The Mandalorian-Episode 8

What a season finale! This was not only the longest episode of the first season, but the most action-packed. There were more reveals in this chapter than the rest combined. This means there’s a lot to unpack, and a lot to theorize about what’s to come.

We finally know our main character’s name. In my previous writing, I have described him as Mando due to his lack of a proper title, but we now know his name is Din Djarin. I honestly love that we don’t learn his name until the season finale; it was a creative choice that paid off big, and it really sets the tone that this isn’t just a zany Star Wars story, but a gritty view of the harsh realities that this fictional galaxy enforces upon its inhabitants. This level of maturity is precisely what I wanted from the series. I touched on this in my last review, but as much as I hated seeing Kuiil killed, it was a needed touch. Too often do writers falsify the idea of death, placing their characters on a pedestal that is untouched by the afterlife. This Game of Thrones-esque style of television is miles above its competitors.

Djarin’s name is given to us by Moff Gideon, who is our obvious primary villain. Gideon is the one who instigated and led the attack that destroyed Djarin’s original family, so it makes sense that he is such a prominent character in this operation. I also love what Gideon brings to the post-Imperial setting. We are shown that the Empire doesn’t just fade after Sidious is eliminated, and that the remnants of this intergalactic order still have the firepower to cause destruction and mayhem. This is something that I felt was lacking after the rise of the First Order in the sequel film trilogy.

One reveal that I wasn’t a particular fan of was the doffing of Djarin’s helmet. If the series is to continue into future seasons, I felt like it could wait. I also think that it would have been poetic to never see his face. I understand there was a possibility of this being the only season, but due to the popularity that the show has gained, I doubt this will be the case. I will say the thought of this being a one season show was attractive to me, because at one point as I was watching this chapter, I thought Djarin would die and that would be the epic conclusion of a short series. 

The highlights of this episode are obvious. The stormtrooper scene was executed brilliantly, as director Taika Waititi added an awkward comedic element that contributed flavor to the installment. Not only was the dialogue performed well, but the segment where they missed all of their blaster shots was a great nod to the cheesy lack of aim that George Lucas gifted the Imperial soldiers. My favorite scene, though, was when the Mandalorian Armorer absolutely annihilated an entire squadron of stormtroopers. The combat ability of a Mandalorian leader was brilliantly displayed. The Armorer also gifts us a look into the plot of episodes to come, it seems that Djarin has to raise the child, and find the Jedi. This will be an interesting look into the Jedi at this point in time, as we only have a little information from The Last Jedi. I still hope for the eventual clash between the Mandalorian and a force-user, especially if it’s a Jedi. While Djarin is obviously the protagonist, it would be accurate for a Mandalorian warrior to butt heads with the Jedi. I would also like to see a different portrayal of the Jedi, one that reveals their flaws and the hypocractic rules of the order, similar to some of the Old Republic novels. 

The final scene in the episode is the biggest revelation of them all, where we see Gideon wielding the dark saber. This is a weapon that has history with the Mandalorian culture and appears in Star Wars: Rebels and Star Wars: The Clone Wars. This implies that at some point in the future, Djarin will wield this ancient weapon. It’s unlikely that Favreau would write this into the show without planning for our main character to use it. My jaw literally dropped whenever I saw this scene.

I will say that while I enjoyed how much content they fit into this episode, I felt overwhelmed with the continuous displays of new information. The shock factor could have been achieved with the name reveal alone, so divulging Djarin’s face along with the dark saber seemed a little too pushy to me. Overall though, I love this show, and believe that this season was done incredibly well. Not only was this a good piece of television, it was an excellent Star Wars story that delivered world-building that is much needed in the franchise right now. I worry, as with all shows (especially those run by Disney), that the series will go downhill and be drawn out with the goal of acquiring as much money as possible, but Baby Yoda toys aside, I hope to be wrong in this case.