Hello and welcome to Laughing Place’s regular recap of Lucasfilm’s animated series Star Wars: The Bad Batch on Disney+. This week’s installment, entitled “Devil’s Deal,” is the eleventh episode of the show’s first season.
“Devil’s Deal” begins with Crosshair (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker, as are all the Jango Fett clones) monitoring a crowd gathering on the planet Ryloth. “I have a visual. Gobi Glie and his fighters are here,” says Crosshair as he spots a pair of Twi’leks among the masses. In a conference room above the throng, Vice Admiral Rampart (Noshir Dalal) meets with Senator Orn Free Taa (Phil LaMarr), expressing disappointment that the locals seem troubled by the Empire’s presence on the planet. Taa tries to reassure Rampart with the help of Eleni Syndulla (guest star Ferelith Young of Titans), who says she “will always support that which helps Ryloth.” Rampart then asks her husband General Cham Syndulla (Robin Atkin Downes) if he shares his wife’s outlook. “After years spent fighting, peace is what I need,” replies the general after a beat. “With peace comes prosperity,” agrees Taa. “This is a new era for Ryloth.”
After the others walk away, Cham admits to Clone Captain Howzer that change is not always easy. “I hope my people will embrace this peace.” Orn Free Taa addresses the crowd and says that a new refinery will bring stability and growth to the planet. He orders all Twi’leks to step down from their military posts and enjoy the freedom the Empire has brought, to jeers from his audience. Taa says the clone army will protect and defend Ryloth, but the crowd chants that they want Cham Syndulla to tell them what to do. “I understand your uneasiness,” says Cham. “Let us lay down our weapons and focus on Ryloth’s future. Gobi Glie (Corey Burton) and his people frown at this speech and walk out of the gathering while Crosshair watches. Above, Rampart tells Eleni it’s a shame her daughter can’t be there to share in the moment. “Hera has other interests, Admiral,” Syndulla replies.
We cut to another area of the planet, where Hera Syndulla (Vanessa Marshall, using an accent closer to Hera’s parents for this younger version of the character) and her droid Chopper (voiced by series creator Dave Filoni) watch Imperial troops unloading cargo from shuttles parked at the refinery. “Uncle Gobi told us to stay and gather intel,” says Hera when Chopper wants to spring into action. Hera lays down on some rocks and looks wistfully up into the sky, using her hand to imitate the avians flying over her. Suddenly two clone troopers interrupt her daydreaming and hold her at blaster point. “Uh oh,” says Chopper. Back in the city, Gobi and Eleni discuss the future of Ryloth, with the former arguing that clones should not be the ones defending the planet. “By turning over our weapons, he’s made us defenseless. I can’t accept that.” He says he’s reached out to a contact to acquire more arms.
Clone troopers bring Hera and Chopper into the square, where Cham greets them and assures Howzer that Hera won’t enter the restricted zones anymore. Once the clones leave, Gobi covers for Hera by telling Cham that he sent her to spy on the Imperial refinery, while Eleni covertly tells Hera to report on what she saw. Cham and Gobi argue about the “delicate situation” they find themselves in. “I would not have you put Hera in the middle of it.” Gobi says he will not stand by while more and more clones occupy their planet. “The Imperials are up to something. You just don’t want to see it.” Meanwhile, Rampart and Crosshair meet with Orn Free Taa, and they talk about Cham Syndulla’s influence over the people of Ryloth. “Gobi Glie is your real threat,” says Crosshair, but Taa says the soldiers will be loyal to Syndulla.
Cham and Hera also talk about the future of Ryloth. “The people don’t seem very happy,” says Hera. “Uncle Gobi says things are getting worse.” “He and I want the same things, but differ in our approach,” replies Cham. Hera offers to help fight, but her father says he wants more for her. “My hope is that you won’t ever have to live a life like mine.” Later at the refinery, Rampart gives Cham and Eleni a tour of the facility, telling them that it will help rebuild parts of the galaxy affected by the war. Eleni spots laser turrets around the perimeter and says they were told it would not be a military facility. “The Empire is dedicated to protecting the interests of Ryloth,” says Rampart. Once they’re alone, Eleni and Cham bicker about whether or not they can trust the Imperials. “We need to try for the sake of Ryloth,” says Cham.
At the spaceport, Hera tells Gobi she can’t accompany him on a supply run until he offers to let her fly the ship. She tells Chopper to cover for her and takes off while Crosshair watches from a distance and fires a homing beacon onto the vessel. When they reach their destination, Gobi won’t let Hera land the ship, but has his copilot settle it onto a nearby moon. The three Twi’leks exit the ship and set out to meet Gobi’s contact, who he says is giving them more weapons. Over the horizon comes the Havoc Marauder, and out steps Hunter, followed by Wrecker, carrying several large crates. Omega (Michelle Ang) sits at the open hatch and watches the transaction unfold. Hunter and Tech say Cid sent Clone Force 99 to deliver three dozen blasters and a case of thermal detonators. Hera approaches the Marauder in awe and starts a discussion with Omega about the vessel.
Omega gives Hera a tour of the Havoc Marauder, and together they talk about flying. “Specs are only half of it. Flying is about a feeling,” says Hera. Omega then shows Hera her bunk. “You get to live on a starship? That’s my dream,” admits Hera. The two young women talk about how both of their groups are in trouble, and that’s why they’re meeting like this. Outside, Gobi tells Hunter to have Cid contact him when she has more weapons to sell, and then summons Hera to rejoin him at their ship. “Thanks for the tour,” Hera tells Omega. “Anytime.” They bid farewell and the Twi’leks return to Ryloth, where Crosshair immediately shoots out one of their engines. Their ship crashes into a canyon and Crosshair orders his troops to move in. The clone troopers take the Twi’lek rebels into custody and bring in Vice Admiral Rampart and Orn Free Taa to interrogate them.
Taa suggests that Cham Syndulla is behind the weapon smuggling effort, with Hera’s presence being enough to implicate him. “The public won’t see it that way,” says Rampart. Taa orders the troopers to arrest the insurgents, and Crosshair reports to Rampart that some of Glie’s fighters have been spotted nearby. Rampart tells Crosshair to let the soldiers report back and to get into position. The fighters send a holotransmission to Cham and Eleni, who also find out from Chopper that their relatives have been found guilty of treason before a trial could even be held. They plan to intercept the Imperial convoy before it reaches the capital, and their soldiers spring into action with the Syndullas leading the charge and Chopper staying behind to wait for their signal. Cham hijacks a speeder bike and jousts another clone trooper to the ground, while Orn Free Taa orders the clone troopers to attack.
Eleni jumps onto the Imperial tank and breaks into its cockpit, taking control from the driver while soldiers on the canyon ridge above ride Blurrgs and fire at the troopers below. Inside the tank, Eleni cuts the Imperial’s transmissions and outside Cham takes care of the last remaining speeder bikes. Taa says the troops must hold off the insurgents until reinforcements arrive, but Rampart decides to surrender. “What are you doing?” “Keeping us alive, Senator.” Hera is reunited with her parents and Cham Syndulla takes Vice Admiral Rampart and Orn Free Taa prisoner, almost killing Taa with a blaster shot to the chest before his wife stops him. “Taa’s time will come, but not this way,” says Eleni. “Thank you for playing your part, Senator,” says Rampart just before Crosshair shoots Taa with his sniper rifle. More Imperial ships arrive and Chopper escapes with Hera in a landspeeder.
“Arrest these insurgents for the attempted assassination of Orn Free Taa,” Rampart orders his troops. The Twi’lek rebels are put into binders and Rampart tells Howzer that Hera won’t get far. “Have our forces find her.” In the landspeeder, Hera sorrowfully watches the Imperial ships fly away.
New episodes of Star Wars: The Bad Batch are released Fridays, exclusively on Disney+.