STAR WARS: THE BAD BATCH
STAR WARS’ ROGUE CLONES RETURN IN THE BAD BATCH...
The toon saga continues. These guys don’t clone around. So to speak.
99’S PROBLEMS
The seventh season of The Clone Wars may have brought the animated saga to a close, but it also served as set-up for a new show: Star Wars: The Bad Batch. Set in the aftermath of the clone conflict, it reintroduces us to Clone Force 99, a rogue unit of commandoes designed with genetic mutations. The Batch - Hunter, Wrecker, Tech, Crosshair and Echo – are struggling for purpose in the new Galactic Empire era. “It’s very much in the vein of Clone Wars,” says executive producer Dave Filoni. “It follows the legacy that we started way back with George [Lucas].”
WILD CHILD
OK, not that child. We can’t promise you Baby Yoda. But the Batch will be teaming up with a sandy-haired youngster, Omega, whom they encounter on everyone’s favourite watery clone-production planet, Kamino. Given that her name means ‘the end’, Omega could well be one of the final clones off the assembly line. (Female clone of Jango Fett? Forcesensitive clone? Palpatine clone? The internet’s already buzzing with speculation.) Sporting an unusuallooking pendant around her forehead, she’s certainly enamoured by the Bad Batch. When Hunter offers her the chance to come with, she jumps straight in: “How can I help?”
FIGHTING TARK
Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin – to give him his full name – is no stranger to the animated Star Wars universe. He’s been seen in The Clone Wars and Rebels, and his ‘foul stench’ will be all over The Bad Batch, with Stephen Stanton once again on vocal duties. And from what we’ve seen, Tarkin seems none too fond of Clone Force 99. While noting they’re “more capable than an army”, he tuts that “they exhibit a concerning level of disobedience and disregard for orders”. Bottom line? He wants them “found and wiped out”. Given he’s not above blowing up planets, they should probably take him seriously...
GLAD SHAND
One of The Mandalorian’s many delights has been the arrival of bounty hunter
Fennec Shand, played by Ming-Na Wen, first seen in Chapter 5, ‘The Gunslinger’. The actor will be reprising her role in the forthcoming live-action tale The Book Of Boba Fett (as trailed at the very end of The Mandalorian Season 2), but in the meantime, Shand will make an appearance in The Bad Batch. “It’s a younger Fennec,” confirms Wen. “She is voiced by me and I’m thrilled and beyond happy that Dave wanted to create more of a backstory for her.” Fun offscreen fact: she grew up in Pennsylvania’s Mount Lebanon – as did Filoni.
GUESTS OF HONOUR
Fennec Shand and Tarkin won’t be the only familiar faces hitting the screens in The Bad Batch. Also back is Clone Wars fan favourite Captain Rex (last seen as an ageing figure in Star Wars: Rebels), voiced by Dee Bradley Baker, who also brings life to all of the Batch. Joining him is extremist rebel Saw Gerrera – with Canadian actor/rapper Andrew Kishino back voicing the character, as he did on The Clone Wars before Forest Whitaker took over the role for Rogue One and Rebels. Who else is likely to pitch up? We may need to get some Bothan spies on the case… James Mottram
STAR WARS: THE BAD BATCH STARTS ON 4 MAY ON DISNEY+