Last episode, we had the loss of Baby Yoda, captured by Dark Troopers, and taken to Moff Gideon’s ship. Mando had Boba Fett and Fennec Shand pledge their help to recover The Child. He also went to Cara Dune to track down another to help save Baby Yoda. This episode is directed by Rick Famuyiwa who also directed chapter 2 and 6 first season. It is also written by him which would be the second episode not written by Favreau. Famuyiwa also has a strong writing background with his film, Dope (2015) and co-writing Our Family Wedding (2010). The other returning director, Bryce Dallas Howard, has experience writing shorts, but may have felt more comfortable in the director’s chair. This may be very strong trust in his collaborators to create episodes. A transport ship flies over a junk yard planet, Karthon Chop Fields, with crane walkers hauling up ruined TIE fighters. Sparks fly as prisoners break down the scraps.
A security droid walks through the work and reaches an inmate cutting a TIE fighter hatch. This is Migs Mayfeld (Bill Burr) from “Chapter 6: The Prisoner” (2019). The mission was to free a prisoner, but Mayfield and his associates turned on Mando. The New Republic security droid speaks to Mayfeld and introduces Marshal Dune. She takes charge of the prisoner. His leg binders detaches and Cara Dune starts walking away. Mayfeld wonders what is going on, but he is threatened by the security droid with a stun baton to follow Cara. She leads him to Slave I, he is startled by the Mandalorian armor, now cleaned, of Boba Fett. Also, there is Fennec Shand. Then, Mando walks down the landing ramp and Mayfeld’s smile is lost. Cara and Mando explain that he is valued for his knowledge as a former Imperial. Mayfield takes a look at the Karthon Chop Field and then boards Slave I.
The ship flies from Karthon, inside, it looks like there is a rotation of the ship. Mando explains that he has to find Moff Gideon’s cruiser and Cara says the kid is captured. Mayfeld calls him, “the little green guy.” She promises him “a better view” in exchange for his help. Mayfield says he needs an Imperial terminal that he says is on Morak, new planet, where there is a secret Imperial refinery. Boba Fett charts a course to Morak. Later, Boba without helmet, shows a planetary scan and focuses on the refinery. Boba suspects that the Imperials are mining Rhydonium, this is a “violatile” starship fuel, that first appeared in the Season 5 Clone Wars episode, “Missing in Action” (2013). Slave I descends to the forest planet. A large wheeled transport drives down a road. This is a Juggernaut, we saw a HAVw A6 Juggernaut used by the Clone army in Revenge of the Sith (2005). It is interesting to see how it has been modified from a tank to transport in the Imperial age. This Juggernaut is lower to the ground with a triangular cockpit.
The group observes the Juggernaut on a hill and while Cara says she will ambush it with Mayfeld, he says that the base is run by former ISB, the Imperial Security Bureau. They were Imperial officers dressed in white in the Death Star and identified in Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game (1987). One of the members was Agent Kallus in Star Wars: Rebels. Mayfield explains that there will be facial scans that will flag anyone on a New Republic register. Fennec says she is wanted by the ISB. Boba Fett also says he would be recognized! Mando scans the Juggernaut driver with a helmet and then volunteers to go with Mayfeld. The driver of Juggernaut-5 contacts the base that they entering a tunnel. Cara, Mayfield, and Mando leap down on the Juggernaut from the top of the tunnel. Cara drops down into the Juggernaut cockpit and makes short work of the pilots before stopping the vehicle.
Mayfeld struggles to put on the armor as Mando appears fully armored and carrying his Mandalorian armor in a bag. He entrusts Cara to take out the gunners on the rooftop and also his armor. Mayfeld is the pilot while Mando checks the stabilility levels of the Rhydonium. He tries to converse with Mando and then takes off his helmet. Fennec is using her rifle scope to check the Juggernaut. Mayfield sees the wreckage of other Juggernauts on the road. They come to a village of huts alongside the road, Mayfeld sets off the Juggernaut’s horn, and they drive past refugees. Mayfeld calls Empire and Republic “invaders on their land.” This is a sophisticated colonizer discussion for Star Wars. Mando is silent. They hear over the comlink that other Juggernauts are encountering “resistance.” I’m not certain why there isn’t Imperial troops or speeder bikes to protect the Juggernauts. There is explosions of the Juggernauts that light up the forest. It is a race!
Pirates use hover craft to jump onto the Juggernaut and Mando goes to handle them. Mando blasts them and one falls dropping his thermal detonator to destroy a hover craft! The one drawback to this episode is that these pirates of an unknown alien race are not trying to steal the fuel, but destroy it. Also, that there is potential with the pirates working to help the refugees. More pirates appear and Mando’s blaster runs out of charges, probably the first time we’ve seen this happen! Mando has to go hand to hand battling the pirates with their weapons. A pirates manages to pry open a hatch and plants a thermal detonator on the Rhydonium. Mando defeats the other pirates and tosses the explosive at the hovercraft. More pirates appear arming their thermal detonators! They are saved by Imperials including Shoretroopers. They have tan armor and brown pants uncovered by armor plates which were last seen in Rogue One (2016). A nice reference to other Star Wars, but there doesn’t seem to be a shore at this base, it could be the Imperial Remnant is getting desperate.
Mayfeld brings the Juggernaut into the base to the celebration of stormtroopers and Imperial officers. This is the most bizarre twist on the victory of the heroes returning after destroying the Death Star! Mayfeld searches for a terminal which he says might be at the officer’s mess. He is about to enter the officer’s mess, but walks out, Mayfeld says he saw Valin Hess (Richard Brake). This was an officer whom he served with and may recognize him! Mando says he will use the terminal and Mayfeld wants to call it off since the network can only be accessed by a facial scan. Mando takes the datastick from Mayfeld and enters the officer’s mess while Mayfeld waits outside. We always have the question of The Mandalorian revealing his face and here he shows that he will do anything, including breaking the Mandalorian Code, to save The Child! Mando activates the console and hesitates as the computer gives a warning. He removes his helmet so now we finally see the face of Pedro Pascal and he uses the datastick.
Captain of the Line Valin Hess goes to ask the trooper what is his operating number. Mayfeld steps in to cover for Mando and explains that his hearing is poor from a pressure loss in Taanab. Hess says that they were the only ones to be successful that day. He takes them over to his table for drinks. Cara and Fennec check their rifle sights at the base cannons that would fire on Boba Fett. Hess is about to lead a toast and Mayfeld brings up Operation Cinder! It was an Imperial plan after the Battle of Endor to disrupt the climate of planets with satellites. This was in Shattered Empire #2 (2015). Mayfeld says he was part of the operation at Burnin Konn. This was the planet that was featured in the video game, Star Wars: Uprising (2015), alarm bells were ringing for me when I heard the name. Thanks Famuyiwa!, for bringing two different works formally into the live action canon. The captain says that with the Rhydonium they will have a greater victory than Burnin Konn. We get that a side mission is to destroy the Rhydonium. A very strong episode that fills out Mayfeld as an interesting character, brings in great SW references, and confronts Mando with some hard choices!
Four Bars of Beskar Steel out of Five!
#TheMandalorian, #TheBeliever, #BillBurr, #RichardBrake
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