Originally, I didn’t want to review this episode. I finished watching The Mandalorian: Chapter 13- The Jedi and I was completely overwhelmed. How on earth do I write this up without diving into the spoilers that essentially make this episode. There is no doubt in my mind, this has been the biggest episode. Not just in Season 2, but in the show in general. It hit me, I can’t dive into this review unless I go in depth. So, as a warning… There will be spoilers in this review. If you haven’t watched Chapter 13, go and do it now.
Spoilers ahead. Last Warning… This Is The Way.
If you’re still reading and you haven’t watch the latest episode, then this is on you. We are going to be diving into the stunning revelations and reveals that made me audible squeal. It isn’t too late to turn back.
So, where were we. Well, after finally getting his ship fixed, Mando arrives at the city of Calodan on the planet Corvus. The entire city is being deprived and all of its citizens are living in fear. The Magistrate, Morgan Elsbeth, gives Mando a task in exchange for a pure Beskar spear. Kill the Jedi Ahsoka Tano and he can have the spear. Using this as his golden opportunity, he accepts the challenge and sets off to find Ahsoka. It turns out Ahsoka has been trying to get rid of the Magistrate for two reasons. Number 1, to free the citizens. Number 2, for information. Ahsoka is after some information that has the potential to take the Star Wars universe to a new level, in my opinion.
Firstly, I just want to take a moment to admire Corvus and Calodan. This is a very new environment and it was oddly nice seeing a very bleak and desolate planet. It gave us the opportunity to explore new worlds and interestingly, it spins Return of the Jedi on its head. What The Mandalorian has excelled in is showing that the Empire didn’t just evaporate after the Emperor plummeted to his “death”. The Empire and their associates are still operating but in different ways. Gideon has his way, and the Magistrate has hers. Calodan really acted as a depressing visualization of the current state of the galaxy which is still heavily fragmented despite Luke Skywalker’s victory.
The City of Calodan
We learn some very important things this week. Things that fundamentally change the way we view certain characters and things that will have a significant impact on The Mandalorian and future shows. In that regard, it is hard to deny that this episode threw us quite a few curve balls. We knew Ahsoka was going to be in this episode. That was a certainty. But I didn’t anticipate this many surprises.
On top of dealing with seeing Ahsoka in live action, brilliantly played by the wonderful Rosario Dawson, my mind couldn’t deal with the twists and turns. It was such a wonderful feeling. I have never, in my life, been taken aback to this extent. The revelations about The Child was just the start. We got his name and then an origin. Two very heavy blows. But the biggest one for me, was a name drop. I cannot put into words what this meant to me as a fan.
I might still be in a state of euphoria but I found it near on impossible to fault this episode. It was exactly what I wanted and more.
Mando on Corvus
There are a lot of happy Star Wars fans out there this week. People have been championing Rosario Dawson for years and to see her as Ahsoka outside of fan-art, was an incredibly special moment. What surprised me even more was that they wasted no time whatsoever. They dived straight into it and as soon as we saw those crystal white blades, all of us knew we were in for a treat. It was an exhilarating feeling.
This is actually the first bit of lightsaber action we’ve had in The Mandalorian. We’ve seen the Darksaber, but we haven’t seen it in action. Going with a character like Ahsoka, I felt, was somewhat risky. Her animated presence is always hinged on her athletic abilities that operate outside of what we’ve seen in the live-action universe. The only exclusions being Darth Maul and Yoda. Even then, Ahsoka’s nimble and agile fighting style is very new to us and part of me was worried that the transition from animation to live-action would not be seamless. I was incredibly wrong. The choreography and acrobatic nature of Ahsoka were very well balanced and grounded. It’s really hard to just explain what it was like seeing Snips. I think some fans might struggle with separating Ashley Eckstein’s embodiment of little Snips but I’m very glad that Dawson made it her own.
The Mandalorian goes hunting
This was very much Ahsoka’s episode. Part of me wanted to critique the lack of action for Mando. However, to counteract that statement, Mando shined where Ahsoka failed. The whole episode was anchored by Mando’s hope that Ahsoka would take The Child and train him. What we all soon realised was that Mando has become a pretty great paternal figure. To me, it’s like Ahsoka and Mando temporarily swapped roles. We were expecting Ahsoka to take The Child under her wing. Yet, it became obvious that the bond between Mando and The Child was too strong. Ahsoka can’t be the teacher Mando wants her to be because of their relationship and the festering feelings inside The Child- thus enforcing my Baby Sith Yoda theory.
What I think Dave Filoni did very well, which without it would have slightly effected the episode, was establish that Ahsoka was after information immediately. I don’t want to sound harsh but I didn’t really care about the Magistrate and her occupation. Of course, I wanted all of the innocent lives to be saved but the Magistrate was basically a vessel containing key information. I just wanted to know what it was. The Magistrate had a great final scene but even as a villain she wasn’t the primary focus of this episode. Regardless, it worked brilliantly. It didn’t matter that she wasn’t a stand-out villain. What mattered was what she knew and that drove the episode from start to finish. This bit of information was what brought Mando and Ahsoka together. Lets just say that it was worth it.
What does the Magistrate know?
A final note. A massive round of applause to Ludwig Göransson. His soundtrack for The Mandalorian has been consistently fantastic. However, he went above and beyond in this week’s episode and recreated a really emotional piece of music. A lot of fans are going to notice that immediately and it is really going to mean a lot to them. Never underestimate the power of music and the effect it can have on the audience. Star Wars is a constant reminder of this simple fact. John Williams, Ludwig Göransson, Kevin Kiner, John Powell, Michael Giacchino and Michael Tavera. Thank you.
How can I summarize this episode. I think it is an episode that perfectly captures what Star Wars fans have greatly desired. Well, that was certainly the case for me. We got amazing lightsaber action that actually felt oddly reminiscent of Batman Begins. We discovered new information about The Child: Where he came from and who he is. Ahsoka fans finally got to see her in the flesh and I personally got confirmation that my all-time favorite character is still haunting the galaxy.
This episode has really launched the series forward and we’re at a stage where anything can happen. Next week’s episode is going to be very interesting.
Who do you work for?
What did you think of this week’s episode? Let us know your thoughts in the comments. Tune in next week for Chapter 14 of The Mandalorian exclusively on Disney+.
The Mandalorian stars Pedro Pascal, with guest stars Gina Carano, Carl Weathers and Giancarlo Esposito. Directors for the new Season include Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rick Famuyiwa, Carl Weathers, Peyton Reed and Robert Rodriguez. Showrunner Jon Favreau serves as executive producer along with Dave Filoni, Kathleen Kennedy and Colin Wilson, with Karen Gilchrist serving as co-executive producer.
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