In Season 3, Episode 1 of the Disney Plus series The Bad Batch, titled “Confined,” the story unfolds with Omega’s (Michelle Ang) imprisonment in the Weyland Facility at Mount Tantiss. Mount Tantiss, situated on the planet Weyland, is a clandestine science facility akin to the myths surrounding Area 51 in real life. It remains hidden from public view as the site where the Empire conducted its most nefarious experiments for their Emperor, secretly known as Darth Sidious, the Dark Lord of the Sith. The facility is overseen by Chief Scientist Dr. Royce Hemlock (Jimmi Simpson) of the Advanced Science Division, who draws parallels to the infamous Nazi scientist Josef Mengele, known for conducting dark experiments on behalf of Hitler’s government: including inhumane blood transfusions, forced insemination, dissections, disease injections, amputations, and murder.
In the Weyland Facility, Hemlock and his assistant, Emerie Karr (Keisha Castle-Hughes), another female clone of Jango Fett, conduct experiments on clones to identify suitable genetics capable of stabilizing the Midi-chlorian Count (M-Count). Midi-chlorians are microscopic intelligent lifeforms residing within the cells of all living beings, acting as receptors for the Force and its energies, analogous to mitochondria. Hemlock aims to create a clone host body capable of harboring large numbers of Midi-chlorians, potentially resulting in a powerful Force user with no adverse effects.
Hemlock enlists the expertise of Kaminoan scientist Nala Se (Gwendoline Yeo) to assist with the experiments due to her profound knowledge and experience in cloning. Nala Se reluctantly collaborates with Hemlock, as Omega, whom she considers a daughter, is held hostage by him under Emerie’s supervision. Omega, also a gifted assistant scientist, aids Emerie and Nala Se in the M-Count and cloning experiments using former clone troopers as unwilling test subjects held prisoner in the facility.
One day, Emerie obtains a blood sample from Omega and instructs her to deliver it to Nala Se for analysis. Nala Se secretly destroys the blood sample, fearing that Omega’s genetic makeup could support the M-Count, leading Hemlock to subject her to fatal experimentation. Nala Se’s actions aim to protect her “daughter” from the mad scientist’s machinations. Subsequently, Nala Se meets with Hemlock in the facility’s vault, where the culmination of Hemlock’s research awaits: cloned specimens intended to receive the transferred M-Count to become formidable Force users.
Omega tends to the stables, where she befriends a female lurca named Batcher and cares for her alongside other genetically modified wolvish lurcas, acting as security in Weyland’s jungles. Despite the dangerous environment, Omega finds solace in her bond with Batcher and the lurcas. Meanwhile, Omega attempts to enlist Crosshair’s (Dee Bradley Baker) help in formulating an escape plan from their imprisonment, but he remains reluctant due to his loyalty to the Empire and guilt for betraying the Bad Batch.
As time passes, Omega’s isolation and suffering intensify, marked by her interactions with Hemlock, Emerie, and Crosshair. Hemlock’s threats against Omega and Nala Se escalate, underscoring the high stakes of the experiments and their personal ramifications. Omega’s defiance culminates in a confrontation with Hemlock, resulting in her confinement and the loss of her only keepsake, a doll symbolizing hope amidst despair.
Despite the adversity, Omega’s resilience endures, exemplified by her defiance and compassion toward Batcher. The episode concludes with Batcher’s survival in the wild, defying Hemlock’s grim prediction and signaling hope amidst the darkness of the Weyland Facility.
Omega and Nala-Se
In Season 3, Episode 1 of The Bad Batch, titled “Confined,” masterfully depicts the grim reality of life within the Weyland Facility at Mount Tantiss, thanks to the collaborative efforts of Director Saul Ritz and Writer Jennifer Corbett. The atmosphere of the science facility evokes the sense of a dark prison and concentration camp, where clones are subjected to cruel experimentation or manipulated into becoming mindless instruments of the Empire, devoid of any moral compass.
The episode effectively delves into the Empire’s quest to engineer a flawless clone specimen capable of containing an unprecedented number of midi-chlorians, thereby becoming a potent Force user. This narrative thread resonates with elements from The Rise of Skywalker film, wherein Emperor Palpatine, publicly known as Darth Sidious, sought to transfer his consciousness into a clone body capable of harnessing his immense power and connection to the Force. However, the imperfect nature of the clone body led to its gradual degradation, reminiscent of a blind corpse, prompting Palpatine to rely on life-sustaining machinery until the climactic events of The Battle of Exegol.
The experiments conducted at the Weyland Facility on Mount Tantiss represent the embryonic stages of the Empire’s pursuit, and later the Sith Eternal’s endeavors, to fashion an ideal vessel for Sidious to inhabit following his initial demise. This parallels the narrative of the Old Republic era, wherein the Sith Emperor Darth Vitiate achieved immortality by consuming the life essences of numerous powerful Sith Lords, enabling him to sustain himself by consuming entire worlds. Unlike Vitiate, however, Sidious cannot replicate this process due to being the sole Sith Lord, aside from Vader, necessitating his reliance on a succession of clone bodies to perpetuate his existence as an immortal.
The thematic exploration of immortality and the lengths to which individuals will go to attain it adds layers of complexity to the narrative, drawing parallels to real-world historical and mythological motifs of power, ambition, and the quest for eternal life. Through the lens of science fiction, this episode probes the ethical boundaries of scientific experimentation and the consequences of tampering with the fundamental forces of life and death, resonating with audiences on both narrative and philosophical levels.
Rating: 9/10