"Identity Crisis" marks the tenth installment of Star Wars: The Bad Batch's third season. This episode debuted on April 3, 2024, released concurrently with the eleventh episode.
The episode begins in a bustling marketplace. Ailish, a Tarlafar mother, places her Force-sensitive baby, Bayrn, on a small seat while she shops for flowers. Bayrn amuses himself with a Tooka doll, tossing it near a vase. As Bayrn reaches for his doll, an Aqualish argues over price with a masked vendor. Their discussion is cut short by the sound of a vase shattering. When the vendor demands to know who threw it, an Arcona points the finger at the young child. Ailish comforts Bayrn and hurries away, while the Aqualish questions whether the toddler was truly responsible for the vase. The Arcona is adamant that he witnessed the child throw it.
As Ailish walks away with Bayrn, the Arcona comments that the child is peculiar and gifted. Another local warns that such talk could attract unwanted attention, and the two quickly disperse. The Aqualish lingers and enters a nearby building. He speaks into an intercom, requesting a top-tier bounty hunter. He informs the bounty hunter about the child.
At Tantiss Base, Doctor Royce Hemlock exits a training area to meet with Doctor Emerie Karr and Commander Scorch. Karr reports that progress in the lab has stalled since Doctor Nala Se was recaptured. Hemlock declares that Se can no longer be trusted. Karr questions whether he trusts her, given her years of service by his side, and argues that she could be more effective with higher clearance. Hemlock reluctantly promotes her to Chief Medical Scientist, first asking if she desires the position. She affirms that she believes she has earned it, and he begins to brief her on Project Necromancer.
Hemlock guides Karr down a corridor leading to the Vault, now accessible to her, guarded by several Clone commandos. As they pass through infrared scanners and more Clone commandos, he explains that the specimens within are crucial to Project Necromancer and must be handled with extreme caution. Inside a circular room, she sees three Force-sensitive alien younglings, including a red Iktotchi, a green Mirialan, and a blue Pantoran, all with high M-counts. When Karr questions why they are experimenting on children instead of adults, Hemlock explains that there are few Force-sensitive adults remaining, and children are easier to control.
Another scientist leads the Iktotchi into a room where a medical droid draws a blood sample from the child. Hemlock explains that M-count cannot be directly replicated from the source. However, Nala Se knew of another method, which is why she helped Omega escape. He reveals that Omega's blood is the only binder proven compatible with their DNA to recreate their M-count levels. He emphasizes the importance of finding Omega and preparing for her potential recovery.
While Hemlock speaks with Scorch, Karr interacts with the Iktotchi child, who admires her glasses. When Karr asks for her name, Hemlock orders her to limit her interactions with the children, whom he considers scientific specimens. As Hemlock leaves the chamber, he enters data into a datapad. The Mirialan child watches with curiosity.
Back on the unknown planet, Ailish plays with Bayrn while feeding him. Hearing footsteps approaching, Ailish places the child on a sofa with the doll and grabs a shovel. The Duros bounty hunter Cad Bane stuns the mother with his blaster. With Ailish unconscious, Bane instructs Todo 360 to use an injector to test Bayrn's M-count. He extracts a blood sample and hands it to Bane, who places it in a scanner that glows green.
Todo places Bayrn in a Hovering pram. The child cries until Todo returns his Tooka doll. They then leave, abandoning the unconscious Ailish. Before departing, Bane pays the Aqualish informant a meager sum, prompting complaints.
Elsewhere on Tantiss Base, Dr. Karr supervises a droid collecting a blood sample from the Iktotchi child, who greets Karr. When Karr refers to the child as SP-54, the Iktotchi introduces herself as Eva and asks for Karr's name. Karr introduces herself as Dr. Karr. When Eva asks about Mistress Nala Se, Karr replies that she is no longer in charge of the project. When Eva asks why, Karr says it is not her concern. Eva says that Nala Se promised to tell her when she could go 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, designated SP-32. While Karr is distracted with the datapad, SP-32 evades the medical droid and snatches Karr's datapad. He flees from the lab. Security personnel in the upper tier initiate a vault lockdown. The Mirialan tries to unlock the door with the datapad, but the controls fail. Karr and two medical droids corner SP-32. She tries to calm him, but SP-32 is determined to escape, insisting that SP-32 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 argues that such force is unnecessary. The Mirialan spots a door and tries to escape but is stunned by Scorch. As two Clone commandos carry SP-32 to his room, Karr criticizes Scorch's excessive force. The commander replies that SP-32 was trying to escape and that he was following protocol. While two medical droids attend to SP-32 and draw 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 appears visibly disturbed.
Later, Karr visits Nala Se in her cell, seeking answers about the Tantiss vault. Nala Se realizes that Karr has taken her place. When Karr asks about the children, Nala Se says that the Galactic Empire will keep them 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.
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.
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.