‘Star Wars: The Bad Batch’ season 3 episode 6 ‘Infiltration’ recap/review

Despite missing on a few key moments, ‘Infiltration’ is still a wonderfully taught and thrilling episode.

March 14, 2024

Last week’s episode of Star Wars: The Bad Batch concluded with Crosshair taking a big step towards reconciling with his old team/family. The group was also able to provide Echo with information on the Tantiss Mad Science facility, where Dr. Hemlock & Co. are continuing their work on Project Necromancer by experimenting on clones.

This week, we get to see what a major character from both Clone Wars and Rebels has been up to during this time period. We’ll also get to see just how much trouble the Bad Batch are in when the Empire activates some of its most ruthless and bloodthirsty experiments.

As always, the recap portion of this review will contain plenty of spoilers along with some brief explorations of Star Wars lore. The order of events has also been streamlined a bit for the sake of clarity.

Should’ve Been an Email

Star Wars: The Bad Batch (Disney+)

The episode opens with a pair of unlikely allies — former Separatist Senator Avi Singh and Imperial Senator Riyo Chuchi — being led to a safe house, where they plan to meet about ways to push back against the Empire’s tightening grip. The pair are guarded by Rex while fellow liberated clones Howzer and Greer take over watch.

An Imperial assassin (CX-1) manages to take out Greer and nearly kills the senators. Thankfully, he’s stopped by Rex & Co. After being caught and unmasked, Rex’s group of rogue clones discover that CX-1 is one of them…and it isn’t the first time something like this has happened.

Rex & Co. take CX-1 to their secret base on the planet Teth. In addition to an encrypted data puck, they discover that he had a suicide capsule implanted in his teeth and his CT number had been wiped. He refuses to speak, but does react when Rex mentions Tantiss. Once the data puck is decrypted, the clones discover that Omega is one of the assassin’s targets, as well. Although Rex doesn’t want to get the Bad Batch involved (especially with Crosshair), Howzer convinces him to do so.

Back at the Tantiss facility, Scorch activates a new clone assassin (Sniper Clone X2) and tells him to neutralize CX-1.

Hunting Season

Star Wars: The Bad Batch (Disney+)

Echo takes the Bad Batch to Teth, where they’re greeted by Rex and Howzer. Things immediately become tense when Howzer reminds Crosshair that they have unfinished business. After Rex diffuses the situation, Echo gives Omega an energy crossbow he’d found via some of his more eclectic contacts.

Once everyone is inside the base, Rex reveals that Omega was on the clone assassin’s target list. Howzer is suspicious that Crosshair wasn’t also on it, but the sniper dismisses him. Omega then explains how there was a project she and other clones were being experimented on involving M-Counts, but she had no idea what it was.

Later, Crosshair informs the group that some of the clones at the Tantiss base remained loyal to the Empire. They were put through a horrific conditioning/modification program. The ones who survived had their identities wiped and became covert Imperial assassins. When Howzer asks how he knows so much about the program, Crosshair calmly remarks that he washed out of it. Rex then reveals that they have one of the assassins hostage. Crosshair urgently explains that all of the assassin clones have hidden tracks, thus meaning that the Empire is no doubt on their way.

After infiltrating the base, X2 spots Omega and radios to a nearby strike team. The team’s commander orders him to make sure that Omega is taken alive.

Later, the Bad Batch & Co. confront CX-1, who immediately goes about attempting to falsely implicate Crosshair in things. He then smugly informs the group that the Empire is coming for them before getting sniped. The group attempts to take defensive positions, but they’re pushed back when X2 kills Nemec and Fireball. Fireball’s attempt to stop X2 with a flamethrower ends up igniting some explosives that destroy half the base.

Meanwhile, we learn that the strike team getting ready to land is led by our old friend Commander Wolffe.

The Verdict

Star Wars: The Bad Batch (Disney+)

The Kiners deserve a lot of credit for making this episode even more tense than it already was. The musical score to “Infiltration” pulls at your nerves the entire way until things hit the fan in the final act.

Leading up to that point, however, I couldn’t help but wish we had a little more time before going this far into Crosshair’s redemption arc. Him going from an enemy to everyone having his back during a reunion with Howzer doesn’t feel quite right. The same can also be said about Crosshair initially keeping information about the clone assassin program to himself.

Thankfully, the action and story set up in this one is great. In addition to FINALLY learning what pre-chip removal Wolffe has been doing, “Infiltration” greatly expands on the Imperial program using loyal clones to do their dirty work.

Next Episode: ‘Extraction’