Ailish

"Sorry. So sorry."

―Ailish^[1]

Ailish was a Tarlafar and the mother of the Force-sensitive infant Bayrn, living with him in a mountain city on the world Caraad. After her son was witnessed using the Force to throw a pot while they were out shopping, Ailish rushed him home, but an Aqualish neighbor reported the child as the Galactic Empire had placed a bounty on Force-sensitive children. The bounty hunter Cad Bane then arrived at Ailish's home and stunned her before kidnapping Bayrn.

Biography[]

Undercover mama[]

AilishMarket-IC — Ailish attempted to hide Bayrn's Force powers from her neighbors.

Ailish was a Tarlafar^[1] female who was mother^[2] to the Force-sensitive infant Bayrn.^[1] Around 18 BBY,^[3] the pair lived in a mountain city^[1] on the world Caraad. Ailish hoped that she and her exceptional child could avoid the harsher realties of the galaxy there,^[4] but rumors began to spread about how Bayrn might be gifted or cursed. While out shopping^[1] on one of the city's market streets,^[2] Ailish carried^[1] her^[2] son to a flower stall and placed him on a nearby crate with his doll, stroking his head then leaving him to play while she spoke with the vendor. Bayrn began throwing his doll up in the air and catching it before accidentally throwing it into some pots.^[1]

With Ailish still distracted, Bayrn climbed down from the crate and crawled over to recover the doll, sending a pot flying through the air with the Force as^[1] he^[2] did so. This was witnessed by an Arcona and a human nearby, who pointed out Bayrn as the culprit when an angry Aqualish questioned who had thrown the pot. As the Aqualish dismissed the idea that an infant could have lifted the pot, Ailish became aware of the commotion and hurried over to collect a Bayrn, who had begun to wail. Apologizing to the trio discussing the incident, she then carried Bayrn away and returned to their home. Having listened to the Arcona speak more about Bayrn's apparent powers, the Aqualish watched the mother enter her home with interest and later reported the child from his neighboring apartment, as the Galactic Empire had placed a bounty on Force-sensitive children.^[1]

Babynapper Bane[]

Based on the Aqualish's tip, the bounty hunter Cad Bane and his droid Todo 360 sought out Ailish's home one night. The mother was playing with Bayrn and his doll on the apartment's couch,^[1] feeding him a snack and then tickling him,^[2] when she heard Bane's footsteps outside. Seeing his silhouette passing by under the apartment's door, Ailish moved Bayrn from a table to the couch slightly further from the door^[1] and frowned^[2] as she moved over to the entryway.^[1] Worried,^[2] she glanced back at her child as Bane's silhouette returned beneath the door, prompting Ailish to pick up a shovel for defense.^[1]

AilishBane-IC — Ailish unsucessfully attempted to defend her son from Cad Bane before being stunned.

When the door suddenly opened however, Ailish only had time to gasp before Bane stunned her, causing her to drop the shovel and collapse to the floor. While she lay unconscious, Todo confirmed Bayrn was Force-senstivie with a blood test and then left with Bane and the infant to deliver Bayrn to the Empire, with Bane paying the Aqualish for the tip. The Empire imprisoned Bayrn as test subject in a base^[1] on Mount Tantiss on the planet Wayland.^[5] Bayrn was later rescued from Tantiss Base by Clone Force 99, which took him and other child test subjects that had been kept there to the planet Pabu with the aim of locating their parents and reuniting them with the children.^[6]

Personality and traits[]

Ailish was a doting mother who would do anything to protect Bayrn,^[4] attempting to hide his Force powers and trying to defend him from Cad Bane when the bounty hunter arrived. She had white fur, green eyes, and pink skin.^[1]

Equipment[]

Ailish wore a matching shawl and dress with a geometric pattern of purple, brown, blue, and white as well as a brown collar.^[1]

Behind the scenes[]

"Voicing my own mother (and/or my own child?) is a first! You can hear me as Ailish, baby Bayrn and Nanny Droid in episode 10 of Star Wars: The Bad Batch!"

―Shelby Young^[7]

Ailish was voiced by Shelby Young, who also voiced Bayrn, in "Identity Crisis,"^[1] the tenth episode of Star Wars: The Bad Batch's third season, which premiered on April 3, 2024.^[8] Although the character's name was listed in the episode's credits, it was unclear which character the name applied to^[1] until Young made a post on X about the characters later on the day that the episode aired.^[7]