‘The Mandalorian’ ‘Chapter 11’ Delivers Some Gasp-Worthy Moments in Another Action-Packed Episode — REVIEW
The Mandalorian has really been on an upward climb this season as far as action and story. Even with last week’s “detour,” it added an endearing character and still gave fans The Child content they needed. Even if he ruffled some feathers. But now the season is starting to really heat up, more than the Razor Crest’s janky landing gear.
If you’re into Star Wars for the exciting moments when things click together and connections are made from all corners of the galaxy, this episode might be the most thrilling in this whole series for you. [Spoiler alert: Spoilers ahead for The Mandalorian Season 2, “Chapter 11”].
The Child owns us all
Starting this episode off where “Chapter 10” left viewers, Mando, The Child, and our beloved Frog Lady are coming in hot on the planet her husband’s on. After crash-landing in the port, Frog Lady and her husband have a delightful reunion. It’s like you can hear Foreigner’s “I Want to Know What Love Is” playing in the background as they run to each other. Where is the slow-motion? The sparks were there in our minds.
After the much-needed focus on that power couple, Mando gets down to business. The whole reason he’s there is to find other Mandalorians and he’s led astray at first. A group of Quarren claim to know where to take Din Djarrin and The Child but instead lead them into the middle of the ocean and attack. In a moment that delivers the first major gasp of the episode, the lead Quarren pushes The Child in the feeding gate so that he’s eaten by the sea creature. Of course, Mando jumps in and it’s all very dramatic. Yes, there was little chance that Baby Yoda was gone for good but damn. For those few minutes without him, the number of tears that welled up? The Mandalorian really made sure viewers are attached to The Child, didn’t they?
And then, in a moment that many long-time Star Wars fans have awaited, more Mandalorians show up. Earlier in the episode, a hooded figure looked on, and many thought this character was Sabine Wren after it was shown in the trailer. And while it wasn’t Sabine, another major character from the animated series popped up and was so worth the surprise.
‘The Mandalorian’ succeeds — yet again — to pull off a massive surprise
Even after several “leaks” and rumors this summer, The Mandalorian pulled off a great character reveal when it came to Bo-Katan. And that’s an amazing feat for the show.
After successfully pulling off the biggest reveal of 2019 with Baby Yoda in Episode 1 of The Mandalorian, this comes as a really cool second. Because even though Katee Sackhoff’s appearance as Bo-Katan was leaked, though not confirmed, this entrance was totally unexpected. And the way her outfit matches her animated version perfectly? And her character’s look does as well? It’s really a dream come true for fans of The Clone Wars and Bo-Katan’s Siege of Mandalore arc. Among many great moments in the animated show.
The series also explains every question you might have had about Mandalorians since the show started. While many new viewers have taken Mando’s religion at face value, fans of The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels knew other Mandalorians before him. So there have always been questions about why he has these rules regarding his helmet, when every other Mandalorian viewers have met up until him doesn’t. Or how Din Djarrin isn’t actually from Mandalore; where did all of those Mandalorians go?
Mando is very spooked by the fact that Bo-Katan and her two comrades take off their helmets. She calls him a Child of the Watch, referring to the defected members of Mandalore who were once part of Death Watch. They were a terrorist group during the Clone Wars and she referred to them as religious zealots after.
It’s all very exciting. And even more so is that she hints that she knows “one of their kind” when Mando speaks of Jedi. The Clone Wars fans know who she’s talking about and it raises the hype bar even more.
Baby Yoda sees a healthy redemption arc
Taking a nice little detour, Mando has to drop The Child off with Frog Lady and her husband. Bo-Katan makes him a deal; if he helps her sneak into the armory of an ex-Empire ship, she’ll tell him where to find the Jedi she knows about. After what happened at sea, Mando leaves Baby Yoda with Frog Lady on strict orders to behave. Ok, they’re semi strict, but The Child does follow through.
Even though he looks at Frog Lady’s eggs longingly, it doesn’t seem like he actually acts on eating any. They are actually baby frogs now; Baby Yoda cannot eat them without the internet calling him a murderer. Again.
But Frog Lady is already an excellent parent because, by the time Mando returns, The Child is playing nicely with the new tadpoles. Who in the Star Wars galaxy had as quick and smooth of a redemption arc as The Child? No one, that’s who.
Also, just like I noted last week, The Mandalorian is continuing to show why the Empire survived and how it led to the First Order in just over 30 years. “Long live the Empire,” the captain of the freighter says as he’s about to kill himself to save their assets. The stronghold they had on their followers is disconcerting and a warning sign that, unfortunately, we know goes unheard by the New Republic.
Bo-Katan and the Darksaber play major parts here and probably aren’t the last we’ll see of them
While it’s always a good day seeing a Stormtrooper glide across a windshield, it turns out Bo-Katan didn’t reveal everything to Mando. Instead of just wanting the armory of the ship, she wanted the whole thing. Because, if you knew Bo-Katan from Rebels, you know she used to own the Darksaber that Moff Gideon currently possesses.
So while Bo-Katan is an icon, per usual, she comes off a bit ruthless and unforgiving. And to people meeting her for the first time, she’s dark. However, she is not a villain. She’s fought a long time, and has always been very stoic, once even being on the side of Death Watch. However, she’s ultimately good and is an ally to Ahsoka Tano, as she says.
Even though Mando is putting a lot of faith into someone who deceived him and who he is wary of, viewers should know her information is ultimately good. Corvus is where Mando’s off to find Ahsoka.
Even though Bo-Katan has issues with Mando’s form of Mandalorian-ism, or at least the sect he’s a part of, it’s touching the way she responds with “This is the way” in parting. So, Din Djarrin has a renewed lead on Jedi, Baby Yoda learned some much-needed responsibility, and Episode 4 is looking up.
