Review: The Bad Batch S01 Ep.5 ‘Rampage’
by Olly MacNamee
(+++ WARNING: This review contains spoilers. Maybe go watch the episode and come on back +++)
There’s a familiar rhythm to this series now it’s been up and running for a few weeks. Or at least there has been so far. Each week the gang land on yet another planet – most of them being comfortingly familiar to Star Wars fans young and old – with one or another conflict soon raising its head. And the odd familiar face or species thrown in for good measure.
This week it’s another planet first seen in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars series – Ord Mantell – where Hunter and his band of brothers are looking to identify the bounty hunter chasing Omega. And while we may now of Fennec Shand, they don’t. But, Cid (Cheers’ Rhea Perlman) might. An informant who was trusted by the Jedi. Even if she does come across as not all that trustworthy in this episode.
But, as ever, there’s always a fly in the ointment and this time it’s a trade off. Cid wants a child saved from local Zygerrian slavers (another The Clone Wars call-back) and so off the Bad Batch go to find said child. Only to find that it’s a baby Rancor by the name of Muchi.
In what seem to be more of a filler episode than anything meaty turns into a cool tie-in to the original Star Wars trilogy and one that many older Star Wars fans will feel vindicates this episode’s rather flimsy storyline. Kids will love the cute Rancor while old-schoolers will enjoy the link to… well, I think you can guess by now.
Wrecker gets his moment to shine and Omega proves once more she’s more than just a kid along for the ride. It may not be the most memorable of episodes but it certainly has its moments.
The Bad Batch S01 Ep.5 is streaming now on Disney + with new episodes out every Friday.
