THIS POST GUARDS SPOILERS
In “The Solitary Clone,” the third episode of this season, The Bad Batch dedicated an entire episode to Clone Force 99’s phantom pain, Crosshair. Now, nine episodes later, here we go again. Crosshair’s loyalty runs up against the disloyalty of the new military regime, with chilly and chilling results.
“The Outpost” is rife with irony. Crosshair accompanies the inexperienced, sneering Lieutenant Nolan to a snowy, inhospitable world in order to retrieve cargo. There, he finds the nearly abandoned remnants of a clone battalion, led by Commander Mayday (subtly is not a Star Wars strong suit), guarding they-know-not-what for they-know-not-why. When the precious cargo is finally revealed, it turns out to be new gear for their stormtrooper replacements. This is the episode where the cold and stoic Crosshair lethally loses patience with the indignities he and his fellow clonetroopers are forced to endure.
What’s so striking about Crosshair Striking Back is how little he wants to do this. Crosshair is not a natural rebel. We’ve watched him choose his role as a sniper over his closest friendships. It’s not the Empire’s fascism that makes him finally reject his orders, not a plea from Hunter. It’s disrespect for the sacrifices of service.