The Bad Batch final has arrived and it was a fitting end to season one. Kamino received its proper goodbye after being destroyed by the Empire as the Batch try to escape the halls.
There is lots of tension to be found in this episode. The opening picks up right where the last one left off, with Imperial Venators continuing their bombardment of the city. The clone that comes to tell Rampart about the destruction of the city was saddening, he struggled to get the words out to say the city was gone. He realised his home was gone, showing the clones are not mindless drones like the Empire thinks.
Hunter, Omega, AZ, Tech, Wrecker, Echo and Crosshair find themselves trapped in the sinking city. Crosshair and Omega find themselves in a room rapidly filling with water. Omega makes the choice to save Crosshair, even though that puts her at considerable risk. Crosshair returns the favour at the end of the episode, which was great to see. He at least accepts the bond Omega has with the rest of the group, which is development from the last episode.
Him and Omega also share a scene harkening back to the first episode. There is a change where Omega accepts that it is his choice he is staying with the Empire, and not because of the inhibitor chip. This is a clear example of an excellent character development scene.
Crosshair staying with the Empire is a great choice. It is bold, which is something that is refreshing to see in the series. Hopefully this will continue within the next season.
The ending scene had a somewhat ominous feel to it. We catch up with the Kaminoan Chief Scientist arriving on the facility that was shown in Episode 14. For the Chief Scientist, this must have been terrifying. The planet’s ecosystem is completely different to that of Kamino, and she is there against her will. Her Prime Minister is dead on the wishes of the Empire.
The Clone Commandos waiting outside are a sign that the clones are no longer under her control. Finally, the cloning scientist greeting her had a visible Kaminoan patch, a neat call back to Dr Pershing. But it is a sign that the cloning operations are out of the Kaminoans’ control.
The season overall was a good watch as a Star Wars fan. The parts with the Empire were much stronger and more intriguing than the bounty hunter centric episodes. There were some filler episodes and the season started directionless, however that direction grew throughout.
Hunter, Omega and Crosshair had good characters that came at the expense of Echo and Tech. Hopefully they get more character time next season. Rampart made for a good villain, being shown as the new Imperial Admiral with a hatred for clones. The cameos from other media did not feel forced or overbearing, and were used effectively on screen.
Dave Filoni has done a great job this season. Dee Bradley Baker has of course been excellent voicing the Bad Batch and the clones across the season. The animation and music of the show constantly impressed too.
This finale and the episodes leading up to it have made me extremely excited for season two.
The Bad Batch is available to stream on Disney+
By Kieran Burt
Feature image: Disney