Star Wars fans love a good redemption story. Heck, the original trilogy was all about Darth Vader’s redemption. And then we spent another trilogy going back to find out how good he was in the beginning, thus adding more weight to his sacrifice, leading to his eventual redemption. So with two seasons into The Bad Batch, I wonder if we’re going down the same path with former Batch member Crosshair. With Season 2 off to a strong start, creator Dave Filoni seems to be planting seeds that hint at that. But it’s still too early to tell where we’re going with the Crosshair storyline. With The Bad Batch’s Crosshair now officially the weirdo, will he ever find his way back to his brother? I think so. Read on to find out how I think Crosshair can find redemption.
Spoiler Warning: The following segment will contain spoilers for The Bad Batch Season 2 Episode 3 titled ‘The Solitary Clone’.
The cross of the bad gang did terrible things
Before we discuss whether Crosshair’s redemption is near, we should probably look at what he has done so far. In Season 1 of The Bad Batch, Crosshair orders the execution of a camp full of innocent civilians while searching for Sue Jarre. Throughout the rest of the season, he similarly kills, harms and hunts others, including his own brothers, The Bad Batch themselves. At first, we, as well as the Batch, think that Crosshair’s actions are due to the inhibitor chip that caused all the clone troopers to betray the Jedi in Order 66.
However, we soon find out that Crosshair removed his chip early on. So his blind loyalty to the Empire is not the result of mindless programming through technology. But a choice made by Crosshair. This is what made Crosshair such a good antagonist. The misdirection of the chip thought to be the cause of his actions, only for the revelation to show that he was responsible for them, was heartbreaking. But the dynamics of The Bad Batch and Crosshair get even worse with the reveal in the third episode of the second season.
The individual clone chooses its own actions
Season 3 episode 3 sees Crosshair team up with another popular Clone Trooper from The Clone Wars animated series, Commander Cody. Cody was another friendly clone who worked with all the Jedi for years before Order 66 made him turn against them. He returns in this episode, serving the new empire, and performing missions for them. Just like a crosshair.
However, when faced with a less-than-black-and-white decision, Cody takes a break. When a representative of a planet refuses to join the Empire, because they want peace, Cody promises to hear her out, and even take her request to his superiors. However, before he can continue, Crosshair shoots and kills her on the orders of an Imperial officer. Without hesitation, because, as Cody said before – ‘good soldiers follow orders’.
What the Bad Batch crossovers mean for clones everywhere
At the end of this episode, we see Cody struggle with Crossshire’s action, leaving him disillusioned with his service to the Empire. We then hear that Cody is now AWOL, meaning he has abandoned his post, due to this investigation into the motives and actions of the Empire. What this shows us is how the clones are not evil, and that the chip did not make them evil, but that they know between good and evil. And when faced with the evil ways of the Empire, many clones abandoned their posts.
But even more importantly, what does this say about The Bad Batch’s cross. Knowing now that despite the chip, Clone Troopers can think for themselves and choose to leave the service of the Empire, it shows Crosshair in a different light. It proves, once and for all, that everything Crosshair has done up until now, was his choice. Not the chip. Not the brainwashing. But the cross alone. Which makes any possible redemption arc much more difficult. If Crosshair chose to do all the horrible things he did, even though he had an alternative but literally chose the Empire over his brother, redemption would be hard to come by.
And while the show certainly looks like they’re gearing up for it. It will be hard to cheer for the eventual redemption arc, knowing that Crosshair can’t justify his own actions other than a ‘follow orders’ rationale.
Episode 3 of The Bad Batch Season 2 is now airing Disney+.
What do you think of The Bad Batch’s cross and his actions? Do you think he will ever be able to return to his family? Or did he go too far? Tell me in the comments below.
