Star Wars: The Bad Batch is the latest Star Wars series released on Disney+. This show revolves around Clone Force 99, otherwise known as the Bad Batch, a group of clones who were born with genetic "defects", aside from one member, which ultimately makes them more efficient soldiers.
Like most Star Wars movies, series, and games, the fans don't only pay attention to these stories because of the awesome action, but also for their interesting characters. The Bad Batch is the perfect ragtag of clone troopers for a Star Wars story to revolve around on. Not only are these guys very good at what they do, but their backstory is also very fascinating.
10 Genetic Alteration
Clone Force 99 is a result of a genetic alteration in the team's cloning process, which is different from how the other clones were manufactured. This occurs occasionally, some by accident, some on purpose. Most of the time, these alterations will only manifest on a clone's appearance, like a difference in eye color or hair growth. In other cases, however, the changes are much more extreme.
For the Bad Batch's case, they were purposefully engineered to have individual expertise. Although, this change in mutation has also caused the group to be more unpredictable, disobedient, and dangerous.
9 Individual Skills
Each member of Clone Force 99 is an expert in a specific skill set or has unique overlying attributes. Hunter is the leader of Clone Force 99. He is also a recon expert, especially where droids are concerned, because of his ability to sense electromagnetic fields.
Tech is the team's resident tech expert. Anything related to technology, the team defers to his knowledge. Wrecker is the team's brute. He is an insanely strong clone, although his strength is only matched by his lust for chaos and his unpredictability. Crosshair is an inhumanely skilled shot. He can apparently hit a target from 10 kilometers away. Finally, there's Echo, the latest recruit of the team. Although Echo isn't born with genetic defects, he has been transformed into a cyborg after being captured by Separatist forces.
8 Unofficial Logo
The unofficial logo of the Bad Batch is an image of a skull icon. This logo is drawn on each of the member's armor, with some having slight variations and additional placements.
For example, Hunter's headband is also fashioned with a skull icon. Wrecker's helmet is painted to resemble a cartoonish skull. Tech's skull icon is pixelated, which is a reference to his proclivity towards anything related to technology.
7 Their Equipment
The types of equipment used by the members of Clone Force 99 are the ones mainly used by commando soldiers. The distinction of commando is given to elite soldiers who are capable of overcoming situations normal soldiers won't be able to.
Clone Force 99 wears modified Katarn-class commando armors. In terms of weaponry, Tech uses dual pistols, Crosshair mainly uses snipers, Echo uses a DC-17 hand blaster, and both Wrecker and Hunter use the DC-17m blaster rifle. The Havoc Marauder, the Bad Batch's vessel, is a modified Omicron-class attach shuttle.
6 Rescuing & Recruiting Echo
Echo was a member of the Domino Squad. However, during a skirmish at the Citadel on Lola Sayu, Echo got caught in an explosion, causing many to believe he died during the mission. Captain Rex later realized that Echo might be alive when the strategies he came up with Echo are being countered so effectively by the droids.
As it turns out, Captain Rex was right, and Echo was rescued by him, Anakin Skywalker, along with the Bad Batch. When they finally rescued Echo at Anaxes, and reclaiming the planet for the Republic, Echo was deemed the hero of Anaxes. Hunter offered Echo to join Clone Force 99, which he agreed to do so with the graces of Captain Rex.
5 Clone 99
Clone 99 was meant to be a clone trooper, like all the clones before and after him. However, he was malformed in the cloning process, which greatly altered his genetic code and physical appearance. Because of this, Clone 99 was deemed unfit for combat and assigned to maintenance duty.
Clone 99 had a close relationship with the Domino Squad, Echo's original team. Despite being a maintenance duty clone, Clone 99 held his ground against the Separatist when Kamino was invaded, ultimately costing his life. He was considered a true soldier in death. Clone Force 99 was named in his honor, who, like him, are also genetically mutated clones.
4 Plan 82
Clone Force 99 was genetically engineered to have character traits that are not only unique but would also benefit the team as a whole. As a result, Clone Force 99 is extremely efficient in working together as a team. Their teamwork is so synchronized that they're even capable of taking on an entire army just by themselves.
One example of this is Plan 82, an attack plan devised by the team. This attack plan involves the utilization of every single member's unique ability, to great success. It is reported that Clone Force 99 has a 100% mission success rate, despite its tendency to be insubordinate and unpredictable.
3 Relationship with Other Clones
The Bad Batch functions very differently from other clone squadrons. They often refer to other clones as "Regs", or regular clones, either in contempt or indifference, depending on the member. Out of all the members of the Bad Batch, Crosshair is the one that's most hostile to Regs.
The Bad Batch also doesn't report to other commanders in particular but seems to work occasionally with Commander Cody. The group even shows a level of respect for him.
2 The Bad Batch's Conception
The Bad Batch was created initially solely for The Clone Wars TV Series. The idea for the group came from the mind of the creator of Star Wars himself, George Lucas.
While conceptualizing the Bad Batch, George Lucas had the idea of clones that are unique from another and are more akin to enhanced skills special forces unit. With that, he, alongside Dave Filoni, explored this idea further, thus giving birth to Clone Force 99.
1 The Padawan Hunter Let Go
During the first scene of The Bad Batch Disney+ series, the group is brought to the battlefield by Padawan Caleb Dume. When Order 66 began, Caleb's master, Depa Billaba, sacrificed herself to allow her Padawan to escape. The Bad Batch, however, due to their unique mutation, are able to disobey Order 66, aside from Crosshair.
While Crosshair is chasing the young Caleb Dume, the Padawan's escape is made possible because of Hunter's intervention, which allows him to run away. This little Padawan grows up to be Kanan Jarrus, a prominent figure in Star Wars: Rebels and mentor of Ezra Bridger.