"The Mandalorian: Chapter 15: The Believer"

"The Mandalorian: Chapter 15: The Believer" written and directed by Rick Famuyiwa

I truly enjoyed this episode. Even with Grogu not making even the tiniest of appearances, the episode still managed to pack a really big punch. In fact, I thought it was a testament to the show itself--how solid it is, how nuanced it is--that the cute baby not being in the episode didn't hurt the episode's impact! We see Cara Dune transfer Migs Mayfeld (inmate 34667) from the Karthon Chop Fields to working for her...and Din, Boba, and Fennic. They head to Morak so Mayfeld can hack into the local Imperial Refinery's computer to find out the coordinates of Moff Gideon's ship where Grogu is being held captive. A LOT happens in this episode...filler it is not!

I would say it's a character study more than anything--on both Din and Mayfeld. First, Mayfeld gets very philosophical with Din after they knock out the Juggernaut tank troopers and don their armor. "Seems to me like your rules start to change once you get desperate."--referring to his taking off his helmet and putting on an Imperial one. Mayfeld notes there is a difference between not being able to show your face and not being able to take off the Mando helmet. Din has no response. "Everybody's got their lines they don't cross till things get messy."--in response to Din saying he and Mayfeld are nothing alike. The viewer can obviously see how Din has loosened his dogma-strict rules over time to help his newfound child. Mayfeld's just calling it like it is. But perhaps Bo-Katan's telling him he was essentially in a cult has changed his overall way of thinking about the rules he grew up with. I think "The Believer" refers to a general "those that do believe"--both Mando and the Imperial officer are in what you could call cults.

Second was Mayfeld's character study which caused me some serious discomfort (because I was terrified for Mayfeld) as Mayfeld was essentially blaspheming the Empire in front of his old superior officer, Valin Hess. He speaks of Burnin Konn and the devastation caused by Operation: Cinder (a fantastic connection!). The officer revels in the death and destruction while Mayfeld openly wonders if all the deaths were really worth it. The officer doesn't immediately arrest them for being "Rebellion-sympathizers" but instead got super creepy and said, "See boys, everybody thinks they want freedom. But what they really want is order. And when they realize that, they're going to welcome us back with open arms." I got serious shivers listening to this guy!! Mayfeld has enough and shoots him on the spot!...leading to a crazy firefight on the outside super high ledge over the refinery's dam of fast-flowing water. Talk about intense and edge-of-your-seat action!

Before the mission begins and they're already on Morak but still figuring out the plan, Mayfeld tells them that there's a possibility of being scanned and that if you're on a New Republic registry that you would be immediately flagged. They go through the list of Cara, Fennic, Boba, and Din and when they get to Boba?!?!, "Let's just say they might recognize my face." Oh my goodness!! I laughed out loud for real for a good minute on that one. I love the connectivity of current canon SO incredibly much that I can hardly contain myself and to see how they're moving forward with the new TV shows, just gives me more hope for an amazing connected world!! And this wasn't the only back reference--Boba uses a seismic charge at the end to destroy a couple of chasing TIE fighters (see below)!!! OMG again!! Attack of the Clones IS the 2nd best Star Wars movie of all...no, I'm not joking.

At the episode's end, Din sends a holo-message to Moff Gideon's cruiser that says, "Moff Gideon, you have something I want. You may think you have some idea what you are in possession of. But you do not. Soon he will be back with me. He means more to me than you will ever know." This echoes the exact statement Gideon made to Din back in Chapters 7 and 8 of Season 1. It is so clear that Din is deep in being a super Father and will do pretty near anything at this point to save his little kid.

One more thing, I am a touch confused on the logistics of the facial scan for accessing the information on Moff Gideon's ship. It was as if the machine just needed any face before it would give out the coordinates, not necessarily a certain person's face which I found incredibly weird. Din takes his helmet off to allow the machine a scan of his face and it works...unless there's some Imperial secret Din's been keeping from everybody, this is some crappy security!

A couple of fun tidbits:

Boba Fett's armor looks spanking brand new! I have no idea how he was able to repaint it and buff it up in such a short amount of time...

We get new Rogue One-style tank troopers, this time in all dark grey (see below). And we see shoretroopers again (see below)!!! But why there are shoretroopers on a forest planet I really am not sure... Regardless, they are my absolute favorite trooper variant so I am NOT complaining!

Mayfeld says Din is TK-593 and that he is TK-111.

WHAT species are the pirates?!?! I need to know! They're like Iktotchi with fleshy horns...too bad they weren't Weequay!...

So a double-character study on Din and Mayfeld that really dug deep into their psyches and behaviors. And you know me, I'm a sucker for that kind of story!! And then all the crazy connections to previous Star Wars content!?!? It's just so freaking good. Only one more episode and I've NO idea how this is going to turn out...will we see Grogu get saved?? will Grogu slip through Din's fingers?? will Boba keep his word?? Just over 3 more days!!!