We are edging dangerously close to the finale of The Mandalorian season 2 and I don’t think any of us are really ready to say goodbye. Especially considering how the last few episodes have treated us. The most recent episode, The Tragedy, reminds us just how close we are and it is not kind to us either. One the flip side though, it is arguably one of the best episodes of the season.
Warning: There will be spoilers from this point. You have been warned.
After waving goodbye to Ahsoka, Mando takes little Grogu to an ancient temple on Tython. This particular temple has a very strong connection to the Force and Mando is hoping that Grogu can send out a message to the remaining Jedi. With the Jedi on the way, Grogu can complete his training that he started on Corusant and Mando’s life can return to normal. Of course, this is how Din wants it to go and, of course, that’s not how it goes. At all. Mando is quickly overwhelmed by Gideon’s forces until some unexpected guests arrive to help.
This week’s episode is really well rounded. It does a fantastic job at easing us into the final two episodes. It’s fun, exciting, and incredibly tense. It’s not called The Tragedy for no reason. While not a lot actually happens, its lack in story is instantly forgiven by the amount of action, growing tension, and fan service. This episode will leave fans speechless.
Depending on your stance with certain characters, I’d argue that this is pretty on par with Ahsoka’s debut episode. The Star Wars fandom is going to go crazy. After the first episode of season two, many of us were waiting for a particular pay off. It is safe to say that we got what we wanted and more. Of course, I am referring to the return of the infamous Boba Fett. Just typing that seems odd. Now, I’m not going to lie. I have never been a massive Boba Fett fan. Considering his marginal role in the original trilogy, I could never quite jump on the Boba hype-train. It didn’t help that he was taken out by someone suffering with hibernation sickness. It’s just hard for me to love a character that is “killed” by a slight nudge. But now, wow.
The way they handled Boba’s return was insane. It was great to see Temuera Morrison back. He truly owned the role and aided in evolving Boba from a mere Bounty Hunter to something more. In addition to Temuera’s return, we also got to see a side of Boba that we have never seen before. He was ruthless, powerful, and epic. Both in and out of the armor. Of course, seeing him in the armor was outstanding but it was nice actually having a physical connection with him.
What I really liked, especially when it came to Boba Fett, was that the episode acknowledges inconsistencies from the past- particularly from the prequel era. It remedies them while also expanding on the lore. Many fans have always questioned Jango and Boba’s connection to the Mandalorians. We finally get our answer and I think it is a great example that the creative team behind The Mandalorian are paying attention. It makes me wonder what else they have planned.
In terms of action, I think this episode is probably on par with season one’s finale. The episode is fairly short but the action is non-stop. We leave Grogu on his seeing stone while he reaches out with the Force, meanwhile Mando, Boba and another familiar face are dealing with a Stormtrooper invasion. That is the episode in a nutshell. Waves of Stormtroopers are trying to reach the temple but three epic heroes stand in their way. That’s it. But, what an episode. The action is brutal, fun, and captivating. Whether it’s Boba taking a more hands on approach, or Mando doing what he does best. It’s all truly amazing. I found myself glued to the screen and gradually moving to the edge of my seat.
This may be a very strange comment, especially when I bring it back to the action set pieces. But one of the things that I loved most about this episode was that it transpires in a very natural environment. Rather than a CG environment, you can really see these characters interacting with the real world. You can instantly tell the difference. The way the grass moved in the wind, the way the characters moved, and just the background as a whole. They all contributed to enhancing the fictional world and helped make the action stand out. It was all clear, cool, and very well executed.
There isn’t much else to say about this episode. Not a lot really happened in terms of progressing the story until the last few minutes. That’s not really a critique because everything else worked. The non-stop action and surprises disguised the stagnant narrative. It prepared us for the heartbreak while also laying down the foundation ready for the final two episodes. That’s all we have left and this episode did a fantastic job at launching us into that final phase. All of the cards are on the table and there is a lot at stake. What happens next is an absolute mystery. A mystery that I need solved.
The only thing I was left wondering, while I succumbed to intense sadness, was what Grogu achieved on the seeing stone. According to Ahsoka, the seeing stone had the potential to send a message to other Jedi. Of course, none turned up. But something definitely happened. So, what was it? Could a Jedi be on the way to help Mando? or could the message have summoned someone else?
Think about it. Ahsoka saw a lot of pain and fear in Grogu. Both of these aspects can act as pathways to the dark side. The ending of The Tragedy also proved that little Grogu isn’t the angel we think he is. What if, by accidentally tapping into the dark side, Grogu summoned a potentially evil Force user? What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments.
Tune in this week for Chapter 15 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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