The Bad Batch is back, but under the rule of the newly formed Galactic Empire. Clone force 99 (named after the disfigured janitor on Kamino) earned their popularity in the final season of The Clone Wars as a set of distinguishable clones, not unlike Rex and Pals but with far more attitude as they were labeled "defective" despite their "desirable" mutations. Their inclusion in the final season of Clone Wars led fans to believe their own show was on its way and, in mid-July, those theories were proven true.

The Bad Batch consists of four genetically enhanced clones, not including Echo, who joins at the end of Clone Wars. The leader is Hunter, who boasts unique sensory abilities. His subordinates consist of the eyesight-enhanced sniper Crosshair, the beefed-up and brash Wrecker, and Tech, the genius. Their dynamic and standout personalities, as well as their conveniently distinguishable characteristics, made them an immediately lovable highlight of Clone Wars season 7. Who wouldn't love a team called the Bad Batch? The four-episode arc brought back Echo and left him and the other clones of 99 on a salute to Rex, and their involvement in Order 66 is unexplored in any canon. This is likely something that the series will explore, but the main focus of The Bad Batch will be on the unit's turn to mercenary work after the rise of the Empire.

Related: Star Wars: What Happened To The Bad Batch After Clone Wars

Disney released the first trailer for The Bad Batch today, and it's all action. The plot summary reads:

"The series follows the elite and experimental clones of the Bad Batch (first introduced in “The Clone Wars) as they find their way in a rapidly changing galaxy in the immediate aftermath of the Clone War. Members of Bad Batch - a unique squad of clones who vary genetically from their brothers in the Clone Army - each possess a singular exceptional skill which makes them extraordinarily effective soldiers and a formidable crew. In the post-Clone War era, they will take on daring mercenary missions as they struggle to stay afloat and find new purpose."

Again, no mention of Order 66 in the trailer or synopsis, but the footage does seem to have the Bad Batch facing off against clone/stormtroopers, and at least sometimes interacting with imperial officers. Knowing Star Wars, it's likely the boys in 99 will eventually find themselves railing against the bad guys, but this trailer is really just a sizzle reel. It's effective, because the Bad Batch does in fact look very bad in a pretty good way here. The animation and direction are a far cry from the early days of The Clone Wars. It's been made clear that the people in charge are comfortable with telling some low-stakes stories to explore some new horizons, and The Bad Batch is feeling like a very good spiritual successor to The Clone Wars.

This should be good news for segments of the Star Wars fanbase who were disappointed in the more aggressively kid-friendly direction Rebels and Resistance were often taken. All things considered, this is a pretty violent trailer for an animated (presumably) children's show. The Bad Batch is an interesting group to focus on, not just because of their dynamic, but because of their position as defective clones. They're superior, and yet in a way inferior to their more uniform and loyal brothers, which makes their aimless position in the rising Empire an exciting premise to do something genuinely new with the world of Star Wars. Hopefully, all those well-animated action cuts come with a good story to boot.

Next: Star Wars' Bad Batch Can Explain An Abandoned Clone Wars Story

Source: Disney