The Mandalorian was off to a good start. Lots of great action and some great names that were attached to the show flew by in the first two episodes.
The Mandalorian, a space western
If you are hoping to see something like The Last Jedi or anything like that then you are watching the wrong show. The show really is about The Mandalorian in a grim setting. It is set after The Great Purge and the Jedi are rare or almost extinct. Instead what you get is a wretched hive of scum and villainy.
In the first episode we get acquinted with the bounty hunter, Dyn Jarren, and he is being sent out to a remote planet called Arvala-7. I actually had a heated debate with my friends on Whatsapp, because I really was under the impression that Arvala-7 was Tatooine. What made me think that? Funny that u should ask. It was the presence of the Jawa’s. Up until then, according to official canon, the Jawa’s only lived on Tatooine. I guess some of them actually manage to put together a spaceship or went as stowaways on a ship and landed on Arvala-7.
The Mandalorian is tasked to get his bounty alive. In fact, it was insisted that he bring back the bounty alive.
While he goes to retrieve his bounty, he meets Kuiil, an Ughnaught who was a former slave. He now owns a moisture farm on Arvala-7. He points the location of where the bounty is. But, he warns, everyone who has gone there has never come back.
And just when the odds are stacked against The Mandalorian, he gets help from a fellow bounty hunter droid. Both are under the impression that they were the only ones chasing that bounty. They team up versus the criminals and soon the encampment is no more. The scene was spectacular. Lots of great action but it also showed that The Mandalorian is no Jedi or someone who is invulnerable. In fact, if it wasn’t for his armor, made of Beskar Steel, and weapons and the help of the bounty hunter droid, IG-11, the Mandalorian wouldn’t have survived.
A child like Yoda
When the bounty hunters reach the bounty, they find out that it is a young child of the same species as Yoda. I was shocked when I found out that it was the same species as Yoda. I always assumed that Yoda was the last of his kind.
When IG-11 tries to kill the child, the Mandalorian kills him. And now I wonder, was it because he felt compassion or was it because he wanted to keep on task? If anyone can help me with that, please fill me in. And where does the Yoda-kid come from?
With the Force as his ally
When the Mandalorian brings the child to safety he tries to tend his wounds. The Yoda-child tries to help him. The Mandalorian misunderstands him and keeps bringing him back to his floating crib. It was an exciting moment because, there is a potential Jedi here…right?
The wounds are tended and the Mandalorian is leaving to collect his bounty only to find out that his ship is being stripped clean by the Jawa’s. Agressive as he is, he shoots a bunch of them. And violently tries to reacquire his stolen ship parts. Only to find out that he is both outnumbered and outgunned. With the help of Kuiil, he tries to negotiate with the Jawa’s. They ask for his Beskar Steel armor but no deal. Then they ask for an egg. Yah, an egg…of all things they can ask, they ask for an egg…
So the Mandalorian goes to the cave where he finds a large horned beast. They fight, and just when he is down and ready to get killed by the big beast, the Yoda-child lifts up the beast using the Force!! That was the biggest OMG moment of the show. The Mandalorian kills the beast and retrieves the egg. The Jawa’s keep their word and give him back the ship parts.
With the help of Kuill, they put together the ship. And at the end The Mandalorian asks Kuiil if he wants to come on his journey. To which Kuiil replies that he fought too hard to gain his freedom and he won’t give it up again. The Mandalorian respectfully thanks him and goes off planet.
It could have been one big episode
I don’t quite understand why they cut the episode into two. It could have easily been one big episode of 70 minutes. And while the episide duration on Disneyplus says the episode is 33 minutes long, the reality is that it is 27 minutes and that leaves 6 minutes for the credits. Wayyy too long. I kind of feel cheated here with that 33 mins and 27 mins.
Anyway, all in all , I think that The Mandalorian has potential. The action is spectacular but the characters aren’t really fleshed out (yet?). The Yoda-child could turn out to be a great story. Unless ofcourse The Mandalorian only goes to collect the bounty and leaves again. Just like I wonder if we will ever see Kuiil again.
What do you think of the show? Is it something you will want to keep watching in the future? And what do you make of the Jawa’s on Arvala-7? Will we see IG-11 again in the future? The droid is killed BUT droids can be rebuilt. C3PO and HK-47 are great examples of that. And will we see Kuiil again in the future? If yes, in what capacity? As a mechanic or the moisture farmer to keep the Yoda-child safe?
Let me know in the comments what you think of it!
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