The Mandalorian - Chapter Seven - The Reckoning

[ctg]

An old rival extends an invitation for The Mandalorian to make peace.

 

[Heijan Xavier]

How will IG-11 save the Yoda baby and/or the Mandalorian in episode 8?

Predicting the YB's rescue at the hand of IG-11 to be visually similar scene to the flashback of the Mandalorian's parents' death at the hand of the super battle droid.

Will the Covert return to aid Mando? Will the mercenary crew and or New Republic show up at the last minute? Is Kuill dead or just unconscious?

 

[Heijan Xavier]

Will Dave Filoni pilot an X-wing into the heart of Lucasfilm, depose Kathleen Kennedy, take over as creative director, and save Star Wars?

 

[ctg]

Oh man, this episode has everything. Including IG-11 coming back from the death. It's too bad that it was there to provide support against the death troopers. Yes, the New Order has arrived in the series with full strength. A battalion sized element, led by Moff Gideon.

It is not often when get an Imperial Regional Governor leading the operation, but it is a straight suggession that the series is aimed to be set around the events of the last trilogy. The Force users has disappeared mostly from the galaxy, even though the Sith should still be strong at the aftermath of Emperor's death. The question is, where did they all go?

Greef said that they had at max a company sized element protecting the Client. But for being sloppy at his homework, he had no idea about the Imperial Regional Governor overseeing the whole Child case. Which is interesting because the way he used Force Choke on Cara Dune suggested that the Child has both the Dark and the Light side battling over the control. By no means healing Greefs arm is no small feat. The Child is definitely getting stronger, because whole regeneration process didn't sent it to sleep for next five days, as it was the mudhorn.

Maybe the more interesting question is why Moff Gideon didn't ride in the town but sent bounty hunters instead to collect the Asset? It is as if he wanted to hide the nature of Imperials coming back and trust that no harm, no trouble would rise from the operation. There is of course a possibility that the original client were under an impression that they should have kept all things quiet.

After all, the New Republic has mostly cleared the remnants of the old imperium. Speaking of which, the Emperor ordered a purge of Dathomir, and therefore, the Nighsisters and Nightbrothers were wiped out during the Clone Wars. So for you to see a Nightbrother dueling with Cara Dune suggests that some of them really made it out in the galaxy, and they are not as rare as they should be.

Old Man Maul was supposed to be the last member of their dying race.

I guess Disney can rewrite their canon material and provide new possibilities for everyone.

I'm not saying that this episode is bad. No. It is a superb example of how Disney can provide more exciting material to the Star Wars saga. And they have done it brilliantly, even if the landing spot was obviously in Iceland. I love that they had included a sheep in to scenes, instead of erasing with cgi magic. Well done Disney.

 

[ctg]

the hand of the super battle droid.

A prototype IG-88. IG-11 didn't even receive the full production treatment. So, I wouldn't call him a super battle droid, a proto assassin droid perhaps.

How will IG-11 save the Yoda baby and/or the Mandalorian in episode 8?

Mando has the battle pram. Load it up with mining charges, send it out and let it clear the square. No need for IG-11. The DeathTroopers and New Order boys could had positioned themselves better, because at the moment they are in the kill-zone.

 

[ctg]

Will Dave Filoni pilot an X-wing into the heart of Lucasfilm, depose Kathleen Kennedy, take over as creative director, and save Star Wars?

What do you mean?

 

[Parson]

Watched this episode last night and my overriding feeling (well after being really angry that there was no ending!) was "The End Game has begun." It did feel a little trite, "the child has been kidnapped, our hero is surrounded by an overwhelming force, and his friends might not be trustworthy." Silent movies anyone?

That said, I am anxiously waiting to see how this works out. And I am always amazed at what @ctg adds to the story from his serious knowledge of back story that I never even knew existed. --- So Thanks for that!

 

[ctg]

It did feel a little trite, "the child has been kidnapped, our hero is surrounded by an overwhelming force, and his friends might not be trustworthy."

Well, yeah, that is there, but that is not the story. Mando is not giving up on the Child that easily. They could try to escape back way or go to tunnels. This is not the end. Remember, New Order has positioned themselves really stupidly. Cara should have been wooping for them making a mistake instead of worrying about their survival.

I get that we have to write in tension and leave it over the Christmas, but I am not afraid for Mando or the Child. Disney is not going to kill them off. Although killing the Child would surely raise the audience tension over the roof.

 

[Parson]

Well, yeah, that is there, but that is not the story. Mando is not giving up on the Child that easily. They could try to escape back way or go to tunnels. This is not the end. Remember, New Order has positioned themselves really stupidly. Cara should have been wooping for them making a mistake instead of worrying about their survival.

I get that we have to write in tension and leave it over the Christmas, but I am not afraid for Mando or the Child. Disney is not going to kill them off. Although killing the Child would surely raise the audience tension over the roof.

Oh, I agree entirely. But that was exactly my point in cliff hangers of the trite sort there seems to be no way out, but you know the hero will prevail, it is only a question of when and how. But .... this might be the set up for the next season, Mando escapes and he (along with Cara Dune?) go hunting the child down. ----

Also, what was the purpose of that extended fight scene? All I could gather was that it showed that Cara Dune was fit (not surprising) and likely bored (also not surprising).

Continuing also's .... I can't help but thing that Cara Dune is some sort of homage to the Dune franchise, but could it be a hint of sorts?

 

[ctg]

Continuing also's .... I can't help but thing that Cara Dune is some sort of homage to the Dune franchise, but could it be a hint of sorts?

I think her role is sort of becoming series regular. They need more than Mando and The Child, and this was first episode where they are trying to form a band of brother... or rather a posse to honour the Western theme. Frankly, they cannot keep writing these escape stories forever, as we talked about it in the last episode, because the risk is it becoming the escape-of-the-week and I don't Disney wants that.

So, you come back to that poster of main posse I posted a few weeks ago and it makes sense now. Cara, Mando, IG-11, Greef and Kuill are all in this together and I suppose their mission is the Child. I'm kind of glad that they chose to give Moff's role to Mister Esposito as the adult audience knows what he represents in the terms of brutality.

It's a good boost for the New Order over all reputation as the antagonist. The role of the Child in it can only mean that they are seeking to place it in same place as the Emperor. The problem that Disney faces is that by doing it, they will ruin the image of the Child, and again face the anger of the audience, even though a Darth Yoda is an intriguing proposition.

It would mean a thousand years of darkness at least.

But for Cara being related to the Dune, she would have to come from the sand people background. Harkinnen's history would be too brutal. So I like that they keep calling her as a dropper. Meaning that at some point in history the New Republic finally figured out orbital drops. At least what they really mean and how they can be used in the context of warfare.

At the moment, if the New Order would jump in there and offer assist they could overwhelm the village and not allow anyone else than Moff to escape, by dropping in troops. We just haven't really seen it happening in the movies, but we know that they were nearing the capability in the animated series. And by it, I don't mean the dropship, but actually using drop pods and orbital bombardment.

Our modern armies has now a capability to drop artillery shells in very precise locations. The New Republic should have an amazing tools in their disposal to solve the village problem, but it's just do you really want to do it?

Would it serve the story if the New Republic would save Mando and the Child?

In Mando's shoes, he had two choices, if you count out "keep running" option. He could have taken the Child to New Republic and possible rewarded handsomely for it, or he could take the Guild offer and solve the problem the Client represents. He clearly is not a New Republic fan and there might be something that he doesn't want to end up explaining. Until he has no choice.

Cara Dune and her relationship with the New Republic might be an answer. It's she might have a bloodlust, as she was clearly enjoying shooting at the night. It beefed up her image as a strong woman greatly.

 

[The Crawling Chaos]

It's a good boost for the New Order over all reputation as the antagonist. The role of the Child in it can only mean that they are seeking to place it in same place as the Emperor.

I could be wrong but I just don't see Disney planning both a TV series and the release of the last episode from the Saga simultaneously and not connecting the two in some way. So... Have you seen Episode IX? I'll post some spoilers for the movie below:

Spoiler: Major spoilers for The Rise of Skywalker here - read at your own risk

Palpatine is still alive and he has orchestrated the rise of the First Order. Snoke is a creation of Palpatine and he has several more Snokes in store (clones). Palpatine is also in a somewhat weakened state but he has the ability to rejuvenate by sucking energy out of Force sensitive beings - a power he demonstrates in the last film.

I can only assume that this is ultimately what Baby Yoda is all about - a plan for him to regain power. And Mando will make sure that doesn't happen.

 

[ctg]

Spoiler

Snoke is a creation of Palpatine and he has several more Snokes in store (clones). Palpatine is also in a somewhat weakened state but he has the ability to rejuvenate by sucking energy out of Force sensitive beings - a power he demonstrates in the last film.

Interesting. Maybe I'll have to go to see the film then. The saga story is then more about Palpatine than it ever was about the Skywalkers. But it is not the first time Emperor has demonstrated the life transfer power as it was shown briefly in the Clone Wars -- if I remember correctly. If you include the bits about the Force Space/Dimension, then the Dark Side comes very clear. I hope he's dead now!

 

[Brian G Turner]

Really enjoyed this episode - not least because it finally started bringing most everything (except episode 6!) together into a single story line we could follow. Lots of tension, lots of fun, despite the simple and almost predictable premise, but a great surprise at the end - and loved the Tie fighter landing.