In the sixth and seventh episodes, The Bad Batch season 3 continues its heart-breaking and inspiring story of clone resistance and loyalty. “Infiltration” and “Extraction” weave together threads from The Clone Wars and earlier seasons of The Bad Batch to explore old wounds alongside frightening new futures.
The rest of this article contains spoilers for episodes 306 and 307 of The Bad Batch.
As with seasons 1 and 2, the mid-point of season 3 sees the return of fan-favorite characters. Among these are the usual suspects: former clone captains Rex and Howzer, former clone commando Gregor, and Pantoran Senator Riyo Chuchi. As we watch these characters, alongside a few other surprise appearances, continue their work to resist the nefarious Empire, we learn more about the mysterious troopers Rex and Chuchi first encountered in season 2.
Most importantly, we learn that Hemlock has been training them on Tantiss.
For Rex and his resistance group, this means one more issue for them to deal with before they can save more clones. For the batch, these ‘shadows’ might represent a secret that Crosshair hasn’t yet been willing to share.
Out of the Shadows
Throughout “Infiltration” and “Extraction”, it becomes clear that the ‘shadows’ (or Clone X Troopers) sent to eliminate rogue clones and other insurgents are a product of Hemlock’s experiments. All of these troopers have undergone some form of conditioning, which includes the erasure of their identity to ensure absolute loyalty to the Empire.
The details of this conditioning are vague, but we come to understand it’s a process Hemlock wanted Crosshair to endure. Somehow, Crosshair resisted.
Though the sniper gives further insight into who the shadows are and how they’ve come to be, he’s still hesitant to give away much more. Howzer, former captain of a squad that Crosshair himself punished back in season 1, is immediately suspicious of the other clone. And even though Howzer eventually accepts that Crosshair has changed and is no longer a threat, a thread of uncertainty hangs between what Crosshair has said and what he might still be hiding.
This uncertainty is heightened when Crosshair comes face-to-face with one of the shadows, who immediately recognizes him. “If you want answers so badly, why aren’t you asking him?” The shadow says while staring directly at Crosshair, “Right, brother?”
The rest of 306 and 307 plays heavily on the idea that Crosshair was once very close to becoming a shadow himself. Another shadow, sent to eliminate his brother and capture Omega, also recognizes Crosshair and taunts him, insisting that the other clone chose the wrong side.
The more information we receive about the Clone X Troopers and the connection Crosshair has to them, the more tense the future of this season feels. But as always, The Bad Batch writers perfectly balance the fear with a dollop of excitement. This time in the form of a territorial commander.
A Commander and a Gentleman
CC-3636, also known as Clone Commander Wolffe of the 104th Clone Battalion, makes his first appearance since the Rebels season finale in 2018 throughout these episodes. After years of wondering what exactly happened to Jedi Master Plo Koon’s former second-in-command in the wake of Order 66, we finally have somewhat of an answer.
Still leading as a commander in the army, Wolffe is sent to capture Omega and bring her back to Tantiss. In a beautiful work of tension-filled storytelling, Wolffe’s narrative goes from one of pain at his stated loyalty to the Empire to one of hope as he, too, proves the theme of this show: despite what happened to them, some clones are still capable of making their own choices — of seeing right from wrong.
Though Wolffe arrives on Teth prepared to follow his orders, he does not do so without question. When he encounters one of the shadows, he challenges the other trooper on their orders. When he sees members of Rex’s resistance group, he says “these are clones. They’re not insurgents”, indicating that perhaps he isn’t privy to what’s been happening across the galaxy with his brothers.
The remainder of “Extraction” shows us a Wolffe who is determined to be a good soldier, but in his own way and guided by his own morals. For those of us who have spent years analyzing the few moments we’ve had of Wolffe in the past, it’s a relief to see that even though he’s still with the Empire, this is the leader of the Wolfpack we recognize.
And it’s never clearer than during his stand-off with Rex.
“Open your eyes,” Rex says when Wolffe demands he hand over Omega. “You’re hunting a child. I know that’s not who you are.”
Across a bridge of light between the resistance ship and his imperial ship, Wolffe hesitates, assesses the situation, assesses himself. And, just like the man Rex knows him to be, he lets them leave. This is as big and significant a move for Wolffe as disobeying orders to kill the Separatist governor of Desix in season 2 was for Cody.
When Rex, Howzer, and the batch escape, Wolffe turns to his men and orders them to retrieve the fallen clones from Rex’s resistance group. Regardless of who they might be to the Empire, Wolffe won’t dishonor them. “They’re still clones,” he says as he puts his painted helmet back on and re-joins his group.
Rex might leave Teth with fewer brothers than when he arrived, but fans of Star Wars: Rebels know that, in this moment, he gains something, too.
So Much Worse
Though Omega and the batch escape relatively unscathed, the mid-season double feature ends on an ominous note. As the various ships zip away from Teth, viewers are left with a lingering scene of the shadow who seemingly fell to his death pulling himself out of the water, still very much alive.
The implications of this loose end could be any number of things. But with shadows always reporting back to the one who created them, Hemlock, and with this shadow knowing exactly where Omega just was, we can only guess that those implications will not be kind.
Back on the Remora, Rex warns Hunter that their fight is far from over — for both of them. “I can’t just walk away,” he insists. “And neither can you. Not with the Empire being after the kid.” Keeping Omega safe, Rex reminds him, won’t involve hiding her away. They need to find out what about her is so important to Hemlock’s plans.
Though I try to be an optimist when it comes to the possible outcomes for the characters of this show, a scene between Crosshair and Omega has even me fearful of what’s to come in light of the lingering Clone X Trooper. In “Extraction”, Crosshair fusses over Omega’s safety when they prepare to fight off the imperial troopers. “You’re as bad as Hunter,” Omega complains.
Crosshair responds with a very serious “Oh I’m much worse.”
It’s a touching moment that shows not only how much Crosshair cares for his sister, but how much he knows he cares. It’s also a moment that makes me wonder if this season will give our favorite surly sniper an Omega-related reason to show just how much ‘worse’ he can become.
And with the way Hunter looks at a sleeping Omega as he confronts the possibility of losing her yet again, I wouldn’t be surprised to find the leader of Clone Force 99 close behind.
New episodes of The Bad Batch air every Wednesday at 3am (EST) / 12am (PST) on Disney+.
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You’re foreshadowing of crosshair’s best line of “oh, I’m much worse,” fills me with so much anxiety!