1x05 Rampage

[7.4/10] This is a fun one for continuity nerds. We have the Zygarians, who Anakin and Ahsoka crossed paths with back in The Clone Wars. We have a visit to Ord Mantell, which featured prominently in the Son of Dathomir comic book series. And most notably, we not only get Bib Fortuna and Jabba’s guards from Return of the Jedi, and not just a rancor, but presumably the rancor that Luke defeated in that movie! I’ve griped about the small universe problem in Star Wars plenty of times, so this stuff ought to get on my nerves, but it’s all diffuse and marginal enough not to bother me here.

It’s also another sturdy plot. To be honest, The Bad Batch hasn’t wowed me with its stories thus far, but they’ve all been solid, well-constructed stories at worst, and I appreciate that level of quality control in the storytelling. Here, the goal is simple. The Bad Batch wants info on the bounty hunter who went after them in the last episode, and to get it, they have to pull a job for Cid, a former Jedi informant and player in the underworld who’ll trade mercenary work for information.

It’s a good setup. We know exactly what everyone’s objectives and motivations are, and there’s enough intrigue around whether Cid might be apt to doublecross our heroes, and what the job will actually entail, to make it interesting. In particular, I like the twist that the Bad Batchers think they’re going after a child, when the “kid” they’re sent off to retrieve turns out to be none other than Moochie the Rancor. It’s a fun swerve that ties into Star Wars lore while also seriously complicating the good guys’ mission.

On top of that, I like the little character touches here. I love love love how tickled pink Omega is to receive her very own wrist comm and how she uses it constantly like a new toy (to Echo’s consternation). I also love the introduction of Cid. Rhea Perlman is a great get for the show, and the character’s sly attitude, resourcefulness, and willingness to help for a price while not being fully trustworthy makes her a distinctive ingredient in the series’s milieu.

This is also another Bad Batch episode where the action and design work is quite good. I greatly appreciated the look not only of the adolescent rancor but the flying lizard the Zygarian ringleader rode on. Both had eye-catching designs and movement, which gave the whole adventure more zing. Likewise, Hunter’s knife vs. whip fight with the ringleader had plenty of excitement, and Wrecker trying to show dominance in a slug fight with the Rancor was weirdly cute, especially when the two dumb lugs essentially tuckered themselves out with punching and fell into a cuddle.

On the whole, this was a fairly simple episode of The Bad Batch, and one that relies a lot on juicing the proceedings with call outs from other stories, but one that totally achieves what it sets out to do.