May the 4th be with you: Celebrate ‘Star Wars’ day in the UAE with a new show

One day every year, ‘Star Wars’ fans unite to celebrate the greatest sci-fi franchise to ever exist. And that day is May the 4th. Fans like to celebrate in many ways, whether it’s buying merchandise, or baking droid-shaped cookies or watching their favourite ‘Star Wars’ movie. However, this year, Disney and Lucasfilm are kicking it up a notch by debuting a brand new ‘Star Wars’ animated series, ‘The Bad Batch’, available to stream in the UAE on OSN from May 4.

Featuring a team unlike any other in the entire galaxy, ‘The Bad Batch’ follow the adventures and heroics of five exceptional clone troopers: Hunter, Crosshair, Tech, Wrecker and Echo. While the Grand Army of the Republic’s original clones were genetic copies of Jango Fett, this unit has been genetically modified to have special abilities. First seen in the final season of ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars’, ‘The Bad Batch’ will further explore the unit’s many exploits as they take on several mercenary missions. Here’s everything you need to know about the series:

Where in the ‘Star Wars’ timeline does ‘The Bad Batch’ take place? As the sequel series to ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars’, ‘The Bad Batch’ takes place in the immediate aftermath of Order 66 and the coup that turned the Republic into the evil Galactic Empire. With most of the Clone Army now brainwashed and in the service and control of the Empire, the Bad Batch can hit back as the Empire’s earliest opponents.

Meet the Clone Force 99 aka the Bad Batch: The baddest batch of clone troopers you’ll ever meet, here’s everything you need to know about its five elite members.

Hunter: “Maps can be wrong,” said Tech. “Hunter never is.” The leader of the group, Hunter is the Bad Batch’s expert tracker. Engineered with heightened senses, he can even sense electromagnetic frequencies, making it easy for him to find locations anywhere on a given planet. Although he uses blasters when the situation required it, the sergeant preferred to engage opponents with his vibro-knife at close quarters.

Crosshair: A genetic mutation gives Crosshair exceptional eyesight making him the unit’s go-to sniper due to his sharpshooting abilities. Crosshair is also known for his icy approach and general disdain for “regs” (“regular clone troopers”) and is always the first to express criticism. “He’s not much of a conversationalist,” Hunter said of the team’s pragmatic sharpshooter, “but when you have to hit a precise target from ten klicks, Crosshair’s your man.”

Tech: The unit’s resident technical and communications genius, Tech is an expert problem solver who prefers clever and careful planning over brute force when defeating their enemies. Tech, who is also a fast talker and can dispense useless trivia at the drop of a helmet, is also skilled in decryption, language skills, military tactics and improvisation.

Wrecker: Anybody call for some muscle? Large, loud, and super-strong, Wrecker is the team’s troublemaker. He is extremely loyal and is generally well-liked, and is especially happy around explosives, and especially when they go “boom” around battle droids. He’s also quick-tempered and fearless, except when it comes to heights. Rumour has it that Wrecker was inspired in a tiny way from Marvel character the Hulk.

Echo: The final member of the Bad Batch and the last trooper to join the unit, Echo is a regular clone who was rescued by the other four members from Separatist Forces at the request of Captain Rex. A stickler for the rules, Echo initially showed considerable respect for his trainers during his time as a cadet. His constant need to repeat orders to his teammates gained him the nickname Echo, which stuck for the rest of his career. On numerous occasions, Echo was commended for his extraordinary bravery and courage.

Familiar faces: While Captain Rex from ‘The Clone Wars’ is all set to return, another familiar face from recent ‘Star Wars’ memory was also spotted in the trailer: Fennec Shand. The human mercenary and assassin who made her debut in ‘The Mandalorian’, first as an enemy and later an ally to Mando himself, will be seen in a younger version in ‘The Bad Batch’. Actress Ming-Na Wen who portrayed the character in ‘The Mandalorian’ will also voice her in the animated series. Additionally, Stephen Stanton and Andrew Kishino reprise their roles as Grand Moff Tarkin and Saw Gerrera (‘Rogue One’), respectively.

What to watch to prep for ‘The Bad Batch’: The Bad Batch troopers were first introduced to viewers in the final season of ‘The Clone Wars’, which released last year. If you’re in a rush and can’t watch the entire season, episodes ‘The Bad Batch’, ‘A Distant Echo’, ‘On the Wings of Keeradaks’ and ‘Unfinished Business’, cover their arc in a neat flourish.

What else can UAE fans do: Fans can watch Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker on May 4 at 18:00 GMT on OSN Movies, while OSN Action embarks on a marathon starting 14:50 GMT with Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Star Wars: The Last Jedi playing back-to-back, May the 4th be with you.

Is that it?: No, fans can see The Mandalorian, which is the first live-action series in the Star Wars franchise, also on OSN Series First and the OSN Streaming app.