This will contain spoilers for The Bad Batch Season 3 episode 1 "Confined."
Gosh, Lucasfilm Animation is so good. The Bad Batch is back, and its opening episode, "Confined," was worth the wait.
The heart of "Confined" is Omega and Crosshair, as it should be. While they have had some of the most poignant scenes in the entire series, they've also had the least screen time together. It's time for Omega to bond with her last brother of Clone Force 99.
The use of economic writing in the episode is incredible, making the most of a handful of powerful scenes between the brother and sister. No piece of dialogue is wasted on these two. No single image is a throwaway. Even the quiet moments, like showing the tremors in Crosshair's hands, are important setups. In only a few moments, Omega and Crosshair's bond is set for the season as she gains his care and wins his trust.
Hemlock continues to be scary, as he may be one of the best Star Wars villains ever. The thing about fascism is it allows the worst people to come out of hiding. Hemlock is coded for the Josef Mengele side of the Nazi story, representing some of the worst elements of the Empire. He's probably coffee buddies with the doctor who tortured Bix in Andor. They probably hang out on weekends for evil scheming. These are the kind of people who thrive the most in these types of governments. It's horrifying to watch this man gain more and more power at the expense of innocent lives.
Because The Bad Batch has always paired so nicely with Andor, telling the story of the dirty side of the Rebellion. These aren't the mythical heroes. These aren't Skywalkers, Han Solos, Princess Leias of Star Wars. The clones are the lost generation of veterans just trying to survive under the boot of the Empire who want to dissect them. They're trying to survive like the people of Ferrix in Andor, who only want to live in peace. Like George Lucas said, Star Wars is like poetry. It rhymes, and these two shows compliment each other well.
Not to get too into spoilers for Episode 3, but "Confined" is exactly how you write setup for later payoff. From Omega bonding with Batcher, the cute hound who is just a little different from her other hounds, to wearing down Crosshair and Emerie, the writers showcase a masterclass in writing setup. These creators have always been so good at what they do.
Lucasfilm Animation has never been better, and The Bad Batch's final season is off to a great start with "Confined."