Jack Francis breaks down the finale of Star Wars: The Bad Batch.
Warning: contains spoilers for The Bad Batch.
Star Wars animation is a proud and popular component of the wider brand.
Shows like The Clone Wars and Rebels introduced us to unforgettable characters, delivered powerful stories, and built out the world we know and love.
Other shows like Resistance occupy their own corner of the galaxy, with a more colourful palette and stories aimed more overtly for children.
There were lofty expectations for The Bad Batch when it was first announced, and the first two seasons more than exceeded those expectations.
So when it was announced that the third season would be our final hours with Clone Force 99, there was bound to be some trepidation as to whether the ending would do the show (and our clones) justice.
Luckily, those fears were swiftly allayed thanks to the outstanding final episode – The Cavalry Has Arrived.
Before we tackle the closing story and character beats that elevated The Bad Batch to the upper echelons of Star Wars animation, it’s important to focus on two of the more unsung moments of the show at large.
The Bad Batch is an achingly beautiful show, with the trademark block-animation style of The Clone Wars refined to perfection.
There’s a real sense of emotion in each and every character, in part due to the performances of Dee Bradley Baker and Michelle Ang, of course, but in part because the animation has levelled up to such a degree.
The same goes for the worlds our clones inhabit, interact with and adventure through.
Whether it’s Tantiss, Pabu or Bracca – there’s a level of detail that is hard to ignore. Along with the visuals, Kiner Music delivered once more with a score to die for, weaving rousing set-piece music with poignant character themes, seamlessly understanding what each moment called for.
The Kiners have a proud history in Star Wars music, and that legacy continued in The Bad Batch.
On the characters, though, and the wider narrative The Bad Batch was telling, head writer Jennifer Corbett told exactly the story that Clone Force 99 deserved. In the bigger picture, The Bad Batch gave more context to Project Necromancer than we’ve had as of yet in the canon.
The Imperial contingency plan to, in essence, resurrect Emperor Palpatine has been fleshed out in the wider world of Star Wars books, but the TV shows of Disney Plus have helped to provide some more context as to “how” Palpatine returned. But Project Necromancer was never the main thrust of the series.
Instead, the main thrust of The Bad Batch has always been the clones themselves, their individuality, the bonds of family they share, and their desire for a peaceful existence together.
The show’s first ending encapsulates that beautifully, with Hunter, Wrecker, Crosshair and Omega (and Batcher, naturally) finally getting the chance to build a life for themselves on Pabu. There’s an emotional resonance to it, with all of them, aside from Omega, being bred for nothing but war.
Soldiers created for one purpose, to be used up and discarded once the war is over. To fight for that lasting life of peace is a beautiful one, and a fitting reward for Clone Force 99.
It’s the second ending, though, after a delicate fade to black on the family at peace, that strikes the biggest chord of all.
The show cuts to years later and a grown-up Omega on Pabu. A lantern illuminates a grizzled Hunter, and he and Omega share another tender moment in their brother-sister/father-daughter relationship, before Omega leaves to join the Rebellion against the Empire.
Omega continues to fight, even after The Bad Batch have found their life of peace, but the important distinction that she herself is making that choice makes all the difference.
We can all find ourselves in positions we’ve been thrust into, but making a choice to fight tyranny in the way Omega does to close the show is a central tenet of any good fantasy storytelling.
So much of a show’s journey can be negated by an ending that doesn’t do the series justice. That simply cannot be said for The Bad Batch.
There was no unnecessary death for Echo, Wrecker, Crosshair or Hunter to get a cheap emotional pop. There was no “Tech is alive” swerve, negating his sacrifice from season 2. There was just a clean arc tying up each strand in the show’s narrative.
Beyond Tales of the Empire, there’s no word yet on what is next for Star Wars animation, but following on from The Bad Batch will be no easy feat.
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Star Wars: The Bad Batch is available to stream on Disney Plus. Sign up to Disney Plus for £7.99 a month or £79.90 for a year.
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