1x07 Battle Scars

[8.0/10] Wrecker is such a big teddy bear most of the time. Sure, he likes whomping folks and blowing things up, but he mainly scans as an overgrown toddler. It never seems odd when he bonds with Omega, or has a playful big brother vibe with Tech. There’s a kid-like quality to him that belies his build and his power. Those attributes make him seem friendly and even sweet.

That makes it extra scary and extra impactful when his inhibitor chip goes off and suddenly he’s a slasher villain. You see the same power, the same strength, deployed against the people Wrecker cares about, his comrades and his surrogate little sis, without any hesitation or remorse. It’s the most frightening thing The Bad Batch has shown so far, and also one of the most heartbreaking for the same reason -- because the Wrecker we know has no control over this situation.

It’s an appropriately big event to coincide with the appearance of none other than Rex, one of the most important and well-loved characters to emerge from Star Wars: The Clone Wars. There’s lots of connections to other Star Wars properties in “Battle Scars”. Wrecker and Omega dine on popcorn you can find at Galaxy’s Edge. The Venator-class destroyer our heroes sneak aboard on Bracca is very much at issue in Fallen Order. It’s hard to find an episode of The Bad Batch that hasn’t had these sorts of tie-ins to elsewhere in the galaxy far far away.

But Rex is the biggest and most momentous because he comes laden with as deep an understanding as anyone of what damage those inhibitor chips can do. His desire to free his brothers from their hold, and his fear about what they’re capable of if the chips aren’t neutralized, is more than justified, as anyone who’s seen The Clone Wars knows.

So he makes for a natural guide when it comes time to pay off Wrecker’s recurring headaches. The show does some of its best work in terms of design and direction, as our heroes spelunk through the Venator ship, fight off squid monsters, and eventually have to defend against one of their own. Rex’s presence adds urgency and gravitas to what’s been an exciting but lighter adventure so far.

The height of this one, though, comes when Wrecker turns on Omega. The show’s right to spend much of the early going on the two of them having fun together, chowing down on popcorn and having their own post-mission tradition. It reinforces the sweetness between them we’ve seen as early as Wrecker making Omega her very own bunk.

So it twists the knife even harder when Wrecker accuses her of treason and comes close to destroying her. Their size disparity becomes real and menacing for the first time. The stand-off intensifies the double-edged tragedy of Order 66, with good people killed by those they trust and people who are just as good forced to become butchers of those close to them against their will.

As scary as Wrecker advancing on young Omega is, there’s an equal and opposite sweetness to her refusing to leave his side when recovering from the inhibitor chip extraction. It comes with a certain sorrow when Wrecker tries to apologize for his actions, feeling as though he’s done something unforgivable, only to be wiped away by a heartwarming gesture from Omega, reinstating their popcorn tradition, a sign that she understands that heartless beast was not the same person who made her a bunk.

In the end, Rex doesn't exactly pass the torch to Hunter, but he does give our new leader figure a benediction. Rex is still fighting the good fight, but Hunter isn’t sure what that means just yet, or if it’s right for his squad. The closing conversation does right by both clones, acknowledging their different ages and experiences, and pointing toward things both certain and unsure for both of them. The combination of their understanding, and the journey of Wrecker from lovable lug to terrifying brute and back, makes “Battle Scars” The Bad Batch’s best outing yet.