“Star Wars: The Bad Batch ‘’ released the first three episodes of its third and final season on Disney+ recently, but unless you’re a mega-fan, you likely haven’t heard about it. It’s not the most well-known Star Wars property; it’s not even the most (or second most) well-known Star Wars animated series. But despite this and its questionable quality at times, the show retains a dedicated fan base.
To me, “The Bad Batch” is something like a younger sibling. It can be annoying, strange and even a little fun to mock, but you love it nonetheless. I can’t pretend I don’t enjoy ridiculing “The Bad Batch,” but the second anyone joins in, I feel myself shift onto the defensive. “It’s a really good show,” I’ll say. “Well…it’s not a good show, but it’s a great show. You know what I mean?”
But it isn’t just the show’s quality that is difficult to express. The plot is equally troublesome to summarize; the typical attempt starts with something like “A group of genetically divergent clones…” which seems to be an oxymoron. Before diving into the show itself, I’ll attempt a summary from a wider angle for the benefit of anyone unfamiliar or needing a refresher. Be warned of spoilers ahead.
In 2002, “Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones” was released. This film saw Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) discovering that an army was being built entirely out of genetic clones of a bounty hunter named Jango Fett (Temuera Morrison.) The movie ends with the implication of this army and the start of what will become the Clone Wars.
The next live-action film, “Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith” (2005), takes place three years after the start of the Clone Wars. While the clones have fought on the side of the Jedi throughout the war, a complicated series of betrayals reveal that the clones have a computer chip in their brain, which, when activated, turns them into mindlessly obedient soldiers. With one simple order, the clones turn on the Jedi, killing most of them.
Created by USC alum George Lucas but more frequently associated with supervising director Dave Filoni, “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” is an animated series set in the three-year gap between episodes II and III. The show, which ran for seven seasons, tells the stories of previously well-known characters such as Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, as well as introduces dozens of now beloved original characters such as Ashoka Tano, Rex and Cad Bane. Among the characters introduced in “The Clone Wars” are four clone soldiers who had been genetically modified to operate as a special task force. Nicknamed Hunter, Wrecker, Tech and Crosshair, the four clones make up Clone Force 99, also known as the Bad Batch. After appearing for a couple of episodes, the Bad Batch leaves “The Clone Wars” with a new member, a cyborg clone called Echo.
“Star Wars: The Bad Batch” picks up where “The Clone Wars” and “Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith” left off, with the execution of the Jedi and the end of the Clone Wars. The Bad Batch, immune to mind-control because of their genetic mutations, refuses to kill the Jedi and find themselves on the run, as well as being responsible for the care of a mysterious young girl, Omega.
So, the concept of “The Bad Batch” can be complicated. Even Rotten Tomatoes ‘Critics Consensus’ says the show “may be too lore heavy for casual viewers.” It’s undeniably niche content, a spin-off of a spin-off of a spin-off. It’s a “Star Wars” show for “Star Wars” fans, and even among “Star Wars” fans, it is often unknown or at least unseen.
Despite this, the promotion of the show has been decently mainstream. As of this writing, the official “Star Wars” Instagram account bio reads “The final season of Star Wars: #TheBadBatch starts streaming February 21, with a three-episode premiere, only on @DisneyPlus.”
In addition, the account has posted several trailers, countdown posts and even a dramatic poster boasting the words “THE FINAL SEASON,” which feels excessive for a show that has only had two previous seasons. Additionally, a link in the bio takes readers to an article written by Brandon Wainerdi, summarizing the events of the last two seasons of “The Bad Batch.”
While Disney marketing their newest show shouldn’t be a surprise, on some level, it is. Their main intention doesn’t seem to be informing fans that a new season is arriving but instead to gain new viewers. It could even be seen as cause to wonder if Disney believes “The Bad Batch” could be the next “The Mandalorian.”
“The Mandalorian” took a niche slice of a complicated universe and went mainstream, doing huge business for Disney, and the show has similarities to “The Bad Batch.” Both exist within complex lore, but both focus on a simple and well-known plot structure: an emotionally stunted adult man is forced to care for a young child who teaches him how to express love.
In this precise way, Star Wars has already tried to recreate the success of “The Mandalorian” with “Obi-Wan Kenobi” (which saw a depressed Obi-Wan entrusted with the care of a young Princess Leia) in 2022 to only limited success.
If this is Disney’s intent, I predict the results of limited success will continue. The mainstream consumer audience has shown time and time again that they can be welcoming to genre content, but they have to be coaxed into it, and it has to be both spectacular and digestible. Many superhero movies had been made before “Iron Man” (2008), but none were good enough or classically structured enough to outweigh their (then) outsider nature. While enjoyable to those who exist within its niche, “The Bad Batch” is neither spectacular nor digestible.
Both in concept and theme, the show has a solid foundation, and it asks an interesting philosophical question: if you were created for the sole purpose of being a soldier, what happens if you don’t follow orders and, perhaps more interestingly, what do you do when the war is done?
The show’s structure works well, with both seasons settling into a problem-of-the-week format and ramping up during the final few episodes.
Its characters are also strong. The members of the Bad Batch are complex and interesting. They are united only by virtue of being different, leading to many personality clashes, yet they care for each other deeply. The relationships between the members of the Bad Batch are undeniably the heart of the show. Yet, this is where the show often stumbles.
Rather than play into the ‘found family’ trope already present in the show, “The Bad Batch” focuses on the relationship between team leader Hunter and young girl Omega. As said before, this troupe is tried and true, but something doesn’t quite click in “The Bad Batch.” Hunter, while an adult man with face tattoos, is not in any way emotionally stunted. Hunter’s care for his crew is open and intense. He is willing to do anything to keep his family safe and repeatedly puts aside his desires for theirs. There isn’t much for a vulnerable young girl to teach him.
Additionally, the show relies heavily on a repeated plotline. Omega gets lost or kidnapped. The Bad Batch must then find or rescue her. This storyline has happened at least three times in previous seasons, which might not have been too excessive had the season three trailer not revealed that the season’s primary plot will follow the Bad Batch on a quest to rescue a kidnapped Omega. It’s also a somewhat ironic plot to repeat since Hunter’s ‘power’ is supposedly his ability to track people down.
In terms of digestibility, there is also a lot of variation. The Bad Batch themselves, as well as their week-to-week missions, are simple enough to understand without excessive context. However, quite a few elements of the show don’t receive the necessary exposition to be enjoyed without prior knowledge.
One example I find entertaining is that Omega has a strong Kiwi accent. While this is (somewhat) explainable through more niche lore, it seems bizarre without context, as seemingly no one involved in raising Omega has a similar accent. More substantial, but perhaps less amusing, examples of lacking exposition exist throughout the show.
Another place that “The Bad Batch” lacks mainstream potential is in its cameo appearances. With “The Mandalorian,” though viewers found themselves deeper in lore than they might have previously enjoyed, they were constantly reminded by the show that they were never too far from the familiar. The iconic visual appearance of Grogu, even nicknamed ‘Baby Yoda’ by the internet, and cameos of characters like Luke Skywalker reassured the audience that they were ‘knowledgeable enough’ to participate.
“The Bad Batch,” conversely, contains very few characters from any live-action media and prefers to reference characters from other popular animated series, such as Hera Syndulla and Kanan Jarrus from “Star Wars: Rebels” (2014).
So, if Disney hopes that “The Bad Batch” will go mainstream, it is improbable that they will get their wish. However, my hope is that the promotion of the show’s third season reflects a different intention entirely: a recognition of the value of niche content.
All of the elements that make “The Bad Batch” a poor candidate for a shift into the mainstream are the same elements that make it so beloved among viewers. Its lack of exposition, deep cuts, and even its loveable bizarreness make it precisely what it was always supposed to be: a Star Wars show for Star Wars fans. “The Bad Batch’s” viewers may not be as numerous as those of a mainstream show but they are loyal viewers who really care about the content.
And while it’s always nice to see people fall in love with Star Wars, “The Bad Batch” isn’t first-date material. Still, if it sounds interesting, I encourage people to check it out; you might find yourself in a new niche.