Review: Star Wars: The Bad Batch “The Cavalry Has Arrived”

OVERVIEW (SPOILERS)

Through working together, The Bad Batch are able to rescue Omega, the test subject kids, and Emerie. Nala Se is shot by Rampart but uses an explosive to kill him and destroy all data on Project Necromancer, while Hemlock is killed by Crosshair when he tries to take Omega hostage. Tarkin and his forces arrive soon after the Clones escape and redirects all remaining funding towards Project Stardust, the plan that will eventually construct the Death Star. Emerie joins Echo to work with Rex to help rescue more Clones, while the rest of the Clones, including Hunter, Wrecker, Crosshair, and Omega, resettle on Pabu. Many years later, an older Omega says goodbye to an aged Hunter as she goes to join the Rebellion.

OUR TAKE

Well. That show sure did occur. Not to undercut all of the total emotional meltdowns on Twitter full of people who were a LOT more invested in this series than I was, but I basically came out the other side of this finale just with a feeling of “yep, that happened”. Essentially, as expected, the story ended with all the good clones escaping and surviving, Hemlock and Rampart both dying fittingly brutal deaths, everything with the Clones being wiped away, and everyone kinda just carrying on to get ready for the events of Rogue One and A New Hope in the next twenty or so years. This whole show really was, ultimately, a story about seeing the last gasps of relevancy regarding all the Clone Wars stuff as things transitioned into the age of the Empire and the Rebellion that would rise to face them and ultimately defeat them. And we already had another, longer, and frankly better show about all of the latter stuff called Star Wars: Rebels, as well as an EVEN BETTER show called Andor. And an okay show called Obi-Wan. Basically what I’m saying, as I’ve said before, is that the period between 22 BBY and 0 BBY is pretty well trodden ground, and after Andor finishes next year, I think it would really benefit this franchise to take an extended break from that era.

But you know what? I did find myself satisfied with how this show concluded, in the end. I never really grew to care about Rampart or Hemlock enough to be that satisfied with how they died, but I was glad to see that Omega and her brothers were able to survive and finally obtain peaceful lives away from conflict, at least for awhile. Again, I’m not exactly disappointed that no one else from the Bad Batch died, but I also was never convinced there was a possibility that any of them WOULD die, which already hurt the tension when I knew nothing else about this show’s events would end up mattering in the long term. But they did earn their happy ending, which I was happy to see. A shame then that Echo and Hunter got to have send-off scenes but Wrecker and Crosshair didn’t, especially in the case of Crosshair given he is decidedly the one out of the entire Batch who had the most character development. As for where Omega might show up, I’m sure they’ll work her into some future project, since Star Wars has a habit of bringing back characters from old shows to guest star in current ones, but this is still a fine ending to her story. My nerd brain is still kinda left wondering what year in the timeline that last scene takes place, though. But we’re still only 99% done covering this show, so see you next time for the season, and kind of series, review.