Friday, July 9, 2021

Bad Batch, “Devil’s Deal”, Review!

 Last episode had the Bad Batch being involved in the transport of Senator Singh from the former Separatist world, Raxus Secundus, now we are going to see a planet whose people have fought for their freedom.  Mists part as we see the Twi’lek capital, Lessu, in front of cone-like mountain and two layers of buildings swirling around its base.  This is the Twi’lek world of Ryloth, last seen in “Hera’s Heroes”, the 2016 episode of Star Wars Rebels.  Crosshair watches Gobi Glie walk into the crowds, he first appeared in The Clone Wars episode, “Liberty on Ryloth” (2009).  Admiral Rampart looks out to the restless citizens and says to Senator Orn Free Taa that the Empire has brought a refinery with jobs for the people.  Taa (Phil LaMarr) is a rather large senator who was introduced in Star Wars: The Phanom Menace.  He was in many episodes of the Clone Wars. He thinks the mines are good for Rytoth.  Eleni Syndulla (Ferelith Young) gives a quiet agreement with the senator. 


Rampart checks with General Cham Syndulla (Robin Atkin Downes), the former leader of the Ryloth resistance, he was introduced in the “Liberty on Ryloth” episode of Clone Wars.  He wants peace now.  Captain Howzer checks on Cham.  This is the first time we see Captain Howzer (again voiced by Dee Bradley Baker). Strangely, he seems to be the same caring clone trooper of the Clone Wars, not the thoughtless drones of Order 66.  Orn Free Taa says that Ryloth should put down its arms with the protection of the clone army.  The crowd doesn’t accept his words and calls for General Syndulla. The general gives a rousing speech about trusting the clone army and wants a peaceful future for Ryloth.  Rampart wonders to Eleni where is her daughter.  Scanning the refinery is the scope of the droid Chopper.  


Also there is a young Hera Syndulla (Vanessa Marshall), her introduction was in the storybooks, Chopper Saves the Day and Rise of the Rebels.  An earlier, original story that featured Hera on Ryloth, was in the novel, A New Dawn (2014), by John Jackson Miller.  It was a prequel to Star Wars Rebels.  The animated series debuted the following month.  The droid, C1-10P, has warbles provided by Dave Filoni.  He appeared in the storybooks, but in animated form with “The Machine in the Ghost” (2014) short that was shown before Star Wars Rebels. They are monitoring the facility for Gobi. Hera sits and looks to the skies seeing the birds overhead and dreams of flying.  The focus is away from the Bad Batch and instead on Hera.  She is surprised by two armed clone troopers.  At the base, weapons are being turned over with Cham watching.  Gobi mentions to Eleni that Ryloth cannot be defenseless and is working with a contact to secure weapons. Clone troopers bring in Hera and Chopper.   



Howzer explains to Cham that he won’t report the incident.  After he leaves, Gobi admits he sent Hera to spy on the refinery.  He says to Cham that the clone troopers were agreed upon to leave after the war.  Gobi says Cham is blind to the Imperial activity.  In a private meeting, Orn Free Taa worries about Cham’s popularity, and this doesn’t bother Rampart.  Crosshair, who has remarkably recovered from his wounds, says Gobi is the threat.  Hera is looking out to the skies, Cham joins her and says his dream was for a free Ryloth, he doesn’t want Hera to be constantly fighting when there is peace.  Later, Rampart is giving a tour of the Doonium mine to Cham and Eleni.  Doonium, the metal is used in starship construction, but we find out is also used to shield the Death Star from its superlaser.  It was first mentioned in Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel (2016).  Eleni eyes the blaster cannons watching over the mines.  She is distrustful of Rampart. Night, Hera meets with Gobi to tell him she can’t go on the mission, he says he was going to let her fly the ship, a Rainhawk-class transport.  Gobi says it’s a simple supply run.     


Crosshair is watching them and fires a homing beacon to the ship.  Hera is able to finally pilot, but Gobi has his fellow freedom fighter, Lenk (Shelby Young) land the ship on Ryloth’s moon.  Gobi tells Hera they are getting weapons and see the Havoc Marauder come in for  landing.  At about the 13 minute mark, we actually get an appearance of the Bad Batch, and they are not in the rest of the episode!  Hunter meets with Gobi as Wrecker carries the weapon shipments.  Omega gives Hera a tour of the ship, she seems to know all of the controls, but says Tech wants her to memorize all of the specifications before she can pilot the ship!  Then, Omega shows Hera her bunk which she says is really a gunner’s mount.  Gobi and Lenk have to drag the weapon lockers back to the ship and Hera joins them.  Rampart has a clever trap for them.  In fact, Rampart is more effective than Thrawn in Star Wars Rebels, he understands the people, and manipulates events to get his results.  Most likely, we will have Captain Rex and maybe more characters next episode.  In this episode of Bad Batch, the Bad Batch make a cameo in their own series!, but we get the start of the Rebellion very much like Star Wars: Rebels!  


Three Vibro Knives out of Five!  


#BadBatch, #DevilsDeal, #ChamSyndulla, #RobinAtkinDownes, #EleniSyndulla, #FerelithYoung, # OrnFreeTaa, #PhilLaMarr), #GobiGlie, #CoreyBurton, #HeraSyndulla, #Chopper, #DaveFiloni, #CaptainHowzer, #DeeBradleyBaker  

No comments:

Post a Comment