The Bad Batch season three official trailer reaction
On February 21, the final season of ‘Star Wars: The Bad Batch’ will start to come out on Disney+, and the first trailer signals an intensity that audiences have come to expect from the show, with some surprising character returns and reveals. It’s an action-packed trailer, hopefully reflecting the final 15 episodes.
Audiences are dropped straight into a chase already in progress. Hunter and what looks like Crosshair in his old armor are driving rather precariously on a cliffside in a HAVw A6 Juggernaut as they attempt to escape an Imperial facility. TK troopers are trying to catch them, but luckily Phee soars in to save them, a fun little tease to get the ball rolling.
Rex talks about thinking that the end of the war would mean an end to losing their brothers, as some quick shots of a ship construction site in Coruscant’s orbit, what looks like Teth monastery burning, and a wrecked Jedi shuttle fly past. It’s something that taps into the central theme of the show, that of what happens to the clones after Order 66. Rex hoped to lay down arms but says he can’t do that when the Bad Batch needs his help to free Omega.
The next few shots tease the innards of Mount Tantiss, which is surely going to be a fascinating watch. Tantiss is a key location, and the idea of exploring what it looks like in the new canon is tantalizing. It seems like she’s been there a while, as Hunter explains she’s been waiting a long time. A time jump would be great to explore, especially showing the impact this has had on Imperial technology and the phasing out of the clones.
Palpatine makes a surprise return, once again voiced by the forever great Ian McDiarmid. He explains to Hemlock that whatever resources he will need he will have it, and while we’re unclear what this is yet, it’s likely a project to clone himself. But his appearance alone raises the stakes, especially as he might come face to face with Omega.
Pabu will be making a return, but it will be put under the thumb of the Empire. The unmarked Clone concept will be making a return, with one instructing several TK troopers into V-Wings. He’s called CX-1 in the subtitles, but could be a Phase 0 Dark Trooper, a nod to an excellent Legends concept.
Several cool looking action shots fly past, but there are several of Mount Tantiss, hyping up its presence. A shuttle escapes the facility and is shot down, does Omega figure out how to escape on her own but fly to get off the planet? It’s possible.
A final segment is dedicated to returning characters. Fennec Shand and Cad Bane make a fun appearance, and the clone trooper Wolffe finally shows up, as audiences still haven’t seen how he ends up with Rex yet. Cody is conspicuously absent from the trailer, it would be very disappointing if they left his character loose again, but audiences will have to wait and see. If the long-awaited clone rebellion were to occur without Cody, this would be a shame.
The biggest surprise is sure to be the return of Asajj Ventress, the character who perished in the book ‘Dark Disciple.’ Apparently, book fans won’t be disappointed by her return, and while this may be the case it’s yet another example of animation taking liberties with prior canon material. It’s a nuanced discussion. On the flip side, it’s exciting to see Ventress have her story wrapped up in animation, especially after so long.
Overall, this trailer is a compelling watch, and audiences have less than a month to wait that long until the show comes out. After radio silence for the ‘Star Wars’ schedule for 2024, the franchise is back and raring to go.
