Please be aware: SPOILERS ahead!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Episode 4 S3 of The Bad Batch, “A Different Approach,” moves the story right along without feeling rushed. Frankly, I’m surprised that Crosshair and Omega have busted out of Tantiss (without the help of the rest of the Batch) already and that they’ve reunited with them on Ryloth’s moon at the end of this episode. I thought those things would take half the season, lol. But I’m so glad it didn’t, because it just means there’s so much more story ahead.

So Crosshair and Omega crash their stolen shuttle on a planet called Lau, which is controlled by the Empire. They head to the spaceport; Crosshair wants to blast his way onto a ship, but Omega, not wanting anyone to get hurt, suggests a different plan. She tries to bribe the ticket-seller, but he says he wants 30,000 credits. Wha??? Geez. Omega decides she’ll gamble at a game of chance at a nearby bar. We know she’s preternaturally good at holochess, but it seems her strategic gifts also help her win just enough at a card game for the bribe. She’s about to leave the table when an Imperial enters the bar and challenges her (insists) on a game with him. He’d just collected a case full of credits from the barkeep (presumably protection money) and Omega wins all of it.

They’re about to leave the bar when the Imperial tells them gambling is illegal on that planet and the fine is 10,000 credits. They still have 35,000 credits. Okay, we need to clarify exactly how credits work. Is one credit like one dollar? Is it like Yen, with thousands of Yen to the dollar? Because that sounds like a lot of money, and Omega just casually won it in this seedy bar against a Trandoshan who doesn’t look particularly wealthy.

Anyway, they need to part with another 5,000 credits outside the bar to some kid who demands it in exchange for information on where Batcher is–the Imperial took her to the docks. They head that way, and again, Crosshair wants to blast his way to their goal. Again, Omega convinces him to do things her way. But of course, the Imperial is there waiting for them (his name is Lt. Mann or something, I can’t remember, lol). Hemlock has found their crashed shuttle, and presumably word went out that he’s looking for the fugitives. They’re surrounded with no way out, and Omega finally agrees to Crosshair’s approach: with blasters.

They get onto a cargo ship and take off. Omega sends out a coded message to Hunter with a rendezvous: Ryloth’s moon, where they met a young Hera in Season 1. The Marauder is there, and Omega (and we) finally get the reunion we’ve been waiting for. It’s lovely, especially since Hunter finally–finally!–hugs her back. Then Crosshair walks down the ramp, and everyone gets tense and glares at each other. End of episode.

So basically this episode was about Omega and Crosshair bonding just a little bit more and learning to work with each other and appreciate each other’s approaches to problem-solving. I loved it, especially when they’re walking away from the ticket-seller and Crosshair comments sarcastically how well that went; Omega grumpily replies, “Stow it!” Definitely acting like siblings now, lol.

I’m hoping they pick up right where they left off this episode and we can get more of their initial reaction at Crosshair returning. My only gripe about this season so far is that they’re skipping over the hard conversations that I really think we need to hear. Does Crosshair know Tech is dead? I’m assuming so–otherwise that would have been a pretty big secret Omega kept all those months, and unlikely–but I would have liked to see that conversation. I get that the showrunners need to get a lot of story in and have to make creative choices, but give us something, guys.

Anyway, a great episode and I can’t wait until next week!

What did you think of the episode? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!