Identity Crisis

"Identity Crisis" is the tenth episode of the third season of Star Wars: The Bad Batch. The episode premiered on April 3, 2024 alongside the eleventh episode.
==Official description==
Emerie confronts the dark secrets behind Hemlock's scientific research.
==Plot summary==
===The feline child===
The episodes opens in a marketplace. A Tarlafar mother, Ailish, rests her Force-sensitive infant Bayrn on a stool while she goes shopping for flowers. Bayrn plays with a Tooka doll, which he throws near a vase. While Bayrn attempts to retrieve its doll, an Aqualish haggles with a masked merchant. They are interrupted by a fallen vase. When the merchant asks who threw that, an Arcona blames the toddler. Ailish comforts Bayrn and scurries away while the Aqualish questions whether the toddler actually threw the vase. The Arcona insists that he saw the child throw the vase.
As Ailish carries Bayrn away, the Arcona says that the child is strange and gifted. Another villager warns that such chatter could bring trouble and the two scatter. The Aqualish remains behind and enters a building. He speaks into an intercom, seeking a class one bounty hunter. He reports the child to the bounty hunter. 
===Karr's promotion===
Meanwhile at Tantiss Base, Doctor Royce Hemlock exits a training room to meet with Doctor Emerie Karr and Commander Scorch. Karr reports progress in the laboratory has stalled since Doctor Nala Se's recapture. Hemlock says Se cannot be trusted anymore. Karr asks if he trusts her since she worked by his side for years and says she can be more useful with a proper clearance so Hemlock reluctantly promotes her to Chief Medical Scientist after asking if she wishes to be the new one and she says she believes she has earned it and begins to bring her up to speed on Project Necromancer.
Hemlock leads Karr through a corridor that leads to the Vault which she now has been given access to, which is guarded by several Clone commandos. As they pass through a row of infrared scanners and more Clone commandos, he explains that the specimens inside are vital to Project Necromancer and must be handled with the utmost care. Inside a circular chamber, she encounters three Force-sensitive alien younglings including a red Iktotchi, a green Mirialan and a blue Pantoran, who all have high M-counts. When Karr asks why they are testing on children rather than adults, Hemlock explains that there are few Force-sensitive adults left and that children are easier to manage. 
Another human scientist escorts the Iktotchi into a room where a medical droid extracts a blood sample from the child. Hemlock explains that M-count cannot be directly replicated from the source. However, Nala Se knew about another way and thus helped Omega escape. He says that Omega's blood is the only binder that has proven to be compatible with their DNA to recreate their M-count levels. He says that it is imperative that Omega is found, and that they must be prepared for the scenario that she is recovered. 
While Hemlock speaks with Scorch, Karr speaks with the Iktotchi child, who likes her glasses. When Karr asks what is her name, Hemlock orders her to limit her interactions with the children, whom he regards as scientific specimens. As Hemlock exits the chamber, he keys something into the datapad. The Mirialan child watches with interest.
===The kidnapping===
Back on the unknown planet, Ailish plays with Bayrn while feeding him. Ailish heads footsteps approaching the door and places the child on a sofa with the doll while she fetches a shovel. The Duros bounty hunter Cad Bane stuns the mother with his blaster. With Ailish unconscious, Bane orders Todo 360 to bring an injector to test the Bayrn's M-count. He extracts a blood sample from the child and hands it over to Bane, who places the sample inside a scanner, which glows green. 
Todo places Bayrn inside a Hovering pram. The child cries until Todo reunites him with his Tooka doll. The two then depart, leaving the unconscious Ailish behind. Before leaving, Bane pays the Aqualish informant a pittance, prompting some grumbling.
===Jax's escape attempt===
Elsewhere on Tantiss Base, Dr Karr oversees a droid collecting a blood sample from the Iktotchi child, who greets Karr. When Karr addresses the child as SP-54, the Iktotchi introduces herself as Eva and asks what is her name. Karr introduces herself as Dr Karr. When Eva asks about Mistress Nala Se, Karr responds that she is no longer overseeing this project. When Eva asks why, Karr says that is not her concern. Eva says that Nala Se promised that she would find out when she is going home and asks Dr Karr if she can find out for her. Karr says she will look into it. 
Karr then attends to the Mirialan child, who is designated SP-32. While Karr is distracted with the datapad, SP-32 dodges the medical droid and grabs Karr's datapad. He runs out of the lab. Officials stationed in the upper tier place the vault into into lockdown. The Mirialan attempts to unlock the door with the datapad but the controls don't work. Karr and two medical droids corner SP-32. She tries to calm him down but SP-32 is determined to escape and says that is not his name. He says that he was told he could go home. 
Three clone commandos including Commander Scorch enter the vault with their blasters set to stun. Karr says that such force is not necessary. The Mirialan spots a door and attempts to flee but is stunned by Scorch. While two Clone commandos carry SP-32 to his room, Karr criticises Scorch's actions as extreme. The commander responds that SP-32 was trying to escape and that he was complying with protocol. While two medical droids attend to SP-32 and extract a blood sample, Eva asks Karr if Jax is alright. 
Karr reassures Eva that Jax will be fine. When Eva asks if Jax is in trouble, she says that he is not in trouble and that she can see him tomorrow. While looking over Eva and the Pantoran, Karr looks visibly uncomfortable.
===Speaking with Nala Se===
Later, Karr visits Nala Se in her cell, seeking questions about the Tantiss vault. Nala Se realises that Karr has assumed her role. When Karr asks about the children, Nala Se says that the Galactic Empire will keep them in order to control them. Nala Se agrees that the children do not belong on Tantiss Base but says that she had no choice. Nala Se said that she had to protect Omega. When Karr asks about the other children, Nala Se replies that she did what she could and tells Karr that they will look to her. She asks Emerie about what she would do. 
When Karr says she is powerless to do anything, Nala Se asks her to reconsider. Karr exits the cell and encounters Doctor Hemlock in the corridor where he asks her for a word again to inform her Commander Scorch will be departing to pick up a new specimen who will be arriving today. Aware of Jax's escape attempt, Hemlock assures Karr the latest acquisition will not be a danger to her. Based on what he told her, Karr volunteers to accompany Scorch to ensure the specimens are "handled carefully." Hemlock is reluctant but relents after a stormtrooper informs him Governor Wilhuff Tarkin requests the Chief Scientist of the Advanced Science Division contact him at once again. 
===Hemlock's challenge===
In his office, Hemlock speaks via holoprojector with Tarkin, who informs him of questions having been raised regarding the financial impact his facility is having on Imperial resources after being asked to what does he owe to this new summons and wonders about additional funds which have been diverted at his request so he says that is correct and it is for a project of personal interest to Emperor Palpatine. When Tarkin inquires what it is, Hemlock says he is afraid it is classified. With Hemlock being evasive by claiming the funding was all he required and worth the expenditure but not some assistance provided from the Governor when he offers it after seeing Project Necromancer is of such importance to his friend and mentor, Tarkin warns the Chief Scientist that he had better hope so because if Project Necromancer fails to wield proper results, it will not bode well for the Imperial cloning program and himself. 
Heeding Governor Tarkin’s warning, Hemlock contacts CX-2 for an update so he says he tracked down Cid and pulled some intel from her so she gave up the name of a pirate who has been in contact with Omega. When Hemlock warns him the other operatives are not ready to join him in the field, CX-2 insists he can handle the matter on his own. Hemlock reminds him of his past failure on Teth and warns him to make no more mistakes and not to return without Omega.
===Servant of the Empire===
Karr, Commander Scorch and a detachment of stormtroopers travel to a space station above Coruscant to rendezvous with Cad Bane. When Bane remarks that Karr is not the usual Imperial liaison, Karr says she is here to examine the specimen and who she is is not his concern. Todo-360 brings Bayrn in a floating cradle which shocks her with how young he is so Scorch says he will be less trouble after Bane asks if there is a problem. While Karr tests the child, a stormtrooper pays Bane after asking for it. When Karr asks Bane how many Force-sensitives he captured, Bane replies he is good at his job. Karr's kit confirms Bayrn is Force-sensitive. When Karr asks where the child came from, Bane is evasive. Bane and Todo then depart on their ship while Karr takes the toddler into custody. 
Back at Tantiss Base, the medical droid collects another blood sample from Bayrn. The droid tells Karr that the child is acclimating well. When Karr asks about SP-32, the droid says the subject has been placed into solitary confinement for two rotations as punishment. Karr attends to a sullen Eva, who says that Karr lied about Jax not being punished. Eva says they all want to go home. 
Karr later compares the children's blood samples with Omega’s in Se's laboratory. She also finds Omega's homemade tooka doll. As consolation, she gives the tooka doll to Eva. Karr watches anxiously from the upper tier.
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