Last week’s episode of Star Wars: The Bad Batch hinted at the return of a major Star Wars character to help our heroes figure out what an M-Count is. This week, we get to see how that plays out.
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.
Unwelcome Arrival
Star Wars: The Bad Batch (Disney+)
The episode opens on Pabu, where the Bad Batch continue to find refuge from Imperial eyes. As Omega is playing with Batcher near a cave, she discovers an unfamiliar spaceship parked there. The mystery of who owns the ship is solved when Asajj Ventress shows up behind her.
Batcher goes into full Lassie mode and runs to get the Bad Batch. When they return, Ventress is holding Omega by the wrist. She lets the girl go while chastizing the team for failing to properly lay low. When Hunter asks who she is, Ventress only identifies herself as being sent by Fennec Shand. Considering that they never gave Shand their coordinates, this makes them even more uneasy.
*Side Note: I know Ventress looks different now, but she’s still recognizable. Would the Republic’s premiere clone fighting force really not recognize one of the Separatists‘ top former commanders?
After a bit of haggling, Omega & Co. reveal why they’re trying to figure out what an M-Count is and why the Empire is hunting their “friend” for it. Ventress responds by explaining what we already know about Midi-chlorians, which prompts Omega to slip and ask if she (instead of their “friend”) is potentially force-sensitive. Ventress offers to test her, but warns Omega that it won’t be an easy process.
Training Day
Star Wars: The Bad Batch (Disney+)
Omega’s first test involves standing on a wet rock and attempting to balance fruit on her head, which doesn’t go well. While this is happening, Crosshair looks through Tech’s files and (FINALLY) figures out who Ventress is.
For Omega’s next test, Ventress sends her to retrieve a flower from a tree that’s really far away. This provides a perfect opportunity for the rest of the Bad Batch to show up and threaten Ventress to leave. Ventress responds by adeptly kicking all of their asses in hand-to-hand combat. By the time Omega returns with the flower, the fight has moved onto guns vs. lightsaber and the Force…and Ventress is still winning.
Omega stops her just as she’s about to Force choke the life out of Wrecker. This leads to a painfully predictable conversation about how they’re all on the same side now since being used as pawns in the Clone Wars.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch (Disney+)
For her final test, Ventress takes Omega out into the ocean to try and have her commune with nature. When Omega struggles, Ventress attempts to show her how it’s done by summoning a bunch of beautiful bioluminescent sea life…and accidentally calls up a sea monster. The Bad Batch jump into their ship and prepare to blow the beast out of the water, but Ventress is able to resolve the situation by connecting with the creature via the Force.
Back on land, Ventress informs Omega that she does not have a high M-Count. After the girl leaves, Crosshair immediately points out that she’s lying. Ventress counters that telling her the truth would require that she be trained and to leave the Bad Batch.
*Side Note: It would?
Ventress then informs the group that they should leave Pabu — if she was able to find them, then the Empire will, too. When Hunter asks whose side she’s on, the former assassin replies that she’s not with the Empire (and has a few lives left) before departing into space.
The Verdict
Star Wars: The Bad Batch (Disney+)
I know, I know…all the cool kids say that canon shouldn’t matter, especially if the story is still good.
And you know what? In some cases, the cool kids have a point. I’m sure E.K. Johnson wasn’t thrilled about having nearly her entire Ahsoka novel overwritten, but we can all agree that the Siege of Mandalore was one of the best pieces of Star Wars storytelling ever created. It’s also worth noting that Darth Maul’s return ended up being better than anyone (myself included) ever anticipated.
But Asajj Ventress’ redemption and death in Christie Golden’s Dark Disciple was incredible — a tragic and heroic end for one of the best characters in the franchise. Now she’s been brought back for a story surrounding a “mystery” the entire audience already knew for what was essentially an extended cameo.
I get that producer Brad Rau said Ventress’ story would be expanded on later, but that’s not where we currently stand. It’s also worth noting what Rau originally told us:
“We don’t want to spoil anything, but want fans to know that any new storytelling with Ventress will align with the events of Star Wars: Dark Disciple.”
Considering how this same series handled the complete obliteration of the Kanan comic series for the sake of a cameo, I’m not optimistic.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch (Disney+)
All this could be forgiven if “The Harbinger“ was a great episode, but it just wasn’t. Take away the excitement of seeing Ventress again (along with the gorgeous animation work for Pabu) and it’s all types of disappointing.
For starters, the we have aforementioned not-mystery surrounding what an M-Count is and whether or not Omega is Force-sensitive. Then you have the tests — two of which she failed and really weren’t fair or telling to begin with. If Ventress testing Omega was just a charade, then what was the point?
Yes, it was great seeing her beat up the Bad Batch. And yes, it was a cool moment watching her resolve a conflict with peace rather than death and destruction. But her presence and reappearance were exponentially more compelling than the actual narrative. If you’re going to bring this character back — arguably one of my personal top ten in the entire franchise — then she deserves better.
Is it possible for a Dathomirian Nightsister to cheat death via magic or some other supernatural means? Of course.
Could I end up eating my words when Ventress gets a new story that completely blows it out of the park? Absolutely.
But at this point in time, Ventress’ resurrection feels like nothing more than a cheap (and unexplained) gimmick in service of a story that wasn’t very good in the first place.
Next Episode: ‘Identity Crisis’
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