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Of all the characters The Mandalorian has introduced during its first two seasons, it’s safe to say that bounty hunter Fennec Shand, played by Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. star Ming-Na Wen, is among the most popular. While we await the next chronological chapter of her story to unfold in The Book of Boba Fett, The Bad Batch, the newest Star Wars series on Disney+, will feature a younger Fennec. So because we’ll be following along with the character over two decades ahead of the events in The Mandalorian, don’t expect this Fennec to be quite like the one we’ve been watching in live-action.
I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Star Wars: The Bad Batch executive producers Jennifer Corbett (who is also the series’ head writer) and Brad Rau about the latest offering in the Star Wars media empire, and with Fennec Shand among the familiar faces popping up in the series, I asked what we can expect from her, specifically if there are any major differences between her depiction here compared to The Mandalorian. Rau answered with the following:
She’s quite a bit younger here than she was in The Mandalorian. She’s just beginning her career as a bounty hunter, so that was a really interesting thing to play with; how she approaches situations. And she is still very formidable, which we had a lot of fun getting the action to really work on those lines. And having Ming-Na Wen voice her was so fun. It was fantastic, she’s so great.
Although Fennec Shand had a bounty on her own head when we met her in The Mandalorian Season 1, there was no question then or throughout Season 2 that she was a talented bounty hunter. After all, if Boba Fett decides to save your life and recruit you as his partner, clearly you’re exceptional at your job. But one doesn’t simply start off being skilled in that line of work, and while Brad Rau made it clear above that Fennec is also a dangerous opponent in The Bad Batch, expect her to be a little rougher around the edges with getting the job done at this point in the Star Wars timeline compared to her activities post-Return of the Jedi.
Set in the aftermath of the Clone Wars, Star Wars: The Bad Batch follows Clone Force 99, a ragtag group of elite, mutated clone troopers who are now embarking on mercenary missions. Judging by the Bad Batch trailer released in late March, it looks like Fennec Shand will end up clashing with the main characters, either to eliminate them on behalf of the Empire after Grand Moff Tarkin demands that they are “found and wiped out” or through a separate incident. Beyond that, it’s hard to say how she fits into this particular Star Wars picture, but seeing her in action here should keep Fennec fans’ appetites sated before we see Ming-Na Wen playing her on camera again in The Book of Boba Fett towards the end of the year.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch’s first episode premieres tomorrow, May 4, a.k.a. Star Wars Day. Following that, new episodes will hit Disney+ on Fridays, so make sure you’re subscribed to the platform. Find out what other shows are premiering in the near future with our 2021 summer TV premiere schedule.
