‘Star Wars: The Bad Batch’ Season 2 Episode 3 – Everything We Noticed
This episode of The Bad Batch brought the focus back to Crosshair’s Imperial adventures and sets up his motivations going forward.
This episode of the Bad Batch brings us back to the batch’s most infamous former member, Crosshair. After how he was unceremoniously left for dead by everybody, including his own Imperial Forces, we’ve been wondering what the clone sniper was up to and if his loyalties had shifted at all.
In order to break down this episode we’ll need to reveal some major spoilers from the episode. If you haven’t watched it yet, proceed at your own risk. Or better yet, just go watch the episode.
Growing Imperial Control
It’s been an unsurprising and constant theme of The Bad Batch since season one, but in every episode, we watch Imperial rule stretch across the galaxy, inch by devastating inch. It’s something we all knew happened one way or another, but shows like this one and Andor don’t pull too many punches in showing us exactly what that creeping fascism looks like.
In this episode, Crosshair is sent on a mission to Desix, an independent system. The job was to rescue Grotton, who had been appointed the new Governor despite the planet not being part of the former Republic, not wanting to join the current Empire, and already having a rightful governor in Tawni Ames. In the end though, the Empire gets what the Empire wants and Desix doesn’t see a lot of choice in the matter of whether or not to fall into Imperial line.
Commander Cody
Leading the missing to Desix was Commander Cody. We haven’t seen Cody in a while, but he was one of the fandom’s more well-known and favorite clones, Ge was also the second in command to Obi-Wan Kenobi during the Clone Wars and the individual who ordered his execution during Order 66.
When he and Crosshair meet again for the first time they share a tense conversation, talking vaguely about the clones who have gone AWOL since the Empire’s rise. Crosshair refers to them as well as the Jedi as traitors and the two share a few judging side-eyes before leaving for the mission. But they do go on and complete this mission amicably and without any further issues. It’s a scene that makes us wonder what Cody is playing at. Why did he specifically request Crosshair on this mission and why is he feeling out the loyalties of the obviously-most-loyal-clone? And why he’s the only clone seemingly willing to work with Crosshair when the others give him the Mean Girls “you can’t sit with us” mess hall?
Leftover Separatist Weaponry
Once on Desix, we’re greeted with all sorts of Separatist tech and weaponry. From the perspective of the people of Desix, this is all just the exact same stuff they were using a few months earlier during the Clone Wars. But for us, R0-GR “Rodger Rodger” Droids and Droidekas are fun reminders of the prequel movies. We also see a Separatist tank as well as BX-Series Commando Droids.
Mina Bonteri
When Governor Ames knows that she’s been all but defeated she and Cody enter into some diplomacy over the independence of Desix and Grotton’s life. She mentions putting forth a peace treaty with Mina Bonteri that was rejected by Supreme Chancellor and future Empower Palpatine.
Mina Bonteri is a character we’ve met before but may not remember. At one point she was the senator for Onderon as well as a mentor to Padme Amidala. After becoming disillusioned with the Republic and Senate she left to join Dooku and the Separatists before being killed under suspicious circumstances.
First Battle Memorial
Cody and Crosshair first talk at the beginning of the episode and then have a follow conversation toward the end. And both of these conversations happen in front of the First Battle Memorial. This huge wall pays tribute to the clone troopers who died during the first battle of the Clone Wars on Genosis and is engraved with the designation – not number – of each fallen clone.
This is where Cody tries to sus out Crosshair’s moral leaning and if they’re making the galaxy better or worse. Crosshair sticks to his guns; they’re soldiers and they’re following their orders. Cody says that they will have to live with the consequences of their choices before quietly going AWOL himself in the night, leaving Rampart to question why so many clones who work with Crosshair leave Imperial employment. And it’s also worth noting that he doesn’t realize that these clones have names or even think of them in terms of individuals, but only refers to them by their numeric designations.
What else did you notice during this episode of The Bad Batch? What do you think is coming in the rest of the season? Do you think Crosshair will have a redemption arc or is he a full-blown bad guy, and does he even deserve one? Let us know in the comments!
May The Force Be With You, Adventurers!
