Star Wars: The Bad Batch S3 | What is the “Star Wars” spin-off about, when is it out and what happened in S2?

While “franchise fatigue” has led Kevin Feige and the MCU team to rethink their plans going forward with Phase 5 and Phase 6, it seems that there are no such concerns so far for Disney’s other big franchise, “Star Wars,” with the release of their animated series “The Bad Batch” returning today for a third season.

Making its debut on Disney+ in 2021, the series follows the elite clone trooper squad known as the "Bad Batch" or Clone Force 99, who possess genetic mutations that make them stand out from other clones. 

Taking place after the events of "Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” the series follows the Bad Batch as they navigate the aftermath of the Clone Wars and the rise of the Galactic Empire. The members of the Bad Batch embark on various missions while dealing with their own identities and loyalties in an ever-changing galaxy far, far away.

As opposed to some other “Star Wars” spin-offs, that have either been received with lukewarm reception by critics or outright discontent from the fandom, “The Bad Batch” has slowly but surely become a popular entry into the franchise, with Rotten Tomatoes showing that both the first and second season have been critically well received, earning an 86% and a 90% respectively on the review aggregating website.

But for those who haven’t had a chance to watch the last season yet, be warned - we will be recapping the events of “Star Wars: The Bad Batch” season two before explaining the strange release schedule Disney+ have in store for the new season. You have been warned. 

What happened in Season 2 of “Star Wars: The Bad Batch”?

The season began with Cid sending the Bad Batch on a mission to steal part of Count Dooku's war chest, which led to a confrontation with the Empire and a battle to secure valuable cargo. Throughout the season, the team faced various challenges and encounters, including a rescue mission, a riot race, and the discovery of ancient artefacts.

As tensions rose between the Empire and the clones, Crosshair was assigned to Commander Cody on a mission to the former Separatist planet Desix, where they encountered resistance from the locals. Meanwhile, Senator Riyo Chuchi began to uncover a conspiracy within the Imperial Senate, leading to a deadly confrontation.

In the final episodes, the Bad Batch was tasked with retrieving valuable cargo from an Imperial facility, which led to a confrontation with Imperial forces and a betrayal by Cid. Omega was captured and brought to Mt. Tantiss, where she encountered Nala Se, Crosshair, and a clone named Emerie Karr, who revealed herself as Omega's genetic sister.

The season ended with the Bad Batch facing their greatest challenge yet as they fought to rescue Omega and uncover the truth behind the Empire's cloning experiments. As tensions escalated and loyalties were tested, the fate of the galaxy hung in the balance.

Who provides the voices in Season 3 of “Star Wars: The Bad Batch”?

Dee Bradley Baker and Michelle Ang return as the lead voice cast for “Star Wars: The Bad Batch” season three, once again voicing the characters of Hunter, Wrecker, Tech, Echo, Crosshair and Omega respectively. Nika Futterman joins the cast this season, taking on the voice role of Asajj Ventress, the former apprentice to Count Dooku.

• Dee Bradley Baker as all members of the Bad Batch (Hunter, Wrecker, Tech, Echo, Crosshair)
• Michelle Ang as Omega
• Ben Diskin as AZI-3
• Stephen Stanton as Admiral Tarkin
• Bob Bergen as Lama Su
• Gwendoline Yeo as Nala Se
• Noshir Dalal as Vice Admiral Rampart
• Dahéli Hall as ES-04
• Rhea Perlman as Ciddarin "Cid" Scaleback
• Liam O'Brien as Bolo
• Sam Riegel as Ketch
• Tina Huang as ES-02
• Ness Bautista as ES-03
• Helen Sadler as Doctor Scalder

When is “Star Wars: The Bad Batch” Season 3 on Disney+ and what’s its release schedule?

It’s a bit of an erratic release slate for “Star Wars: The Bad Batch” season three; the first three episodes of the new series are available now on Disney+, but heading into future episodes, they’re a little all over the place.

The fourth and fifth episodes arrive on Disney+ on February 28 and March 6 2024, followed by another two episodes dropping on March 13 2024, and then a singular episode on March 20th and March 24 2024. This release schedule continues until the final three episodes are released on April 17, April 24 and May 1 2024.

Release schedule for “Star Wars: The Bad Batch” Season 3 on Disney+

1. "Confined" - February 21, 2024
2. "Paths Unknown" - February 21, 2024
3. "Shadows of Tantiss" - February 21, 2024
4. "A Different Approach" - February 28, 2024
5. "The Return" - March 6, 2024
6. "Infiltration" - March 13, 2024
7. "Extraction" - March 13, 2024
8. "Bad Territory" - March 20, 2024
9. "The Harbinger" - March 27, 2024
10. "Identity Crisis" - April 3, 2024
11. "Point of No Return" - April 3, 2024
12. "Juggernaut" - April 10, 2024
13. "Into the Breach" - April 17, 2024
14. "Flash Strike" - April 24, 2024
15. "The Cavalry Has Arrived" - May 1, 2024