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The greatest clone of them all finally shows up on Star Wars: The Bad Batch
It took seven episodes, but Star Wars: The Bad Batch finally brought in the big gun. A huge storyline concluded (hopefully) in the latest episode thanks to the appearance, and there were some fun connections to other Star Wars canon along the way. It’s anyone’s guess where the series goes from here, but before we even contemplate that we’ve got business. Those boxes of Mantell Mix aren’t going to pay for themselves.
***WARNING: From this point on, there will be spoilers for Episode 7 of Star Wars: The Bad Batch. If you haven’t watched yet, what are you doing? You don’t want this, get outta here Dewey.***
Captain on deck! This week we welcomed back the greatest clone in all of Star Wars, and no, that is not a debate. Clone Captain Rex (Dee Bradley Baker, every clone is Dee Bradley Baker) hits the scene in the episode titled “Battle Scars.” He shows up in Cid’s den and reveals that he was on the other end of the holo the Martez sisters sent out last week. There's that mystery solved, thanks, Columbo!
It’s good to have our main man back, but it’s even better that he showed up when he did, because the epic saga of Wrecker’s headache is peaking and Rex sees it happen. He’s interested in Omega (Michelle Ang), who can immediately tell that he is a “generation one” clone, but that interest is gonna have to wait.
Wrecker’s headache flares up after he has what is now a post-mission celebration with Omega (eating something called Mantell Mix) and their bond is stronger than ever. Everyone is used to the headaches at this point, and Tech points out to Rex that there’s no problem, the chips didn’t affect them.
That doesn’t matter to Rex. He is stunned that they haven’t had their chips removed, saying, “Those chips make you a threat to everyone around you. Even her. You’re all ticking time bombs.”
He would know, we saw in the final arc of Star Wars: The Clone Wars what happened to him when his chip triggered. It was thanks to Ahsoka Tano and the sacrifice of Fives that he was saved, and Rex is going to pay that forward. The chips have to be taken out of the Batch.
Where does one go to do that? Rex had his chip taken out on a Republic cruiser (as we saw), so they head to the scrapper planet Bracca to find one of those cruisers downed in the junk. We saw this planet at the start of the game Star Wars: Jedi: Fallen Order, and it also appeared in the book Star Wars: Resistance Reborn.
If those connections aren’t enough fun, there’s a dianoga at play in the waters here. Fans of Star Wars: A New Hope (we’re assuming that you’re one of those, it's a good motion picture) will remember this big silly tentacle monster from the famous trash compactor scene.
Once the team hits the downed ship’s med bay, Tech starts to scan for Wrecker’s chip… but then it activates, because of course it does. Wrecker is fully triggered, he says that they are all in violation of Order 66, and he adds, “All clones in violation of Order 66 shall be terminated.”
A triggered and unhinged Wrecker is a frightening sight. The Batch tries to subdue him using stun settings, but soon enough it’s down to Wrecker chasing Omega. Her favorite snacking friend is gone, but she keeps trying to get through to him anyway. The programming is too strong for their bond.
Thankfully, Rex stuns Wrecker from behind and they manage to get his chip out. Omega refuses to leave his side, and after the rest of the Batch gets the same procedure (good idea, very good), he apologizes to her. She knows full well it wasn’t his fault, but he’s heartbroken nonetheless.
What’s left to do? Celebrate the mission with a handful of Mantell Mix. Friendz 4 lyfe!
Hunter and Rex have a farewell, and Hunter says they are there for him should he have need. Rex, listed as dead by the Empire, is possibly off to go and attempt this procedure on other clones — we know from Star Wars Rebels that he successfully does this with at least two of them.
In terms of the Batch, everything is great and nothing hurts. Yay for friends! Yay also for the scrapper who gets eyes on them and informs the Empire that clones are on a Jedi Cruiser on Bracca.
Yeah, there’s obviously one big storyline that this episode doesn’t address, and it is the biggest battle scar of them all. Crosshair, the lost member of the Batch, is still out there. He’s triggered, he has no control, and the Batch has not forgotten him. A Crosshair rematch is definitely coming, but now the Batch is armed with a lot more knowledge about inhibitor chips. They may be able to save him. They’ll certainly try.
That’s it, that’s the only other storyline going on here. We didn’t miss anything! Aside from, um, who exactly Omega is, why the Kaminoans want her back, the whole clone vs. conscript debate, more bounty hunters likely showing up, etc. At least we've confirmed that the Gonk droid is indeed named "Gonky." Thank you, subtitles.
There’s a ton of stuff left to address, but Rex returned (for one episode) and the twenty-act opera of Wrecker’s headache has ended. Success! Pass the Mantell Mix. We missed Rex more than a grounded bird misses the sky.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch streams new episodes on Disney+ every Friday.
