The Bad Batch: Infiltration and Extraction Thoughts
With tensions between Hunter and Crosshair easing, it is an excellent time to check in with Captain Rex and his team of Clones. Picking up threads introduced from last season’s double episode drop of “Clone Conspiracy” and “Truth and Consequence,” the Batch learns more about the Shadow Clones and faces their most formidable opponent.
The Political Seeds of Rebellion
None of the Clones are fully committed to fighting the Empire at this point: the Bad Batch wants to move on now that they have Omega back, and Rex and Echo are focused on finding Mount Tantiss to free the remaining Clones.
But Rex is maintaining ties with politicians like Senator Riyu Chuchi, which is fascinating (perhaps to have an ear in the Senate regarding Clone matters). Acting as a bodyguard for Chuchi and Senator Avi Singh from Raxus (and season one) might pay the operating costs of his other missions.
The scene is a nice way of reminding viewers of Rex’s ties to the Republic while also putting him in the path of another Shadow, discovering that Omega is the Empire’s prime target.
Secrets and Lies
Crosshair seemed to be holding back information about Tantiss in “The Return,” and Hunter’s instincts were correct, although he let it go once the two reconciled. But Captain Howzer is not so forgiving. Knowing that Crosshair is back with the Bad Batch, Howzer wants a chance to question the sniper himself, doubting his loyalties.
When the Batch arrives on Teth, Howzer’s pushing finally gets more information from Crosshair about the Shadow Clones: their memories are wiped and tracked through means not easily detected. He confesses that Hemlock tried to turn him into a Shadow, but he resisted, listing his “defectiveness” as a reason.
When Rex tells them that they captured a Shadow, a sense of urgency rarely seen from Crosshair ratchets up the tension already built from the arrival of a new Shadow, CX-2, to eliminate the prisoner. The audience already knows it’s too late for many of the Clones.
At the end of “Infiltration,” Commander Wolffe is revealed to lead the backup unit sent to help secure Omega. The ending suggests he might be another brainwashed Clone, but then he sees the dead Clones on Teth, and his shock that they are the insurgence is evident. Immediately, Wolffe clashes with CX-2, who refuses to follow orders and continues to pursue the Clones, even risking their lives by shooting down their escape shuttle.
It is questionable why the Empire sent Wolffe and his team in the first place, but it makes more sense, given that Rex is still presumed dead. They would not have known his connection to Wolffe would factor into the mission.
That Clone Wars connection ultimately compels Commander Wolffe to let Rex, Omega, and the team escape when Echo returns. It is unclear how Wolffe’s squad feels, but they do not raise any objections at that moment.
That trust in Rex might come into play later this season for Wolffe because there is no way his insubordination goes unpunished. Even if he is not punished, the Commander will likely ask one too many questions regarding Tantiss and the experimentation for the Empire’s liking. Wolffe is in Star Wars Rebels along with Rex and Gregor, so he makes it out of this series alive, but it looks like that story is coming together.
Protective Brother Mode Activated
Even though Omega is older than any of the Clones, she still is a child. The writers instilled the most realistic trait in her: her tendency to mimic her brothers. In the premiere episode, “Aftermath,” she started copying Hunter’s posture; in the season two episode, “Entombed,” she imitated Phee’s relaxed position, and in “Infiltration,” she started mastering the Crosshair toothpick pose. While Crosshair seems confused by the action, Hunter observes and knows what that means.
Crosshair is officially a part of the Bad Batch again, which is evident by his protectiveness over Omega. Crosshair hints at his shift in attitude toward Omega when Howzer says he is different from the kid.
Crosshair tells Howzer, “loyalty meant something to me. But with the Empire, it didn’t go both ways.” Omega did not abandon Crosshair on Tantiss even though he felt he deserved to be there. And so he redirected his loyalty from the Empire to Omega (and the Batch).
Omega’s relationship with her brothers is unique, and she has learned different skills from each of them. Leadership from Hunter, curiosity and wonder from Wrecker, strategy and flying from Tech, and focus from Echo. With Crosshair, that might come with shooting since he is still having accuracy issues. Plus, she has a new, slick crossbow.
The M-Count Dilemma
Rex warns Hunter that the Empire will not stop looking for Omega, as it is clear that she is vital for whatever they are working on. Thus, Hunter and the Batch must find out why.
One of the many issues that arise from adding pre-sequel elements into The Bad Batch is that the audience is far ahead of the characters. M-Count is only a mystery for the team, who now have to get some answers somewhere (a Force-sensitive or former Jedi, perhaps?).
There are options for finding more information on M-Count: Ahsoka (through Rex), Gungi (from season two), or the reveal in the final trailer. But we are just under the halfway point and just spent two episodes in a single location, so hopefully, they can find out in a single episode.
However, the other part of the mystery that no one knows is what is so special about Omega’s blood that would cause zero degradation of M-Count transfer. Would Boba Fett’s blood yield the same result since he is also a pure genetic replicant of Jango Fett? Omega is also an enhanced Clone like Hunter, Crosshair, Tech, and Wrecker, but with what is unknown.
Who is CX-2?
There has been much discussion around the identity of CX-2, the tech-savvy Shadow who gives Rex, Howzer, and the Batch a run for their money. Commander Cody, who went AWOL in season two’s “Solitary Clone,” has not been seen since. Another theory is a Crosshair Clone, which would mean that the Empire has a super growth acceleration chamber because that Clone would be only months old. Not likely.
Sometimes, it’s the most logical answer.
Two other Shadow Operatives’ faces have already been revealed, followed by their deaths. CX-2 is the third, and not only does he survive several events where he should have died, but we never see his face. CX-2 goes toe-to-toe with Crosshair and almost succeeds in killing him until Howzer stuns him. Before that, he calls out Crosshair for not joining their ranks, saying he chose the wrong side, which feels personal.
The show repeatedly shows and tells us that the Bad Batch does not follow orders. It is why Crosshair fought being brainwashed into a Shadow. However, CX-2 also does not follow orders. Narratively, everything points to a Clone whose reveal would pack an emotional punch for the Bad Batch. And there is only one person who would do that.
Finally, even though THAT character is presumed dead, Star Wars has resurrected multiple characters in different ways. This is a universe with cloning and Force powers, after all.
Either way, CX-2 is alive and lives to fight another day and reveal themselves.
The decision to have Rex’s base on Teth, the planet from The Clone Wars movie and where Rex was introduced, is an easter egg that adds so much for fans of Star Wars animation. The only thing that would be better is a Rotta the Hutt cameo.
Originally published at http://creditsandcanon.com on March 16, 2024.
