With Star Wars: The Bad Batch season 3 almost here, fans are excited, but also nervous about how the final season will conclude the story of Clone Force 99 and the other clones during the early years of the Empire. Tech's sacrifice and apparent demise in the season 2 finale proved that none of the members of Clone Force 99 are safe from death.
Out of all the members of Clone Force 99, Crosshair seems the most probable to die in season 3. In the season 2 episode, "The Outpost," one of the best episodes of Star Wars television in 2023 and in the franchise's history, Crosshair began his journey of redemption.
Redemption is a theme commonly explored by many Star Wars characters, including Darth Vader/Anakin Skywalker in Return of the Jedi and Kylo Ren/Ben Solo in The Rise of Skywalker. Both of these characters famously sacrifice themselves as part of their redemption, with Anakin saving his son Luke Skywalker and Ben using all of his life force to revive Rey.
If Crosshair's story follows a similar trajectory in The Bad Batch, he will complete his redemption arc by sacrificing his life to save Omega and his brothers. This could be a satisfying end for Crosshair's story, especially given his disdain for Omega in season 1, but it would be more compelling for Crosshair to survive for the sake of his own arc and for the sake of how redemption is treated across the franchise.
Crosshair has always prided himself on being a good soldier, whether he was serving the Republic or the Empire. A good soldier sometimes makes a sacrifice for the good of the squad, just as Tech did at the end of The Bad Batch season 2. Instead of having Crosshair's story and his redemption end in death, it would be more intriguing to see what he decides to do with his life and his freedom.
Can Crosshair settle down in a place like Pabu and find peace there like the other members of Clone Force 99? If he can't do that and wants to continue being a soldier, maybe he can continue the fight against the Empire he once served as part of a rebel cell that will one day be part of the Rebel Alliance.
It is important for Star Wars to show that redemption doesn't always have to end in death as it did for Anakin Skywalker and Ben Solo. With a season consisting of 15 episodes, there is time to show what surviving redemption can look like as Crosshair reconciles with those he has hurt, finds a new purpose, and builds a new life for himself.
Crosshair is arguably the most complex and nuanced character in The Bad Batch. His arc in the last season should do his complex and nuanced character justice by navigating the challenges of redemptive survival instead of going out in a blaze of redemptive glory.
The Bad Batch's final season kicks off with a three-episode premiere on February 21, only on Disney+.