Star
Wars: The Bad Batch series finale is
an entertaining and satisfying conclusion of the journey for Clone Force 99 –
the “bad” batch clones that have enhanced capabilities compared to regular
clone soldiers. They rescue Omega (the delightful Michelle Ang),
their clone sister, from the cloning facility on Kamino at the start of the
series, and she has been part of the team – Hunter, Crosshair, Wrecker, Tech,
and Echo (all played by super talented voice actor Dee Bradley
Baker) ever since.
TBB provides a vital connection from the end of Star
Wars: Revenge of the Sith to right before Star Wars: A New Hope, and
in doing so it deftly tells the tale of what happened immediately after Emperor
Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid)
issues Order 66, turning all the clone soldiers against the Jedi. We knew what
happened in the film, but in this series, we get to see the often-cruel methods
used to get rid of the clones in favor of human stormtrooper conscripts.
Disgruntled with the Force
There are people out there who – perhaps not true Star
Wars fans – who complain about the Jedi and the Force. They argue that a
series like the very fine Disney + show Andor proves that a Star Wars
show could be about something that has nothing to do with the Jedi, the Sith,
and anything remotely involving lightsabers. The problem is that Andor –
like everything else in the Star Wars universe – is inextricably about the Force. Cassian
is in prison and working on units that are part of the Death Star, Palpatine’s
ultimate weapon that will eventually be destroyed by Luke Skywalker (Mark
Hamill) using the Force.
Whether we like it or not the Force – “the energy
field that binds the galaxy together” as Obi- Wan (Alec Guinness) tells Luke in
ANH – hangs over season three like an invisible anvil. The Project Necromancer
program that Palpatine has initiated – led by Dr. Hemlock (played with
insidious glee by (Jimmi Simpson)
– is about finding clones who have high M-counts. M-counts are the
midi-chlorians in someone’s blood, like the ones that Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) found in a young
Anakin Skywalker’s (Jake
Lloyd) blood in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. This is why he takes
Anakin to the Jedi Council because he wants to begin his Jedi training.
Clones and Midi-chlorians
For the first two seasons we have seen the Empire’s
grip tighten as it destroys the Republic, and Palpatine’s followers will do
dastardly things to gain his favor. Hemlock ruthlessly pursues Necromancer,
using decommissioned clone soldiers as guinea pigs – including a captured Crosshair.
He is also trying to turn some of the clones into super soldiers to do the
emperor’s bidding.
At the end of season two, Omega is captured and taken
to the secret testing facility on Mount Tantiss. Nala Se (Gwendoline Yeo), the last
remaining Kaminoan scientist who helped engineer the clones, keeps destroying
Omega’s blood samples because she knows that her M-counts are high. Hemlock
suspects this is happening and puts Dr. Emerie Karr (Keisha
Castle-Hughes), who happens to also be a clone, in charge.
Karr quickly discovers Omega’s enhanced M-count.
Omega learns that Crosshair is being kept prisoner on
Tantiss and eventually they escape. Hemlock wants his troops to destroy the
vessel they are escaping in, but Karr rushes to tell him about Omega’s M-count.
Knowing that Palpatine told him “Nothing is more important” than Necromancer,
Hemlock relents and sends troops to get Omega back.
Connecting the Dots
Necromancer is Palpatine’s attempt to find a way to
live forever. In this way TBB is linked to The Mandalorian where we see imperial
remnants led by Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Stanton) attempting to make clones that
will eventually lead us to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker where we discover
Palp’s plans are finally realized as he is resurrected through the cloning
process.
A Blast from the Past
In this season’s episode nine, Asajj Ventress (Nika Futterman)
appears on peaceful planet Pabu – viewers will remember her character from The
Clone Wars series as a frequent Jedi foe. While Asajj is not exactly a
Jedi, she has the Force and has come to assess Omega’s abilities. Clone Force
99 members recognize who she is and are leery, but Omega trusts her. They go
through a series of tests, and like all masters and padawans before them, there
is uneasiness. Asajj tells the Batch that Omega isn’t Jedi material, but
secretly realizes that she does have the high M-count.
Of course, the imperials find Omega and her brothers
on Pabu and begin to assault the town’s people. The clones are no match for the
overwhelming number of imperial troops. To avoid the deaths of more innocent people and her
brothers, Omega surrenders and allows herself to be taken back to the almost impregnable
facility. Hunter and the gang know what they must do, but how are they going to
break into the Tantiss and save Omega?
Beware – Spoilers Ahead!
Toward the end of the last episode, there is a
beautiful moment when the Clone Force 99 and Omega are safely back on Pabu.
They are sitting and staring at a sunset. Hunter basically decides that they
are retired because they have done enough fighting. The peaceful scene fades
out and all seems right with the world.
But wait – we have a time jump! A now adult Omega
comes to see an aging Hunter. It is disturbing to see Hunter as an older man
and Omega as a beautiful young woman because we are used to her being a child.
Omega has come to say goodbye to him because she is joining the rebel fight
against the empire as a pilot. She leaves on a hopeful note, and plenty of room
is left for more Omega stories as she is joining the fight right at the time
before ANH.
The Force may or may not be part of Omega’s story
moving forward – but I have a feeling that it will be. The whole season was
about the Force and M-counts and the drive to preserve Palaptine’s evil for
eternity. Omega will somehow rise to the challenge – as a Jedi or not – and will
become an important contributor in the battle to defeat the empire. If Omega
gets her own show, I know I will be along for the ride.
As always, may the Force be with you!
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