orders-defying clone troopers, who actually hit their targets and finish their missions, in a post-Clone War era. Add a mysterious kid out of nowhere who seem to know them well. And with Admiral Tarkin’s evil eyes setting sight on them. What can go wrong?
I can’t wait for the rest of the series. The Bad Batch is streaming exclusively on Disney+ today.
