Star Wars: The Bad Batch review—The Empire Strikes Batch in “Reunion”

Clone Force 99 faces off against their fallen brother in the latest episode of Star Wars: The Bad Batch. Plus, another Clone Wars fan favorite returns.

After several weeks of average filler episodes, Star Wars: The Bad Batch finally feels like it’s found its footing. The eighth episode, “Reunion,” picks up immediately following the scrappers communicating with the Empire. Clone Force 99 must escape Bracca with weapons and explosives before the Empire and their former squadmate, Crosshair, finds them.

The long-awaited reunion between Crosshair and the Bad Batch is finally here! This episode did a phenomenal job of using Crosshair’s psychopathic and unpredictable nature to create and build tension. I was filled with so much anticipation while Clone Force 99 was sneaking around the Jedi cruiser.

I liked that each side knew how the other would react in a combat situation. Crosshair teases the Bad Batch and calls them predictable as they patch into thee communication system. But Clone Force 99 devises creative ways to escape. For example, when they get cornered, they fire a canon to collapse the platform they are standing on. Or they use charges to detach the engine cylinder when Crosshair traps them in an engine. I expect this type of creativity when it comes to the unconventional Bad Batch, so I loved these sequences.

Another highlight was how involved Omega was in the fighting. She seems to have become very adept with her energy bow as she was taking shots at troopers. She still has much to learn, though, as Wrecker has her defuse a thermal detonator earlier in the episode. He laughs at her when she fails to cut the correct wire and ducks to avoid the blast. It turns out he made her test her skills on a smoke detonator. It seems a bit insensitive to make fun of her as last week he tried to kill her. But Omega had good instincts to run from the blast, so points for her.

We also learn that the Kaminoans most likely hired Fennec Shand: a scene where the Prime Minister and Nala Se discuss their “contingency plan” pretty much confirms they hired Shand to retrieve Omega. They must be desperate; here, they call in legendary bounty hunter Cad Bane to capture the girl.

Bane’s appearance was shocking, and it pleased this Clone Wars fan. The Duros bounty hunter hasn’t been seen in quite some time, leaving fans to speculate that he was dead, missing, or retired. But now that he is back, the Bad Batch might have a run for their credits. The stand-off between Bane and Hunter was a fun homage to classic Westerns, and while I was hoping Hunter would win, Bane is too good. Hunter is shot and wounded, leaving Cad to stun and kidnap Omega.

As the Bad Batch escapes Bracca, we get an exciting first-person shot from Hunter’s perspective. This cliffhanger ending was very reminiscent of The Empire Strikes Back, as now the Bad Batch needs to develop a plan to rescue Omega. However, it also reminds me of Grogu’s kidnapping during season 2 of The Mandalorian. The set-up is similar, but hopefully, the outcome is different so that Filoni isn’t recycling storylines.

We’re now halfway through Star Wars: The Batch, and while it started slow with low impact episodes, it’s beginning to pick up!

The rest of the series may focus on Omega’s rescue and revelations about her purpose. Crosshair might get his inhibitor chip removed and reconcile with his brothers. At the end of this episode, he is injured. Hopefully that leads to him losing his chip, coming to his senses and opposing the Empire.

I am concerned that The Bad Batch is in danger of repeating other Star Wars show, but I’m still excited to see where the second half of the series is headed.

Grade: A-

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