Summary
“Infested” presents the Bad Batch with a bug problem as they dabble in organized crime.
This recap of Star Wars: The Bad Batch season 1, episode 13, “Infested”, contains spoilers.
After spending many weeks on Ord Mantell, it might be time for the Bad Batch to leave. After returning from their latest mission — another one that Cid left crucial details out of, as seems to be her way — they discover that the planet and Cid’s operations have been overtaken by Roland, the son of crime boss Isa Durand, who is trying to make a name for himself by joining up with the Pykes, a familiar criminal syndicate who have shown up in various corners of the Star Wars canon over the years. Roland’s trying to solidify various spice smuggling routes out of Ord Mantell, using Cid’s parlour as a base of operations, and she’s obviously not keen on that idea, so the plan is to sabotage the deal.
The Bad Batch episode 13 sets up a stealth mission involving the tunnels and caverns underneath Ord Mantell, though predictably they have a bug problem, hence the episode’s title of “Infested”. Above ground, meanwhile, Cid facilitates the kidnap of his prized pet Ruby to get Roland out of the way while Clone Force 99 jack the spice shipment. Naturally, it all goes a bit wrong, leading to a high-speed cart chase through the tunnels that, you guessed it, awakens the sleeping hive of critters.
When the Pykes arrive, they’re not happy, to say the least. Taking Omega as a hostage, they insist that the Bad Batch retrieve the spice that was lost during the chase. Tech figures out that the creatures in the caverns are nocturnal insects called Irlings, so their best bet is to strike before nightfall. Cid and Wrecker rappel into the cavern to retrieve the shipment, which almost gets both of them killed when the Irlings take issue with their presence, but Tech is able to drop a light bomb into the cavern and fry them.
With the spice retrieved, the Bad Batch are able to pay off the Pykes, saving both them and Roland, whose life Omega tries to bargain for after spending a little bit of time with him in captivity. The Pykes take one of his horns but leave him breathing, which seems like the only mercy he’s going to get. Maybe an inherited life of crime isn’t for him after all.
