The Cavalry Has Arrived

"The Cavalry Has Arrived" is the fifteenth and final episode of the third season of Star Wars: The Bad Batch and final episode of the series overall. The episode premiered on May 1, 2024.
==Official description==
Omega and the Batch battle Imperial forces for their freedom.
==Plot summary==
===Intruder alert===
Several gunships depart Tantiss Base to patrol the jungles of Wayland. Meanwhile Hunter, Wrecker and Crosshair make their way through the jungle to Tantiss Base, which lies five klicks away. Inside the base, Doctor Royce Hemlock orders his stormtroopers to guard the vault until the lockdown is over. Commander Scorch informs Hemlock that one of the "insurgents" has been captured. As Hemlock heads away, some figures scurry through a corridor.
At the detention block, Hemlock meets Edmon Rampart, still dressed as an Imperial officer Captain. When Hemlock remarks that it was not a good look for Rampart to align himself with insurgents, Rampart was shocked of how calm Hemlock was about the security breach on Tantiss Base since it would make Emperor Palpatine furious. Hemlock in return chides Rampart for not understanding how Clones think after all his time spent on Kamino as it’s Imperial Governor, explaining he anticipated Clone Force 99 would attempt to recover Omega. When Rampart questions Omega's value to him, Hemlock explains that he is working on something beyond the former Vice Admiral’s understanding and so vital to the Empire that it makes him indispensable, unlike Rampart. After Hemlock leaves, Rampart gazes at the Kaminoan Nala Se, who is held in an adjoining cell.
Meanwhile in the central lab, Doctor Emerie Karr warns Echo they need to move due to the risk of him being discovered. Echo is still determined to find information about Omega. Karr explains that the databanks are heavily encrypted and the vault was several levels down. When Karr offers to help get him inside, Echo asks why she is helping him. Karr responds that she wants to make amends for her past actions.
===The escape===
Inside the Tantiss vault, Omega briefs her fellow prisoners Jax, Eva, and Sami about her escape plan. The toddler Bayrn plays with a toy while sitting on Sami's lap. Eva is skeptical but Omega is optimistic because her squad is here. Omega reassures her friends that she has been trained for this and tells them to get into position. Putting their plan into action, Eva tells a Tantiss medical droid that her game is not working. The droid says that it is not its programming to repair it. While the droid is distracted, Omega stabs its processor with a screw driver, immobilizing it. She, Eva and Jax drag the droid away while Sami cuddles Bayrn.
Doctor Scalder notices the droid is missing and heads down from the observation deck. Inside her alcove, Omega begins reprogramming the droid. Scalder asks Sami where the other inmates are. Omega, Jax and Eva reappear with the medical droid. Eva claims they were with the droid. Scalder is suspicious about the unscheduled scan and demands to know what they were doing. When Omega backs up Eva, Scalder chides Doctor Karr for being too lenient with the inmates and orders them to return to their alcoves for in solitary confinement. However, she is knocked unconscious by the medical droid, who injects her with a sedative.
Omega orders the reprogrammed medical droid to guard the door to the vault. She tells Sami to prepare a sling for Bayrn. The children climb through the dumbwaiter system behind Omega's cell. Meanwhile, Wrecker is slowing down due to injuries sustained from his fight with the dryax but insists he can make it.
===Wrath of the Zillo beast===
Back at Tantiss Base, Doctor Karr and a disguised Echo enter the vault. After passing by a row of Clone commandos, they go through red laser doors. Doctor Karr tells Echo the Galactic Empire used bounty hunters to kidnap the children, seeking to harvest their genetic material for certain medical testing. Karr says she did not learn about the children being held inside the vault until recently. When Echo asks about how Omega fit into the Imperial cloning program, Karr explains that she is vital to Hemlock's main objective for Emperor Palpatine, Project Necromancer. Echo says he does not like the sound of that.
Omega leads the children through the dumbwaiter system. Jax is concerned that Bayrn is getting restless. Omega climbs through a shaft which leads into a large enclosure where the Zillo beast clone known as "Specimen A" is being held. While she approaches the controls, Bayrn begins crying, which arouses the attention of the medical assistant and stormtroopers. Omega pulls a lever, which causes the water in the tank beneath them to drain. Two stormtroopers find the shaft that Omega entered from and discover the escaped Sami, Bayrn and Jax. Before the stormtroopers can detain the children, the Zillo Beast emerges from its tank and attacks the medical assistant's station.
The stormtroopers initiate containment protocols, which consist of a sonic generator. However, the powerful creature brushes the generator aside. As the Zillo beast goes on a rampage, Omega and the children escape back through the shaft. Inside the vault, Karr and Echo discover an injured Scalder being escorted out by Clone commandos and stormtroopers. Doctor Hemlock informs her that Omega and the "specimens" have escaped through a weak point in the wall because of Scalder’s incompetence and vows to kill her for it.
Just then, a tremor shakes the vault. Scorch checks his comlink and reports that the Zillo Beast is loose in the containment level. Hemlock orders the base's generator be shut down and a division be deployed to secure the transport hangar. Hemlock also orders Karr to find Omega, warning that their fates are tied. Echo deduces that Omega released the Zillo Beast, explaining that Omega is following their plan of splitting the enemy forces thin.
Stormtroopers enter the containment level where they are confronted by the Zillo beast. Watching through the shaft, Jax notices that Bayrn is starting to sleep. The Zillo beast climbs the towering generator to reach the top. At the transport hangar, stormtroopers build a barricade and open fire on the approaching beast.
===Hemlock's ambush===
Outside Tantiss Base, Crosshair finds that stormtroopers are patrolling the perimeter with lurca hounds. Wrecker regrets not bringing Batcher and struggles to hide his injuries. Due to Wrecker's deteriorating condition, Crosshair tasks Hunter and Wrecker with heading to the communications array to contact Rex while he infiltrates the base himself. Hunter and Wrecker disagree, saying they are a team. Crosshair counters that Clone Force 99 died with Tech.
As a former prisoner, Crosshair says he knows what they are up against inside Tantiss Base. He warns that if they all go in, they are not all going to make it out. He tells Hunter and Wrecker that Omega needs them both. Hunter and Wrecker insist on going into Tantiss Base together and Crosshair relents with not going through with Plan 99. As the lurca hounds begin barking anxiously, the Zillo Beast emerges from the top of its containment facility. Clone Force 99 decide to take advantage of the chaos created by the Zillo Beast.
Inside the wrecked containment facility, Omega and her fellow escapees approach the ladder attached to the generator. Jax is afraid of heights, saying he would make a poor soldier. Omega reassures Jax that her "brother" Wrecker is afraid of heights but is still the strongest soldier of their squad. She tells him to focus on what is ahead. Omega leads the way, followed by Sami (who is carrying Bayrn), Jax and Eva.
Elsewhere, Scorch informs Doctor Hemlock that the Zillo Beast fled into the jungle after wiping out two divisions of troopers. He calls for reinforcements. Dr. Hemlock orders air support be dispatched to pursue the Zillo Beast. When Scorch warns that that would help the rogue clones infiltrate Tantiss Base, Hemlock says he is anticipating their move and orders Scorch to implement his plan. Hemlock enters a different section of the vault, which is hidden above a secure turbolift. He opens several hibernation tanks containing four Clone X troopers.
Meanwhile, Karr and Echo enter the wrecked containment facility. They figure that Omega and her friends are climbing up the shaft that leads to the science hangar. Echo asks if she knows a short cut. Elsewhere, the Bad Batch encounter several armed Clone X troopers and TK stormtroopers within the ruined science hangar, which is littered with burning wreckage and debris. Outnumbered and outgunned, Crosshair convinces his Clone brothers they need to fall back. A shuttle fires on the retreating clones, and Hunter pushes Wrecker out of the way of falling debris but is hit himself, knocking him unconscious. Crosshair quickly shoots down the craft by killing its pilot while Wrecker picks up Hunter and continues their retreat, but is stunned by a CX's electrified bola. Crosshair attempts to free him, but is attacked by another CX, who proceeds to shock Wrecker into unconsciousness with his electrostaff. Crosshair reaches for his blaster, but CX-2 steps on his wrist, telling him that he should be more careful with his shooting hand before severing his right hand with his vibroblade.
===Reunion and evacuation===
Elsewhere, Omega and her fellow escapees reach the top of the shaft, which leads to a hangar. Meanwhile, Echo and Dr. Karr see X troopers carting away the captured members of the Bad Batch on hoversleds through a corridor. Echo asks where they are being taken. Dr. Karr says she does not know but says it is somewhere well guarded. Echo says he is not too worried but says they need to find the children first. Karr says that they are in the science hangar. Three stormtroopers corner Omega, Jax, Eva, Sami and Bayrn. Before they can detain the children, Echo, who is disguised as one of the stormtroopers, shoots the troopers.
Echo is delighted to be reunited with Omega and proud that she and the other children have escaped their cell. Dr. Karr tells them that the shuttles are in Bay Four. When Eva asks if Karr is helping them, Karr confirms this is the case but says they must hurry. When they reach the shuttle, Omega asks where Hunter, Crosshair and Wrecker are. Echo reveals that they have been captured. Echo tasks Karr with flying the children to a safe set of coordinates. Omega tells her friends that she will be staying behind with Echo to help free the other prisoners, including her brothers. Omega reassures them that Emerie is taking them somewhere safe. Karr also gives her datapad to Omega and Echo, explaining that it will help them access the facility. Karr promises Omega she will look after the other children and tells Omega to be careful.
===Liberation===
As they head back into Tantiss Base, Echo asks Omega if she is ready. Meanwhile, Dr. Hemlock subjects Hunter to electroshock torture and reminds him of the death of Tech. Crosshair is fastened to an operating table. Hemlock explains that Crosshair had resisted his conditioning in the past but says that he has made alterations to his methods. Hemlock reveals that he plans to reprogram them into Clone X operatives if they survive the procedure. A defiant Hunter tells Hemlock that they will survive.
As the operation on Hunter commences, Lieutenant Novitz informs Hemlock there was an incoming received a transmission from Emperor Palpatine’s protege Governor Wilhuff Tarkin. Entering the detention block, Echo and Omega take out the stormtrooper sentries in a brief firefight. Omega uses the datapad to free all of the prisoners, including several Clone troopers, Nala Se and Rampart. They arm the newly released prisoners with blasters. Omega is delighted to see Nala Se. While Echo is speaking to a clone, Omega informs him that the Bad Batch are not in the detention block. One of the clones informs Echo and Omega that Hemlock has probably taken the Bad Batch to the training room for reconditioning.
Omega says she knows where the training room is. When Rampart proposes escaping, Echo counters that Clones do not leave their brothers behind. Echo gives a rousing speech, urging the other clones to help them fight to free their friends. The other able-bodied clones eagerly volunteer for one last fight. Echo tasks two clones with evacuating the wounded prisoners while he triggers an alert in a different wing to divide the Imperial forces. Echo tasks the clones with acquiring more weapons. Nala Se informs Omega of her plan to destroy the data in her lab in order to prevent her research from falling into Imperial hands. When Omega offers to accompany her to the lab, Nala Se tells her that her place is with her brothers. Rampart separates from the main body of clones.
===War on Tantiss===
Meanwhile, Governor Tarkin has another conversation with Hemlock via holoprojector. Tarkin says he heard the Chief Scientist of the Advanced Science Division of the Imperial Science Bureau lost control of the Zillo Beast and Tantiss Base was under a security threat so Emperor Palpatine was most concerned. Hemlock claims he has the situation under control, but Tarkin is skeptical and informs the Chief Scientist can expect his arrival shortly. Making their way to the training room, Echo, Omega, and the liberated clones fight through more stormtroopers. Accessing a computer, Echo asks Omega if she can use the pneumatic tube system to spy on the training room. She climbs into the overhead shaft. Echo instructs Omega to relay what she sees.
Heading to her former laboratory, Se obtains a detonator from a fallen stormtrooper. She is tailed by Rampart, who takes a RK-3 blaster from the fallen stormtrooper. Entering the laboratory, Se installs Karr’s datapad, which activates the laboratory. As Senconsults the computer, she is confronted by Rampart, who asks what research could be of such value to Emperor Palpatine as he downloads it into Karr’s datapad and puts the Kaminoan Doctor at gunpoint to order her to tell him everything about Project Necromancer as she secretly activates her detonator.
Using the pneumatic system, Omega tells Echo via comlink that Hunter, Wrecker and Crosshair are indeed in the training room. She spots one sentry. Omega says she can free them if they create a large enough distraction. Echo and the liberated clones enter the part of the vault where the Clone X assassins are being kept. The Clone X troopers engage them in a firefight, shooting several of the escaped clones. While the guard is distracted by the chaos, Omega infiltrates the training room and accesses a computer, which she uses to free her brothers.
As Wrecker stirs, Omega is spotted by the sentry. She shoots at him with her blaster set to stun, but his armor absorbs the stun rounds. One of the Clone X troopers captures her. Dr Hemlock and CX-2 enter the room. Hemlock compliments Omega for proving his observation about clone loyalty to one another. He then unleashes a gas into the Clone X vault, which incapacitates several of the liberated clones.
===Hemlock's defeat===
Back in the laboratory, Rampart was so enlightened at how valuable Omega is and reveals his plans to use Project Necromancer’s research as a bargaining chip to regain favor with the Empire after hearing Hemlock tell him how vital it was. Nala Se counters that her research does not belong to him or the Empire. Rampart states that it is no longer hers and shoots her. As Se collapses, she drops the activated detonator, which lands at Rampart's feet. His brief surprise is cut short when the detonator explodes, killing him and destroying the databanks, allowing Se's research to die with her.
Inside the vault, Echo is wounded in the back with a vibroblade. He is captured by the blade-wielding CX trooper. Inside the training room, Hemlock is confident of his victory over the rogue clones. However, Scorch reports that the Central Laboratory has been destroyed. Omega counters that, with the loss of his data, Hemlock has failed. When Hemlock confidently asserts that he still has her, she counters that she still has her brothers. Right on cue, Wrecker breaks free of his restraints and kicks up a large chunk of the machine holding him down. Using it to block several shots fired by the CX troopers, he kicks it towards them, knocking down several operatives, Scorch, and Hemlock. The chunk of the machine slams into the computer terminal, severely damaging it, and causing the gas in the X trooper vault to disperse and the restraints holding Hunter and Crosshair to loosen. Freed, they begin to stir while Echo and his comrades revive.
Hemlock produces a pair of cuffs with which he links his arm to Omega's, ensuring that she does not escape. Before he leaves the room, he claims CX-2's RK-3 and the remote mounted to his arm, and orders the operative to hold back the Bad Batch while he escapes with Omega and Scorch. Wrecker tells his brothers to get Omega before charging at the sentry, ramming him through the transparisteel window and into the vault below. This gives Echo a distraction, with which he and Wrecker kill two of the clone operatives. Hunter retrieves the sentry's electrostaff and impales CX-2 onto a machine, electrocuting him to death. Despite his injuries, Crosshair insists on going with Hunter to rescue Omega. Hunter passes CX-2's rifle to Crosshair before supporting him out of the room.
Reaching the top of Tantiss Base, Hemlock forces Omega across a long walkway towards a landing pad, with Scorch bringing up the rear. Echo wrestles with the vibro-blade wielding CX trooper, whom Wrecker smashes his head into a wall from behind. The last operative is then killed by Vik. Exhausted from his exertion and wounds, Wrecker slumps to the ground as Echo tends to him and asks where Omega was taken. Hemlock uses CX-2's remote to summon his starship, which emerges from the rainy skies. As the ship descends, Hunter and Crosshair shoot out its engines, crashing it into the jungle below. Scorch turns around to stall them but his blaster is shot out of his hands. Before he can react, he is shot multiple times through his chestplate and loses his balance, going over the railing.
Hemlock holds Omega at gunpoint. She taunts Hemlock, reminding him that he would not hurt her because he needs her alive. Hunter gestures to Crosshair, who takes aim with his rifle. Moving closer to the edge of the bridge, Hemlock threatens to go over and take Omega with him. Hunter tells Crosshair to shoot Omega's magnetic binders. Crosshair initially refuses - the dim lighting conditions, the lack of his shooting hand and the proximity between Hemlock, Omega and the binders meant that if Crosshair's shot missed the binders, he would hit Omega instead. Omega pulls out the surgical tool that she kept in her sleeve, which Hunter notices. He assures Crosshair that Omega knows what to do, and tells Crosshair to make the shot after Omega makes her move. As she does, she stabs the tool into Hemlock's thigh causing him to recoil in pain and raise his arm with the binder. Having a brief clear shot created for him, Crosshair seizes the opportunity and shoots the binders, freeing Omega. As she runs away from Hemlock, Hunter and Crosshair fatally fire at him several times and his corpse falls off the walkway into the jungle below.
Hunter and Crosshair kneel as Omega embraces them. They head into the hangar towards an escaping Rho-class transport shuttle with Echo, Wrecker and the liberated clones. The shuttle jumps into hyperspace moments before Tarkin arrives with his fleet composed of his brand new Imperial I-class Star Destroyer flagship, the Sovereign, and two Venator-class Star Destroyers.
===Tarkin's arrival===
As the Sovereign and the two Venators hovered over the planet, Tarkin leads his army and his Imperial shock trooper guard Tantiss Base. Captain Bragg informs Tarkin that she completed her assessment where she learnt various wings of the base suffered heavy damage from the Zillo Beast’s escape and Doctor Hemlock and several troopers of the Advanced Science Division perished in the attack. He asks her if any of Hemlock’s research was salvageable so she answers him with no since the databanks were destroyed. Deciding that Hemlock's failures had costed them enough, Tarkin posthumously punished him by ordering her to shutter the secret facility indefinitely and redistribute all funding and remaining assets to Project Stardust and she complies with a nod of her head.
===Return to Pabu===
Meanwhile, the children and clones adapt to life on Pabu island, mingling with the young clones. Karr is shocked the children are so resilient after seeing them adapt quickly. She and Echo discuss their freedom to do what they want with their lives. Echo tells Karr that he plans to help get some of the clones resettled on Pantora and was positive Senator Riyo Chuchi would find what she has to say very helpful to their cause which she gratefully accepts to help put however she can since she has a lot to make up for as a clone who was Hemlock’s assistant and the new Chief Medical Scientist. While sitting between Batcher and Hunter, Omega tells him that with the death of Hemlock and his research destroyed, they are finally safe. While watching Sami and Bayrn lining up for ice cream with the Clone cadets and Eva, Omega asks how long it will take to find the children’s families. Hunter replies that he and Rex are working on it, but they will look after the four of them until then.
Hunter and Omega looks at Echo and he looks at them before departing. When Omega asks about whether the clones get to remain on Pabu, Hunter replies that all of them are now free to choose their own paths. Crosshair and Wrecker join the group as they sit under the weeping maya tree.
===Epilogue===
Years later, Omega, now an adult, walks into the Pabu cove where she and remaining brothers in Clone Force 99 established a home aboard a repurposed Rho-class shuttle. Gonky is also present and walks down the gangplank. Batcher is also around. Hunter confronts Omega about "sneaking out." Omega tells Hunter she decided to join the Rebellion as a pilot, which they need now more than ever, to do more in her fight with Emperor Palpatine and the Empire by winning the Galactic Civil War. Hunter says they want to keep her safe but respects her wish. While watching the moon, Omega tells Hunter that he and his brothers have fought enough and that she is ready. Hunter confesses that while she is, he is not, but gives her his blessing and hugs her before she leaves. Omega gets Hunter to promise to look after Crosshair, Wrecker, and Batcher. Before she departs on the shuttle, Hunter tells Omega that they will be there if she needs ever them.
Omega departs aboard the shuttle with Gonky. Hunter salutes before she leaves. Batcher is sad but Hunter reassures the hound that Omega will be fine. As Omega flies into the night sky, Pabu glitters with street lights.
==Development==
According to Omega's voice actress Michelle Ang, Omega originally had a very different ending that would have seen the character set on a path that could have made her a major player in the Star Wars canon. Instead, however, the writers changed the ending to one she described as "bittersweet." However, she expressed in a podcast interview her hope that Omega's ending would still have a great impact on the future of Star Wars storytelling. While many other Star Wars: The Bad Batch episodes were recorded remotely, the cast came together to record the finale in person in Los Angeles, California. During production, one of the show's music composers, either Deana Kiner or Sean Kiner, dubbed the CX squad "the Worst Batch." They could never deduce if supervising director Brad Rau found the nickname funny or thought of it as an annoyance.
==Credits==
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