"Tipping Point" is the fourteenth episode of the second season of the animated television series Star Wars: The Bad Batch. It premiered on Disney+ on March 22, 2023.
New information has our heroes taking on a dangerous mission.
The episode opens with three dissident former clone troopers, including Howzer, being escorted aboard an Imperial Gozanti-class cruiser by TK stormtroopers under the command of Captain Pearce. The cruiser reaches the space above the planet Balmorra but is attacked by another starship before it can jump into hyperspace. The attacking starship led by clone veterans Gregor and Echo disable the cruiser's hyperdrive and defenses. Gregor and Echo command several dissident clone troopers.
After disabling the Gozanti cruiser's weapons systems, Echo and Nemec lead a boarding party aboard a smaller Leech ship, that drills through the upper hull of the Gozanti cruiser. Gregor attaches his starship to the forward dock of the Imperial cruiser. Captain Pearce warns the stormtroopers to prepare to be boarded. Descending from the Leech ship, Echo and two Clone troopers shoot the stormtrooper defenders who enter their vessel.
At the forward dock, Gregor throws a grenade that electrocutes the first group of stormtroopers. He then takes out several more troopers with his blaster. Under attack on two fronts, Pearce issues orders to initiate the protocols and erase the databanks. Echo, Nemec and their team secure the engine room after taking out the stormtrooper sentries. While a Clone trooper named Fireball frees Howzer and his comrades, Echo and Nemec lead the attack on the bridge. They eliminate the sentries and take out Pearce's stormtroopers.
While Echo attends to retrieve data from the databank, Nemec interrogates Pearce at gunpoint. However, Pearce commits suicide by activating a suicide shocker inside his mouth. Gregor informs Echo and Nemec that they have liberated the prisoners and to fall back. Echo whoever wants to retrieve what is left of their files. Shortly late, Imperial reinforcements arrive in the form of an Imperial Star Destroyer, which realeses a squadron of V-wing starfighters. Echo tells his comrades to buy more time but Nemec disagrees and pulls out the data rod. While Gregor detaches the main ship, Echo and Nemec escape in the leech ship. Following a dogfight, they dock with Gregor's ship and flee into hyperspace.
Elsewhere on Mount Tantiss in Wayland, two stormtroopers frogmarch Crosshair out of his cell. While walking through the cell block, he notices several Clone troopers inside the cells. Crosshair is ushered into an operating theatre where Emerie Karr warns him to cooperate with Doctor Royce Hemlock. Hemlock arrives with a clone commando and remarks that Crosshair has recovered remarkably fast. When Crosshair asks why he is here, Hemlock reassures him that he is not punishing him for shooting his commanding officer, which he opines shows Crosshair's initiative. Hemlock offers to give Crosshair a clean slate in return for revealing the location of Clone Force 99, adding that they have something that belongs to him.
Crosshair says that the Bad Batch won't give up Omega easily. Hemlock disagrees, saying that Omega is Imperial property. Hemlock reiterates his offer of helping the Empire locate his former squad in return for his freedom. When Crosshair responds that he doesn't know where the Bad Batch are, the stormtroopers force him onto the operating bed. As they restrain him, Hemlock asks if Crosshair knows about how they think, operate, and who their contacts are. Crosshair is uncooperative, prompting Hemlock to bring in an IT-O Interrogation Unit.
However, they are interrupted by Scalder who informs Hemlock and Karr that one of their transport ships was attacked while departing Balmorra. While the interrogation droid commences injecting Crosshair, Hemlock leaves Karr to supervise the interrogation.
Meanwhile on Coruscant, Echo and Gregor bring Howzer and his men to Trace Martez's repair shop where they rendezvous with Senator Riyo Chuchi, who offers refuge to the rescued clones. Howzer tells her that three out of his eight men survived in a prison populated by Clone troopers. When Chuchi ask why Howzer and other Clone troopers were being imprisoned, Echo explains that they were being imprisoned for questioning Imperial orders. He and Gregor intercepted them while they were being shuttled offworld. Howzer does not know where they were sent but recalls that several clone troopers were transferred offworld in rotations, adding that they never came back.
Chuchi says they must find out where the ship was headed. Echo replies that they recovered heavily encrypted information which he plans to bring to someone who can crack it. Chuchi says that she will take care of things on Coruscant and see what she can find out. She tells Echo to be careful.
Back at Mount Tantiss, Karr suspends the interrogation. When a stormtrooper protests that they had to continue until Crosshair talks, she responds that the prisoner cannot talk if he is dead. While Karr consults a computer, the guards try to secure his restraints under her orders. However, Crosshair grabs a blaster pistol and shoots the stormtroopers and interrogation droid. Karr attempts to reason with Crosshair but he forces her to free him at gunpoint. Karr points out that he can't travel far in his condition but Crosshair demands her access card. She tries to convince him that he can't escape but he stuns her with the blaster.
Crosshair makes his way through the corridor and shoots two stormtrooper sentries. He unlocks a blast door only to encounter four armed stormtroopers. Crosshair takes shelter behind a panel and shoots an overhead pipe, which releases a gas that disorients the stormtroopers. He takes advantage of their confusion to shoot them down. Crosshair then enters Terminal 3 and uses Karr's access card to send a transmission through a satellite while saying Plan 88. Stormtroopers detect the unauthorized transmission and seal the room. Crosshair issues a warning to the Bad Batch before being incapacitated by a yellow gas. Hemlock enters Terminal 3 with a clone commando and tells Crosshair that he has developed a toxin which he has immunity to but not Crosshair. Crosshair closes his eyes.
Elsewhere in the remote island on Pabu, life has returned to normal on the lower levels since the recent tsunami. While unloading goods at the dock, Shep Hazard asks Hunter about a visiting clone friend. Hunter reassures Hazard that he is not with the Empire, which pleases Hazard. Wrecker tells them that he has finished helping to rebuild the fishing dock and displays a large purple fish he has caught. Three local girls including Lyana Hazard recruit Wrecker to help them fortify the sea walls. Hazard tells the Bad Batch they have become an integral part of the island community and asks if they will consider settling down. Hunter responds that soldiers find settling down an occupational hazard. Hazard asks if he is just a soldier.
Meanwhile, Tech gives Omega flying lessons aboard the Marauder. Under Tech's guidance, she takes the ship up and down repeatedly. Tech remakes that the alarms have short-circuited but commends her improvement due to his teaching skills. Gonky watches the flying lesson in the cockpit. Tech tasks Omega with executing a sharp swing back to port with zero thruster pull, which Omega calls the "Tech Turn". She circles the island's citadel rapidly.
Following the circle, they receive a transmission from Echo. Omega is delighted that Echo is coming to visit them. After exchanging pleasantries, Echo challenges Omega for a race to the landing zone. Echo lands in a large freighter at the landing zone and shakes hands with Hunter. Omega and Tech shortly later land the Marauder. Echo is surprised that they are not back with Ciddarin Scaleback on Ord Mantell. Hunter replies that they are evaluating things.
Omega is delighted to see Echo again. Echo reveals that he has come to seek Tech's help in decrypting data from a file aboard an Imperial ship carrying clone prisoners. Echo wants to know where the ship was transporting the prisoners and why.
Back on Wayland, Hemlock tries to reassure Governor Wilhuff Tarkin that the loss of the ship will not compromise the Tantiss Base. Tarkin disagrees but Hemlock vouches for their security protocols. Hemlock is concerned about how the ship was targeted. Tarkin speculates that the leak was the work of rogue clone elements within the Imperial hierarchy. He is concerned that a growing number of clones are questioning Imperial orders. Hemlock warns that eliminating dissident clones will not root out the problem but says he can find other ways of dealing with them. Tarkin reminds Hemlock to give a full briefing of his plan at the upcoming summit.
On Pabu, Echo asks Hunter if he and the other clones plan to stay on the peaceful island indefinitely. Wrecker plays with Omega and Lyana. Hunter opines that settling on Pabu might be a good idea. Echo explains that Rex has built up a small network of clones; some of whom are hiding, underground, or act as their contacts within the Empire. Hunter warns Echo that the Empire is a powerful opponent they can't defeat but Echo reminds him of their brothers. Hunter asks Echo to reconsider his war against the Empire.
Tech summons the rest of the Bad Batch back to the ship via comlink. Aboard the Marauder, he explains that the Imperial transport Echo hijacked was assigned to the Advanced Science Division. Hunter is unaware of the unit. Tech explains that it is a clandestine operation without records in its location or purpose. He discovered that the Advanced Science Division is headed by Hemlock, who was expelled from the Republic Science Corps for his unauthorized and unorthodox experiments.
When Omega asks why they were transferring clone prisoners to him, Tech says that he doesn't know but previous records mention that other clones transferred to the Science Division include Crosshair. Wrecker is surprised that Crosshair turned against the Empire. Hunter asks how sure Tech is. Tech replies that he found Crosshair's clone number on the transfer register. He also checked all comm channels and found a recent distress signal from Crosshair's old code with the message "Plan 88. The Seeker." Tech thinks that Crosshair is warning them but Hunter believes it is a trap. Wrecker asks how they will find out.
On Wayland, Crosshair is fastened to the operating table. Hemlock and Karr enter the operating theatre. In the presence of stormtroopers, Hemlock warns Crosshair that he will only leave he facility if he allows him to. He extends his offer to Crosshair a second time. Crosshair is defiant and silent. Hemlock offers Crosshair freedom in return for helping to secure Omega. When Crosshair gives a defiant stare, he orders Karr and the interrogation droid to increase the drug level. As Crosshair squirms in agony, Hemlock smiles as Karr watches.