2x12 The Outpost

[8.5/10] Somewhere along the line, Crosshair became one of the most interesting characters not just in The Bad Batch, but in Star Wars as a whole. He’s a clone, which is always a good start. But he’s one who’s genuinely loyal to the Empire. Republic? Empire? Either way, they’re taking orders from the bosses. That's what they’ve been trained for. Bred for. In his mind, the rest of the Bad Batch are the traitors, for deciding to walk away from something they’ve been loyal to since they were born and leaving him behind. He’s the hero in his own mind, staying a steadfast part of the organization and institutions they’ve sacrificed so much to protect.

Only now, he’s realizing that the Empire doesn’t return that loyalty. Lieutenant Nolan is a good avatar for that. He’s plainly racist against clones, using the term itself with a sneer. More to the point, he clearly views them as chattel. When pressed on his reluctance to work with clone troopers, he gripes about not wanting to employ “used equipment.” One of the thematic throughlines this season is how the powers-that-be within the Empire don’t see the clone troopers as people, just tools to be discarded once they’re no longer useful.

Crosshair clearly dislikes Nolan, and even in his stoicism, seems a bit put out by his brothers being forcibly retired. But he’s a good soldier. He follows orders.

That makes it meaningful when he meets someone who doesn’t. Commander Mayday is a fascinating person, a clone trooper who’s been practically exiled to a remote outpost to protect cargo he’s not even allowed to know about. He’s the poster child for Imperial neglect. He’s an experienced soldier reduced to guard dog duty. All of his men have died, and nobody seems to care. All of his equipment is outdated and not up to the job, but the Empire ignores his requests for replacements. His request for reinforcements was met thirty-six days late. And Lt. Nolan in particular treats him like scum, disdaining the clone for simply existing, demanding a deference he hasn’t earned despite his rank, and ordering him on unreasonable missions.

The dynamic is clear, and interesting. Nolan represents the worst of the Empire: prejudice, cruelty, sneering injustice at every turn. And Mayday represents the tragedy of the clones following the war, someone discarded and treated as disposable, useful only for ferrying along the toys for the next wave of soldiers. This the institution Crosshair is loyal to, the thing he fights for unquestioningly.

Until he spends time with Mayday in a frozen wasteland. Separate and apart from all the stellar thematic and character work going on here, the work of the directors and animators soars in this one. The ice-ridden outpost comes with a real sense of place. You understand the desolation of where Mayday has been stranded all this time, the inherent threat that comes from traversing the freezing temperatures and harsh environment, and the lack of care it evinces to subject anyone to this. The low lights, sparse score, and gray landscape convey in a visceral way how grim the conditions that people like Nolan have uncaringly subjected the clone troopers to are.

The expedition to recover some crates from the local rebels gives Crosshair and Mayday a chance to bond. Crosshair is steady as ever, while Mayday stops just short of being openly insubordinate. Mayday’s sarcasm and cynicism make for a good contrast with Crosshair’s dry wit, and their adventure to retrieve the boxes brings them closer together through the bond that forms from braving adversity together. The mission is a harsh one, full of traps and threats and environmental dangers. It’s one they’re undermanned for too, something Nolan doesn’t care about, but which pushes them to rely on one another even more.

There’s a nice throughline for how they treat one another. Crosshair has internalized Imperial principles, and so decries fallen soldiers as dead weight. And yet, when he inadvertently steps on a pressure mine, Mayday is a bit snarky, but goes to some trouble and risk to defuse it and help save Crosshair’s life (using improvised tools, since the Empire hasn’t given him what he needs, of course). It shows the esprit de corps of the clone troopers, even among those who don’t see eye to eye, with the sort of loyalty the Imperials don't share, the kind of loyalty Crosshair once shared with the rest of Clone Force 99.

And in the end, he returns the favor. There’s some nice setup and payoff as what starts as a low rumble, builds to a large crack, and finally into an avalanche that threatens to bury both of them. Despite Mayday being injured in the mission, and Crosshair being better-positioned to make it himself if he left Mayday behind, Crosshair has internalized Mayday’s perspective. There’s power in his choice to rescue Mayday when he doesn’t have to, to put his own life on the line to save one of his brothers. It’s a sign of his viewpoint starting to change, of his recognition of the need of the clones to look out for one another since their superiors certainly won’t be doing it.

It’s a sharp contrast with Lt. Nolan. When the clones make it back by the skin of their teeth, clearly injured from the attempt, there’s zero concern from their commanding officer. All he does is excoriate them for failing to recover the cargo, armor for the stormtroopers who will replace them, in an ironic twist. And he refuses to call a medic for Mayday, calling it a waste of resources. Mayday and Crosshair will risk their lives for one another. Nolan won’t even offer basic treatment. The disparity in the views on the value of clone life couldn't be more stark, and makes for a thematic throughline that presents the angel and the devil on Crosshair’s shoulders.

Finally, he’s had enough. Even obedient, loyal Crosshair can't stand this. He recognizes the Empire’s misdeeds, if not in their tactics across the galaxy, then certainly in the way they treat him and those he’s fought with. After all they’ve done, all they’ve lost and sacrificed in the name of protecting this institution, they don’t get so much as a thank you, and worse yet, are treated as the expendable afterbirth of the Empire’s emergence.

So he kills the shitheel then and there. It’s a powerful move, one that seals Crosshair’s fate to some degree, but also affirms a change of heart. What do you do when you realize the thing you’ve been loyal to your whole life isn’t worth that loyalty? When it treats you like chewed up gum stuck to the side of a star destroyer’s hull? If you’re a soldier like Crosshair, you fight back. You return the harsh consequences doled out by racist cowards in stuffed uniforms. And maybe, just maybe, you accept that your friends were right all along.

Wow… I was not expecting that. Truly a masterclass in all aspects. Maybe the best episode of Bad Batch so far and probably my favourite so far as well.

I think its greatest strength was its subtlety, it doesn’t hit you over the head with anything that it’s trying to say or show. It lets the story do the talking without having to hold your hand. But then it gut punches you in your heart. I think this culminates for me in the scene of Crosshair abandoning all pretence and just huddling up very tightly with Mayday to try and keep warm. That scene really hit me.

It’s funny because without even being able to explain it exactly, from the first few minutes of the episode, it just felt different. Just the vibe and tone. Definitely left me completely in awe and by the end if the episode, a little dumbstruck.

I’m glad that finally, it was the last straw for Crosshair. It’s probably been a long time coming. And although at first when watching this series I was somewhat annoyed by his character, that he was being stupid by not reasoning like the rest of his old squad, even after having the chip removed. Having thought about it, I think his initial reaction is probably the most realistic: because Rebellion is the main theme of Star Wars, it’s easy to take that for granted and forget how difficult rebellion actually is, especially when it’s towards the only thing you’ve ever known and the thing you’ve been loyal to forever (even if it changes names)
Although, I do think it took him a little too long to realise and there were several previous opportunities for him to make the right decision - but then again, if he had, we may not have gotten this beautiful episode so maybe it is in fact just right the way it is.

My little hopeful, fanboy heart yearns for the possibility of Crosshair being rescued by the Bad Batch and redeemed. However, I don’t know if it’s too late for that given his past choices, and it may somewhat tarnish his sacrifice, as well as the ending of this episode which even though terribly tragic, was just so beautifully just and heart-wrenchingly necessary.