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Credit: LucasfilmOne of the ongoing Star Wars shows has hit a shocking milestone.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch shared a harrowing look into the life of one Clone, Crosshair (Dee Bradley Baker) as he took on an assignment at a remote Imperial outpost.
The Clones are newly decommissioned after Emperor Sheev Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) announced his plans, via the Senate Defense Recruitment Bill, to embrace the new Imperial Stormtrooper for the Galactic Empire over using the Clone Trooper-based Grand Army of the Republic.
It’s created a clear divide between the non-Clone Imperials, many of whom hold positions of higher rank, and the rank-and-file Clones who for the most part, are now seen as disposable cogs in the machine.
That’s never been clearer than in Crosshair’s experience on the outpost, where they find a largely abandoned garrison staffed by a meagre trio of surviving Clones.
Related: Recap: ‘Star Wars: The Bad Batch’ S2E12, “The Outpost”
Under siege from nearby raiders and lacking backup or timely reinforcements from the Empire, the outpost has suffered in the frigid conditions of the ice world it is based on and the ability to protect the cargo they have been tasked with defending has been significantly hampered.
Commanding officer Lt. Nolan (Crispin Freedman) clearly holds the Clones in disdain, but Crosshair still manages to wound one of the Raiders when they attack the base.
It’s this moment that has led to a first for the Star Wars animated world, a bloody milestone for the ever-growing intergalactic saga.
Crosshair’s blaster bolt causes the Raider to bleed, and it’s that blood trail which allows them to tail their attackers back to their base.
The Bad Batch Hits Gory Milestone
It’s the first time blood has appeared in a major way, as a plot driving element, in the animated Star Wars realm. The milestone was confirmed by Lucasfilm’s Director of Cinematography and Lighting FX, Joe Laron, on Twitter.
He replied to a fan, @dinpaz_ceo, who had pointed out the significance:
//#TheBadBatch spoilers – – – – – wait correct me if i’m wrong but is this the first time we’re seeing blood in star wars animation?
//#TheBadBatch spoilers
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wait correct me if i’m wrong but is this the first time we’re seeing blood in star wars animation?— crosshair #CROSSHAIRSWEEP (@dinpaz_ceo) March 8, 2023
Joe replied:
Correct. Aside from a small squirt of blood in CW:S1 from cad bane getting shot I the wrist.
Some fans were keen to point out moments where blood has featured before — but the main difference is embracing it as a key plot point and it being a consistent presence on screen. Blood in animation is a hot topic at the moment, with Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022) also bringing blood to a previously bloodless animated world.
And in the world of Star Wars in particular, it seems things are becoming gorier across the board: in the upcoming Jedi: Survivor, lightsabers will once again be capable of dismemberment.
What do you think about this bloody milestone for The Bad Batch? Tell us in the comments below.