Bad Batch Declassified: 5 Highlights from “Replacements”
The Bad Batch // MAY 17, 2021
The team makes an unexpected stop, while the Empire looks to tighten its grip.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch is here, chronicling the adventures of the elite squad Clone Force 99 following the end of the Clone War. In Bad Batch Declassified, we’ll explore our favorite moments from each episode of the Original Series, available only on Disney+. Armor up and join us for the ride.
Spoiler warning: This article discusses details and plot points from the Star Wars: The Bad Batch episode, “Replacements.”
If it’s not one thing, it’s the other — like a hungry Ordo Moon dragon.
After a brief reunion with old friend Cut Lawquane and close call with the Empire, the Bad Batch head toward a new destination. But they’re forced to take a detour in “Replacements,” an episode with some great scares and character moments, continuing the evolution of both Clone Force 99 and the fledgling Empire. Here are five highlights from the episode, streaming now on Disney+.
1. “Get ready for your first crash landing.”
When something can go wrong in Star Wars, it will go wrong. “Replacements” opens with the Bad Batch experiencing this reality in real time, as a damaged capacitor causes the Marauder to fall out of hyperspace and crash on the Ordo Moon. Moreover, circumstances are representative of their new status in the galaxy: They’re alone, and can only count on each other to survive.
2. Introducing Project War-Mantle.
On Kamino, Imperial Admiral Rampart unveils his idea for a new kind strike team to Tarkin: an elite squad of recruits under the command of a clone, with the proto-version to be led by Crosshair. This is a troubling window into the Empire’s relentless pursuit of loyalty and power at any cost.
Fun fact: If Project War-Mantle sounds familiar, that’s because it’s one of several Imperial projects that Jyn Erso uncovers in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
3. There’s something out there.
Echoing Leia’s close encounter with a mynock in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, an Ordo Moon dragon scurries down the viewport of the Marauder — replacement capacitor in tow. This is classic, cascading-problems Star Wars, setting up good thrills to come.
Bonus highlight: Echo and Tech’s bickering as they try to fix the ship. Watching these two take shots at each other brought me endless joy. More, please!
4. “I’m willing to do what needs to be done.”
After the elite squad eliminates Saw Gerrera’s insurgents on Onderon, Crosshair reveals a new ruthlessness as he kills a civilian. Challenged by one of his own soldiers, the former Bad Batch member shoots the trooper down and commands the others to finish the survivors. It’s a chilling scene, firmly establishing Crosshair as a real threat and the fact that the Republic is no more.
5. Omega to the rescue.
With Hunter unconscious, Omega takes it upon herself to find the Ordo Moon dragon and the capacitor. It takes her quick thinking — and not a blaster — to get the device back, proving that not all missions can be solved with force. “Well, you’re a part of this squad now, too,” Hunter later tells her. He means it.
Dan Brooks is a writer and the editor of StarWars.com. He loves Star Wars, ELO, and the New York Rangers, Jets, and Yankees. Follow him on Twitter @dan_brooks.
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