You Don't Know As Much About 'The Bad Batch' As You Think
Who are The Bad Batch?
Introduced in season 7 of The Clone Wars, they are an experimental clone group officially known as Clone Force 99. The team is made up of Hunter, Tech, Crosshair, Wrecker, and Echo. Each of them has a unique skill which distinguishes them from the other clone troopers we have become so accustomed to seeing. Despite their seemingly obvious flaws, they function exceedingly well as a team, as evidenced by their well known 100% success rate. To them, it's all about getting the job done and saving lives.
As we know already, they are set to appear in their very own TV show, and fans seem to be genuinely looking forward to it, yet we only know a very little amount of information about them. So in preparation for the new show, I think it's time we collect what we know so far...
Introduction:
Season 7 of The Clone Wars finally gave us some closure on the story we have followed for some time. We knew the end, but we wanted to see it get there after the show was cancelled, and I think we can all agree that we got what we needed. Not only that, but we got to meet some new and interesting characters, some of which just happen to be Clone Force 99. They are called into action by Commander Cody when Rex believes the droid army is using intel from an old friend - Echo.
They make light work of a battalion of droids, and help track Echo down and bring him home. There are doubts over Echo's loyalties due to him having been subjected to horrific alterations by the Separatists. So, Anakin, The Bad Batch, and Rex take him on a stealth mission to feed the droid army decoy intel. Thanks to Echo, the droids are sent to one location to be neutralized with an energy pulse, thus demonstrating his allegiance to the Republic once and for all. Following the win of Anaxes, Echo feels more at home with the Bad Batch over the clone army, and so joins them himself.
The Official name has a meaning:
As mentioned above, the official name of this group of outsiders is Clone Force 99, and this is in homage to a specific clone simply called 99. Fans of The Clone Wars will remember him from the season 3 episode "Clone Cadets." Considered a failure, due to his visible deformities, he is left behind to attend to maintenance and janitorial duties in the Clone Facility on Kamino. However he would later show himself to be as much of a clone trooper as the rest. He even gives his life protecting the facility from a Separatist attack.
Meet The Team:
Hunter
Hunter is the leader of the group. Contrary to the vast majority of clones, he chooses to use a vibro-knife over a gun and makes it look easy. He is engineered with heightened senses, allowing him to become an expert tracker. This also helps him seek out everything from people to droids, and he is also able to sense electromagnetic frequencies to pinpoint specific areas on any planet.
Tech
As the name suggests, he is the group's technical officer. During his creation, his genes are manipulated, giving him a heightened ability to understand the sciences and technology. This makes him a real asset for the team, as he is able to hack his way into almost anything and is a linguistics guru, meaning he can also help translate alien languages when necessary.
Crosshair
Crosshair is your classic moody good guy with an ice cold exterior. He doesn't partake in conversation very much and openly shares his disdain for "regs" (regular clones). But give him a weapon and watch him hit the mark. His mutations grant him exceptional eyesight, causing him to take the role of the team's sniper.
Wrecker
One look at this clone should be enough to guess what he brings to the team. He's large and loud and serves as the obvious muscle. His mutations are what are to thank for his increased size and strength, although this has also caused him to become slightly obsessed with making things go BOOM! Even battle droids don't stand a chance against his bare hands.
Echo
As mentioned above, Echo is not an original member of the team. He joins after they are introduced and help rescue him. Originally an ARC trooper with the designation CT-1409, following his capture by the Separatists, he is cybernetically modified and used to provide intel against the Republic. This causes him to feel more of a bond with The Bad Batch team, and so he decides to join them, creating a perfect partnership with Tech.
Well, there you have it. That is your new team whose adventures you'll be following over the coming weeks. Based on what we've seen of them so far, I have no doubts that they will make a fine addition to the Star Wars collection. The most interesting part of their story is undoubtedly going to be how they fit into the world following Order 66 and the emergence of the newly formed Empire.
The Bad Batch will be available to stream on Disney+ on May 4th.
Until next time!
Source(s): StarWars.com