Every time an episode of Star Wars: The Bad Batch lands, Fantha Tracks will be giving their responses, and here are our initial gut feelings, deep dives and thoughts on episodes six and seven of season three, ‘Infiltration’ and ‘Extraction’. Beware of spoilerific elements in here.
Mark Newbold
While the focus of the show would appear to be on the family of Clone Force 99, it’s the ever-present undercurrent of history that fuels The Bad Batch, especially in this third season. Our eyes always turn to Omega and her hopeful innocence – less childlike than before but still very much fuelled by the optimism of youth – and the kitchen sink drama of fueding brothers torn apart by choices made, but humming like overheads cables in the rain is the wider picture of an army created for war being eradicated and dissected for the future of not only the Galactic Empire but for the future of the Sith who rule it. It’s consistently fascinating and impossible to take your eyes off, and the double-header of Infiltration and Extraction only goes to show what a darn clever show The Bad Batch is.
We have it all in these episodes. A secretive meeting between a senator and a former member of the Separatist Council (Senators Riyo Chuchi and Avi Singh), now every bit as disillushioned as any former Republic loyalist (and a fascinating thought that the burgeoning Rebellion will grow in the years leading to A New Hope to fight against the ‘elected’ leadership of the galaxy, just as the Separatists railed against the Republic in the prequel era). A secretive arm of the Empire who send nameless clones out into the galaxy on hit jobs, this time with the intention of bringing in Omega alive (a clear display of the endless funds Doctor Hemlock now has at his disposal). The return of a familiar face in the form of Commander Wolffe, a moment near the end of Extraction that effectively highlights just how precarious the situation is for the clones be they free of the chip or obeying it, and also how the bonds of brotherhood between clones was likely baked in to make them effective fighting units, something that can’t simply be erased.
We also see the differeing styles of leadership displayed by Hunter and Rex. Hunter is far more micro in his goals. He wants to protect Omega and find a safe haven for his clone brothers, while the worldly-wise Rex (back on Teth, a world we first saw back in 2008 in The Clone Wars movie and a veteran of countless battlefronts) sees the bigger picture. They don’t clash, that’s still largely the zone where crosshair and everyone else find themselves, but their differing views on the galaxy is a handy tool to not only allow us to focus on our immediate friends, but the wider issues at hand.
The M-Count is brought up once again, and while it’s hard to believe they can’t figure out what that actually is, it helps motivate them to protect Omega even more (if they need it and they believe they can only get it through her, then she’s more important than ever). The question of Boba being Alpha and to her Omega does raise the question of why aren’t they also searching for the other young unaltered clone (or has he been tested offscreen and we simply haven’t seen that happen) but either way as we reach the halfway point of this final season, the stakes are higher than ever and while we can all hope for a happy ending for some if not all of Clone Force 99, the likelihood is we’re in for some tough times ahead.
Jen Sopchockchai
Rex’s team has captured a Clone X assassin who infiltrated a secret meeting between Senator Chuchi and Singh, but in the process, they discover that Omega is in danger. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Rex summons the Marauder crew to his spire base on Teth, the planet where The Clone Wars series began with its feature-length premiere in 2008. This is just one of many ways in which the political story of the clones overtakes the story of the specific group of clones that we know and love as the focal point of this series.
Our characters learn a lot in these two episodes: chiefly that Hemlock tried to make Crosshair a Clone X assassin and failed, and that Omega is on Hemlock’s target list. While there are character revelations a-plenty, the events of these two episodes primarily build towards one climactic reveal: Rex learning that the leader of the Imperial clone squad that has been chasing them in tandem with the Clone X assassin is in fact his old buddy Wolffe, a clone that has appeared in The Clone Wars series since the early days. As someone who loves The Clone Wars animated series, I get excited every time a familiar face pops up and The Bad Batch is no exception. As a critic, I get a little concerned that this is happening in the final season of a series called The Bad Batch and not The Clone Wars: Aftermath.
The second episode title, “Extraction,” more literally refers to Echo swooping in to rescue the gang from Teth, but it also refers to more conceptual extractions. Of information from Crosshair, and not from the captured Clone X assassin, and of the extraction of all clones, everywhere. That Rex, with the help of the Bad Batch will not stop until every clone has been extracted from the Empire’s clutches.
Rex tells Hunter that he can no longer play defense if he wants to protect Omega; he instead must go on the offensive and destroy Mt. Tantiss and Dr. Hemlock’s horrific, abusive experiments with it. Their story is now tied to the broader story of the clones and their status in the galaxy, and in a way that makes sense, so while dismantling Mt. Tantiss will in fact help Omega and get the Bad Batch one step closer to that idyllic happy ending, in which they can finally set up a homestead and know where they fit in the galaxy. (See Mando and Grogu rocking on their front porch.) I just hope the weight of that quest doesn’t get lost as the series tries to tell a grander story that closes the book on The Clone Wars, both as a series and a major historical event in the Star Wars timeline.
(This is condensed and edited – with permission – from Jen’s The Long Take review, which you can subscribe to here)
Ross Hollebon
“Good soldiers follow orders” becomes an even more complicated charge during Ep. 6 and 7 of The Bad Batch’s final season. Current orders from Dr. Hemlock and the Empire are to secure Omega, alive. Part of this includes the introduction of a division of clones trained on Tantiss as specialized operatives—initiated into a secret deep-cover program with their identities erased, run by Hemlock, but this pair of episodes is more about original clones having their minds opened to what is happening around them than the deadly Operatives or the specific Imperial mission at hand.
“Think about what you’re doing, Wolffe,” says Captain Rex to his old friend, not sporting Imperial armor. “I know you’ve been trained not to question orders, but open your eyes. You’re hunting a child. I know that’s not who you are. As your brother, I’m asking you to do the right thing.”
This is after Wolffe, upon seeing dead clones at the landing site, says, “These are clones. They’re not insurgents.” Nothing is as it seems to the original clones trying to find their way in this new political minefield, and it’s throughout both episodes we see their confusion.
Captain Howzer holds a giant grudge against Crosshair. The captured Operative works to sow distrust between Crosshair and the rebels/insurgent clones. The Operative sent to neutralize the captured Operative doesn’t hesitate to eliminate him. Commander Wolffe demands respect from the surviving Operative—but to no avail, as that individual continuously goes rogue and says his information is classified. After all of this, we get two moments of clarity from a pair of original clone leaders.
Howzer appears to believe Crosshair has changed and saves him from being drowned by the Operative. And then Wolffe allows Hunter and crew, including Omega, to leave the planet. Both are immense moments of soldiers not just following orders. The clones are recognizing what is happening to them and their brothers, some a little slower than others. But this is exactly what is needed by the burgeoning rebel groups to help gain a foothold against the Empire, especially as it is starting to be rumored that “The Emperor is concerned that planets and systems may unite and oppose him.”
Now we wait to learn if the Bad Batch and Rex can figure out why M-Count is important, how they can keep Omega safe, and if there is a chance to save the remaining clones on Tantiss Base. And, oh yeah, how do Rex, Wolffe, and Gregor end up “retiring” together on Seelos as seen during Star Wars Rebels?
Dan Lo
I thought I had unknowingly fallen asleep for a week, but was reassured by multiple reliable sources that Infiltration and Extraction, the 6th and 7th episodes of The Bad Batch season three, did indeed drop on the same day. I can see why they did, because the two episodes more or less blended together.
I experienced quite a bit of sensory overload, and by that I’m referring to my fragmented recollection of previous events leading up to the latest pair of episodes. I recognized Avi Singh and Riyo Chuchi, but I couldn’t remember their previous roles within the story. I knew that wasn’t the first time we’ve seen a clone assassin although I also couldn’t recall how much we knew about them from before, if anything. I also blanked on Crosshair and Howzer having crossed paths before. Last but not least, I didn’t retain enough familiarity with Rex and Wollfe’s shared history to fully appreciate the scene where they parted ways. My mind first scrambled to remember if they both had chips in their heads but as a good friend pointed out, “what do the chips even mean after order 66?” That topic can be an entire article on its own.
One thing I do know is the story seems to have suddenly opened up way beyond the Bad Batch. Right after wondering to myself last week why Rex has been offscreen for so long, he’s suddenly back in the mix. Sure, Clone Force 99 still had plenty of screen time but the focus felt like it’s now mostly shifted to all clones in general. The Empire doesn’t know it yet at this point, but their grip on clones has started to loosen ever so slightly. The main hiccup? The clone assassins. They seem well and truly brainwashed at the moment.
Within the broader focus, Crosshair’s arc continued to take center stage. Omega has started taking after him, complete with toothpick in mouth. In turn, he’s also becoming a mentor of sorts to Omega, nearly to the point of nagging. And because his hand continues to channel Captain John Miller, he also isn’t the sniper he used to be and has had to adapt to a different set of tactics. Perhaps arguably the biggest change of all has been his newfound selflessness, drawing fire (not exactly a sniper’s primary role) to allow others to escape and taking on the lethal task of directly engaging the clone assassin.
I just randomly remembered that Rex and Wolffe were (will be?) friends again as old clone troopers in Star Wars Rebels, so the end of Extraction is now a bit less surprising. Thanks for bearing with me. Also, “M-Count” can’t possibly stand for anything else right?
Eric Onkenhout
Two episodes of The Bad Batch dropped this week, Episodes six and seven, Infiltration and Extraction. In Infiltration, Senators Riyo Chuchi and Avi Singh meet to discuss an alliance against the Empire. During the Clone Wars, they were on opposing sides, but a common enemy brought them together. A clone assassin tries to eliminate Senator Singh but is thwarted by Rex and his army. Through the assassin’s data puck, they learn that Omega is another target on his list.
In Extraction, Rex and the Bad Batch battle with Clone Assassin, CX-2 while trying to escape Teth. Commandeer Wolffe arrives to back up the assassin, but CX-s and Wolffe disagree on how to proceed. CX-2 does whatever is necessary to keep Omega from escaping, while Wolffe’s goal is to bring her in alive and unharmed. In the end, Rex confronts Wolffe about what it means to be a soldier for the Empire.
Episodes six and seven were intense as are most episodes of The Bad Batch. I loved how Chuchi and Singh were brought back to unite against the Empire. Senator Singh initially appeared in Season 1 Episode 10, Common Ground. It was great seeing Howzer again too. It can be tricky determining which clones are who, especially with their helmets off, which is my only drawback of these two episodes. In episodes like these, full of clones, it’s the personal moments that really stand out. For example, when Crosshair says he left the Empire because loyalty means something to him, but to the Empire he was just a number. Despite Crosshair’s demeanor, this shows he has strong ties to his squad. The way Rex was able to get Wolffe to let Omega go shows the bond between clones/brothers is stronger than anything else.
- Hardcover Book
- Gratton, Tessa (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 448 Pages - 06/11/2024 (Publication Date) - Random House Worlds (Publisher)
