With impeccable graphics and a wonderfully forlorn score, The Bad Batch Season 3 rolls along happily in little easily digestible half-hour adventures. This “adventure of the week” format offers plenty of side quests for the characters in the Bad Batch crew. However, at the same time, there is just very little at stake in this show as the crew struggles throughout the whole season to find the location of Tantiss (the secret Imperial planet first introduced in Timothy Zahn’s “Heir to the Empire” trilogy). As to be expected, The Bad Batch features stunningly beautiful animation replete throughout this show, but there is almost zero substance. The central question concerns Omega and her M-Count, and why the Empire is searching for her, but in a tragically missed opportunity, the perplexing “Project Necromancer” is never fully explained, and when it is destroyed in the end, Governor Tarkin simply redirects Imperial support to “Project Stardust” (the Death Star project). Also, there is a surprise appearance of Asajj Ventress in this season (from The Clone Wars) –but didn’t she previously die? Is this just another Disney retcon? Apparently, she “died” in the Dark Disciple novel while protecting Jedi Quinlin Vos, but not in a prior show. However, The Bad Batch writers decided that Ventress “almost died” instead so that she could return in the animated shows (perhaps since there are almost no other interesting character cameos in this season). And when she actually appears in the show, it is abrupt and a bit contrived. And who are the CX assassins? Why were they never fully explained in this show?
At any rate, this third season of The Bad Batch feels mostly rushed and rudderless in my view. It offered a lot of irrelevant side quests with minimal point or purpose, and in the end, very little is actually explained. I don’t think I will revisit this show again in the future.
Season 3, Episode 1 “Confined”
“Oh, the flawed logic of an idealistic child. Emotion and sentiment have no place within these walls.”
An Imperial shuttle crashes “past the perimeter” where a cohort of stormtroopers are presumably devoured by wild animals in the forests. This opening action sequence allows us to understand the true isolation of Omega inside Mount Tantiss on the planet Weyland (which was first introduced in Timothy Zahn’s Thrawn Trilogy). Omega is being held under the oversight of her “sister” Emerie Karr and also Nala Se, who is in turn being watched by the Empire. A vile of Omega’s blood is taken for testing but Nala Se quickly destroys it. Can she be trusted? Or is she working against Omega?
Omega finds an imprisoned, dejected Crosshair inside the complex. He tells her to go away and give up, but Omega persists in searching for an exit from Mount Tantiss. Meanwhile, she also discovers a locked-up lurca hound named “Batcher” whom she frees, only to find that he might not survive in the untamed wilderness surrounding Mount Tantiss. The episode ends with Omega in trouble as her freedom is greatly restricted by Dr. Hemlock. This is a slow, patient episode to introduce the third and final season, highlight the drudgery of Omega’s “confinement” on Mount Tantiss.
Season 3, Episode 2 “Paths Unknown”
“We’re soldiers. Or we were supposed to be.”
The episode opens with a trial overseen by Lady Durand, head of The Syndicate and the Durand Crime Family. Hunter and Wrecker of The Bad Batch deliver a member of the Pikes who disgraced the Durand family for coordinates to an abandoned, overgrown Imperial cloning facility near a jungle where Dr. Hemlock previously worked. En route in the jungle, they encounter several cadet regulars –Mox, Zeke, and Stak. Hunter and Wrecker quickly learn that all the hanging vines are “hostile.” The vines are later revealed to be a giant experimental creature devised by the Empire when they still operated this base. Hunter and Wrecker decide to infiltrate the abandoned base in search of answers. Led by the cadets through vine-infested toxic hallways filled with strange creatures (a la classic horror/sci-fi tropes), they compile a data pad from the central console while battling the “slither vines” which are soon revealed to be a massive creature with a mouth like the sarlacc pit. They eventually destroy it by dropping a pack of explosives down its mouth and escape with a sector that may point the way to the current whereabouts of Dr. Hemlock and Omega. And as they fly away, The Bad Batch pledge to take the cadets to the safe planet of Pabu.
I found this to be a fairly standard action-adventure episode of The Bad Batch.
Season 3, Episode 3 “Shadow of Tantiss”
“There is nothing of greater importance to secure the future of this Empire.”
Troop levels are increased on Mount Tantiss as an unexpected guest arrives –The Emperor. He intends to see the progress made on “Project Necromancer.” In the confusion, Nala Se is taken away from the lab and Emerie Karr is given Omega’s blood sample to test without knowing that Nala Se has been destroying Omega’s samples. Nala Se quietly instructs Omega to steal her data pad from the lab and use it to flee the facility aboard a shuttle. She frees Crosshair and they attempt to steal a shuttle, but they soon discover that all shuttles have been grounded while the Emperor is visiting. Thus –while stunning and disabling Emerie Karr—Omega and Crosshair flee through Batcher’s kennel. As they run out into the jungle, a recovery team and attack lurca hounds are sent out to find them. They are saved by Batcher who is now freely roaming in the jungle, and they hijack a shuttle in order to flee from Weyland.The episode ends with Dr. Hemlock learning of Omega’s high M-Count in her blood. He decides to let her escape so she can live.
Season 3, Episode 4 “A Different Approach”
“We missed you, kid. We never stopped searching.”
Omega and Crosshair crash-land on a remote planet called Lau (joined by Batcher). In a nearby port town, Omega gambles her way into 35,000 credits (30,000 credits are needed to bribe their way onto a ship off planet). However, predictably Batcher is captured by the Imperial forces on Lau. In the end, all of Omega’s efforts at finding a peaceful way off the planet are proven foolish so Crosshair tries “a different approach” and attacks the Imperial troops while they steal a cargo freighter. Dr. Hemlock arrives with plans to track their ship. Omega heads for a remote location and sends a coded transmission to Hunter and Wrecker so they can ditch their Imperial cargo freighter and reunite The Bad Batch.
Omega receives a warm reception, however The Bad Batch are understandably leary about the traitorous Crosshair.
Season 3, Episode 5 “The Return”
“You did all you could, kid.”
On the blissful planet of Lau, the Bad Batch regroups and Crosshair runs off on his own to retrain himself as a sniper (he has a wounded hand). Suddenly, Echo’s ship arrives. In order to infiltrate the facility on Tantiss, Crosshair suggests bringing Nala Se’s datapad to a remote Imperial station that will be easy to invade. Crosshair leads them to an icy planet (his former station on Barton-4) that appears to be abandoned, surrounded by censor beacons, but amidst lingering tensions between Crosshair and Hunter, as they gain intel on Tantiss, a gigantic ice worm creature disrupts their mission (much like the sandworms in Dune). The Bad Batch works together to defeat it, and in the end, Crosshair finally speaks openly with Hunter.
This is a fairly predictable standard adventure episode, hardly a stand-out in my view .
Season 3, Episode 6 “Infiltration”
“They are coming… for all of you.”
In secret, Avi Singh, the former senator of Raxus, meets with Riyo Chuchi, once a young idealistic leader on Pantora (they were former enemies during the Clone Wars), to discuss the formation of a rebel movement against the Emperor but a clone assassin strikes in the midst of their covert meeting and Rex tracks the assassin through the sewers. They capture him and recover his “data puck,” which reveals he was chasing Senator Singh and also hunting for Omega. It turns out he is another “ghost” clone. Rex’s team decides to summon the Bad Batch to interrogate Crosshair but it is quickly revealed that they are being followed by Commander Wolffe who is hunting after Omega. Echo gifts Omega an energy crossbow but the captured clone assassin has been secretly tracked by Hemlock’s forces, particularly an assassin named CX-2. A large battle ensues as back-up arrives to find Omega and retrieve her… alive.
Season 3, Episode 7 “Extraction”
“The Empire is too strong…”
A back-up unit led by Wolffe arrives at the secret burned out bunker which currently has the clones (Rex’s team and the Bad Batch) and Omega trapped inside. In pursuit the clone back-up unit argues with the lone assassin CX-2 sent by Hemlock –he is too violent and risks killing Omega. A dramatic fight ensues and Crosshair is nearly drowned by CX-2 before Rex and Wolffe are surprisingly reunited. Wolffe allows them to escape and the assassin CX-2 chasing Crosshair manages to survive a tumble down a waterfall.
Season 3, Episode 8 “Bad Territory”
“Don’t go dying on me until the job’s done.”
The Bad Batch tries to figure out why the Empire is trying to abduct people with high “M-Counts” –they do not know what this means so they try to track down a bounty hunter who might know. They search for Fennec Shand with the help of Phee. Hunter and Wrecker speak with her in a bar but (of course) in exchange for the M-Count information Fennec Shand wants a bounty secured (Sylar Saris “The slayer of Ordo Eris, one of the slipperiest marks around”), but Fennec secretly informs another shadowy figure about the Bad Batch. Sylar Saris is wanted because he got greedy and took out a few of the top bosses for the Haxion Brood and escaped with a cash of credits. Hunter and Wrecker track Sylar Saris through an orange hazy jungle a la Apocalypse Now via a river filled with trip mines and large alligator-esque creatures. Meanwhile Omega remains on Pabu, helping Crosshair overcome a memory block that is preventing him from improving his sniper skills. The droid AZI is unable to repair Crosshair and Omega teaches him to meditate.
Season 3, Episode 9 “The Harbinger”
“We were pawns in the same war… and we all lost.”
The Bad Batch is waiting on Fennec Shand for information about the “M-Counts” the Empire is seeking. On Pabu, Batcher leads Omega into a cavern on the island where she shockingly meets Asajj Ventress (from The Clone Wars) who informs the Bad Batch that she has been sent by Fennec to explain the M-Count. Wasn’t Ventress killed in the past? Is this another Disney era retcon? She claims she still has “a few lives left.” Can she be trusted? Ventress explains the Force to Omega and eventually earns the trust of the Bad Batch. She doesn’t think Omega has a very high M-Count. Ventress demonstrates the power of the Force on the open ocean but accidentally awakens a massive kraken creature from the depths that nearly kills Omega. It creates another fairly silly adventure of the week that characterizes this show as we patiently await the final climax to all these wandering side quests. At least the animation is superb.
Season 3, Episode 10 “Identity Crisis”
“They don’t belong here…”
On Tantiss, Dr. Emerie Karr wishes to replace he imprisoned Nala e as the new chief scientist on “Project Necromancer.” She is given three children with high M-Counts for experimentation. Nala Se helped Omega because her blood has been proven to be the only outside source proven to be compatible with their DNA to replicate their M-Count levels. Dr. Karr starts to see how poorly treated the children are in this vault. Meanwhile Cad Bane reappears chasing bounties, he collects a new Specimen,” or a child with a high M-Count for the Empire. And Dr. Hemlock begins to grow desperate for Omega while Dr. Karr grows increasingly skeptocal of this whole project.
Season 3, Episode 11 “Point of No Return”
“We are here to collect a fugitive you are harboring.”
Phee’s ship is infiltrated by the imperial assassin and he discovers the Bad Batch’s whereabouts on Pabu. A massive Imperial invasion arrives on Pabu and Wrecker is badly wounded and Hunter makes a failed hijacking attempt. The Bad Batch hatches a plot to steal an Imperial vessel and escape in order to contact Echo. But after witnessing the overwhelming destruction on Pabu, Omega decides to give herself up with a plan, but tragically Crosshair is unable to fire a tracking device on CX-2’s ship that leads Omega away to Tantiss.
Season 3, Episode 12 “Juggernaut”
“For what it’s worth, I’m glad you’re safe.”
Omega is returned to Dr. Karr on Tantiss while the Bad Batch tries figure out how to find Omega. Crosshair ventures that Admiral Rampart might have access to Tantiss (Crosshair recalls this from when they decommissioned Tipoca City). Why didn’t he mention this helpful fact before? Because he didn’t want to return to Tantiss and only considered it a last resort. Maybe it’s just me, but this little plot twist was far too convenient and contrived –added just to create drama and tension in the end. Anyway, the Bad Batch teams up with Phee to infiltrate an Imperial labor camp to find Admiral Rampart and in dramatic rescue sequence from “Erebus” they manage to get him and fly away (the sequence is somewhat reminiscent of The Mandalorian episode “The Prisoner”). And the episode as Omega is taken to dwell with the other Force-sensitive children on Tantiss.
Season 3, Episode 13 “Into the Breach”
“I like a challenge.”
Omega meets the other Force-sensitive children on Tantiss: Jax, Sami, and Baym. She hatches a plan for escape. Meanwhile the Bad Batch are told by Admiral Rampart that the only way to get to Tantiss is to arrive at Imperial Station 003 in orbit over Coruscant where the coordinates are transmitted directly to the navicomputer. The clones compel Admiral Rampart to wear a captain’s uniform (even though he was a vice admiral) in order to invade the ship and acquire the coordinates. After a last minute change of plans, they find an alternative route to Tantiss by attaching their ship to an Imperial vessel as it jumps to lightspeed.
Season 3, Episode 14 “Flash Strike”
“They found me.”
At long last, something germane to the broader story begins to happen in this episode! The Bad Batch arrives on Tantiss under attack so they flee through the dangerous jungles while they scuttle their ship. In the jungle they encounter a wild creature that forces Rampart to get captured by the Empire while Echo infiltrated the base undercover as a stormtrooper where he encounters Dr. Emerie Karr and they hatch a plan to free the children. And Omega escapes her cell and accidentally a Zillo Beast being held captive deep beneath the facility.
Season 3, Episode 15 “The Cavalry Has Arrived”
“You’re our kid, Omega. You always will be.”
Dr. Karr helps Echo while Omega and the other children escape confinement and release the Zillo beast. It serves as a distraction while the rest of the Bad Batch enters the facility where they are immediately attacked by an elite group of CX assassins unleashed by Hemlock. Outnumbered, they are defeated, captured, and tortured. Omega and Echo release a group of imprisoned clones alongside Nala Se and Admiral Rampart. Nala Se heads to her lab to destroy her research but when followed by rampart she detonates a thermal detonator, causing a huge explosion in the central lab. In the end, Crosshair kills Hemlock and the Bad Batch escapes back to Pabu while Governor Tarkin arrives and, witnessing all the destruction, he orders Tantiss to be shuttered and all available funding moved to “Project Stardust.” Years later, Omega leaves Pabu to join the rebellion. All in all, this was a fine enough ending to a fairly bland wandering third season of The Bad Batch that unfortunately doesn’t really answer any questions.