Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Star Wars: The Bad Batch episode 13.
While Star Wars: The Bad Batch episode 13 features an action-packed mission in which Clone Force 99 steal a shipment of spice from the gangster Roland Durand to reclaim Cid’s (Rhea Perlman) Parlor, the standalone adventure feels rather underwhelming. While the main conflict of The Bad Batch is centered around Clone Force 99’s defection from the newly founded Imperial government and their evasion of their former comrade Crosshair, who's hunting them for the Empire, episode 13 isn’t the first in the series to explore other subplots unrelated to the core story.
To avoid the Empire and survive independently in a post-Republic galaxy, Clone Force 99 begin to work for the former Jedi informant Cid, embarking on odd jobs to various planets throughout the galaxy in exchange for Cid’s secrecy and resources. While the introduction of these standalone adventures commissioned by Cid grants the series the opportunity to explore new and classic Star Wars locations, as well as introduce more Easter eggs and cameos of characters from the Star Wars franchise, many of the episodes don’t move the plot forward, but rather act as filler. Following a similar structure, episode 13 “Infested” shows The Bad Batch returning to Ord Mantell only to discover that Cid’s territory has been usurped by Durand, which they help her retake. Because the mission establishes a deeper bond between Cid and Clone Force 99, the episode is certainly worth telling, but feels rather out of place in comparison to The Bad Batch’s past standalone adventures.
The Bad Batch episode 13 is disappointing because it’s a filler episode that occurs too close to the season finale, which stalls the progression of the series' main conflict. Many of The Bad Batch’s filler episodes, which took place earlier on in the season, worked well because they didn’t completely halt the story and added something new to Star Wars canon. Rafa and Trace’s appearance in episode 6, “Decommissioned," revealed that the Martez sisters were sympathetic to the rebel cause after the events of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. In episode 5, “Rampage,” Clone Force 99’s mission to save Muchi also establishes a connection to Return of the Jedi, since Muchi is one of Jabba's pets, albeit not the same rancor that fights Luke Skywalker. In comparison to past filler episodes, Clone Force 99’s mission to hijack Durand’s spice shipment in episode 13 doesn’t contribute anything new to the Star Wars mythos at large, or have any apparent correlation to the Bad Batch’s conflict with the Empire.
Episode 13 also seems less impressive than The Bad Batch’s previous standalone episodes because it inadvertently butchers the tension developed at the end of episode 12. During the last scene of “Rescue on Ryloth” after Clone Force 99 has successfully rescued Hera Syndulla's parents from the capitol, Admiral Rampart looks down at the demolished Imperial refinery on Ryloth and appears to finally comprehend the threat that Clone Force 99 poses to the Empire. When Crosshair asks for Admiral Rampart’s permission to hunt down his former clone squadron, episode 12’s final scene prepared the audience to witness a climactic showdown between Clone Force 99 and Crosshair, only to receive a filler episode in its place that doesn’t feature Crosshair at all. The sudden change of pace between episodes 12 and 13 then dampens the audience’s level of interest in the subplot involving Cid’s business.
Alternatively, Star Wars: The Bad Batch episode 13 could still have an impact on the main conflict in unforeseen ways. In past episodes, Crosshair found Clone Force 99 only after they’d wandered into Imperial territory, such as when a probe droid discovered them on Ryloth or when scrappers informed the Empire of their presence on Bracca. After their encounter with Crosshair on Ryloth, Clone Force 99 might be more cautious about traveling to planets occupied by the Empire, which will make it more difficult for Crosshair to track their whereabouts. While the Bad Batch may have sworn Cid to secrecy, there are two other disreputable crime families introduced in episode 13 that could inform the Empire of their location for a reward: the Pykes or the new crime boss Isa Durand.
