Friday, May 14, 2021

Bad Batch, “Replacements”, Review!

The Havoc Marauder is moving through hyperspace, inside, Hunter gives Omega a ration bar.  She is the Smurfette of the clones!  This was first seen when Luke is snacking as he is going through his X-Wing’s supplies in Empire Strikes Back.  Wrecker drops down and consumes his ration bar in a single bite.  Omega offers her ration bar, but Hunter reminds him that she’s a kid and doesn’t have her own quarters.  Hunter also says they have to ration out supplies.  We see the lights flicker and Hunter brings this up with Echo.  He says that the ship has had problems since Saleucami.  Meanwhile, co-pilot Tech, is working on a scanner for their control chips.  The ship suddenly slams around and reverts back to normal space!  The wounded Havoc Marauder heads to a moon for what Wrecker says is Omega’s first crash landing!  There is a smoking part of the ship’s engine.  Wrecker panics, very funny, but Tech manages to bring down the ship.



Tech notes that the capacitor was damaged in the fight last episode.  There is a spare, Omega topples a case, but Hunter says it’s Crosshair’s weapon case.  Tech says his action may be due to the chip.  There is a storm at Kamino, in the medical wing, Crosshair revives.  He sends away AZ-03.  Crosshair is being observed by Nala Se and Admiral Tarkin.  This is when Vice Admiral Rampant, seen in hologram last episode, enters.  He is there is start Tarkin’s Project War Mantle with recruits arriving on Kamino for training with Crosshair as their commander!  I also didn't pick up that War Mantle was a Rogue One (2016) reference.  Rampant walks with all of them to a bay with four elite soldiers.  Nala Se says that more clones could be produced based on Jango Fett of course.  I also didn't catch that Tarkin cutting costs of producing the clones (since there is no war) is to fund the Death Star projects.  Back on the planet, wearing a breath mask, Tech replaces the capacitor. This reminds me of the asteroid scene with the Falcon also in ESB.  Also there is Echo, who senses something out in the dark, he points his glowrod there.  


Tech is working on the capacitor while Echo goes to check on a possible beastie. The desolate, rocky terrain somehow also gives me Alien (1979) vibes. Tech has finished and called over to Echo.  He points the glowrod at claw marks on the ship!  The creature snatches away the capacitor on the open panel and runs away!  Omega is checking on how to use the breath mask.  Wrecker complains about hitting his head in the crash.  I did not pick up that Wrecker struck his head and may have caused problems with the control chip!  Echo and Tech arrive and say that something is causing damage.  The lights go out and everyone hears sounds of something on the top of the ship. The creature roars at Omega in the pilot seat and she sees that it has the capacitor.  Tech checks that it may be Ordo Moon Dragon that “feeds on raw energy”, kinda like the mynocks?  Hunter says he will find the part and Omega volunteers to go along as “part of the squad.”  It looks like a monster episode!   


Kamino, the medical bay, medical droids are examining the new squad, ES-01 (Emilio Garcia-Sanchez) is annoyed by the droid.  Garcia-Sanchez is in the romantic comedy series Love in the Time of Corona.  ES-04 (Daheli Hall) wants a fight even though the war is ended. Hall was in last year's horror movie, Bad Hair.  They are watched on hologram by Tarkin, Rampart, and Lama Su who says they won’t reach the level of fighting as the clones.  Rampart only cares about their loyalty.  Tarkin needs a test and wants them to go to Onderon to take on Saw Guerrera whom we also saw the first episode.  His refugees were spared by the Bad Batch at the end of “Aftermath.” Lama Su walks away from them.  The episode’s title seems to refer to the stormtroopers replacing the clones.  Also, that Omega is replacing Crosshair on the Bad Batch.  Is this squad the beginnings of the 501st or as others said the death troopers in Rogue One?  Hunter is tracking the Ordo Moon Dragon. Omega brings up Crosshair, Hunter says he feels disappointed that one of their own was left behind, she is hopeful to somehow “get him back.”  If Omega was sent by Nala Se with the Bad Batch, it may be to do that very thing and keep those clones viable? 


A shuttle is heading to Onderon, inside, ES-01 questions Crosshair’s leadership.  Typical stormtrooper behavior.  At the refugee camp, one soldier notes that Saw Guerrera wants them to move out.  Another notes that sensors have been triggered!  They all take out blaster rifles.  Crosshair takes out one soldier!  This leads to a firefight with the new stormtroopers.  On the moon, Hunter sees the capacitor, but has Omega wait while he checks it out.  He starts to reach out for it, hears snarling, and then sees the Moon Dragon’s claws reach out to the cone-like rock like the claws of Alien’s face-hugger! It leaps at Hunter and manages to knock off his breath mask.  He chokes and then falls, but Omega manages to put his breath mask on.  She tries to contact Wrecker and Tech and sees the Moon Dragon slip into the rock with the capacitor.  It’s time for Omega to save the day!  She is very clever in dealing with the Moon Dragon.  Crosshair is brutal cutting down the soldiers and comes into conflict with ES-01 when he threatens civilians!  One of the squad members uses a flame unit like in Force Awakens.  Will the end of the clones be like the end of the Jedi?  The “Replacements” is very dark, but we do have a little hope with Omega.     


Four Vibro Blades out of Five! 

#StarWarsBadBatch, #OrdoMoonDragon, #Rampart, #EmilioGarciaSanchez, #DaheliHall 

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