The Mandalorian: Season 1: Chapter 8 "Redemption"
The Mandalorian: Season 1: Chapter 8 "Redemption" written by Jon Favreau, directed by Taika Waititi
What an episode!! This was a wonderful way to end the first season and we're not left with a cliffhanger so much as a promise...a promise to discover more about the Unknown Yoda species...I am definitely intrigued. We still don't know why the Empire wants The Child but we know he's valuable enough to send squads of stormtroopers to capture him. And we end with a HUGE reveal that had me gasping aloud and yelling out what I saw...sorry, not gonna reveal that here, it's just too good.
We start off with a crazy humorous conversation between the two scout troopers who scooped up The Child from the desert floor at the end of the last episode. They are so casual even while the news coming from the other side of the commlink is dire--in regards to Moff Gideon, "He just killed an officer for interrupting him. So this might take awhile." In response to one of the troopers wanting to see The Child and asking what Gideon wants with him, the other trooper says, "Maybe the Moff wants to eat it. I don't ask questions." This whole six minute prologue was absolutely hysterical! The troopers are standing by until the coast seems safe enough to re-enter the outpost with their prize in hand. (They also can't aim worth a darn as they blast away at some piece of metal in an attempt to pass the time. See the image above.) But before the coast is clear, IG-11 zooms in, killing both troopers and taking The Child safely away after proclaiming he is now "a nurse droid"! He even says to The Child, "That was unpleasant. I'm sorry you had to see that." But in a weird twist, he takes The Child toward the outpost where all the danger lies in wait!! Which leads us too...
Right where we left off with Cara Dune, Greef Karga, and The Mandalorian trapped in The Client's "den" with a whole hoard of stormtroopers and death troopers (who still have the garbled communication a la Rogue One!) ready to take them down. The Imperials have an E-Web Heavy Repeating Blaster which scares the three into trying to find a way of escape. Moff Gideon reveals who he is by describing each of the three Child protectors in detail, including giving away The Mando's name! We get a name for the Mandalorian! I did NOT see that coming--Din Djarin. What a great name, too! It turns out after the B2 Battledroid opened the hatch his parents had secreted him away in, members of the Death Watch swooped in and saved the day, plowing down the attacking droids (see their insignia above). This was when he was saved by the Mandalorians and became a foundling. We also
learn that Cara Dune's actual name is Carasynthia and that she was from Alderaan!! Gideon even mentions The Seige of Mandalore and something called the Night of A Thousand Tears...canon connections to "The Clone Wars" TV series!!!...and that's not the only connection...remember my excitement about the reveal mentioned above?!? Gideon knows all of this information because he was an ISB officer during the Mandalorian Purge. I CANNOT wait to find out more about all of this Mandalorian history in the new "Clone Wars" season coming oh so soon!!
A fire fight breaks out once IG-11 arrives and it almost seems like The Child's protectors are going to win the day (see an image of The Child forcing back a great fire ball above)...until Din is knocked down for the count. Cara and Greef get away with the child, while IG-11 stays behind to treat Din's wounds. Lo and behold, we finally get to see Din's face (as IG-11 makes clear, he's not a living thing, so Din revealing his face would not be against The Mandalorian Creed) and man does he look rough...I almost believed we weren't going to get Din in the second season after how badly he was hurt, but bacta spray will work wonders and he will live to protect The Child another day!
One thing about this episode I didn't understand was how Din was so sure the Mandalorians in the culvert would help them out when a few episodes back, after the firefight with all the bounty hunters, it was made clear that the Mandalorians would now have to escape Nevarro. So he shouldn't have expected any to remain in the culvert... I don't know why he was surprised when he saw a pile of Mandalorian armor in the Mandalorian lair...it all seemed quite obvious to me. Weird. But in the culvert, they do run into the woman Mandalorian armor-forger from previous episodes and she imparts some very exciting history in response to hearing The Child has Force powers, "I know of such things. The songs of eons past tell of battles between Mandalore the Great and an order of sorcerers called Jedi." So crazy how the Jedi remain a group of legend throughout this era, even though it's been less than 30 years since the Jedi Purge. She also provides Din with a new signet signifying he is a "Clan of Two" (see the mudhorn signet to the right) and we learn that "The Rising Phoenix" is apparently the name for the art of using a Mandalorian jetpack. Some truly fascinating lore is to be had in this episode for sure!
Probably my favorite funny moment was when Greef Karga said to The Child, "Come on baby, do the magic hand thing!" and The Child responded by just waving back at him. Haha!
I'll leave the rest up to speculation but trust me when I say there is some really good content in this episode!! It was surprising, revealing, exciting, funny, and just downright Star Wars. I cannot wait for the next season to see if the promise mentioned above is fulfilled and/or if we ever find out why the Empire, and especially Moff Gideon, wants The Child so badly...
We start off with a crazy humorous conversation between the two scout troopers who scooped up The Child from the desert floor at the end of the last episode. They are so casual even while the news coming from the other side of the commlink is dire--in regards to Moff Gideon, "He just killed an officer for interrupting him. So this might take awhile." In response to one of the troopers wanting to see The Child and asking what Gideon wants with him, the other trooper says, "Maybe the Moff wants to eat it. I don't ask questions." This whole six minute prologue was absolutely hysterical! The troopers are standing by until the coast seems safe enough to re-enter the outpost with their prize in hand. (They also can't aim worth a darn as they blast away at some piece of metal in an attempt to pass the time. See the image above.) But before the coast is clear, IG-11 zooms in, killing both troopers and taking The Child safely away after proclaiming he is now "a nurse droid"! He even says to The Child, "That was unpleasant. I'm sorry you had to see that." But in a weird twist, he takes The Child toward the outpost where all the danger lies in wait!! Which leads us too...
A fire fight breaks out once IG-11 arrives and it almost seems like The Child's protectors are going to win the day (see an image of The Child forcing back a great fire ball above)...until Din is knocked down for the count. Cara and Greef get away with the child, while IG-11 stays behind to treat Din's wounds. Lo and behold, we finally get to see Din's face (as IG-11 makes clear, he's not a living thing, so Din revealing his face would not be against The Mandalorian Creed) and man does he look rough...I almost believed we weren't going to get Din in the second season after how badly he was hurt, but bacta spray will work wonders and he will live to protect The Child another day!
Probably my favorite funny moment was when Greef Karga said to The Child, "Come on baby, do the magic hand thing!" and The Child responded by just waving back at him. Haha!
I'll leave the rest up to speculation but trust me when I say there is some really good content in this episode!! It was surprising, revealing, exciting, funny, and just downright Star Wars. I cannot wait for the next season to see if the promise mentioned above is fulfilled and/or if we ever find out why the Empire, and especially Moff Gideon, wants The Child so badly...
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