By George & Josh Bate
It’s been over one year since Star Wars: The Bad Batch came to an end with a resounding and emotionally powerful final episode. But love for Clone Force 99 persists as fans around the world continue to celebrate their adoration for Omega, Hunter, Wrecker, Echo, Crosshair, and Tech (RIP). Thankfully, the creative minds at Lucasfilm have their fingers firmly on the pulse of what fans want, which is more Bad Batch. And that’s exactly what we’ve had this year so far. The comic mini-series Hyperspace Stories: The Bad Batch – Ghost Agents from Dark Horse Comics recently came to an end and now there’s another adventure in store for the Bad Batch with Sanctuary: A Bad Batch Novel.
From author Lamar Giles (who previously wrote the short story ‘Twenty and Out’ for the anthology book From a Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi), Sanctuary follows Clone Force 99 on a particularly dangerous set of missions. Set after the events of the second season’s episode “Pabu,” the novel finds the rogue clones teaming up with Phee Genoa for two missions that will provide them with funds to help their new community Pabu: 1) Pull off a daring heist of a valued relic at an auction, and 2) Transport a couple (one member of which is pregnant) on the run from the ISB. In typical Bad Batch, the missions, which begin to overlap with another, don’t go to plan and the clones find their dream of securing a new home in Pabu drifting away from them.
Author Lamar Giles structures his novel with two concurrent missions that, while discrepant at first, blend together over time. As one might expect given the positioning of Sanctuary in between episodes 13 and 14 of Season 2, neither mission nor the overall plot more generally have the highest of stakes given the journeys of Clone Force 99 continue across another 31 episodes of television. But being a prequel with predetermined character outcomes has never stopped Star Wars from being undeniably engaging. Look no further than the recently released Andor Season 2, which, despite its titular character’s death already being depicted in Rogue One, made for compelling viewing. Sanctuary doesn’t quite achieve this degree of stakes and drama, playing more like a couple bonus side-quest episodes of The Bad Batch than anything integral to the overarching tale, although it makes up for it with strong character work.
Readers will likely flock to Sanctuary to read more about the Bad Batch, but there are also new characters in the mix that prove captivating. The novel’s primary antagonist is ISB agent Sendril Crane, an intimidating figure with personal, rather than Imperial, motives. Crane’s pursuit of a personal mission, while trying to align with his ISB responsibilities makes him an interesting villain for the story and has him stand out against other Imperial baddies. Over the course of the novel, Crane’s backstory is expanded as details of his mission become clear, shedding further light on his cruelty and exacting nature. A surprising amount of the novel is dedicated to Crane, whose side story with an exorbitantly wealthy pursuer of antiques is unexpectedly the book’s most intriguing plot.
The other key new characters in the mix are Sohi and Kuuto, a mysterious duo with an unknown backstory and a baby on the way. Sohi and Kuuto are the driving force of the plot and evolve over the span of the story in fascinating ways. The characters occupy a unique moral grounding in that their motivations, even if noble, often see them at odds with beloved characters (i.e., the Bad Batch).
Speaking of, Giles’ novel does not disappoint in his handling of Clone Force 99. Giles writes the characters in a manner that perfectly mirrors their portrayal in the series, ensuring that Sanctuary feels like a missing piece of The Bad Batch, rather than an out-of-place addition. It is difficult to not hear Dee Bradley Baker and Michelle Ang’s voices in your head as you read dialogue so perfectly sculpted to fit these beloved heroes.
Giles also takes advantage of the medium in which he tells this story by allowing readers a glimpse inside the minds of the Bad Batch, in particular Hunter and Tech. Using a head-hopping third-person point of view, Giles examines the inner-psychology of the team members and provides a level of immersion into these characters previously unobtainable in the narration-less show. This level of insight primarily comes in the form of Hunter and Tech’s thoughts as the inner-workings of Wrecker and Omega are kept more at arms length in this story, although the two certainly still play sizable roles in the story.
Regarding Hunter, there are a number of moments throughout the novel that deepen our understanding of the Clone Force 99 leader and highlight some of the vulnerabilities he tries desperately to conceal from his brothers. Although not featured in the novel, Crosshair’s presence looms in the background as Hunter desperately tries to keep his family together and prevent them from losing any more members. Unlike the series, which largely relied on Omega for heart and emotion, Sanctuary is as moving as it is because of a careful, insightful portrayal of Hunter – a father desperate to not lose anymore people he loves.
While Hunter is the heart of Sanctuary, the novel’s most heartbreaking element easily comes in the form of Tech. The devastating finale of Season 2, which depicted Tech’s sacrifice and subsequent death, still hurts over two years later. And Sanctuary only makes it hurt even more. In being set mere episodes before Tech falls to his death, Giles’ novel feels like Tech’s penultimate adventure. The audience is privy to the fact that Tech will soon meet his demise, but everyone in the novel is obviously not, creating an uncomfortable combination of joy at spending more with Tech and dread that his time will soon come to an end.
Adding to the heartbreak of Tech’s eventual loss is how richly Sanctuary expands upon his burgeoning romance with Phee. Unlike the series, which doesn’t really go beyond the point of flirting with the two characters, Giles gives Pheetech shippers plenty of love to feast on here. The novel is more overt in its handling of Tech and Phee’s feelings toward one another, although never in a way that contradicts how they were depicted in the series. Some of the novel’s most touching moments come in the form of Tech’s uncertainty in managing feelings he has never experienced before and Phee’s playful, yet quietly considerate, depiction of her own romantic feelings.
As the story progresses, stakes ramp up and, in turn, the chapters really begin to fly by. Anyone expecting a game-changing Bad Batch story that forever alters one’s perspective of the characters and the show will be disappointed, but those with moderate expectations who are interested in going on another adventure with the team will find plenty of fun to be had here. The story turns in gripping ways in a manner fitting with the best episodes of The Bad Batch. The narrative rounds out in a satisfying manner, while also offering an amazing cameo appearance we did not see coming.
VERDICT:
Over two years after the conclusion of The Bad Batch, Clone Force 99 lives on in Sanctuary: A Bad Batch Novel. In taking place between episodes 13 and 14 of Season 2, author Lamar Giles’ book plays more like a bonus couple of episodes of the series, rather than a game-changing, must-read tale with widespread story implications. Where the novel excels in its handling of the rogue clones, which perfectly mirrors their depiction in the series and seamlessly fits into their broader story. Giles takes full advantage of the literary medium by offering unique insights into the inner-workings of the team, in particular Hunter and Tech, through intelligently crafted third-person head-hopping. Determined to keep his dwindling family together, Hunter is the emotional heart of the story and given the most substantive character work, while Tech makes for the most devastating element of the story given how beautifully the novel expands upon his romance with Phee. Capping off with a satisfying ending and an amazing, unexpected cameo, Sanctuary more than delivers on the promise of offering a new Bad Batch adventure and will make the emotional beats in Seasons 2 and 3 hit that much harder.
Sanctuary: A Bad Batch Novel is available on August 5, 2025.
