Hoorah! The Bad Batch, that group of ragtag clone commandos who first appeared in a four-part story arc in Season 7 of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, now have their very own animated series, and it’s an absolute blast. Under the steady and watchful eye of Clone Wars veteran Dave Filoni, this is yet another Star Wars spin-off that successfully captures the essence and character of the franchise. So much so that between this and The Mandalorian, we might actually forget that The Rise of Skywalker was something that happened.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars has had an interesting history. The first feature, which served as a backdoor pilot to the Cartoon Network series of the same name, which introduced the world to the now fan favourite Ahsoka Tano, was an animated dud. While the movie was a commercial success (making a whopping US$68.3 million worldwide against an US$8.5 million budget), it remains the worst reviewed of the franchise spin-offs. Critics panned the wooden animation and simplistic dialogue. They seemed tired of the dull, repetitive action. And they hated Ahsoka. Prequel fatigue was a real thing.
The cartoon series that followed, however, was another matter altogether. Those short, fun, kid-friendly episodes would do a tremendous amount of heavy lifting with regards to growing the franchise’s already sprawling mythology, reframing those much maligned prequels, and ultimately redeeming them for a new generation of fans.
The Bad Batch continues in that tradition.
Meet The Bad Batch
This series drops with a special feature length episode that takes place after the events of Revenge of the Sith. Palpatine, now self-proclaimed Emperor, has issued the insidious Order 66, directing his clone troopers to kill their commanding officers, and all but decimating the Jedi Order.
It is at this precise moment when we are reintroduced to our “bad batch” of clones – Hunter, Wrecker, Tech, Crosshair, and Echo – who find themselves at something of a crossroads. Their unique genetic makeup means that they don’t just blindly follow orders. Unlike your average Clone Trooper, these five outcasts have minds of their own. They have a conscience. Which means they are unable to just mindlessly murder their former Jedi allies.
It is this questioning of the status quo, of the legitimacy of this new Galactic Empire, that kickstarts our journey with these heroes as they find themselves forced to traverse an unfamiliar galaxy.
Send In the Clones
I was worried that the 70-minute opener to this series would feel long. It didn’t. Mostly because of its setting. This period during the dawn of the Galactic Empire hasn’t really been covered in any of the Star Wars movies or TV shows and it makes for some really engaging viewing. More so given that it’s being told from the point of view of these outsiders, rebels in their own right, who are also struggling to make sense of the rapidly changing world around them.
As with The Mandalorian, we are getting world building here that doesn’t feel like its just filling in the blanks. This is actually backstory that we didn’t know we needed.
Star Wars seems to work best when it strays from the same old same old. Case in point, Rogue One versus Solo. The former told a critical story with new and engaging characters, while the latter came off as an unnecessary retread. Most of us are ready to move on from the Skywalkers and the Solos. Their stories are already well established in canon and recent attempts at shoehorning them into the narrative has somewhat cheapened their legacy.
With The Bad Batch, as with Star Wars: Rebels and The Clone Wars, we’re getting a broader view of the Star Wars galaxy, with stories that feel fresh, and new characters that are consequential. And I don’t know about you, but that’s precisely what I’m looking for from the franchise.
Substance and Style
The Bad Batch maintains the visual style and language of the original series, creating a seamless continuity between that, this, and Rebels. Animation has come a long way in the 13 years since the launch of the original series, and while they’ve tried to keep look of this series in line with what has come before, you will definitely notice subtle improvements in every aspect of this production, from the direction, to the lighting, to the color, and the music. All of it adding a far more cinematic quality to the proceedings.
And then there is the insanely brilliant Dee Bradley who voices all of the clones, and manages to channel each and every one of them into a different character. The tone, timbre, and accent of the clones are immediately recognizable, but all of them have their own unique personality. It is a real tour de force of voice work and imbues this series with a real sense of artistry.
Noob Friendly
It doesn’t matter if you (or your kids) haven’t seen any of the previous animated series – Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars: Rebels, or Star Wars: Resistance – The Bad Batch serves as an incredibly easy access point into this world. Sure, there are plenty of name drops and Easter Eggs for longtime fans, but none of this is particularly prohibitive to first time viewers. Yes, you will undoubtedly have a far more enriching experience if you’ve seen all 133 episodes of The Clone Wars, but who the hell has that kind of time?
Because we’re dealing with relatively new characters who are caught up in unfamiliar circumstances, they are, in a way, capable audience surrogates for this story. These five clones are about as informed about this new state of affairs as we are and so every encounter is as new to them as it us to us. As always, there is some jargon to navigate, but this series is immersive enough that you’ll get lost in it all the same.
A Worthy Sequel
I’ve only seen the first two episodes but The Bad Batch already feels like a worthy addition to the canon. This is franchise building done right. One that focusses on character and story as opposed to just cheap fan service. One that comes from a place of deep understanding as to what Star Wars is all about – independence, identity, duty, and self-sacrifice, with some lightsaber action thrown in for good measure.
Heck, it’s made me want to go back and rewatch The Clone Wars from the very beginning. Alas, I don’t have that kind of time.
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