The Mandalorian (Disney+)

[jon-el87]

Have some minor concerns about the Child. At the start of the series, they establish him as being 50 (still being a toddler, because his species ages slower than humans). So, it'll take close to another 50 (close to 20 years, after the events of the sequel trilogy), for him to get close to being like a 10-year-old? Potentially preventing him from developing beyond the toddler stick.

The spider creatures reminded me of the spider creatures from Rebels. Though, they're apparently not the same species.

[jon-el87]

Chapter 11.

[SPOILER]Fun to see Katee as Bo-Katan in live-action. Hoping that we'll see some additional Mandalorians, outside of these three. Liked that they finally touched upon why the Mandalorians on this show are all about not showing their faces, when we've seen other Mandalorians do it on Clone Wars and Rebels. Had figured that it was something like this. There's probably a third group (just speculating), that is somewhere in the middle: they remove their helmets, but only to immidiate family and spouses (not outsiders). Regardless if such a third group exists, it's always nice to see folkgroups (be they real or fictional) not be depicted as a homogeneous mass.[/SPOILER]

[darkphoenix21]

Chapter 11: The Heiress

There was a lot of action for such a short episode. It went by so fast that I’ve already watched it three times.

So it just got more interesting with the Mandorian culture. [SPOILER]As the title of the episode suggests we meet the heiress apparent to Mandalore in one Bo-Katan (Katee Sackoff) who described Mando’s kin as a cult of zealots; which want to keep the old ways alive (including the bit about never letting anyone see their faces)[/SPOILER]. It’s funny because I watched the NXIVM docuseries’ (The Vow & Seduced) so the last few weeks I’ve gotten my fill of cult culture and I’ve recognize some of the signs looking back on S1. [SPOILER]So I’m curious if after learning more about his kin and other Mandalorians does he decide to leave and/or join a group like Bo-Katan where he finally removes his helmet among others.[/SPOILER]

I haven’t watched any of the animated series’ to understand the importance of the darksaber [SPOILER]but, if Bo-Katan is out to get it back from Moff Gideon to enable her to take the throne back than it must be of great importance. I loved the cameo of Titus Welliver. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him be anything other than bad guy.[/SPOILER]

[jon-el87]

Chapter 12.

Thought it sounded like [SPOILER]Gwendoline Christie voiced that teacher droid[/SPOILER] (apparently it wasn't).

Okay, so now [SPOILER]Mando knows that Gideon is still alive. Was wondering how long it would take, before he found out (last episode Bo-Katan and Titus Welliver seemed intent on dancing around his name, so that Mando wouldn't find it out). Also looks like Paul Sun-Hyung Lee's character will have a continued presence on the show. Fun seeing an Imperial light cruiser in live-action, rather than them using the default Imperial II-class Star Destroyer.[/SPOILER]

[SPOILER]Some probably got upset, because Ashoka wasn't in the episode (despite being mentioned in the previous episode), but it was to be expected. David Filoni (her creator) had already been confirmed to write and direct chapter 13. So I figured that would be when she shows up.[/SPOILER]

[SPOILER]Curious if, when we see Gideon at the end, those things that he was looking at were some type of battle droids or merely armor for (death?) troopers?[/SPOILER]

[darkphoenix21]

Chapter 12: The Siege

Another action packed episode with some familiar faces from S1.

[SPOILER]The whole wire thing at the beginning was cute (but so dangerously stupid for Mando to have Baby Yoda do). So with the Razor Crest in desperate need of repair they head back to Naverro, where Cara Dune has become the Marshal and Greef a legit business owner. The town has been cleaned up including the cantina; which has become a school and where they leave Baby Yoda to discuss business...[/SPOILER]

I’ve been noticing a pattern with this series (a very familiar trope) but, in every episode Mando always whines up getting sidetracked with helping somebody else on a mission in order for him to further advance in his own. This business/the problem... [SPOILER]an Imperial base on the far side of Nevarro, populated by a “skeleton crew” is still active. If they can take out this base, the planet will finally be safe and can become a major trade anchor. We are reintroduced to Mythrol (The first bounty we see Mando carry out from the pilot) who’s become a servant/accountant to Greef to pay off his debt, who joins in the mission. And of course the empty base is not so empty. [/SPOILER]

[SPOILER] Again, they reference Baby Yoda’s blood. What are they trying to do (create a new army of clones; that creature in the pod???) And/or does this have anything to do with what Moff Gideon had on the ship? And did Mythrol plant the tracker?[/SPOILER]

[SPOILER]So some interesting developments with Cara being from Alderaan...[/SPOILER]but, they need to expand the universe more. We’ve already seen enough of the same planets with the films and now the series. There’s a whole universe, let’s see more of it.

[jon-el87]

[SPOILER] Again, they reference Baby Yoda’s blood. What are they trying to do (create a new army of clones; that creature in the pod???)[/SPOILER]

[SPOILER]At first, I thought that creature in the pod was an early Snoke prototype. However, the message makes it seems like they're trying to use the midi-chlorians (note the term: "M-count") in the Child's blood, to make someone (Gideon?) into a force user.[/SPOILER]

[darkphoenix21]

[SPOILER]At first, I thought that creature in the pod was an early Snoke prototype. However, the message makes it seems like they're trying to use the midi-chlorians (note the term: "M-count") in the Child's blood, to make someone (Gideon?) into a force user.[/SPOILER]

I just watched it a second time and caught that...makes sense. They’re not saying the words but, its obvious what they’re referring to.

[jon-el87]

[SPOILER]Must admit that I didn't recognize Michael Biehn at first. It was pretty dark, during the opening scene, and I'm more used to seeing him in The Terminator and Aliens (when he was young).

The episode was both written and directed by Dave Filoni (Ashoka's creator), which I felt showed. Filoni's clearly got a lot of affinity for her. Though, it felt a bit like Mando became semi-forgotten during the climax. At one point, I found myself thinking, while watching Ashoka and Morgan fight, "wait, where's Mando in all of this?" When they cut back to him and Biehn, it felt like an afterthought. Like Filoni wrote the script, essentially forgot to include Mando in the climax. Then threw something in, when it was pointed out to him, that the title character essentially vanishes during the climax.[/SPOILER]

[SPOILER]Not very impressed by Rosario Dawson's performance. Had also semi-hoped that Ashoka would take the Child (who we now have a name for: Grogu, and a backstory) off Mando's hands. The longer Grogu is on the show, the more integrated he is in the show's DNA. The more difficult it becomes, if the show ever tries to move beyond him. Not to mention, risk of stagnation, if he stays on for too long.[/SPOILER]

[SPOILER]Ashoka is looking for Thrawn. Had expected her to be out of get Gideon (tying things into the plot of the show). No idea if they're setting up an appearance for Thrawn (season 3 big bad?) or just decided to depict Ashoka as being on her own adventures (that would tie into the ending of Rebels, where she collects Sabine on Lothal, to look for Ezra); giving us the feeling that lots of people in this galaxy are having their own adventures (independent of each other).[/SPOILER]

[SPOILER]Mando is now going to another place, to try and get the attention of a Jedi. It won't be Luke (likely too expensive to digitally de-age Hamill for an episode). Ezra Bridger? He would be an established entity, but I have doubts that they'd use him.[/SPOILER]

[darkphoenix21]

Chapter 13: The Jedi

With a title like that you knew it was going to be a good episode.

Again, the production value for a series like this is fantastic; there’s a lot of money flowing from the house of mouse😂

[SPOILER]As soon as she spoke I knew it was Rosario Dawson under that orange makeup and that hair piece (I started watching it on my iPhone so it was a little dark but, restarted the episode at home); the character design actually translated well to live action. Did she voice Ahsoka Tano in the animated series’? She was simply a bada$$. I’ve got to say it was nice to see some live action Jedi lightsaber battling once again. They definitely know how to produce some great action pieces.[/SPOILER]

I’m not really into the western genre but, I’ve appreciated that they’ve continued to redefine it with this Star Wars series which appeals to a much larger audience. And I guess the “quid pro quo” of the series is just a western genre trope; I understand now. [SPOILER]Once again Mando has to team up with someone (Ashoka Tano) to help her defeat a village from a villain thus she can be the one to train Baby Yoda in the ways of force. But before that...

We finally get Baby Yoda’s real name (Grogu); not his species but, it will do.

Unfortunately it turns out that because Grogu is so attached to Mando, Ashoka Tano can’t possibly train him but...of course she knows where to go next and thus we’re off to another planet Tython to a temple where Grogu can reach out to the force and a Jedi may sense his presence and come after him.

Lots of questions: for starters couldn’t a Sith Lord also sense Grogu (So it would be which finds him first)? Will we at some point get a flashback of Grogu and how he ended up where this series began? Will we find other species of Grogu’s kin and who has trained him? [/SPOILER]

[SPOILER] The episode was both written and directed by Dave Filoni (Ashoka's creator), which I felt showed. Filoni's clearly got a lot of affinity for her. Though, it felt a bit like Mando became semi-forgotten during the climax. At one point, I found myself thinking, while watching Ashoka and Morgan fight, "wait, where's Mando in all of this?" When they cut back to him and Biehn, it felt like an afterthought. Like Filoni wrote the script, essentially forgot to include Mando in the climax. Then threw something in, when it was pointed out to him, that the title character essentially vanishes during the climax.[/SPOILER]

Mando definitely took a backseat fo some of it and I certainly was mesmerized by her.

[SPOILER] Ashoka is looking for Thrawn. Had expected her to be out of get Gideon (tying things into the plot of the show). No idea if they're setting up an appearance for Thrawn (season 3 big bad?) or just decided to depict Ashoka as being on her own adventures (that would tie into the ending of Rebels, where she collects Sabine on Lothal, to look for Ezra); giving us the feeling that lots of people in this galaxy are having their own adventures (independent of each other).[/SPOILER]

I almost want to go and watch some of the animated series to understand more about the characters. Even though I love this series, there are definite gaps I know I’m missing. It’s not hindering my enjoyment of the series but, it’s nice to know some of these names; which I do not.

[jon-el87]

[SPOILER]Ashoka (in this episode): "To wield it [the Force] takes a great deal of training and discipline."

Rey: "Um, right... great deal of training."[/SPOILER]

[SPOILER]That beskar staff could be useful, if Mando ever goes up against Moff Gideon. His armor would protect him from the darksaber, but the staff would provide him with an offensive weapon.[/SPOILER]

[SPOILER]The big question with Grogu is who took him from the Jedi temple and hid him? Seen some folks speculate that it was Mace Windu (who, of course, died in Revenge of the Sith). Decided to rewatch Mace's death scene, to see if they could go in that direction (or if an appearance by him would contradict the scene). The scene has Anakin cut off Mace's right hand. Palpatine blasts Mace with force lightning, sending Mace flying a great distance out the window, then descends into darkness. However, there were a lot of speeders visibly flying around (as far as the eye could see). So you could make the argument that Mace might never have hit the ground, but landed in (or was intercepted by) a speeder a few meters into his fall. Saving his life. After recovering for a little while, from the battle, he heads to the temple, but the attack is already underway. Being injured (and without a lightsaber), he's unable to stop anything. All he can do, is get Grogu out of there, hid him and then go underground himself.

Not that I think that Mace will show up, on this show. Though, that would be one heck of a moment. I can picture it: Mando and Grogu spots a mysterious figure in a Jedi robe (with the hood pulled over the head, concealing the person's face). We see that this person's got a robotic right hand... just like Luke (causing the viewers to think that it's Luke Skywalker). The Jedi removes his hood, revealing it to be Samuel L. Jackson... and the viewers lose their minds.[/SPOILER]

[darkphoenix21]

[SPOILER]The big question with Grogu is who took him from the Jedi temple and hid him? Seen some folks speculate that it was Mace Windu (who, of course, died in Revenge of the Sith). Decided to rewatch Mace's death scene, to see if they could go in that direction (or if an appearance by him would contradict the scene). The scene has Anakin cut off Mace's right hand. Palpatine blasts Mace with force lightning, sending Mace flying a great distance out the window, then descends into darkness. However, there were a lot of speeders visibly flying around (as far as the eye could see). So you could make the argument that Mace might never have hit the ground, but landed in (or was intercepted by) a speeder a few meters into his fall. Saving his life. After recovering for a little while, from the battle, he heads to the temple, but the attack is already underway. Being injured (and without a lightsaber), he's unable to stop anything. All he can do, is get Grogu out of there, hid him and then go underground himself.[/SPOILER]

I’m reading that it could be [SPOILER] Ezra Bridger[/SPOILER]; though your theory is also floating around. It’s always interesting to see which fan theory pans out. And if it’s one of these, the next question will be...”Where have they been all this time?“ ([SPOILER] we’re already doing that with Boba Fett[/SPOILER]; would they do it for another character?).

I’m curious about what the plans are for this series...does Favreau and his team have an X amount of years already planned out (similar to their approach to the MCU)? Are we looking at spin-offs (The fanbase is getting antsy from the amount of characters jumping from the animated world into the live action)?

[jon-el87]

Chapter 14.

[SPOILER]Had expected Boba's return and reclaiming of the armor to be a season finale thing. Of course, there are only two episodes left.[/SPOILER]

[SPOILER]Did not expect the destruction of the Razor Crest. Guess Mando will be getting a new ship soon. Curious if it was a creative choice, or if the crew just found the "Razor Crest" difficult to shoot in? It's why they destroyed Angel's place, at the end of the first season of Angel. Though, Mando will not end up in possession of Gideon's light cruiser. That would be too much. More likely a light freighter like the Falcon (though, not the same model. Personally, I'd go with a YT-2400 (the Falcon is a YT-1300) class) or another gunship. Just hope that he doesn't end up with a ship, identical to the Razor Crest. That would be lazy. Almost like his ship was never destroyed (especially as there is a high probability that the new ship will likely be called "Razor Crest II" (shortened to just "Razor Crest"), regardless of what ship he ends up with).[/SPOILER]

[SPOILER]If Grogu made contact with any Jedi, said character will probably show up, as a cliffhanger, at the end of the season finale. Not before.[/SPOILER]

[darkphoenix21]

Chapter 14: The Tragedy

This episode definitely felt like the bridge to the final act of a film. The penultimate and S2 finale will hopefully be an epic conclusion.

[SPOILER]It was a cute moment at the beginning with Mando attempting to train Grogue like Ashoka Tano was doing.

Boba Fett finally caught up to Mando! This was the bounty hunter I wanted see and understand the fandom hype for him. Fett was a definite bada$$ even without his armor. Speaking of which, I was expecting an actual fight between Mando/Boba Fett but, under the circumstances...they had a few stormtroopers to take down. So after the coast was clear Fett goes to the Razor Crest to retrieve the armor; He’s put on a pound or two cause I definitely noticed the gut😂

I Love Ming-Na Wen, I’m so happy that Fennec Shand survived thanks to Boba Fett. Them teaming up with Mando in attempt to protect Grogue was great action. I’m assuming that Grogue was reaching out to the Force, similar to how they showed with Rey. And “the tragedy” part was Grogue being captured by Moff Gideon. Love Grogue throwing those stormtroopers like rag dolls but, unfortunately using the force drained the little guy.

And so with Grogue captured Mando is going to recruit some familiar allies to help rescue him. I’m thinking something like the Magnificent Seven (since this is a Space-Western)...Mando along with Boba Fett, Fennec Shand, Greef, Cara Dune, The Marshal, Bo-Katan or maybe Ashoka Tano (to round it out) go on a rescue mission. [/SPOILER]

[SPOILER]If Grogu made contact with any Jedi, said character will probably show up, as a cliffhanger, at the end of the season finale. Not before.[/SPOILER]

That’s what I’m expecting. We’ll probably see a stand in and won’t find out who it actually is until the S3 premiere because the actor hasn’t been cast.

[jon-el87]

Chapter 15.

[SPOILER]Glad that it wasn't 30-40 minutes of them trying to break out Mayfield. Mando being willing to briefly take off his helmet, among people, to save Grogu, shows how attached he's become to him. Also some character development, since season one. Likely influenced by his encounter with Bo-Katan. Not that I think that Mando will start showing his face all the time.[/SPOILER]

[darkphoenix21]

Chapter 15: The Believer

Surprisingly, I found this episode much more subdued than any episode this season. I usually find that penultimate episodes tend to have a few more twists and turns than many finales. Hopefully, the S2 finally has something that will have us guessing until the S3 premiere next year.

[SPOILER]So Mando’s plan is to use Mayfeld’s imperial knowledge to try to rescue Grogu but, first they have to steal some coordinates from a terminal in a secret base to be able to track Moff Gideon. In order for them to use said terminal it has to scan your face. This felt a bit convoluted but, whatever I’ll give them a pass.

Mayfeld had a point with Mandalorian culture., what is...are they not supposed to show their faces, not take off the armor or is it both? Or is it like Mayfeld suggested based on circumstances... which in any case sounds a lot like being in a cult and how the leaders rule and keep their followers in check.

But than...

Mando actually showed his face😱...I figured he would eventually have to or more likely he would finally abandon the old ways of his kin for Bo-Katan’s much more liberal faction/rule.

The ending with Mando leaving the message for Moff Gideon showed just how much he’s grown and developed a relationship with Grogu. And from Moff Gideon’s expression, he’s intimidated..no one messes with Mando’s kid[/SPOILER]

One minor nitpick...[SPOILER]Can I say that for armor that’s been passed down from father to son, and has been used by other people (more recently The Marshal), Boba Fett’s armor looked brand spanking new in this episode...what happened there??? [/SPOILER]