IR TV Review: THE BAD BATCH - EPISODE 13 (“Into The Breach”) [Lucasfilm/Disney+]

Finding progression in a sense of self in an interesting prelude to action. With "Into The Breach" (Ep 13) of "The Bad Batch" in its 3rd season, the aspect of parallel storylines continues to manifest. In many ways, the progression here has an interesting parallel to another franchise in the entry of "Star Trek III: The Search For Spock" as the troopers reunite try to track down a secret base where Omega is being kept. Their last side hustle to break out a former imperial vice admiral actually has a bit of humor that is not unlike Sulu during the "Stealing The Enterprise" sequence. Even the final moments of this episode in the brilliant strategy and approach that Hunter uses, harks to that sequence and is some of the best tension and foreshadowing we have seen this season (or those past). It creates stakes.

But as mentioned before, there needs to be a loss to make it show that even though Omega takes these risks, there needs to be consequences. Ventress sees this. The Emperor might too. Right now, in lore, we don't see Omega later on so that might not bode well for her future. We have seen Rex at later points in other Star Wars series (ala "Rebels") but again none of what happened to and of this crew of rogie troopers is mentioned. But that can of course be explained away. Filoni, as always,likely has a narrative plan which is the continuing reason to trust him with the franchise (though the next theatrical film needs to be a hit).With Omega's part of the story, it is building as one would expect but these Imperials in this experimental facility are not dumb and have the full backing of the Emperor (which of course seems to point to something...perhaps the reasoning of "The Rise Of Skywalker"). With seemingly only 2 episodes remaining in this season, the endgame to build into possibly Season 4 (should it be made) are coming to bear. B+

By Tim Wassberg