RJ Writing Ink

When people fight in wars, or for survival, things like morality tend to fall by the wayside. The desperation, the compromises, the loss. No one’s immune, not the Jedi, and not Mando. With Grogu/Baby Yoda held captive by Moff Gideon, he’s going to great lengths to get his son back. And in the process, we get a surprisingly insightful episode on the nature of good and evil with those in power.

Migs Mayfeld Returns

The last time we saw the ex-Stormtrooper Mayfeld, he was arrested by the New Republic for that failed prison break. Now serving a harsh prison sentence, Cara bails him out to help Mando’s team track down Moff Gideon’s ship. Which leads to the group to a remote Imperial outpost mining an extremely explosive chemical. So, high stakes all around.

I actually forgot about Mayfeld after last season, but this episode gives the returning character a surprising amount of depth. Yeah, he snarks against Cara (who’s happy to shoot him if necessary), but he also waxes himself philosophical about the effects of those in power. Namely, he says that whether it’s the New Republic or Empire that’s in charge of the Galaxy, nothing changes. People still suffer in squalor thanks to those in charge.

The sad thing is, he’s not wrong. No matter who’s in charge, the Outer Rim remains the same, underdeveloped frontier region its always been. It’s a sad reflection of real world issues of poverty.

Yet underneath his cynicism, we see that Mayfeld has a good heart, as we learn why he left the Empire. Operation: Cinder.

What is Operation: Cinder?

Operation: Cinder is an important event that occurred in the aftermath of the Battle of Endor. Long story short, Sidious planned to destroy the Empire and most of its worlds and people. As it turns out, Mayfeld was one of the Stormtroopers who found themselves as cannon fodder in Operation Cinder. He watched as his former CO left his comrades to die alongside countless civilians, all in the name of the Empire. He lived, but he turned his back on them for good.

As it happens, his former CO is in the base he and Mando infiltrate. Through various circumstances , the pair have to listen to the man frantically talk about how those deaths were a glorious sacrifice. Enraged by this, Mayfeld kills the guy in revenge, and the. Blows up base.

I saw this as a very powerful moment. Mayfel may act like he doesn’t care, but underneath his cynic ism is a potentially good man. It’s moments like that that remind me it to lose hope in people.

Mando Makes a Big Sacrifice

Mando may be a shining example of a “defrosting ice king”. When we first met him, he was a cold-hearted bounty hunter who didn’t care about anyone. But thanks to Baby Yoda, he learned how to care for others. Now he’s willing to go after Gideon to get Baby Yoda back. Not because he’s his mission; because he’s his son. And during this episode, we see him do something that cements just how much he cares for Baby Yoda/Grogu.

In order to find the location of Gideon’s ship, Mando has to use this facial recognition device. Even though he’s in the mess hall with several Imperials, he makes the ultimate sacrifice. He. Takes off. HIS HELMET.

Granted, he was disguised as a Stormtrooper, but the point remains. He willingly broke his people’s rule of never showing their faces. The Mando at the start of the show would never do this. The fact that he’s willing to do this for his son’s sake shows how much he’s grown as a character.

If the rest of the Watch finds out what he did, they may denounce him as a Mandalorian. However, if you ask me, I think it makes more of a Mandalorian than all of them. I respect those willing to break the rules for the right reasons, and this is for the right reasons. Even if they do learn though, Mando may have passed beyond the need for their approval. Plus, if you ask me, I think he’s more a Mandalorian than any of them.

Mando Goes to War

So, next week is the big finale, and Mando’s about to go Liam Neeson on Gideon. He’s going to get Baby Yoda back, no matter what. Will he beat Gideon in the process? Honesty, I’m hoping he won’t. That would be A waste of a villain, and I’m hoping to save their final fight for when the Mandalorians take back their home for good. It’s gonna happen!

In comparison to the penultimate episode of last season, this one packed the high stakes, but had the same level of stakes. I liked it, just not as much as it’s predecessor, though.

This is the way.

Also, if you haven’t heard, Disney just dropped a ton of reveals for Star Wars, Marvel, and a bunch of other things yesterday. Ashoka’s getting her own show, but this is what I’m most excited for!

I Give “The Believer” a 3/5

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Boba Fett is one of the most iconic characters in Star Wars. Despite having only seven lines in Empire, his kickass armor and quiet demeanor made him a merchandising goldmine. His fans call him one of the biggest badasses in the Galaxy. The naysayers wonder if he’s overhyped. Some even question if Boba’s a true Mandalorian. After today’s new epiosde of The Mandalorian, let those doubts be silenced. Boba Fett’s every bit the legend he’s been built up as over the last forty years!

To be fair, I already knew that. Expanded Universe, after all.

Boba Fett Returns

In a slight break to its formula of “main story, side quest, main story,” The Mandalorian jumps straight to Tython. There, in the ruins of an ancient Temple, Baby Yoda meditates to unlock his connection to the Force. Unfortunatley, they’ve got company in the form of Boba Fett. He’s not alone, either. With him is Fennec, the woman who betrayed Mando and got left for dead. Boba found her and restored her with cybernetics.

Many fans speculated that Boba Fett was the one who approached Fennec. Right now, I imagine they’re celebrating being vindicated. Now she works for Boba, who wants what was taken from him. He wants his armor back.

When Boba and Mando meet face-to-face, I noticed a few things different about him. On the surface, he’s scarred and grizzled thanks to his encounter with the Sarlaac. However, his demeanor’s changed, as well. He’s willing to talk things out with Mando, negotiate to get his armor back. Either it means that much to him, or the near-death experience made made him more willing to talk things out.

Talking goes out the window, though, when the Empire shows up to get Baby Yoda.

Skirmish on Tython

the rest of the (relatively) short episode consists mainly of a scene straight out of a first-person shooter. Mando, Fennec, and Boba Fett go on a rampage, mowing down Stormtroopers in an action sequence that would make Game of Thrones green with envy.

This show’s already given us its fair share of great fight scenes. That said, in this episode is by far the best. It easily approaches the level of the films, and gives us several great moments. Like this.

And this.

And this!

Pure, unadulterated fanservice.

Alas, the trio’s efforts are for naught. While they fight, Moff Gideon’s ship arrives and his Dark Troopers capture Baby Yoda before the others can reach him. And to add insult to injury, they destroy the Razor Crest.

Boba Fett is a Mandalorian

Ever since “The Mandalore Plot” in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, there’s been controversy over Boba Fett’s identity as a Mandalorian. One character in the show, a Mandalorian, claims that his father, Jango Fett, was little more than a common bounty hunter who wore Mandalorian armor. I ignored it at the time. However, this made people doubt if Boba was a Mandalorian. Tonight, those doubts are silenced.

After the battle, Boba shows Mando the chain code on his armor. Not only does it prove that it belongs to him, but to his father as well. In other words, Jango Fett was a foundling.

Given Boba’s status as a clone, people may still want to debate this. Although this may be true, I don’t think that matters in the grand scheme. Boba Fett is a Mandalorian. And he’s ready to pay his debts.

Mando Goes to War

With Moff Gideon now holding Baby Yoda captive, fans are left wondering how Mando will rescue his charge. The answer’s simple: he’s going to war, with Boba Fett and Fennec at his side.

Given how the episode ends, the next one will focus on the group freeing one of the criminals Mando left on that prison ship to mount a rescue.

This is the one complaint I have about the episode, though. Why rescue someone who they don’t know if they can trust when there are others who can help. Bo-Katan and the Nite Owls would gladly help if it gave them the chance to take out Moff Gideon. Moreover, seeing a bunch of Mandalorians fighting together kicks ass.

Regardless of how things ended, it’s clear that the show’s going to do something explosive for its season finale. Will Mando rescue Baby Yoda? Will Baby Yoda misuse his newly acquired Force Powers? Am I right about Gideon’s endgame? These are all great questions that are making me yearn for the next episode, and I love it.

Also, it proves that Boba Fett is the badass everyone thought. This is the Way

I Give “The Tragedy” a 5/5.

Stray Observations

• The Dark Troopers are now canon. If you don’t know what they are, they’re experimental battle droids from a 90s video game. Great story to them.
• Anyone curious how Boba got his ship back?

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In the months since the season finale of The Mandalorian, Star Wars fans have been active online trying to speculate on what could happen in Season Two. Would a Jedi appear? Would we learn how Moff Gideon got the Darksaber? But most important, would we see the return of fan favorite characters such as Boba Fett and Ashoka Tano? While the jury’s out on Ashoka (despite what this post says,) the season premiere just confirmed the return of a certain legendary bounty hunter. The original Mandalorian himself, back from the dead.

I wanted to do this review spoiler-free, but after seeing the season premiere, I can’t do that. You have been warned!

Tatooine: It just can’t seem to stay out of the spotlight.

Tatooine, home to Jawas and Tusken Raiders; birthplace of the Skywalker family; and a planet that just can’t seem to avoid attracting attention! In his quest to return Baby Yoda to his people, Mando follows a lead about a Mandalorian back to Tatooine. There, deep in the deserts, is the old mining town of Mos Pelgo. He doesn’t find a Mandalorian, though. It’s just a resident of Tatooine, Cobb Vanth, wearing Mandalorian Armor. After the Second Death Star blew up, the town was taken over by bandits. Vanth managed to buy Mandalorian armor from a group of Jawas and uses it to protect the town.

It’s not just any armor that Vanth’s wearing, though: it’s the armor of the legendary bounty hunter, Boba Fett. The last time we saw him in the canon, he was eaten by the Sarlacc, but a character that badass would have their story end like that. Somehow, Jawas got their hands on his armor, and now the Mandalorian wants it. To him, a non-Mandalorian wearing it is an insult to his people.

I’ve never seen the actor playing Cobb Vanth before, but I’ve seen a lot of people singing his praises, and I can see why. He carries himself like a classic, old west sheriff; the John Wayne to the Mandalorian’s Clint Eastwood. And thankfully, these two fight over the armor, because there are bigger fish to fry.

Krayt Dragons Scare Me

If you don’t know what a Krayt Dragon is, I don’t blame you; you should be grateful you haven’t seen one. It’s like if you crossed the Sandworms from Dune with an acid-spitting T-Rex: terrifying! And to save Mos Pelgo from destruction, Vanth enlists Mando to help him kill it. But it’s so dangerous they have to enlist the townspeople; and the Tusken Raiders.

Yeah, given how vicious they’ve been to people in the franchise, it’s hard to see anyone allying with Tusken Raiders. However, when you think about it, they’re indigenous people trying to take back their home from the outsiders who are trespassing. Sound familiar? As a result of that mindset, the writers go out of their way to show that the Tuskens and Settlers can work together.

What follows is an epic battle that I refuse to spoil because it’s as good as anything the movies could ever give us. All you need to know is they win, and Mando gets the armor.

Boba Fett is Alive

In the final moments of the episode, as the Mandalorian rides into the sunset, we get a look at this guy.

If you guys don’t know who that is, I don’t blame you. But that’s the guy who played Jango Fett in Attack of the Clones. Jango Fett was not only the template for the Clone Troopers, but the father of Boba Fett. Ergo, this guy is most likely Boba Fett himself! He’s alive!

How Boba Fett escaped the Sarlacc is of little concern. He’s a badass, so it wouldn’t be that hard. What we should be asking is how did is armor get stolen? Was he too weak to stop that from happening? And why would he remain on Tatooine all this time when he could have left and continued his bounty hunting career? My only guess is that he was hunting for his armor, and now that the Mandalorian has it, he will want it back.

This brings us to an interesting idea: will Boba Fett be a recurring character this season? More importantly, will he be a friend or foe to Mando and Baby Yoda? I wouldn’t mind seeing the three working together, but I’m also curious to see what would happen if they fought. It would show us just how good the Mandalorian really is or isn’t. Regardless, Boba Fett has a role to play in this season, and I only hope that they do his character justice. Without Boba Fett, there would be no Mandalorian!

I also hope that we see more of Cobb Vanth. He and the Mandalorian have a good dynamic going, and I’d like to see them work together more the future. Vanth may not be a foundling or Mandalorian by birth, but he’s got the heart of one.

I Give “The Marshal” A 5/5. Best Episode Yet.

Stray Observations

• You guys noticed how Mando let those Pit Droids work on his ship? Maybe working with IG-11 made him soften his hatred for droids. That’s character development!

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