A new Star Wars feature reconnected an important part of Crosshair’s journey into Star Wars: The Bad Batchwhich completely rewrites his story into something much darker – though eventually also even more significant. Crosshair has one of the best redemption arcs ever Star Wars throughout The bad lotgoing from a loyal soldier of the Empire to one of the members of Clone Force 99 responsible for destroying Mount Tantiss and delaying the Necromancer Project. The beginning of his journey, however, has now become the subject of an interesting retcon.
In the brand new Star Wars Encyclopediait is written that Crosshair, like his brothers, “has enhancements that interfere with the inhibitor chip that instructs them to kill the Jedi. However, Crosshair believes that good soldiers follow orders, so the Empire’s commands should not be questioned..” This seems to contradict the events of The bad lotwhich makes it quite clear that the Crosshair chip works to some extent – as confirmed by Nala Se. It also makes it sound like Crosshair pronounces the words “good soldiers follow orders“by its own will, and not by the chip.
THE Star Wars Encyclopedia also confirms that Crosshair broke off his relationship with Clone Force 99 after Hunter tried to save Padawan Caleb Dume instead of killing him. Not only that, but it reveals that Tarkin’s enhancement of the Crosshair inhibitor chip only happens”After Crosshair chooses to stay with the Empire.” This is definitely different from what happens in The bad lotas Crosshair was taken away with no option to examine his chip. It also confirms that after removing his inhibitor chip at some undetermined time, Crosshair still decides to remain loyal to the Empire.
Buy the Star Wars encyclopedia on Amazon
What Bad Batch’s Crosshair Retcon Means for Star Wars
The beginning of Crosshair’s journey is much, much darker
If the Star Wars Encyclopedia is actually retelling the beginning of Crosshair’s journey, so it makes everything he does in the first episode of the animated TV show even darker. This means that Crosshair, rather than being mainly influenced by the inhibitor chip, wanted to follow Order 66 on his own.and that he actively chose the Empire over his brothers and the Galactic Republic that came before him. Considering this was all supposed to be a side effect of partially activating his chip earlier, this would be absolutely shocking if that was actually the intention here.
Crosshair’s redemption arc is even more significant now
He overcame the darkness
On the other hand, this potential change in the beginning of Crosshair’s journey makes its ending even more significant. This means that Crosshair truly changed completely as a person, and it wasn’t simply coming from the mental conditioning the Empire put him through.. He already has one of Star Wars better redemption stories, but if this retcon really intends to move further away from the chip, it makes Crosshair’s redemptive journey all the more satisfying. Anyway, Crosshair’s story in The bad lot remains very convincing, perhaps even more so now.