So, what’s the deal? What do you ACTUALLY need to watch? Well, the good news is, you don’t need to marathon the entire series. But, trust me, knowing some key *Clone Wars* episodes is gonna seriously enhance your *Bad Batch* experience. It’s like, you *could* just start watching, but you’d be missing out on some serious context and feels, ya know?
First off, and this is a no-brainer, you *gotta* watch the “Bad Batch” arc from *Clone Wars* Season 7. Like, duh. That’s where we *meet* Clone Force 99! It’s episodes one through four. It introduces them, shows their unique abilities, and sets up their whole… thing. Plus, Admiral Trench shows up and he’s a cool villain.
Now, beyond that… it gets a little murkier. Some people will say you *need* to know everything about Rex and Cody, because, like, their relationship with the Bad Batch is important. I mean, they *are* clones together and stuff. And seeing how they get along (or not) adds a layer of depth.
So, yeah, maybe peep some episodes featuring Rex and Cody, especially if they’re with Anakin Skywalker, because it’s kinda crucial to see how loyal they are to the Republic (before, you know, *things* happen). Honestly, I don’t remember off the top of my head *exactly* which episodes those are, I’m too lazy to do the research, but I’m sure you can find a list somewhere. Star Wars shares a comprehensive list of The Clone Wars episodes to watch before Star Wars: The Bad Batch airs on Disney+ on May the 4th.
Look, honestly, just watch anything with Rex. He’s awesome.
I’m not gonna lie, you might be a little confused without some prior knowledge of the Clone Wars. I mean, the whole *reason* the Bad Batch is doing their thing is because of the whole Clone War fiasco, right? So, maybe a *quick* summary of the war itself wouldn’t hurt. YouTube is your friend!
But seriously, don’t get too hung up on watching *everything*. The *Bad Batch* is its own thing, and they do a pretty good job of explaining things as they go. Just don’t go in completely blind, or you’ll be all “Who are these guys? Why are they shooting at those guys?” You know?
