Our favorite defective (and effective) Clones are delivering a final season that is more epic than ever. Bad Batch Season 3 has everything fans could want– higher stakes, incredible animation, rich storytelling, and plenty of callbacks to the galaxy far, far, away.
Bad Batch Season 3 Review
Season 3 of The Bad Batch picks up soon after the events of Season 2, with Omega (Michelle Ang) going through the paces of day-to-day life inside the facility on Tantiss. She is summoned for chores each day by Dr. Emerie Karr (Keisha Castle-Hughes) while Dr. Hemlock (Jimmi Simpson) continues his sinister experiments. Crosshair (Dee Bradley Baker) is kept away from Omega, forced to endure brutal treatment at the hands of the Empire. Meanwhile, Hunter and Wrecker (Baker) are desperately searching for clues as to where Omega has been taken. While the Clones try to find a way to reunite, Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) forges ahead with plans that will change the galaxy forever.
The Bad Batch has only kept getting better since its debut and the final season is no exception. The stakes are high, the animation continues to impress, and the storytelling is rich. It's a bit bittersweet when you think about it. I've adored this group ever since their introduction but their legacy reaches back farther than season 1. The Bad Batch is a spinoff of The Clone Wars, so this ending is not only theirs but also the end of a story that began 15 years ago. Despite that, the show doesn't get bogged down with nostalgia or fan service. Rather it maintains what has always made it special– standalone adventures of a found family of Clones that can be enjoyed with or without knowledge of The Clone Wars. Sure it contains ties to the greater galaxy, like the impossible return of Palpatine, but it does so in a way that feels natural in terms of story progression.
From the start, it is easy to sense there is a difference here than in previous seasons. A more somber tone hangs over the Clones as they must deal with the brutal loss of one of their own (we miss you Tech) and the fact they find themselves separated, another family torn apart by the Empire. The audience can feel their sadness but also their determination that no matter how dire everything seems, this is a family that sticks together. The mission is not over yet. Bad Batch has transitioned from a coming-of-age/life-transition story to one of survival in the face of insurmountable odds. On top of that, there is the big story lurking in the shadows– the lengths the Emperor is going to maintain a vice grip on the galaxy.
Much like how The Clone Wars helped fill in the gaps of the prequel trilogy, Bad Batch (and other Star Wars shows) are working to fill in gaps created in the sequel trilogy. The biggest being, how “somehow Palpatine returned.” Between learning that the First Order was after Grogu for experimentation and his Force abilities in The Mandalorian to now seeing where those experiments began, fans are learning just how far back old Palps was making moves to ensure he would never “die.” I won't spoil the big revelations here, but just know this devious old man was always 100 steps ahead of everyone.
There is a chance with all this cloning talk we will see the successful creation of Dathan (the clone Palpatine called his son and who would later become Rey's father) or even Grogu might make a cameo to further drive home the connection to the Mando-Verse. However, I would be perfectly content if neither of those happen, as this show, at its heart, has always been about the Clones and what happened to them all when the Empire discarded them.
The Bad Batch has boasted some great animation and fun stories, but its greatest strength has always been the cast. Fans became enamored with the Clones thanks to the incomparable performance by Baker. Going back 15 years, Baker has given the Clones their own personalities. He is the reason why Rex is a fan favorite and why seeing him and others like Wolffe pop up in Rebels was such a joy. Ang has equally cemented Omega's place in the hearts of the fandom with her performance. She has captured Omega's burgeoning personality from the childlike innocence when we first met her to the sheer tenacity and love for her family that drives her now. Simpson remains a sinister presence while McDiarmid amazes no matter how brief of an appearance he makes. There are also some other fun cameos and surprises that I won't spoil here, but each was exciting to see and hear.
After 15 years, the story of the Clones seems to be coming to an end. But unlike some other Star Wars finales, such as The Rise of Skywalker, Bad Batch isn't just rehashing the past and throwing out fan service like confetti at a parade. It's living in its own moment, telling its own story, one that honors the storytelling that came before and after without losing its narrative to them. The Bad Batch is going out with a bang– incredible animation, high stakes, and amazing performances by its beloved cast. I've only seen 8 episodes but if they are any indication, this final season is poised to be an epic ride of thrills and emotions. No matter how it ends, I for one am not ready to say goodbye to Clone Force 99.
The Bad Batch Season 3 Episodes 1-3 are now streaming on Disney+.
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