Star Wars: The Bad Batch: Season 3 Episode 10: Identity Crisis
What is it ? : A small alien woman is with her child at a market, when the trade at another stall is interrupted by a vase being thrown, they think it was the child and discuss how it is strange or gifted, before saying that such things shouldn't be discussed. An Aqualish pays attention, and watches the woman heading home before using a commlink to call in a bounty hunter.
At Mount Tantiss, Emerie Karr reports to Royce Hemlock that research has stalled since Nala Se stopped cooperating, and requests to be put in charge of the project, pointing out she has earned the position through her loyalty to him. He reluctantly agrees, and takes her into the Vault, where a number of force sensitive children are being experimented on.
She asks one of their names, and Hemlock warns her to not become too attached to the subjects. Hemlock leaves, while one of the children observes the code he enters to unlock the door.
Back with the Alien mother and child, there is a knock at the door, and Cad Bane burst in gunning down the mother and taking the child away, throwing some money at the Aqualish who called him in.
One of the young girl subjects says she misses Nala Se, as she told her that she'd look into when she could go home, and Karr agrees to do the same. But when she's testing the young boy, he grabs her datapad and tries to use it to escape with Hemlock's code, but Clone Commandos come in and stun him against Karr's orders.
Karr visits Nala Se, who assures her she can do something for the children, that she has the power to help, when Hemlock informs her that another child is to arrive she accompanies the Clone Commandos to collect it.
Meeting with Cad Bane, she asks where he gets these children, to which he says the question reveals more than it answers, and he takes his payment and leaves.
The next day the young girl in captivity is angry with Karr due to the treatment of the boy who tried to escape, so Karr takes the doll Omega made from where she has hidden it and leaves it for the girl. . . .
High Points : The best term for this episode is oppressive. We're back to the prison at Tantiss, but instead of clones being mistreated, now it's kids.
It's a powerful episode with a contained storyline, which doesn't have any of the regular characters in it at all.
Low Points : It does make out the Empire to be a bit stupid, they mistreat the kids and have to deal with them trying to escape (it being common enough that they have protocols to deal with it), instead of trying to convince them to stay by making it like a hospital visit. (Convince them they're sick, and would hurt their loved ones if not treated, and that the testing is part of the treatment).
The revelation that Project Necromancer uses children as part of it's project is also weak, as we already know that because of Grogu in The Mandalorian. Just hurry up and show us Palpatine Clones, or at least a deformed Snoke or two.
So what do you really think ? : A very good episode, which uses a slow pace to introduce an atmosphere which just enhances the storyline. Showing us that not every episode has to be action packed, it can just be packed with emotion and feelings.
Final Words : So again we get two episodes back to back, so I'll return with another review tomorrow, where we'll presumably see the Batch get involved, perhaps through Karrs increasing empathy for her subjects.
Score : 9/10
Comments made about this Article!
There are currently no comments for this article, be the first to post in the form below
