Recap: Good Soldiers Follow Orders in ‘Star Wars: The Bad Batch’ Season 1, Episode 3 “Replacements”

Muriel
9 Min Read
Lucasfilm/Disney+

Last week, we saw the Clone Force 99 reuniting with Cut, a clone deserter who found a family and settled down on Saleucami. The episode ended with Hunter and Omega growing closer and understanding they need to stick together. If you need a refresher on what happened, you can read our recap here.

Warning! Spoilers for “Replacements” below.

The episode starts with the Clone Force and Omega traveling to a destination unknown. Omega doesn’t have a space to herself on the ship and is forced to stay on the floor with Hunter saying it can’t be comfortable. Hunter distributes food and Wrecker tries to get more rations, but Hunter refuses saying they need to be careful with them. Omega offers her food to Wrecker who initially accepts before refusing after Hunter calls him out.

The ship is malfunctioning and the lights go out. Echo asks Tech for help repairing the ship, but the other clone wants to finish a scanner to help determine if their inhibitors ships are working or not. Just when Tech says the diagnostic revealed no critical systems were compromised, the ship drops from hyperspace and starts heading towards a moon. Wrecker hits his head while the ship is crashing. Tech successfully lands the ship and analyzes the damage saying the capacitor is broken. Thankfully, they have another on board and they can start the repairs. Omega finds Crosshair’s weapon kit and the clones reflect on the absence of their friend.

Back on Kamino, Crosshair is examined following the procedure he endured under Tarkin’s eyes. The governor is joined by Rampart, the architect of the chain code implementation. They start talking about “Project War Mantle.” Rampart is arguing that the Empire can’t only count on the clones to defend itself while Nala Se tries to argue back with the fast availability of the clone army. The imperial wants to select top soldiers and having them trained by clones. Rampart introduces Tarkin to the first elite squad he recruited.

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Echo and Tech are making the repairs when Echo hears noises and start to investigate. The clone finds scratch marks and Tech realizes they weren’t there when they landed. Meanwhile, on the ship Wrecker’s head is hurting and he doesn’t seem to remember hitting his head. Tech informs Hunter that the capacitor is in place, but that other systems are failing. The power goes out and noises can be heard outside. Omega is scared by something and describes what she saw. Echo realizes the capacitor is gone. Tech deduces the beast must be an Ordo moon dragon who feeds on raw energy. Wrecker is still hurting and Hunter orders him to stay inside while Echo and Tech work on the ship. Omega goes with Hunter.

On Kamino, the new recruits are examined. The Kaminoan tells Tarkin and Rampart that they will never be equal to the clones. Rampart thinks the enlisted will be more loyal that them. Tarkin decides a test must be done and send the recruits to Onderon to kill Saw Gerrera and his followers.

Back on the moon, Hunter and Omega track the dragon and the girl gets curious about Hunter’s skills. He explains Tech, Wrecker, and him all have enhanced skills. Omega mentions Crosshair and how Hunter shouldn’t be angry with him because he can’t help what he did due to the chip. Hunter reveals he is not really angry about Crosshair’s betrayal, but at himself for leaving his fellow clone behind. Omega then tells him they need to get him back.

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Crosshair and his team are on their way to Onderon when one of the soldiers asks why the clone was put in charge of the operation. He is wondering why the Empire is recruiting soldiers like him if clones are so efficient. Gerrera’s sympathizers are packing up their camp when they detect the enemy’s arrival.

The story goes back to Hunter and Omega. Hunter sees the capacitor stolen by the dragon and goes very carefully to retrieve it. The dragon attacks him and the clone loses his breathing mask and faints. Omega puts it back and tries to call for help, but nobody answers. She takes Hunter’s gun and follows the dragon in the tunnel.

On Onderon, the team and the rebels are fighting but it’s clear that the Empire soldiers have the advantage. Crosshair takes people out and the fight is over quickly. The rebels tries to run, but the pilot is killed by the clone. The civilians surrender and Crosshair wants to know where Gerrera is. Nobody knows and he decides to kill everyone. One of the soldiers questions Crosshair’s decision and says the civilians should be taken in for questioning. He said to his fellow soldiers to not listen to the clone to which Crosshair says he was put in charge because he “is willing to do what needs to be done” and he kills the soldier. Following that, the rest of the squad murders the civilians.

Omega is still in the tunnels and finds the capacitor. The dragon snarls at her and she points her gun at it. Hunter wakes up and searches for Omega using his tracking skills. The girl is getting more and more afraid until she understands the dragon is reacting to her torch. She throws it away so the dragon follows it. She takes the capacitor, runs outside, and is reunited with Hunter.

Crosshair and his teammates are back on Kamino. The clone informs Tarkin and Rampart that “Gerrera was already gone, but the rest of his camp was dealt with.” The two imperials are impressed and Tarkin leaves the project in the hands of the new Admiral Rampart. The Kaminoans are worried about the conscripted soldiers and their impact on the clone program. We learn the genetic material from Jango Fett is still degrading. The Kaminoans are talking about implementing an experience to produce a superior clone, but they need a direct source. It’s implied the clones needed to do so are the members of Clone Force 99.

Crosshair and his teammates go to the former Clone Force 99’s quarters. The clone looks around him and sees reminders of his former team. He goes to sit on his bunk and seems pensive.

Lucasfilm/Disney+

The ship is repaired and the clones finally leave the moon. Wrecker has a surprise for Omega. While she was out with Hunter, he converted a part of the ship to allow the young girl to have her own room and she is overjoyed after never having her own room before. Hunter tells her she is part of the squad now and she smiles.

Is Crosshair a good soldier of the Empire or is he missing his friends and starting to doubt his choices? Are Wrecker’s headaches just headaches or are they linked to his inhibitor ship? What is the next step for the Kaminoans’s experiment? We can’t wait to see what’s the next episode has in store for us.

A new episode of The Bad Batch is released each Friday on Disney+. Stay tuned for more recaps!

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By Muriel
I am a legal secretary from Belgium. When I am not working, I enjoy reading, watching movies and TV shows, travelling to see friends and to go to conventions and trying to get better at photography. My main goal is to pet as many cats as possible. Currently obsessed with Lucifer, Game of Thrones, Star Trek Discovery and the Handmaid's Tale.
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