Lucasfilm Animation is back!
Star Wars: The Bad Batch
is the studio’s newest animated series that focuses on Clone Force 99, the experimental squad of clones audiences were first introduced to in
Season 7 of
The Clone Wars
.
The Bad Batch
,
which appropriately drops on Disney+ on May the 4th, is considered a spin-off of
The Clone Wars
series that ran from 2008 through 2020. But, so far, this new series appears to be more of a natural continuation of
The Clone Wars
story and its trademark style of animation.
ADVERTISEMENT
In the series, audiences are still viewing the state of the galaxy from the perspective of clone soldiers. The difference, however, is that the very war they were created for is now over, and this particular group of clones has always been different from their brothers.
Despite its generous 70-minute runtime, the premiere episode titled “Aftermath” wasted no time dropping guests right into the action and both answering questions and introducing new ones.
It also marks the return of
voice talent Dee Bradley Baker
as the voice for all the clones as well as
Dave Filoni
, fresh from his work on live-action series
The Mandalorian
, as the series Executive Producer.
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WHERE THE BAD BATCH STRUGGLES
Star Wars
If
The Bad Batch
has a flaw, it may be its singular focus.
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Despite the experimental Clone Force 99 consisting of Hunter, Tech, Crosshair, Wrecker, and Echo, “Aftermath” is very much Hunter’s story.
Whether every trooper gets their day in future episodes remains to be seen, but for the premiere alone, the distinguishing strength of Clone Force 99’s other members is, unfortunately, the equivalent of their identity.
This one-dimensionality lends itself to some humor and tropes from
The Clone Wars
that exist more for kids than the audience as a whole, particularly in regard to the cartoonish Wrecker and the incompetent battle droids. While die-hard fans will take it in stride, the casual viewer may struggle to look past it.
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Finally, the existence of
Omega, the young, blonde girl
from the series trailer, simply feels forced.
And, while this critique may resolve itself as the show progresses, it’s hard to ignore the fact this girl receives as much attention as some members of Clone Force 99, begging the question of whether the writers felt the characters they created were compelling enough to tell their story on their own.
WHERE THE BAD BATCH SUCCEEDS
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Star Wars
While Clone Force 99’s arc in the final season of
The Clone Wars
was somewhat underwhelming and easily overshadowed by the
Siege of Mandalore
, the premiere episode does quick work in establishing this cast of outcasts as worthy of audience investment despite failing to develop it as a whole.
The episode also capitalized on the storytelling potential of the fallout of Order 66 and the rise of the Empire, a period in the Star Wars timeline that’s still largely unexplored.
ADVERTISEMENT
Instead of favoring a broad view of these events,
The Bad Batch
was disciplined in keeping to the limited perspective of the clones while still managing to convey the galactic ramifications.
The episode also succeeded in juggling multiple conflicts that manage to complement each other instead of bogging the story down.
DO FANS REALLY NEED ANOTHER CLONE WARS SERIES?
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Star Wars
Yes. Because of what
The Clone Wars
had to say during its run,
The Bad Batch
needs to exist.
Even though the war has ended, the same can’t be said for its characters’ stories, particularly that of the clones.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Clone Wars
seized every opportunity to communicate that the clones are individuals with value that extends before warfare. It would be a disservice to that message to not show how the clones will proceed now that the war they were created for is over.
In addition, the early days of the Empire following the Clone War is something Star Wars fans need to see. It’s the very culmination of Palpatine’s carefully orchestrated plans and a direct result of the Clone War itself.
That very transition from one government to another is so rich with storytelling potential, it would be a crime not to explore it in the way Lucasfilm Animation does best.
ADVERTISEMENT
BEGUN, THE BAD BATCH HAS
Star Wars
Overall, while a return to animation and an old storyline may have seemed like an unusual choice for Lucasfilm and Filoni in light of
The Mandalorian
’s success, fans have nothing to fear.
ADVERTISEMENT
The tone, the themes, and the style of
The Clone Wars
are alive and well in
The Bad Batch
’s debut. It looks to continue Lucasfilm Animation’s tradition of expanding and enhancing the Prequel-era timeline all while proving that the studio and Dave Filoni are indeed nimble enough to tell quality Star Wars stories through multiple mediums.
New episodes of
Star Wars: The Bad Batch
premiere every Friday beginning May 7 on Disney+.
Lucasfilm Animation is back!
Star Wars: The Bad Batch
is the studio’s newest animated series that focuses on Clone Force 99, the experimental squad of clones audiences were first introduced to in
Season 7 of
The Clone Wars
.
The Bad Batch
,
which appropriately drops on Disney+ on May the 4th, is considered a spin-off of
The Clone Wars
series that ran from 2008 through 2020. But, so far, this new series appears to be more of a natural continuation of
The Clone Wars
story and its trademark style of animation.
ADVERTISEMENT
In the series, audiences are still viewing the state of the galaxy from the perspective of clone soldiers. The difference, however, is that the very war they were created for is now over, and this particular group of clones has always been different from their brothers.
Despite its generous 70-minute runtime, the premiere episode titled “Aftermath” wasted no time dropping guests right into the action and both answering questions and introducing new ones.
It also marks the return of
voice talent Dee Bradley Baker
as the voice for all the clones as well as
Dave Filoni
, fresh from his work on live-action series
The Mandalorian
, as the series Executive Producer.
WHERE THE BAD BATCH STRUGGLES
Star Wars
If
The Bad Batch
has a flaw, it may be its singular focus.
Despite the experimental Clone Force 99 consisting of Hunter, Tech, Crosshair, Wrecker, and Echo, “Aftermath” is very much Hunter’s story.
Whether every trooper gets their day in future episodes remains to be seen, but for the premiere alone, the distinguishing strength of Clone Force 99’s other members is, unfortunately, the equivalent of their identity.
This one-dimensionality lends itself to some humor and tropes from
The Clone Wars
that exist more for kids than the audience as a whole, particularly in regard to the cartoonish Wrecker and the incompetent battle droids. While die-hard fans will take it in stride, the casual viewer may struggle to look past it.
Finally, the existence of
Omega, the young, blonde girl
from the series trailer, simply feels forced.
And, while this critique may resolve itself as the show progresses, it’s hard to ignore the fact this girl receives as much attention as some members of Clone Force 99, begging the question of whether the writers felt the characters they created were compelling enough to tell their story on their own.
WHERE THE BAD BATCH SUCCEEDS
While Clone Force 99’s arc in the final season of
The Clone Wars
was somewhat underwhelming and easily overshadowed by the
Siege of Mandalore
, the premiere episode does quick work in establishing this cast of outcasts as worthy of audience investment despite failing to develop it as a whole.
The episode also capitalized on the storytelling potential of the fallout of Order 66 and the rise of the Empire, a period in the Star Wars timeline that’s still largely unexplored.
Instead of favoring a broad view of these events,
The Bad Batch
was disciplined in keeping to the limited perspective of the clones while still managing to convey the galactic ramifications.
The episode also succeeded in juggling multiple conflicts that manage to complement each other instead of bogging the story down.
DO FANS REALLY NEED ANOTHER CLONE WARS SERIES?
Yes. Because of what
The Clone Wars
had to say during its run,
The Bad Batch
needs to exist.
Even though the war has ended, the same can’t be said for its characters’ stories, particularly that of the clones.
The Clone Wars
seized every opportunity to communicate that the clones are individuals with value that extends before warfare. It would be a disservice to that message to not show how the clones will proceed now that the war they were created for is over.
In addition, the early days of the Empire following the Clone War is something Star Wars fans need to see. It’s the very culmination of Palpatine’s carefully orchestrated plans and a direct result of the Clone War itself.
That very transition from one government to another is so rich with storytelling potential, it would be a crime not to explore it in the way Lucasfilm Animation does best.
BEGUN, THE BAD BATCH HAS
Overall, while a return to animation and an old storyline may have seemed like an unusual choice for Lucasfilm and Filoni in light of
The Mandalorian
’s success, fans have nothing to fear.
The tone, the themes, and the style of
The Clone Wars
are alive and well in
The Bad Batch
’s debut. It looks to continue Lucasfilm Animation’s tradition of expanding and enhancing the Prequel-era timeline all while proving that the studio and Dave Filoni are indeed nimble enough to tell quality Star Wars stories through multiple mediums.
New episodes of
Star Wars: The Bad Batch
premiere every Friday beginning May 7 on Disney+.
