“Good soldiers follow orders.” Clones’ loyalty and strict obedience to orders make them a force to be reckoned with. However, there is a unique clone squadron called Clone Force 99 that is effective for the exact opposite reason.
This squad of six is known for its unusual tactics and extreme success rate in battle. The Bad Batch uses their extraordinary talents to help others in need and turn the tide of war.
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Clone Force 99 is known as the Bad Batch due to its mutations. Unlike typical troopers, each member was genetically modified, enhancing some of their already natural abilities. These modifications are what make them such elite clones compared to their brothers.
Led by Hunter, this squadron is often found taking on mercenary missions to help aid Jedi or other troopers. However, after Order 66, they began helping others around the galaxy in addition to avoiding the Empire.
In this article, you will discover the history of the Bad Batch. Additionally, you will figure out the members of the squad and what makes them each unique.
Bad Batch History
Clone Force 99 was named after Clone 99 to memorialize his life. He was an extraordinary clone. Even though he was born with defects, he showed great courage and loyalty during the Battle of Kamino. Even though he grew up doing janitorial work, he helped distribute weapons and protect his brothers during the Battle of Kamino.
Due to their mutations and differences from regular clones, Clone Force 99 was nicknamed the Bad Batch. Although genetically impure from the view of the Kaminoans, their mutations were what made them so effective and unique.
With the combination of leadership, fighting skills, strength, and technological knowledge they became unstoppable. Whenever the Republic needed extra help on a mission, they could always turn to the Bad Batch.
Although different from the majority of troopers, their differences are what bonded them together. They worked well as a squad, more effective than most clones who followed orders to a T. Their lack of following exact orders proved to be exactly what was needed to help with difficult missions.
Who are the Members of the Bad Batch?
The original Bad Batch only contained four members: Hunter, Wrecker, Crosshair, and Tech. Eventually, the squad gained two extra members: Echo and Omega. Each member has special mutations and qualities that help their success rate as a team.
Hunter
Hunter is the leader of the squad. Just as his name suggests, he possesses incredible tracking skills. Each of his senses is enhanced which allows him to track any target. He can feel electromagnetic frequencies on any planet as well.
Hunter strongly leads the Bad Batch. He is the person each turns to when they don’t know what to do. Unlike regular Captains and Commanders in the Clone Army, Hunter often chose actions opposite and unorthodox to given orders. These choices lead to a 100% success rate for him and his team.
In addition to his leadership skills and tracking abilities, Hunter also possesses a strong sense of loyalty. He mediates and tries to find peace between those on the same or opposite sides of the war. Even though gruff on the outside, he is caring and always ready to do what he believes is right, no matter the consequences.
Hunter’s weapon of choice was a Vibro knife and a hand blaster. In addition to his unique weaponry, his armor is also different. He wears modified Katarn-Class Commando Armor containing a backpack to carry his tracking gear. Just as all Clone Force 99’s armor, his is grey, black, and red.
He chose to wear his hair long, with a red headband containing a skull holding it back. Half of his face is covered with a skull tattoo.
Wrecker
The brawn of the group is Wrecker. His genetic modification made him larger and stronger than every other clone trooper. In addition to his added strength, Wrecker loved to blow things up, thus naturally becoming the demolitions expert on his squad.
Unlike Hunter, who is naturally quieter, Wrecker is loud and rowdy. He is never afraid to say what’s on his mind and let others know what he’s thinking.
With his exuberant personality and large stature, he also loved using larger equipment. His most often used weapons include a DC-17m Repeating Blaster Rifle and a large knife. Just like Hunter, he also wore modified Katarn-Class Commando armor. His helmet contains a fanged skull.
Wrecker is bald, scarred, and has one blind eye. It is currently unknown how exactly he gained his blind eye and scarring. However, due to his overexcitement with explosives and dangerous mission participation, it can be assumed that something may have happened there.
Crosshair
Crosshair is the most infamous member of Clone Force 99. He was the only one to exhibit obedience to Order 66. The Empire used that against him and made sure to enhance the chip’s abilities in his brain. Due to his allegiance with the Empire and annoyance with his squad’s desire to go against it, he began working with Tarkin to take down his former squad.
Despite his unfortunate response to the inhibitor chip, Crosshair possessed innate abilities as well. He had incredible eyesight, which allowed him to be one of the best snipers in Star Wars. It also helped when he encountered low visibility. He rarely missed a target and could hit something from as far as 10 kilometers away.
Crosshair started with light grey hair but eventually became bald. He has a reticle, just as found in the scope of a rifle on his right eye. He is thin and wiry.
Unlike the other members of the Bad Batch, Crosshair’s incredible abilities made him prideful. He felt superior to the regular troopers. Due to his feelings of superiority, he was often rude to others and disliked working with them.
Crosshair’s weapon of choice was the 773 Firepuncher Rifle. He sometimes used a hand blaster as well. His modified black, grey and red Katarn-Class Commando Armor contained a circular cutout on his helmet visor to adapt to his sniper scope.
Tech
Tech, just as his name suggests, had superior technological skills. He was known as the brains of the squad. These skills allowed him to calculate and analyze data at faster speeds than many droids.
Just like Wrecker, Tech was very talkative, yet in a quieter manner. He was known for his calm manner and ability to avoid confrontation. Tech was also very perceptive. However, he often assumed that others were as perceptive as he was, leading to him not sharing pertinent information right away.
He also liked to use hand blasters as his weapon of choice. His armor was Katarn-Class Commando which was modified. Just like every other member of the squad, he also had a personalized helmet. His included a special visor. This visor allowed him to translate various languages.
Echo
Echo was not an original member of Clone Force 99. He was first a member of Domino Squad and a normal trooper. However, he was assumed dead after an explosion on his mission to Lola Sayu’s Citadel. However, he was actually captured after the explosion by the Separatists.
The Separatists turned him into a Cyborg, using him to discover the next moves the Republic would make. No one realized this until the Separatists were able to recognize every move the Republic would make before they made it. The Bad Batch and Rex then discovered Echo was a pawn to the Empire. After this realization, Captain Rex, Anakin Skywalker, and the Bad Batch were able to rescue him.
After his rescue, he decided to join the Bad Batch. Despite not being a genetically mutated clone before becoming a Cyborg, Echo still possessed great knowledge and courage. After becoming a Cyborg, he still maintained this loyalty even while being held by the Separatists.
Echo has extremely pale skin for a clone trooper. This is due to his long capture. He no longer grows hair, instead having a cybernetic headpiece similar to Lobot. Where his right arm used to be, he has a socket arm that allows him to interface with computer systems.
Echo chose to use a DC-17 hand blaster. His armor matches that of his Bad Batch counterparts. However, in Season 2, his and his squad’s armor changes slightly from their typical grey, red, and black. Instead, they wear grey and yellow armor with slight modifications to each of their typical armor.
Omega
Omega is the latest addition to the Bad Batch. She is the only known female clone trooper. Besides her heightened awareness and lack of a behavioral modification chip, we are still unaware of what else makes her genetically unique from the others in her squad.
She doesn’t possess as much skill in combat as her counterparts. This lack is mainly due to her lack of training and youth, which she makes up for with her compassion. Luckily, Omega is smart and a quick learner allowing her to catch up more and more.
When she is first seen, she only wore a white tunic, black pants, and boots, training directly under Nala Se. However, she eventually gains a retractable Zygerrian energy bow as a weapon.
In Season 2 of the Bad Batch, she also gains new armor. She now has matching grey armor and a helmet as well. Slowly, she fits in more and more with the rest of the Bad Batch.
Where are the Bad Batch Seen?
The Clone Wars
The Bad Batch is first seen in the Seventh Season of the Clone Wars. The Republic needs extra help as their every move is expected by the Separatists, thus calling in the Bad Batch. They help Commander Cody infiltrate the Separatist Cyber Station at Anaxes. Clone Force 99 demonstrates their effectiveness using unusual strategies compared to those of the regs.
Eventually, Commander Cody is needed elsewhere, so Rex takes his place. Rex and the Bad Batch then take on the Separatist forces head-on. Once they get past the forces, they discover where the Separatists are getting their information about the Republic from Echo.
Once they receive this information, they go to Skako Minor. There they create a rescue mission for Echo. Once Echo is rescued, he is discovered to be a Cyborg. Due to his new enhanced abilities, he decides to join the Bad Batch.
Bad Batch Season 1
The first season follows the Bad Batch after Order 66. They are confused about what is going on after the troopers kill Master Billaba on a mission they are on. After she is killed, they follow Caleb Dume, her apprentice.
We figure out that although the majority of the Bad Batch seems to be immune and confused about Order 66 and the inhibitor chip, Crosshair does not. Crosshair attempts to kill Caleb, while Hunter lets him escape.
This escape leads Crosshair to question Hunter’s leadership. Due to his inhibitor chip, he feels as though Hunter is unwilling and unable to follow orders.
After Order 66, they are recruited by the Empire to kill insurgents. While doing this, they discover Saw Gerrera and his group of refugees. Just as with Order 66, they discover the Empire has been lying to them about what is going on and who is in the wrong.
Crosshair Betrayal
With great courage, they decide to disobey orders, refusing to kill the refugees. Meanwhile, Crosshair still believes that they must follow orders. He stays loyal to the Empire, abandoning his team.
Despite their loss of Crosshair, the Bad Batch lucks out with their friendship with Rex. As he escaped Order 66 as well, he helps them remove their inhibitor chips. Sadly, he is unable to help Crosshair though, who has his enhanced by the Empire.
During the season, the Bad Batch may lose a member in Crosshair, but they find a new one in Omega. Although we have yet to discover if Crosshair comes back to join the crew, Omega proves to be a helpful member, despite her youth.
Due to their disagreements with the Empire and unwillingness to compromise, the Bad Batch finds themselves in a new position where they need to take on jobs to survive. They decide to work for Trandoshan mercenary Cid.
As they take on jobs, they also fight against the evil in the galaxy. They face Cad Bane, the Empire, and other clones. The crew also takes on rescue missions helping Caleb Dume, Hera, and Hera’s family.
Unfortunately, they also witnessed the destruction of their home world Kamino. While they were able to save Omega from it, they were unable to fully convince Crosshair to join them again. Luckily, he decides to aid in their escape.
Bad Batch Season 2
While Season 1 ended with the destruction of Kamino, and the Bad Batch officially becoming fugitives of the Empire, we are excited to see the development of the new Season 2.
In the two newest episodes, we see the Bad Batch still working for Cid. They accept a new mission from her where they attempt to recover Dooku’s war chest from his palace. This attempt would allow them to be free.
Despite being unsuccessful, we see that the team is still most concerned about helping one another stay alive. Their extreme care for one another is evident as they desire the survival of one another over the retrieval of the war chest.
It will be exciting to see where the rest of the season goes. It should be exciting as the trailers tease encounters with Padawan Wookie Gungi as well as fan favorite Commander Cody.
Conclusion
Despite their differences, the Bad Batch has proved time and time again their ability to band together to succeed. With each of their unique skills, Hunter, Wrecker, Crosshair, Tech, Echo, and Omega help others in the galaxy. With their success rate so far and exciting adventures, it will be exciting to see where t