Star Wars: The Bad Batch is here, chronicling the adventures of the elite squad Clone Force 99 following the end of the Clone War. In Bad Batch Declassified, we’ll explore our favorite moments from each episode of the series, available only on Disney+. Armor up and join us for the ride.
Spoiler warning: This article discusses details and plot points from the Star Wars: The Bad Batch episode, “Rescue on Ryloth.”
With the Empire cracking down on the people of Ryloth, soldiers on both sides are forced to wrestle with their conscience. On the side of the Imperials, Clone Captain Howzer struggles with turning on a group of people he’d previously sworn to protect. And on the run, Hunter and the Bad Batch must weigh personal risk when a young Twi’lek in need calls upon them for help. Here are five highlights from the episode, now streaming on Disney+.
1. Hera’s plea.
Evoking Princess Leia’s message to Obi-Wan Kenobi, a young Hera uses an emergency channel to send a desperate request to Omega and Clone Force 99. But while the Bad Batch initially intends to shrug off her concerns, Omega alone challenges their preference for flight over fight. “We can’t put ourselves on the line every time someone’s in trouble,” Hunter says. But in Omega’s eyes, that just doesn’t make sense, inspiring the young clone to challenge her brother with two simple words: “Why not?”
2. Family matters.
Omega’s compassion for Hera shines through, one child relating to another on a level that the soldiers around her don’t quite understand. For the newest member of Clone Force 99, Hera’s blind determination makes perfect sense. In the same position with the Bad Batch imprisoned, Omega knows she’d do whatever she could to try to save her family.
3. Secret agent droid.
Fans of Star Wars Rebels fondly remember the way Sabine could conceal Chopper beneath a layer of Imperial paint to help him blend in on an undercover mission. On a trek inside the Imperial refinery, Chopper already has the confidence to pull off the job, but unfortunately his exterior — hardly standard Imperial issue for a droid — and his trouble at the terminal blow his cover quite quickly.
4. Hera takes flight!
Sure, it’s a stolen Imperial shuttle and Hera’s still getting a sense of attack patterns, but the look on her face at the helm of a ship? Pure joy.
5. Howzer’s conscience.
After struggling with his orders, Howzer makes the difficult decision to openly object to the Empire’s decrees in the hopes of inspiring the good men in his squad to take a stand alongside him. It’s a powerful sign of things to come for the rebels, and the might of just one individual standing up for what’s right. And on the flip side: Crosshair, who seems pretty pleased to be on the hunt for the Bad Batch.
Associate Editor Kristin Baver is the author of the book Skywalker: A Family At War, host of This Week! In Star Wars, and an all-around sci-fi nerd who always has just one more question in an inexhaustible list of curiosities. Sometimes she blurts out “It’s a trap!” even when it’s not. Follow her on Twitter @KristinBaver.
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