The Harbinger
The Bad Batch gets an unexpected visitor who puts Omega through some training while the Bad Batch figures out if they should trust their former enemy.
Ventress
While training, Omega is captured by Asajj Ventress, a former Separatist assassin who is also Force sensitive. Over time, Ventress would become a gray Jedi in the books. That is the version who appears to show herself to the Bad Batch. It’s revealed that she is the person with whom Fennec Shand was communicating at the end of the previous episode. She steps in to help test Omega’s M-Count.
Her appearance raises some questions while only answering the one. She tests Omega and eventually reveals that her M-Count isn’t high enough to warrant the Empire hunting her. So, why is the Empire hunting Omega? The Bad Batch didn’t recognize her at first until Crosshair is finally able to place her. Given her importance during the Clone Wars, wouldn’t the Bad Batch have come across Ventress when working with the Republic? They should’ve recognized her sooner.
Ventress is a fan favorite character who has one of the most intriguing redemption arcs in all of Star Wars, so why is she presented in such a lackluster way? She shows up in the caves, reveals herself, and it takes a while for anyone to recognize who she is despite the fact she should be well known. It’s an odd choice for sure.
Valid Point
The most intriguing part of this episode comes from the Bad Batch’s fight with Ventress once they realize who she is. They fought for the Republic while she fought for the Separatists. They were on opposite sides of the war. But the war is over and both the Bad Batch and Ventress lost everything. She points out they were all pawns between the warring factions and neither stood to gain anything from the war. That’s a deep bit of nuance for a kid’s show. Still, it’s easily the best part of this episode.
Dave Filoni’s Favorite Characters
A major criticism I put on the first season of the Bad Batch was how many episodes felt like a guest of the week from characters Filoni created for either The Clone Wars or Rebels. While that criticism slowed down a lot during seasons two and much of the beginning of season three, this appearance feels like it’s just a cameo Filoni wanted rather than one that advances the story.
Ventress shows up, gets in a fight with the Bad Batch while putting Omega through training and then leaves. Not much changes over the course of that interaction. It’s fine, but it’s not spectacular. That’s a season one trope. I may change my view if Ventress returns throughout the season, but as of right now, this feels like an unnecessary cameo. I hope any other appearances going forward have more weight to them.
Be sure to check out all episodes of Star Wars: The Bad Batch on Disney Plus.
Article Written By: Jeremy Brown for Stelmach Brown Media 2024
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