It’s more than a little distressing that Wrecker’s headaches have become our primary source of dread in Star Wars: The Bad Batch. The jolly giant of Clone Force 99 is handy in a pinch, a goliath who can sock a baby rancor in the maw one minute and plow through a small contingent of police droids the next. He’s great with kids and his home decorating skills are a glory to behold! But the second those headaches begin to flare up, all the fun gets sapped from this Clone Wars spin-off as we collectively hold our breath and wait for the other shoe to drop.
Wrecker got bonked on the head really hard this week, which brought the Bad Batch’s formidable ace in the hole to his knees as he struggled against his Kamino-installed inhibitor chip—the same chip that turned his brother-in-arms Crosshair towards the Empire during the series premiere six weeks back. “Good… soldiers…” he uttered under his breath, the words coming unbidden, a dire sign that Wrecker’s days as a devil-may-care rogue trooper were swiftly coming to an end.
Naturally, he shook it off just when his family needed him the most, because there are still 10 episodes yet to fill and it wouldn’t do to let Wrecker’s seemingly inevitable reprogramming disrupt the series’ trajectory this early in the going. Still, Wrecker’s noggin was the biggest item on the docket for “Decommissioned”, a mid-stream episode directed by Nathaniel Villanueva and written by Amanda Rose Muñoz that nudged the series’ central arc a millimeter or so along while giving our eponymous clone squad something to do in the interim. Plus: guest stars!
That’s right, Rafa and Trace Martez, last seen trying to carve out their own place in the galaxy before disappearing entirely from the seventh season of The Clone Wars, popped up in the same Corellian decommissioning facility as the Batch just when it looked like Hunter and his running crew were finally about to pull off a caper without a hitch. (And where would be the fun in that?) It would seem a wild coincidence that the Martez Sisters and the Batch would convene just as Hunter’s new mercenary gig with Cid was beginning to bear credits, but prodding primary characters towards their true purpose appears to be Rafa’s and Trace’s storytelling function (at least for now). They brought Ahsoka to a better emotional place just in time for the Clone Wars’ thrilling climax; it’s only fitting that Rafa, who appears to be working for the burgeoning Rebellion, would not-so subtly coax Hunter to finally get his act together and go on the offensive against the Empire. “In the end, we all choose sides,” Rafa said to the Batch’s leader in the episode’s final moments, just before she sold him out to her mysterious Rebel contact. (He remained offscreen, a frustratingly repetitive bit of plot trickery courtesy of the braintrust behind The Bad Batch.)
So what brought the Batch to Corellia in the first place? New mercenary work from the shady tavern owner Cid, who tasked Hunter, Tech, Echo, Wrecker, and Omega with the retrieval of a Separatist tactical droid before it was smelted in a decommissioning facility 40 or so miles from Han Solo’s house. (One presumes.) The droid’s programming would fetch a hefty price, Tech notes, which sparks the possibility that more people than just Cid’s black market customers might want to obtain it. Enter: The Martez Sisters, who play a game of droid-head football with the Batch before their antics bring a small armada of police droids down around their heads.
“Decommissioned” might serve a purpose to the larger narrative ambitions of The Bad Batch, at least in terms of Wrecker’s current brain boggle and Hunter’s struggle with finding safety and security for his Batch, but these moments clang around the hollow confines of the episode’s central (and prolonged) action set piece and its empty melodrama between the Batch and the Martezes. (Were we to believe that these two disastrous family units wouldn’t find a common purpose before long?) There’s nothing wrong with a bit of running-and-gunning from Star Wars, especially when battle droids are involved (Matthew Wood’s lovely droid banter delivered the episode’s best line: “Did we win?”). But “Decommissioned” glosses over crucial bits of information to focus on the adventurous presence of its guest stars.
Keeping its bigger dramatic stakes at bay to hit its season length is beginning to feel more like a bug for the series than a feature. For instance: the episode doesn’t take Hunter’s learned lessons from his botched retrieval mission back to Cid, who clearly isn’t keeping his best interests at heart. (“You knew how dangerous the information on the tactical droid is, but you didn’t know who you were giving it to?” Rafa asks Hunter at one point.) Nor does the episode explore how Wrecker overcame his inhibitor chip’s latest, and most belligerent, attack on his good nature—a solid character moment for the show if there ever was one, only it never gets brought up.
The Bad Batch is still shuffling the non-Hunter/Omega members of Clone Force 99 around the series’ periphery to their detriment. Tech, Echo, and Wrecker, no matter what they endure from episode to episode, always end up filling out the background before the credits end. Doesn’t this family unit talk to each other? Tech, your brother Wrecker is having headaches! Hunter, Crosshair’s chip turned him against you and it’s looking like it could happen again! Yes, the Batch needs money, and sure, there are bounty hunters and an entire Empire breathing down their necks. But all the credits in the galaxy won’t buy Wrecker back if he finally glitches over to the dark side.
Stray observations
- Cid, to Omega: “You’re releasing too soon because of those weak noodle arms! Build up your strength.” And then Cid takes the crossbow and nails three bullseyes in rapid fire. Keep an eye on Cid, I’m telling you.
- Somebody help me out here: Tech says the Empire uses clones, therefore obtaining tactical droid programming is crucial to their totalitarian efforts, not to mention incredibly valuable. But the Separatists, who used droids to wage war, served Palpatine—or, rather, Sidious—during the Clone Wars, right? So wouldn’t the Emperor have access to their droids now that he’s consolidating his power? Also, who is using battle droids in combat against the Empire now that the wars are over?
- It’s like poetry, it rhymes: Tech piggybacks the Marauder on an Imperial freighter in order to infiltrate the decommissioning facility, just like Han Solo piggybacked on an Imperial Star Destroyer to escape the Empire in Empire Strikes Back. (“This old trick?” asks Wrecker.)
- Am I nuts, or did those police droids look a lot like Jabba’s supervisor droid EV-9D9 from Return of the Jedi?
- Rafa: “We need a diversion.” Trace: “We need a diversion.” Rafa: “Is there an echo in here?” Echo: “Yes.” Oof.
- Hooray for Omega, who had trouble aiming her new crossbow at the beginning of the episode and suddenly found her inner sharpshooter when the danger was at its most pitched. She was hurling laser arrows with strength and confidence, yes—but did this newfound proficiency come from her clone programming… or something else?
- R7 is Ahsoka’s astromech droid, or at least he… used… to… be? Last we saw of R7, he was a pile of scrap, having sacrificed himself in defense of his beloved Jedi friend in the Clone Wars S7 episode, “Victory and Death”.
- Well, what do you think, group? Who was Trace’s contact? Could it be Bail Organa? Rex? How did the Martez sisters come across R7? Anyone else get serious Toy Story 3 vibes from that smelting pit? Let’s spin some wheels in the comments section below.
48 Comments
The tactical droids are valuable to fight AGAINST the Empire, because they know clone tactics.That’s why the Empire is destroying them, and why Cid and the Martez’s contact want them.
Maybe the Revbellion wants to reprogram captured driods as an inexpensive and fast way to build up resources and manpower to fight the Empire?
If Tarkin has his way, the tactical droids will be useless. But he hasn’t risen to Grand Moff yet, so I dunno what to think right now.
Somebody help me out here: Tech says the Empire uses clones, therefore obtaining tactical droid programming is crucial to their totalitarian efforts, not to mention incredibly valuable. But the Separatists, who used droids to wage war, served Palpatine—or, rather, Sidious—during the Clone Wars, right? So wouldn’t the Emperor have access to their droids now that he’s consolidating his power? Also, who is using battle droids in combat against the Empire now that the wars are over?The data the tactical droids have is knowledge of how the Clones fight. I don’t think they want the droid to control their own battle droid army, but so they can study the Clone battle data so they can have an upper hand when they do strikes against the Empire, for as long as they continue to keep using the Clones before switching to recruitment Stormtroopers anyway. The droids stopped being connected to one central “server” or whatever after Phantom Menace, making the tactical droids the controlling “server” of each unit.
What if Tarkin secretly gave the Rebellion info about the tactical droid, so he can convince the Emperor/Imperial army that the clones are useless now.
Why not just make Clones the front line Bantha fodder and give them the shitty roles in battle?
Shouldn’t Palpatine have all the access to clone tactics already? Clones are way better soldiers than conscripts anyway. They’d kick conscripted stormtrooper asses. I know Tarking has his new special forces, but, whatever. The clones should age out pretty quickly.
I mean, sure! Just thinking about it makes my head hurt, though.
It continues amuse me how bad that Batch is at anything requiring subtlety. Also if they are insisting on bringing Omega with them on missions, can’t they give her something resembling armor?
For me, the Wrecker stuff doesn’t work because he’s the most shallow of the group, it’s almost his point, and his storyline mechanic is to hit his head against something. It doesn’t do anything to inform his character or motivations, it’s literally just a function of chance. At least with Crosshair it factored in to a personal struggle and it feels like there is some internal dynamics involved there.
I don’t mind Omeeeeega as a child character. She’s nowhere as anoying as Ahsoka when she deputed. Wrecker I don’t like so much. He is the most generic like cartoon character on a show that has generally treated it’s characters in pretty mature and nuanced ways. I’m talking about The CLone Wars. In my mind this is just an extension of that show. The sisters showing up this week reinforce that.
The other thing about Omeeega is that she was in trouble and didn’t act like a damsel in distress or child and screm, “HEEEEELP!!!!!” like she was totally without agency. She calmly and maturely radio’d that she was in need of help. Cool, calm and collected like.
I’m a little bit confused as I didn’t criticize Omega as a character at all?
Apologies. There have been general criticisms over all that I was just commenting on.
I have also wondered about Omega’s lack of armor in the field. That crossbow won’t be much use in a wild blaster fight.
Last Stand of the Wrecker.
Oh wait, different franchise!
Considering her attitude towards clones, I think it’s probably not Rex that Rafa is working with. Anyone know what Jimmy Smits has been up to lately?
Getting his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, son!
Oh, I didn’t know that. That’s awesome!
yesssss
He’s Jimmy F’in Smits. He’s up to whatever he wants. (Bluff City Law aside.)
This episode was ok, just like the last few. I hope it gets better like the other animated shows did.My thoughts about the Rebel contact cameo.:- I put nothing by Disney to continue cross-marketing their upcoming shows which to me is kind of a bummer and lazy.- Ahsoka was just introduced on The Mandalorian so it may be too soon. She has a relationship with those sisters though but I really think this is too obvious, but I do not put it past Disney to cross-market the spin-offs this way.- Or, it could be Wedge Antilles. Wasn’t he recruited by Ahsoka and took the name Fildum? But I’m not sure he’s familiar enough to less than die hard Star Wars fans. This is what I would like to see though.- Rex was mentioned previously so it could be him. Bail Organa or Mon Mothma are suitable, but,………..- It’s entirely possible that it will be Leia. That’s probably where my money is.- Or I suppose Cassian Andor. That seems like pretty appropriate corss-marketing.
This is taking place in 19 ABY. Leia is an infant. Cassian is a little kid. Wedge may not have been born yet.
My mistake. So ahsoka, Mon Mothma, or Bail Organa. I don’t beleive Rex is involved yet either seeing as we see him again get involved in Rebels.
In 19 ABY Leia would be 38.
Leia is a baby at this point, and Wedge isn’t much older.
The girl that played the leader of the Flag Smasher in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier? I posted her pic in a previous comment.
Which makes them both perfect agents. They’re the last two people the Empire would expect!
Ahsoka makes sense. Plus Ashley E still needs to earn a paycheck.
Haven’t watched it yet, but I’m massively looking forward to whatever wacky hijinx Omeeeega gets into this week. Perhaps a butterfly flaps past (space butterfly), and she absentmindedly chases it into a den of grizzled killers, immediately after having been told to stay put. A formula that never gets old!
Omeeega.
One of us is confused about which one is Trace and which is Rafa.
Rafa and trace’s names are mixed up (rafa is the older sister). As for who was the contact, it looked like they could have been wearing jedi robes. Possibly obi wan? Also wouldn’t put it past sol guerera or bail organa though
Didn’t the Martez sisters say that “he” would be interested in the intel? I’m guessing their contact is Bail Organa. Jimmy Smits always seems eager to reprise the role in any media. Plus, as one of the core founders of the rebellion, it would make sense for him to be contacted directly this early on in the struggle.
Bail Organa has the crossover energy of Nick Fury, but is unfortunately saddled with the personality and character arc of, well, Bail Organa.
On another note, I was kind of hoping the Queen Snake lady or whomever held Han and Qi’Ra as teens would have made an appearance. It was nighttime, too! Oh well. I’m guessing kidnapping kids and using them as criminals is like two full-time jobs.
The Martez Sisters were universally reviled from their awful episodes in the final season of Clone Wars, so it felt like a real chore to have to sit through their nonsense in this episode.
I was simultaneously surprised and unsurprised that they showed up.
Almost universally reviled. I quite liked them.
I get why the producers of the show and Disney don’t want Omega to just use a normal blaster but what exactly is the in-universe explanation for her to decide (and be encouraged by the other members of the team) to use an akward and unconventional weapon like an energy bow? (Which the show acknowledges that it requires significant upper body strength to use properly)
It is a cool toy (for her as a character, not just her action fiigure), the Batch are all about giving members individuality.
Are all weapons types now avaliable in energy form? Lightsaber technology? Laser arrows.I beleive in most explanations that blaster fire is actually relatively solid and made from tibanna gas. It’s not laser technology which means a bolt should not have bounced off of Phasma’s armer in TLJ.
My best (and possibly the simplest) explanation is they didn’t wanna have a small child running around with a gun. But evidently they still wanna have her shoot people, so…
Who was Trace’s contact? Could it be Bail Organa? Rex? I was thinking Mon Mothma, personally.
That’s a good call.
They said “him”.
I’d laugh if it were Maul. The Martez Sisters can’t do anything right.
I really like the idea of Rafa and Trace being key secondary characters in The Bad Batch making their arc in The Clone Wars even more important and more of a set-up for the spin-off.
I keep watching, but so far BB has been a disappointment. From the storyline, there isn’t one, which you point out is the result of the need to fill out episode numbers. That seems lame, there aren’t that many episodes that they should have an excuse for filler. The writers ought to be able to write thrilling stories whether they are one offs or work in the service of the over all arch… So far there is there is no specific season arch, so all the stories should be well written adventures until they figure out a goal for themselves. I also agree to your point about Tech, Echo, and Wrecker mostly being background. The team has got to be a family, not just a team, for us to gain an emotional connection. They have chosen to stick together, but they don’t really interact with each other, no conversations, no depth. Other than Omega, they have all been together for their entire lives, their experiences have all been shared so they don’t have anything to reveal to each other, but there has to be something for these people to do. Usually a show is about a group of people figuring out how to live, survive, work together, but that is all the Bad Batch has ever done, so there is no conflict within the team, which is damn boring. They know about the chips, yet don’t make it a priority to get them out of their heads? They haven’t given a second thought to even attempting to rescuing Crosshair, which, damn what happened to leaving no one behind? Either in a military team, or a family, that is sort of the essence of the value of being part of the collective. This show needs to figure out what it wants to be doing, which they should have done before making the show, other wise it is just a collection of vignettes to connect everything to everything else. It’s that thing that is starting to wear thin, a universe spanning saga that somehow manages to revolve around a minuscule group of people. Every episode has gone out of it’s way to included characters and Easter eggs to connect itself to other SW productions, but the story in Bad Batch is just treading water. It isn’t going anywhere, and people are going to start noticing.
Its far enough in the season that the kinks in the battle armor are definitely starting to show.