Review – ‘The Bad Batch’ S01 Ep.4 – ‘Cornered’

The latest episode of Star Wars: The Bad Batch sees our rapscallion crew of clones make a supply stop on the planet of Pandora, but even now trouble is never too far behind them. And this time it’s Omega who’s indirectly responsible for the appearance of another familiar face from the expanded Star Wars universe, a young Fennec Shand (with Ming-Na Wen reprising her role from The Mandalorian).

It’s a simple enough smash and grab plot line with Fennec out to capture Omega for a mysterious client, and so a simple enough review to write up. It’s pacey and action-packed, showing off the Arabic-inspired environment of the planet Pantora – another throwback to the The Clone Wars series – and over in a flash! Definitely one for the intended audience of younger viewers and an episode I’m sure they’ll enjoy. I know I did. And adding a further spanner into the works now we know someone’s out there looking for Omega. More trouble on the horizon at some point in the future, no doubt.

We get the usual stapled of the Star Wars universe to give it that sheen of authenticity with the biggest inclusion here being the inclusion of protocol droids and R2 units when Echo is sold on as a robot for much needed credits.

In the backdrop, and a fascinating ongoing sub-plot that fuels this whole series, is the rise fo the newly formed Empire and how easy it cam be to use propaganda and false promises to win the masses over to their side. Once again the dreaded keychains are mentioned as a way for citizens of the galaxy to access the Empire’s resources. And a way to keep tabs on Palpatine’s subjects. Whether they know it or not. 

The Bad Batch is streaming on Disney + with new episodes every Friday.