The Bad Batch: Identity Crisis Thoughts
Emerie gets her episode and faces the reality she has been avoiding in a contemplative and compelling arc.
An episode like “Identity Crisis” was inevitable, with Keisha Castle Hughes voicing the other female Clone in The Bad Batch. The episode is also the first in which no member of the Bad Batch appears, and to give that time to a character introduced as an afterthought late in season two is gutsy. Fortunately, the writing team has proven that they can deliver some of the best narrative storytelling in Star Wars, and they deliver with a top episode.
Emerie’s crisis of conscience comes when she gets promoted, which might be the most relatable situation in the series yet.
Collateral Damage
The episode begins on an unknown planet with an unnamed parent and toddler (later named by the official Star Wars Databank as Ailish and Bayrn) shopping at a market. The two are the species Talfar, which first appeared in Solo: A Star Wars Story. Bayrn gets frustrated trying to retrieve his doll and throws some heavy items, which gets the attention of their neighbor, who subsequently calls a Class I Bounty Hunter named Cad Bane.
Meanwhile, on Tantiss, Emerie approaches Dr. Hemlock and tells him that progress has stalled since Nala Se’s confinement. Emerie asks Hemlock if he trusts her, stating that she has earned the right for high-level clearance, essentially becoming the new Chief Scientist. Emerie seems eager to continue Hemlock’s work, having worked by his side since she was little, but an unwelcome reality hits her immediately.
Hemlock catches her up to speed on Project Necromancer and reveals the test subjects: three children with high M-counts. One child, an Iktotchi named Eva, tries to converse with her, but Hemlock tells her to address them by their number, not their name. Hemlock dehumanizes them just like the Clones, although interestingly enough, not Emerie herself, whom he calls Dr. Karr.
The children are easier to manage and manipulate as a means to an end, and we finally learn exactly why Omega is important for Project Necromancy: Her blood is the only binder compatible with the other children’s DNA to recreate their M-count levels, no doubt, to transfer to another being *cough* Palpatine Clone *cough.*
These children, including Omega, are collateral damage for Hemlock’s ambition and the Emperor’s quest for immortality (assuming). Even Nala Se admits to Emerie that she had to go along with the test to protect Omega. Now, Emerie might finally see why Omega escaping was a good thing.
Emerie finds herself in a challenging situation, as Nala Se tells her the children will look to her, which proves true for Eva. A Mirialan boy named Jax tries to escape and is isolated for two rotations (days), angering Eva, who asks Emerie if Jax would be in trouble. Emerie, not fully understanding this new reality, reassures her he is not in trouble. She accuses Emerie of lying, which cuts deep as Emerie realizes these kids have also come to rely on each other.
She is further shocked when a new “specimen,” Bayrn, arrives, and she asks Bane where the toddler came from. Bane warns her that she is giving away more than she thinks and leaves. While Emerie may not be ready to use her power to help these children escape, she at least tries to comfort Eva by giving her Omega’s straw, Lula, which she keeps.
Emerie’s Journey
Introduced in “Tipping Point,” the revelation that Emerie is another female Clone was an afterthought after Tech’s shocking death. It was also strange that she immediately told Omega she was a Clone; however, with perspective, it might be because Emerie was desperate for a connection with someone like her. Other Clones surround her, but she is singular, like the Bad Batch.
In episodes “Confined” and “Shadows of Tantiss,” Emerie shows some attachment to Omega, concern for her well-being, and giving back her doll. However, questions about Emerie remain: When was she created, and why is her blood not a binder like her sisters’?
“Identity Crisis” does not answer these questions but provides insight into Emerie’s younger days. When Emerie confronts Nala, she asks if the children will be discarded and hints that she was before Hemlock took her in as his assistant. This interaction might mean Emerie was before Omega, making her older than the Bad Batch. The feeling of abandonment also explains her dedication to Hemlock as the only consistent thing in her life.
Hemlock did not show Emerie the part of the vault Palpatine visited, so perhaps he is not telling her everything. Earlier in the season, Emerie was perfectly content to get information when Hemlock felt it necessary. Now, Emerie is on a path of pursuing answers secretly, which might lead to growing disillusionment as she learns more about Project Necromancer.
Imperial Politics and More Secrets
The Bad Batch has used the more prominent villains in the Star Wars universe sparingly and effectively. Emperor Palpatine has only appeared three times in the series (once per season) as a symbol of the Clones’ dwindling presence in the Empire. Tarkin has been another harbinger, first questioning the Clones’ loyalty and supporting the move toward conscripted soldiers. Here, he is more of a minor antagonist for Dr. Hemlock, trying to squeeze out information about what he is working on in the form of concern regarding resources. Other top-secret projects like the Death Star are around this early, so Tarkin does have legitimate reasons to pry, but it is also a power move.
And Tarkin spooks Hemlock enough to pass on that pressure to CX-2, our mysterious shadow Clone who survived from “Extraction.” CX-2 has pulled information from a Trandoshan (Cid, no doubt) about a pirate (Phee) who might know Omega’s location. There is no reason to believe that CX-2 won’t find Phee and, eventually, Pabu.
Hemlock also mentions that the others are not ready to join CX-2 in the field. Earlier, we saw the Doctor looking at datapads of shadow Clones. Not many episodes are left to see those Clones in action in the field, so that may be what will await our heroes during the inevitable siege of Tantiss.
The episode ends with a hopeful smile from Emerie (her first), which is likely setting up Emerie to have a significant impact in the final few episodes. And now, with this well-executed episode, Emerie will have earned that moment.
Originally published at http://creditsandcanon.com on April 7, 2024.
