Another Friday means another episode of Bad Batch is up and running.

Last week we saw the group still hiding out on Ord Mantell where they are told by Cid to infiltrate a Corellian decommissioning facility to retrieve a Separatist tactical droid from the Clone Wars. The droid holds valuable information which makes it an important asset to whoever gets their hands on it. The Bad Batch agrees to this “mutually beneficial arrangement” as they travel to Corellia to retrieve the droid. Their mission goes through multiple shifts and turns as it is revealed they’re not the only ones after the asset.

The majority of this episode plays out like a classic in and out operation, albeit with a few surprises and creative sequences are thrown in the mix. They also have this B-plot where Omega learns how to use a laser bow, while it is predictable on where it’s gonna go it still leads to a good payoff. Plus, it’s not often you see a kid wield a deadly weapon on an animated show.

When we get to the Corellian factory, things go sideways as it is revealed that the Martez sisters, Rafa and Trace are also after the tactical droid for what appears to be Rebel connections. For those who don’t know, the Martez sisters first appeared last year during the final season of “Star Wars: The Clone Wars.” People have mixed opinions towards this as while there are those like me who aren’t bothered by these characters and don’t mind their inclusion, there are those who complain about their sudden appearance as they don’t like their personalities or were expecting an A-class character. This doesn’t surprise me as this isn’t the first time that Star Wars fans were divided over certain characters. We’ve seen this happen with the Ewoks, Jar Jar Binks, even characters like Ahsoka Tano threw some people off when they first appeared. For me, so long as they’re used in a way that adds to the plot or pushes the story forward, then I don’t mind.

It is in the middle of the episode that we have a three way battle between the Bad Batch, Martez sisters, and factory security. The factory location was a different change of pace for sure. While we’re familiar with sequences like this in “Attack of the Clones,” they give this place a more steampunk feel to it with its rustic mechanics and incomplete droid models. The sequences here play out as you would expect, although there are a few elements that heighten the tension. The most notable being how Wrecker starts having headaches and repeating the lines, “Good soldiers follow orders,” a clear sign that his inhibitor chip is starting to act up, almost causing him to turn on his team. I was worried they might play the traitor card too early as this isn’t the episode I want it to play out in. Thankfully, they don’t and still leave it open ended for a future episode. It does create suspense, especially since this scene happens outside of the other characters’ view, they’re unaware of Wrecker’s condition. 

The whole factory sequence is resolved when they use the tactical droid to turn the dismantled droids against the factory security. It does involve a funny moment where Echo’s name is punned in a conversation, and ends with the Bad Batch giving the tactical droid information to the Martez sisters for the Rebel’s cause. This choice really shows how the group is having second thoughts about their lives as mercenaries, and are willing to make decisions that will ultimately help the Rebellion in the long run. 

The episode ends on a tease with the Martez sisters communicating with an unknown contact about their run-in with the Bad Batch. We don’t see who the person is or what their voice sounds like, so it’s safe to assume that it’s something we’ll find out in the future.

While the episode wasn’t as entertaining as the one from last week, it still creates intrigue with the variety of characters that pop up or will make an appearance.

Rating: 5 / 5 Spinnaker Sails.

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