Star Wars: The Bad Batch – Season 3 Episode 2 “Paths Unknown” Recap & Review

“Paths Unknown” Recap

Episode 2 of Star Wars: The Bad Batch introduces Lady Durand. She condemns a mutinous captain serving her to fall to his death. It’s a ruthless, quick “trial.” Hunter and Wrecker then bring in a member of the Pyke Syndicate that shamed the Durand family. In exchange, Lady Durand gives them a data puck containing Hemlock’s whereabouts. Hunter, haunted by Omega’s stuffed toy, doesn’t want to wait for Echo and Wrex to help storm the Imperial Base.

The data leads them to Hemlock’s old base, which has been destroyed (wrong place). On the way to check it out, they are ambushed by a pair of young clones, Stak and Deke. The boys decide to help them. On the way, they’re attacked by giant vines, an experimental weapon developed by the Empire. It’s a quick win. The third young clone, Mox, explains how to approach the ruins and retrieve a data pad. Only Deke goes with Hunter and Wrecker, and they fight more slither vines and spore-like creatures along the way.

Hunter and Rex fend off giant, toothed vines while Deke accesses a data terminal. Mox and Stak explore the Batch’s ship. After hearing Deke’s distress call, they take the ship to their location. The vines all connect to a giant, sarlacc-like mouth. Mox and Deke are just in time to save them, dropping a crate of thermal detonators into its mouth.

The data pad reveals only the sector of Hemlock’s new base. Hunter plans to drop off the young clones on a small island (from the previous season). He tells them to create their own path in life- but become something other than a soldier. As for him and Wrecker, their mission is not over yet.

The Episode Review

The Bad Batch episode “Paths Unknown” delivers a more classic flavor of episode, akin to The Clone Wars or Rebels. The opening has the gritty, epic, and undeniable ‘feel’ of Star Wars. The visual quality is dialed up, but the trajectory of the episode remains rather predictable. Overall, the potential for Mox and Stak to steal the ship was next to none. It also employs a simple plot style, which has a history of displeasure from fans.

Hunter and Wrex are looking for the base to find Omega. To find it, they did a mercenary job, which led them to this base. They had to seek out a data pad which led them to the sector. Now, they are likely to spend a large portion of the season on a winding questline to the base. To many, this might just sound like what the plot is: a goal with obstacles in the way. However, similar iterations have drawn ire from fans. It can feel a bit tedious, like the long checklist of technical tasks to get the tower signal out in Rogue One, or the arguably hokey ‘dagger device’ in The Rise of Skywalker. However, this flavor of story is Star Wars’ bread and butter.

Meeting a pair of young clones is a tactful reminder of the target age for this show. The Bad Batch rarely sacrifices content for age restrictions, though. Themes of loss and struggling for purpose maintain the dreary tone. There’s a persistent struggle to hold onto hope, and the writing eloquently ties it to Omega finding freedom.