Last Friday, “The Mandalorian” kicked off its second season with an action-packed, hour-long episode filled with tasteful connections to the original trilogy and one long-awaited cameo appearance.
Today, fans received the next installment in this award-winning, western-inspired space adventure. Despite last week’s well-received episode, this week’s chapter proved to be one of the series’ weakest to date.
The Return
“Star Wars” fans have been patiently anticipating the return of “The Mandaloiran” after its highly praised debut season premiered last year on Disney+. Less than a year later, “The Mandalorian” has returned with a stunning first episode.
Many “Star Wars” fans have been turned away in recent years from the franchise by the recent sequel trilogy of films. While the divisive sequel trilogy debatably lost touch with the spirit of the originals, “The Mandalorian” is the most faithful “Star Wars” story since “Return of the Jedi.”
The show nails the “lived-in universe” and western-inspired feel of the originals, and “Chapter 10: The Marshal” exemplifies this commitment to the original “Star Wars.”
“Chapter 9: The Marshal”
“The Marshal” takes place on Tatooine, the famous desert planet that first appeared in 1977’s “A New Hope.” Bounty hunter Din Djarin, known as the Mandalorian, and his little green companion “The Child” return to Mos Eisley.
Here, season one’s Peli Motto, played by “Strangers” actress Amy Sedaris, makes her return alongside a familiar droid from the original trilogy. R5-D4, the droid with a “bad motivator” from “A New Hope,” makes his triumphant return.
However, this is not the “The Mandalorian” cameo that fans in the Star Wars community have been raving about.
This episode teases Boba Fett’s return early in the episode with Fett’s armor being worn by Timothy Olyphant’s character Cobb Vanth. Olyphant’s character is a charming and welcomed addition to the ever-expanding roster of “Star Wars” characters. Olyphant’s character first appeared in Chuck Wendig’s “Star Wars: Aftermath” trilogy of novels and is mostly faithfully adapted for the show.
Boba Fett appears ominously overlooking a Tatooine expanse under twin suns at the end of the episode. Jango Fett actor Temuera Morrison returns to “Star Wars” after playing Boba Fett’s clone father in 2002’s “Attack of the Clones.”
Fett’s new scars and eroded armor hint towards his apparent escape from the sarlacc pit. Fett seems to be set to play a bigger role in the season going forward.
“Chapter 9: The Marshal” gives us the most western inspired “Star Wars” story to date. The city of Mos Pelgo and its townsfolk are an obvious tribute to the towns featured in many American Western films.
The episode also builds a dynamic between the townspeople and the Tusken raiders that is very similar to the dynamic depicted between Native American tribes and townsfolk in several Westerns.
The episode also adds some tasteful lore to the indigenous population, the Tusken raiders. Debuting in the original “Star Wars,” the Tuskens have always been depicted as barbarians until now. The episode explores some of their culture and notably their language.
The Tusken raiders use a form of sign language which was developed by Deaf actor Troy Kostur according to The Daily Moth.
Kostur not only helped to develop the language, but also starred as one of the sand people. Kostur hopes that his work on “The Mandalorian” will create more opportunities for Deaf actors to work in the filmmaking industry.
“Chapter 9: The Marshal” is 54 minutes of classic “Star Wars.” It is a fun story that is guaranteed to please fans from any era of “Star Wars.”
5/5 Torches
Chapter 10: The Passenger
The second episode of the new season unfortunately loses much of the momentum built up during the Season 2 premiere.
This episode picks up right where the previous episode left off. Din Djarin and “The Child” are ambushed by a gang of bounty hunters. After making their way back to town, Peli Motto tasks The Mandalorian with transporting a frog-like character to another planet in order to uncover the next clue about the Jedi.
This episode continues the trend of not progressing Din’s search for the Jedi at all. If this trend continues, the show may begin to run the risk of including too much filler.
The Mandalorian’s search for the Jedi was set up in the finale of Season 1 and was cemented as the overarching story at the beginning of the second season. “Chapter 10” painfully reminds us that one-fourth of the way into this new season, The Mandalorian is barely closer to completing his quest than he was at the end of the first season.
The episode also does not pay off Temuera Morrison’s exciting cameo as Boba Fett from the end of the first episode.
Din Djarin and “The Child” encounter two x-wing starfighters from the New Republic in a cool callback to the original trilogy. One of the pilots is played by “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” creator Dave Filoni.
Fans suffering from arachnophobia beware. This episode includes a horde of spider-like creatures that attempt to overtake The Mandalorian’s ship, The Razor Crest. The internet’s favorite green toddler, “The Child” is almost eaten!
The x-wing pilots return at the climax of the episode and help the gang out of a tight spot. The Mandalorian fixes his ship and sets out to deliver his newest passenger in the next episode.
This episode is not terrible. It matches the production quality of the entire series and includes some very cute moments with “The Child.” However, it does not build very much on the previous episode or the overarching story of the season. It is a necessary watch for fans of the series, but does not live up to “Chapter 9.”
3/5 Torches
Looking Forward
If you are a fan of the original trilogy of “Star Wars” films, “The Mandalorian” is a must watch.
The entire first season is available to stream right now. If you are unsure about the show, give the first season or “Chapter 9” a try. Both enhance the lore and world-building of the original trilogy while adding some memorable new characters along the way.
“The Mandalorian” continues to be some of the most inclusive “Star Wars” to date with actors from a variety of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds, such as Giancarlo Esposito, Gina Carano, Carl Weathers and Troy Kostur.
“The Mandalorian” has a lot to offer for “Star Wars” and streaming fans alike. If you are willing to sit through some slower episodes, you will undoubtably enjoy this story from a galaxy far, far away.
“The Mandalorian” releases new episodes every Friday exclusively on Disney+.
