– Spoiler Review –
The Bad Batch season two’s “Faster” is a fun, exciting diversion, which lets some of the lesser focused on Batch step into the spotlight while revealing a bit more about Cid.
Podracing came to Star Wars at the right time for me, as I was only 9 when The Phantom Menace came out and Episode 1 – Racer was available to play, hours on end, on my family’s N64. The gaming sequel Racer Revenge didn’t quite have the same memorable feeling as the first game, but it’s largely been the last we’ve seen for the sport in Star Wars, which is a shame because it’s such a fun idea and great inspiration, especially for more games. I’ve missed it throughout the years, though it manages to appear in comics and audiobooks and the like from time to time, while racing overall lives on in Star Wars, most recently in Star Wars Resistance, but it makes a big comeback with The Bad Batch‘s “Faster” via the tremendous riot racing! The sport is a seemingly rule-less race through a tricky course, where weapons and trickery are encouraged, and by the end of the episode I was just dreaming about the chance to race in a video game about it. The tight tunnels, varied terrain, and trickery involved would be fun for multiplayer as well as solo against increasingly tougher AI racers, a darker version of Mario Kart forming in my head right now. Add in the racing from Resistance and more podracing, the trifecta of racing is just too good to pass up on!! I can dream of such a game, even if it’s just riot racing, but all three represent avenues to explore that shouldn’t be passed up on, though that The Bad Batch’s newest addition is something I’m eager to see added to the list says a lot about how “Faster” brings it to life. Much like in The Phantom Menace, we don’t know much about all the racers, but their distinct personalities and looks, like the creepy Threepio-like model, the B1 Battle Droid doing finger guns, or the helmeted Nikto all inspire wild stories, ideas, and the desire to select them and any unique ability they come with as my next racer. The racing itself has an appropriate sense of speed and danger, from the tight turns or upside-down racing Tech pulls off to sneak through the broken tunnel, while the many weapons and blocking strategies reveal how difficult things could get, beyond Tech talking about how much difficulty he has trying to calculate the odds. The sound design adds a lot to the tension, the soundtrack is great again by the Kiners, very kinetic sounding, while the sense of speed the sound team helps add, from the engines blaring or whizzing by the camera, as well as the serious and loud crashes, revel in the sport’s danger and rewards. I get why it draws such a crowd, though the stray shot taking down a spectator gave me pause since it was both a small ounce of shocking and a dash of funny, the racing commentary providing the punchline to the joke, though knowing the danger isn’t just on the track says a lot about the sport and the big crowd it still draws.
In “Faster,” Cid gets a chance to spread her scales and leave the dark, dank confines of her office on Ord Mantell, taking Wrecker, Tech, and Omega to Safa Toma to check in on her riot racer droid, TAY-O. We get to learn a bit more about Clone Force 99’s current employer, a nice surprise beyond making her the mission-giver, though the additional screentime certainly feels like it’s meant to help build up our empathy for Ciddarian Scaleback before something happens to her, likely helping the Batch escape some nefarious Imperial clutches. Minus that jaded view on her extra screentime, it was probably my favorite aspect of the episode beyond the riot racing, as Rhea Perlman is a gift to have in the role and this gives her a chance to play with the character more as well. Cid’s interactions with Grini Millegi (Ernie Hudson!) are the basis of what draws out more from the character, as their past and the tension between them both brings out some of her claws but shows us how much she’s changed as well. I’ve noticed she’s grown a little softer than when we first met Cid in season one, especially when in the season two premiere she stressed the Batch should get out of her employ because she knows her time is running out with the Empire cracking down, so to hear from someone who knew her in her far more ruthless days further exemplifies her change. The episode still ends with Millegi trying to drive a wedge between her and the Batch, giving them a warning about needing to watch their backs around her, even though we’ve seen how she’s changed, though the Batch might not realize it and this could create some tension going forward.
Ernie Hudson (Ghostbusters) as Millegi was excellent, as I love the subtle sneer he brought to many of his lines, though there’s a smoothness and charm where I can see how people come under his employ or are willing to work with him. This voice work means a lot considering Millegi is a Dowutin, the big, sharp facial horns and tall, imposing appearing are off-putting, though he holds himself together like a businessman, which is where Hudson’s voice acting helps with the visage. I hope he’s not a one-off character and we get to see more of him, as I imagine turning him to their side could be helpful in any fights ahead, while he’d make a considerable opponent if it comes down to it.
Wrecker and Omega have their moments in “Faster,” Omega standing up to Millegi and brokering a new deal to free Cid, while Wrecker delivers some hilarious lines (his comments to Tech on where he needs to be in the race is a real highlight), but it’s more so Tech’s show this time around. He clashes with the smarmy TAY-O (Ben Schwartz), the two bickering over how to win the races or how to fix the droid when he’s destroyed by two other racers, which brings some more humor to the story but also forces him to think outside the box. A lot of that tension seems to come from Tech realizing how much he might be like this droid, from the way he acts and analyses things, but he’s able to show much he can think outside the box throughout the race, especially when he ditches the weapons to help boost his engines. He might be removed, stark, and seemingly emotionless, always looking at the world through percentages and possibilities, but by living a little and taking these risks, he not only proves to others he’s more than his goggles and datapad, but also to himself. Here’s hoping, that while we know he’ll retain what makes him so different, he changes just a little after this episode.
All the fantastic animation, making for a thrilling race and episode, gives way once again to our mentioning of the #UnwhitewashTBB campaign. You can read more up on the campaign via their Carrd, and this great article on Gizmodo, but it’s simply pointing out how the special clones of a character played by a Maori actor are whiter than any other clone, unintentionally implying superiority and uniqueness are inherent in those who are white versus their darker-skinned brethren. I find it hard to cover this show without mentioning it each episode, as not acknowledging it would be ignoring the problem. They’ve reportedly darkened the characters, but it’s still not been enough to fix the issue, so hopefully by the show’s eventual third season they can maybe get it right.
The Bad Batch’s “Faster” introduces a fun new type of racing to Star Wars, gives characters like Tech and Cid a chance to shine, and overall is a nice little diversion.
+ GIVE ME A RIOT RACER GAME
+ Tech and Cid coming out of their shells
+ Ernie Hudson’s performance
– Unwhitewash the Bad Batch
Ryan is Mynock Manor’s Head Butler. You can follow him on Twitter @BrushYourTeeth. You can follow the website on Twitter @MynockManor and Instagram @mynockmanor.
THE BAD BATCH REVIEWS
Season Two: 1.1/1.2 Spoils of War & Ruins of War | 1.3 The Solitary Clone
Season One: 1.1 Aftermath | 1.2 Cut and Run | 1.3 Replacements | 1.4 Cornered | 1.5 Rampage | 1.6 Decommissioned | 1.7 Battle Scars | 1.8 Reunion | 1.9 Bounty Lost | 1.10 Common Ground | 1.11 Devil’s Deal | 1.12 Rescue on Ryloth | 1.13 Infested | 1.14 War-Mantle | 1.15 Return to Kamino | 1.16 Kamino Lost