Chapter One:
The pilot episode of Star Wars: The Mandalorian introduces us to a Mandalorian Bounty Hunter played by Pedro Pascal. Pedro Pascal is best known for his role as Oberyn Martell in Game of Thrones (aka. the Red Viper or the guy who gets his head squished). The show takes place about 3 years after Return of the Jedi.
This first episode showcases a variety of new and familiar alien species. The entire thing feels very Star Wars and is extremely high quality. Episode 1 of the Mandalorian feels like watching a Star Wars movie on the big screen. It is both exciting and unbelievable to see something of such high quality being delivered weekly. Enough about my opinions of the show though. You’re hear to read what the show is actually about.
So, without spoiling much, Episode 1 of The Mandalorian introduces the character and shows him returning to the bounty hunter guild, to claim his latest rewards. He is then introduced to an ex-imperial officer, who is being guarded by some rough looking storm troopers, and then given a mission to find a 50 year old target. He sets out on his mission and meets some very cool characters that shall go un-named and remain mysterious for this review. The episode ends with The Mandalorian finding out that his 50 year old target is a “Baby Yoda”, which is actually just a baby who happens to be the same species as the famous Jedi Master Yoda.
Spoiler Alert: One of the best scenes in this episode features an IG Bounty Hunter Droid in action; blasting dozens of aliens in an attempt to reach the bounty target.
Chapter 2: The Child
I was super excited to see episode 2 of the Mandalorian. The first episode definitely peaked my interest, while exceeding my expectations. The second episode continued to build on my excitement for this show overall.
Episode 2 was shorter than the first and only ran for about 30 minutes. We got to see a cool fight between The Mandarlorian and some Jawas. We got to see more of the Jawa way of life, their language, the interior of one of their famous sandcrawlers and more. All the while we were accompanied by an unbearably cute “baby yoda”. Baby Yoda has taken the internet by storm, and is being hailed as the cutest thing in all of Star Wars. His/Her cuteness cannot be overstated, and the picture below cannot due him/her justice.
Aside from Baby Yoda, the episode revolved around the Jawa’s disassembling and stealing parts from The Mandalorian’s space-ship. He then hunts them down and is forced to fetch a rare creature egg in exchange for his parts back. He does indeed get his parts back, and then proceeds to blast off into space.
Spoiler Alert: One of the best scenes in this episode shows Baby Yoda using the force to save The Mandalorian.
Chapter 3: The Sin
When the Mandalorian returns to Nevarro to deliver the child, he feels uneasy and guilty about what he is doing. After receiving payment and crafting his new Beskar armor, he returns to rescue the child from certain doom.
We get to see the Mandalorian take on ex-storm troopers, bounty hunters and more. Not sure of what he is going to do with the child, the Mandalorian fights his way back to his ship and blasts off the planet.
This chapter was about as brief as it sounds. The special effects were amazing and the story was very touching. We got to see a new side of the Mandalorian; a softer more human side.
Spoiler Alert: The Mandalorian escapes, and has a shoot-out with his ex-boss the bounty hunting guild leader. His boss survives the shoot-out due to a pocket full of beskar, so it is safe to assume that we will see him again.
Chapter 4: Sanctuary
Arriving on a sparsely populated planet, the Mandalorian encounters an ex-rebel shock trooper turned mercenary. Together they are hired to help a local community fend of pirates.
This episode features a pretty cool battle scene between a town of locals and the band of pirates attacking them. We also get to see more of the Mandalorian’s personality, some flash-backs to his childhood and he even takes his helmet off to eat.
One of the more fascinating moments of Chapter 4, is when the Mandalorian almost decides to stay with a young widow who resides in the small town. He almost lets her remove his helmet when she suggests that he stay and raise the child.
Spoiler Alert: This chapter features an AT-ST (chicken walker) from the Return of the Jedi film. This AT-ST is cast in a new light though, with red glowing eyes that make it rather intimidating and eerie to look at.
Chapter 5: The Gunslinger
After a brief but intense spaceship dogfight, the Mandalorian lands on Tatooine to repair his ship. The Mandalorian starts to look for some work to pay for the repairs, and is recruited by another bounty hunter to bring in a challenging target. The target ends up being someone that the Mandalorian knows, and the whole plan goes sideways when the bounty hunter finds out who the Mandalorian is.
Chapter 5 was nostalgic and fun to watch. It took us back to the famous Mos Eisley Starport on Tatooine. We also got to see a bunch more of the adorable “Baby Yoda”.
Spoiler Alert: We get to see the Mandalorian speak Tusken Raider when he asks their permission to pass through their territory.
Chapter 6: The Prisoner
The Mandalorian contacts a former partner named Ran for work. Ran welcomes him into his space station and informs the Mandalorian that he needs his ship for a five-man job.
The 5 man crew is a little rough around the edges and includes an ex-imperial sharpshooter as well as another former “friend” of the Mandalorian. The team sets out on the mission to break a prisoner out of a New Republic prisoner transport ship. The Mandalorian is not very excited to find out what they plan to do, but he decides to go along with it regardless.
The mission soon finds the Mandalorian betrayed and locked in the New Republic prisoner transport ship; basically left for dead. The rest of the crew soon finds out though that the Mandalorian is not someone you want to mess with.
Spoiler Alert: The Mandalorian basically kills everybody and escapes unharmed. Dave Filoni also makes a special appearance as an X-wing pilot toward the end of the episode.
Chapter 7: The Reckoning
The Mandalorian receives a message from Greef Karga, whose entire town on Nevarro has been overrun by ex-Imperial troops led by the Client (the person who hired the Mandalorian to capture the Baby Yoda Child).
The Mandalorian decides to return to where it all started. He figures that if he can kill “the client”, then he can go back to his normal life. The Client however has different plans, and soon the Mandalorian finds himself and his team pinned down in an abandoned building surrounded by stormtroopers.
Spoiler Alert: One of the main characters dies in this episode. Unrelated, we also get to see Baby Yoda use his healing powers to heal Greef Karga, after Greef is injured in a battle against wild animals.
Chapter 8: Redemption
IG-11 rescues the Child from two scout troopers. IG-11 arrives and breaks the standoff between Gideon and the Mandalorians team, but the Mandalorian gets injured in the process. Baby Yoda uses the Force to deflect an attacking stormtrooper’s flamethrower. The Mandalorian then sends the others onward without him, but they only go after IG-11 promises to help the Mandalorian catch up to the group. IG-11 then removes the Mandalorian’s helmet to heal his head injury.
The episode ends with an epic battle between the Mandalorian and his newly acquired jetpack, and the client named Gideon. Gideon’s tie fighter crashes in the desert and he emerges with a legendary “dark saber” in hand. The Mandalorian flies off into space with Baby Yoda on a mission to find more like the child.
Spoiler Alert: IG-11 dies in this episode after taking on dozens of stormtroopers and basically saving the day. The rest of the crew all split up when The Mandalorian sets off into space with Baby Yoda again.
