We saw the birth of the Imperial Storm Trooper as the Empire experiments with conscripted troopers to replace the cost prohibitive clones.
We also saw the start of the rivalry of the Clones versus conscript that's hinted in the expanded universe with Cody.
Crosshair is put in command of the squad of conscripts all dressed in black armor (Death Troopers Mark 1). We saw why the Empire could inspire loyalty in their troops as one of the new soldiers comments "The empire pays me, puts a roof over my head and feeds me, that's more then the republic did" For all of the glorification of the Republic, it really was shown as a dying and corrupt entity, largely in part to a thousand years of rot.
These soldiers were sent with Crosshair in command back to Saw's camp on Onderan, there we saw the brutal efficiency of the new Stormtoopers. Then after the battle was over Crosshair brutally interrogates and then executes one of the prisoners. But when the rest of the squad resists his orders to butcher the rest, he executes one of the dissenters and orders the execution of the rest of the prisoners.
This episode was a little Bad Batch lite as they crash on a planet and have to repair their ship, which leads to tracking down a dragon that eats power and Omega has to step up to save the day. It was more character development and establishing the relationship of the squad with her.
This was a almost two episode show with two distinct feels on the two story lines. The Imperial Story was very dark and brutal, where as the Batch story was still a bit light hearted, but you can see where the two stories are eventually going to merge.
Other thoughts.
- The Kaminoans can see that the Empire is going to stop making clones and thus need to find a way to make themselves and their clones indispensable. In the end they talked about creating a new line of clones, but the Jango material was degrading. I wonder if Omega was suppossed to be the source of new material for this super clone?
- Wrecker is developing headaches, is his inhibitor chip functioning?
- It was interesting that they showed this really neat contrast. When Crosshair and his squad return to the old Batch quarters it now looks stark and cold and you can feel the distrust between Crosshair and the squad, meanwhile with the batch when they gave Omega a room on the ship it was warmly lite and comfortable. It shows that the Empire is not about family or trust, but about the cold application of brutal force to solve problems. Meanwhile the batch is all about trust and family something that Crosshair used to be a part of.
- Project War Mantle first made a appearance in Rogue One as a random throw away in the citidel data theft of the Death Star Plans. It sounds like this series is going to focus on it as its part of the Empire building its New Order Military.
- We're going to die, we're going to die, we're going to . . . looks at Omega be fine. Wrecker kills me.
- Its not his fault. Kind of a sad moment with the Batch finds Crosshair's kit. But I really don't feel like there is going to be a reunion.
- Is Omega a untouched clone of Jango like Bobba was. Is she a force sensitive clone? Is the superior clone project have to do with Palpatines quest for immortality?
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