The Star Wars: The Bad Batch episode 12, “Rescue on Ryloth” just aired this past Friday, and with it fans saw Vice Admiral Rampart again. This new villain has been off to an ambitious start ever since he appeared in the first episode. However, it’s very possible Rampart will not live beyond five years.
Who is Vice Admiral Rampart?
So far, we’ve seen Vice Admiral Rampart implement the chain codes. These codes promise to enable citizens to exchange old currency for new Imperial currency.
We see that Rampart is also the engineer of Project War Mantle. This project is refers to the effort to replace expensive clones for less expensive recruits. Rampart believes conscripted recruits will be just as loyal as clones.
At the moment, we know little of the the man, only his surname and his efficiently implemented projects.
But did you know this isn’t the first time we’ve hear Rampart’s name?
The Novel Tarkin and Rampart Station
In 2014, James Luceno published one of the earliest canon Star Wars novels, Tarkin. It is set in 14 BBY [Before the Battle of Yavin], and thus 5 years after the events we are currently seeing unfolding. The book largely chronicles the ascendance of Governor Wilhuff Tarkin to Grand Moff, and various exploits during that time.
One section of the novel references a Rampart Station, described as a marshaling depot for Imperial supply ships to Geonosis, where the first Death Star is currently being constructed.
This station is most likely named in-universe for the current Vice Admiral Rampart of Star Wars: The Bad Batch. Out of universe, it is possible showrunners picked the station’s name from the book to build a character from, though it would be interesting if the character of Rampart does in fact go back to 2014 in planning. After all, the final season of the Clone Wars, in which the Bad Batch were introduced used previously unused story concepts from 2012-2013 prior to Disney’s initial cancellation. Rampart could have been in development as far back as then, but it remains to be seen if this is the case.
Why isn’t Rampart in later Star Wars stories?
At any rate, in-universe and in canon, Vice Admiral Rampart is a crucial, pivotal figure in the transition from the former Republic to the new Empire under Palpatine. But we see and hear nothing of him in later works, other than a single station named for him 5 years later. Why?
I suspect that Vice Admiral Rampart will likely die before 14 BBY. The station will be named in his honor. How he will die will most likely be a subject of future seasons of the Bad Batch, which seems set to cover the stories of different parts of the galaxy, from Ryloth to Kamino.
For someone who successfully implements War Mantle–which we know definitely will happen–it’s strange that he isn’t mentioned as a major figure later under grander titles such as Admiral or Moff. While it’s possible that could happen, I think it will be short-lived, if it happens at all.
The Bad Batch is slowly working towards a story of five clone brothers and their sister (and maybe mother?) who will join the newly emerging Rebellion in its earliest forms.
What stories in the Bad Batch are we going to see next?
I think the Bad Batch will visit other planets affected by the new Empire. Here are two I think we will see within the series.
Kamino
We will certainly see the destruction of Kamino. Barring some strange redux of the brain worm plot line of the Clone Wars, I theorize that the “Infested” episode may center around the reason some clones like Howser do not seem to be as strictly obedient to the Empire as other clones. Perhaps Nala Se is intending to sabotage the clone army by introducing a virus or prion in the inhibitor chips. This will make the clones “infested”.
I think Nala Se wants to ensure Kamino has a standing army for themselves if the Empire attacks them. And she will certainly be right about that.
This could lead into the next episode of War Mantle, where Rampart’s mission is realized.
Geonosis
I doubt we will see Geonosis in season 1. However, I can see Geonosis being returned to for season 2. Fans already know that the Empire will sterilize the planet of its inhabitants. They also know the planet will be used to construct the Death Star.
And did I mention that Rampart Station is the marshaling depot to Geonosis? I don’t think that necessarily means Rampart is directly involved with Geonosis. However, I think the planet will be referenced in the future in The Bad Batch.
What do you think?