The Bad Batch The Bad Batch 3.06 - Infiltration - Discussion Thread (Spoilers Allowed)

It looked great. Just the right amount of lighting.

Really dug the episode.

Though my favorite part was when it was confirmed that the fan freakout about the showrunners being afraid to say “midichlorian count” was for nothing. As “M-count” seems to be deliberately mysterious terminology in the story that the clones will need to get to the bottom of. Guaranteed that when they do, a character will say “midichlorian count - measures force sensitivity” or some such thing, and the butthurt fanboys will all be humbled.

ETA: Oh, and the Ant Man clones. They were cool too. Especially those sleek ships. Great designs this season.

 

It does feel like the Star Wars content lately is made with the assumption everyone owns a MacDaddy Sony A95L. I turned Dolby Vision off on my TV because these episodes were just too dark. It was difficult at times to make out the individualizing markings on the Clones' armor. But fantastic episode here. It feels like the culmination of things with Senator Chuchi meeting Senator Singh plotting and getting targeted. That sounds way too interesting to be just a MacGuffin for the boys to capture the first Clone X.

The callbacks they are using like with a Monastery from The Clone Wars film aren't just fan service. Rex makes everything better and I'm enjoying seeing him flex his leadership and bigger-picture thinking. He remembered this remote fortress where he fought a hard battle against Ventress and the Droid Army. Scaling the cliffs up to the Monastery just to get to it with the AT-TEs. And I'm sure General Skywalker and Ahsoka embellished how they escaped with Rotta so he planned how to escape.

There is a cute little moment where Echo gives Omega an upgrade. That's a good thing because capturing a Shadow Clone did them no favors. Favors came from Crosshair via a combination of his guilt and strengthened bond with Omega. I would honestly be more scared of what he'll do to someone trying to harm Omega than what Hunter or Wrecker will do at this point. Combine that with Crosshair's knack for being an ******* and saying exactly what's on his mind without ****ing around anymore. Crosshair tells Rex and Howzer exactly what's up.

Rex was torn about pulling Hunter and the crew in. He respects Hunter's decision not to be involved and he realizes they shouldn't be since Omega is in danger. But Rex has always been a character who gets his development from bouncing off more interesting characters. That's none other than Howzer. Great to see him alive but once again Rex's loyalty to his brothers is used to manipulate him. He in turn is using the same manipulation technique on Omega which he may come to regret. This episode ends on a cliffhanger that makes it seem like Rex is going to relive "Carnage of Krell" with Wolffe's arrival.

 

The Clone X ship was kinda neat.

I liked the Predator homages too: thermal vision, fight in the shallow water near the waterfall.

 

I watch these things on my iPhone lol

 

So I just looked at a mostly black screen for the past 20 minutes. Was it a good episode? Was it a bad episode? Who knows? Not me.

 

I think there are also just vision differences. I could see everything just fine, and I watched it on a screen with very deep blacks. I also suspect not seeing the individualizing details of each clone is part of the point. It’s a muddy, confusing, dark world at this point in clone history, and no one’s quite sure who’s who, and what side they’re on. So the darkness is a deliberate part of the storytelling, and a good choice, IMO.

 

Crosshair has more personality than the rest of the BB put together, so having him back is a plus, I guess.

Apparently the writers have realized we're tired of good guys infiltrating the bad guys' base, so they switched it. Does that count as varying the plot?

 

Not really sure what all the comments about the episode being too dark are about, I’ve got a 10+ year old Samsung tv and it all seemed perfectly normal to me ?

Anyway! Great to see so many clones and the use of the monastery.

I particularly enjoyed the senator’s very inconspicuous outfit when he’s trying to sneak around. ‘Hey is this the target we’re looking for ? The guy in the robes, monocle and giant hat, I wonder’

 

I gave it a 9/10. I enjoyed this episode; a slight break from the 99 crew. Interesting to see the senators from both sides of the Clone Wars meeting in secret to discuss what's next to stand up against the Empire. Do they get involved in the Rebellion? Will Saw get involved? We see what Rex has been up to. Of course his men don't trust Crosshair when they meet. When the conditioned assassin clone gets assassinated himself, the real question is who is it that killed him? I have my ideas but we'll see. It's strange that whoever it is doesn't take off their helmet at all, and the voice seems somewhat disguised...

 

At this point in the timeline, Rex and Ahsoka are still in contact. I could be wrong, but from Ahsoka in Rebels, it seems like they stayed in contact for a while. Maybe they should phone a friend.

When the senators were talking, I kept thinking if Singh doesn't want to be noticed, he should stop wearing that hat.

 

I freely admit the problem is cheap 4K TVs like mine that support HDR10 and Dolby Vision but don't get anywhere near bright enough to use those properly.

 

FWIW I watched it on a laptop screen (MacBook), at its brightest setting.

 

I do watch this on an iPhone which is not an ideal watching condition.

 

This looks a lot better on another screen I own. It's not the episode.

 

I think that was a big hindrance for me, as well. I felt like I couldn’t get into these two episodes because I was struggling to see any of the action.

 

I rewatched up to the 12 minute mark so far and I'm picking up more stuff now that I can see the faces better. Like when Hunter asked Echo why Rex wants to talk to them. Echo replies Rex didn't say but it must be important. Then Hunter looks back at Omega with that look of "****, I know what it probably is."

I'm really not mad Echo was put on a bus for this two parter. At first it annoyed me because putting Echo between Crosshair, Howzer, and Rex seemed like a good chance for character development. Really it's not. I think as soon as Shadow Cody was revealed to be after Omega it wouldn't have been. He'd obviously stick with her and the Bad Batch. Echo is just as protective as the others three helicopter dads.

 

I still think that’s going to bite them in the ass. Especially because I think Omega is going to quickly agree with Rex as would I. I would be fascinated to learn why the empire has made me their priority target. And beyond knowing it’s because of her blood. Omega can figure that out. It’s why her blood is special that she would want to know. And I just don’t see Hunter or Crosshair being up for that.

 

The "darkness" is there. Why would the first five episodes do not have the problem. I only worry because I thought my eyesight was going.

 

I think Omega is going to end up either going off to find out more about herself or she is going to decide she is a danger to her brothers and Run away. I am just hoping we are past the point she thinks she's can take on Tantess by herself.

You can't blame Hunter and Crosshair for wanting to protect her from the Empire and the dangerous truth. She has a history of doing brash things.

 

NM

 

Hahaha. I also really dislike that sort of steampunk look in Star Wars. Doesn’t gel.

 

I didn’t mind the look at all I just found it rather funny when Rex is wearing a cloak and everything is trying to be done very sneakily and he’s wondering round likes he’s going to buckingham palace for the day