Spoilers The Mandalorian Season 3

[Reverend]

Unlike the world of Blade Runner, Star Wars has never really grappled with the moral issue surrounding the fact that droids have no rights or legal status, despite demonstrating sapience and sentience, and are never treated the same as sentient organics.

This episode just did exactly that; these ones by and large they want to be useful. They're grateful to have been built. They want to follow what's in their programming (because that's also in their programming.)
It's a mistake to presume that they have the same wants and needs as organic beings, and they certainly don't think like them either. To them, freedom has a very different meaning.

Also (I find I keep having to remind people of this over and over) remember that Star Wars isn't really science fiction. It's a fantasy fairy tale mythology with a sci-fi flavouring. So it's never really going to get into this issue the same way it's not going to really get into transhumanism despite having several cyborg characters, nor is it going to get into the physics of hyperspace travel despite characters making use of it all the damn time.

The original purpose of the droid characters was as an homage to the two bickering peasants in 'The Hidden Fortress'. Slaves, serfs, peasants etc. have been a reality of human history seemingly since the very beginning, and as such they have as much a place in our mythological storytelling as princes, emperors, and queens. So in Star Wars, droids are the default placeholder for those in the lowest station of society, without all the problematic real-world baggage of portraying them as actual human beings.

George Lucas has always been positive about droids, even back when they were so often portrayed as the villains. The dangerous unknowable thing that's going to murder everyone the first chance it gets. Star Wars movies and shows have never done that. In this show's first season this was explicitly addressed with IG-11. Even a droid designed for violence only wants to follow it's programming, and is itself just a neutral reflection of the ones that programmed it.

 

[Commander Troi]

What a fun episode! And it neatly continued Bo-Katan's character arc.

 

[Jayson1]

It was fun in a goofy way so naturally the internet hates the episode. Anything that is seen as filler or not about moving arc plotting along is seen as a waste of time for so many people it seems. I actually want to see more of this world and frankly this seasons has to many people in helmets that never get removed. It's nice to be able to see people. I liked it better when Mando was the exception most of the time in this regard.

 

[Ethros]

To be fair, one reason I didn’t enjoy this episode much was because it’s the first one I’ve watched on my new big(ger) TV, and I can’t turn the frickin TruMotion/High Frame Rate thing off!


When using my DVD/blu ray/4K player through the HDMI port there’s the option on the picture menu to turn it off, fine. But the picture menu is different for some reason when using the internal services, like a streaming service. And there’s no option to remove it.


So all that smoothing made it look cheap as anything. That last scene honestly looked on my TV like it was filmed down the local park with a camcorder. I hate the way it makes things look, why do they put it as a default setting on TVs??

 

[Ithekro]

Most of the scenes with Lizzo talking formally it looks like Katee is struggling not to laugh. Be that Lizzo or just Jack Black being present is unclear.

As for the episode being silly, that is not a bad thing. Some levity before something serious happens is usually good for a series. And if we are possibly going to another confrontation with Moff Gideon, (or Grand Admiral Thrawn), we should have some levity first. There is also the possibility that the New Republic will show up and just believe these Mandalorians are helping the Gideon and waste Bo's carefully stolen fleet of Imperial and Mandalorian ships, by sicking a few squadrons of X-wings and Y-wings on them with something major like a Mon Cal Cruiser to back them up.

 

[CorporalClegg]

To be fair, one reason I didn’t enjoy this episode much was because it’s the first one I’ve watched on my new big(ger) TV, and I can’t turn the frickin TruMotion/High Frame Rate thing off!


When using my DVD/blu ray/4K player through the HDMI port there’s the option on the picture menu to turn it off, fine. But the picture menu is different for some reason when using the internal services, like a streaming service. And there’s no option to remove it.


So all that smoothing made it look cheap as anything. That last scene honestly looked on my TV like it was filmed down the local park with a camcorder. I hate the way it makes things look, why do they put it as a default setting on TVs??

Maybe you should take it back?

 

[Set Harth]

Byproduct of being programed by sentient beings. Especially for Grievous who enjoyed inflicting pain on subordinates and EV-99 who enjoyed torturing droids.

Grievous was not a droid.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

Fun episode, I was impressed that I recognized Lizzo, I'm not very up on that side of pop culture these days. As an old wrestling fan, I enjoy seeing Mercedes Varnado aka Sasha Banks return among the Mandalorian ranks, I wouldn't mind if her character were featured some day.

I don't know if the droid bar and refreshing program sub-particles would hold up to a lick of scrutiny but I am happily not interested in applying any.

I will miss seeing Din whip out the darksaber on occassion, it was a nice extension to his arsenal.

Egh.. Dark sabre rules are like Harry Potter wands. If I beat who beat you .. I win.
So no biggie.

Black Panther leadership rules

I really wish not all of the Ugnaughts we've seen speak in this series talked like Kuiil. It makes Kuiil cooler and more unique an individual with his own eccentricities if he's the only one who says: "I have spoken."

I need to rewatch that scene but I only remember Din saying that so it could still hold to a degree.

Most of the scenes with Lizzo talking formally it looks like Katee is struggling not to laugh. Be that Lizzo or just Jack Black being present is unclear.

There must have been something going on during those scenes because she really did.

 

[Starkers]

I thought that was ok, a bit lightweight in the middle and I know side-quests are a thing with this show but the whole droid hacking felt like a nothing story, they could have dropped anything in there and the whole "yes you can see the Mandalorians but only after you do this job" felt very clunky and the kind of content for content's sake I'd expect in a show with 20+ episodes a season rather than one with just 8.

But fun to see Jack Black and Christopher Lloyd and though I don't know who Lizzo is her scenes with Grogu- sorry SIR Grogu- were fun, as were Bo-Katan and Din's investigation.

I didn't pick up on the Blade Runner homage but did notice for the first time that super battle droids look a lot like Nu-BSG Cylons and once Katee was chasing it that made me smile. I liked Din kicking them all as well

I'm not sure why Din chose this moment to hand over the Darksaber, why didn't he hand it over back on Mandalore or at some other point before now? Also interesting that the other Mandos just took Din's word for how things went down on Mandalore, which given just a few minutes prior they were sneering at Mando not being a true Mandalorian seems odd.

I don't know, I'm still enjoying the show a lot, but I think its fair to say season 3 hasn't quite gripped me as much as 1 and 2 did. But hey, still two episodes left!

 

[Set Harth]

 

[Saul]

This is a cheap, unimaginative stunt that would have killed the show right then and there -- the byproduct of an entire generation of TV writers who believed inter-character conflict for the sake of inter-character conflict was always best. Sometimes it's okay to let buds be buds.

It's not a stunt, it's fulfilling a plot point brought up at the end of season 2. It's not conflict for the sake of it. These characters have legitimate reasons for having a conflict. Certainly Bo does.

These characters are both growing

...more boring.

 

[CorporalClegg]

IThese characters have legitimate reasons for having a conflict. Certainly Bo does.
.

I suppose "You're my friend and all, but see I have to hate you now because you stopped this evil dude from killing your son and in the process took the sword that I wanted." would have made for good meta commentary about the internet.

 

[fireproof78]

Grievous was not a droid.

No he wasn't.

...more boring.

Mileage will vary. I have not been enamored with Din at all before this season. In Season 1 and 2 he was a walking cliche. He served the needs of the plot. He sometimes appears almost ineffective and then extremely effective. This season at least offers another side to him that's more compelling to me with the character work. Not always fighting, but learning too.

If he is becoming more boring then I welcome it because I could hardly stand it previously.

 

[Noname Given]

Another good and entertaining episode. This is the kind of Star Wars stuff they should have been making after the original Trilogy. The Mandalorian has been fun and more entertaining for me than any of the Prequel of Sequel trilogies. Love the depth of the worlds they show, and like that the stories have a nice combo of good character interaction with some action on occasion.

For me this show has a very nice balance. Best Star Wars content since the original 1977 STAR WARS (which for me is still the most enjoyable Star Wars franchise and the original 1977 version, the best version of that film as far as I'm concerned. YMMV.

 

[Saul]

Mileage will vary. I have not been enamored with Din at all before this season. In Season 1 and 2 he was a walking cliche. He served the needs of the plot. He sometimes appears almost ineffective and then extremely effective. This season at least offers another side to him that's more compelling to me with the character work. Not always fighting, but learning too.

Interesting. Your view of Din in season 1 and 2 is my view of him now. Well, as you say, mileage will vary.

 

[Dee1891]

Another good and entertaining episode. This is the kind of Star Wars stuff they should have been making after the original Trilogy. The Mandalorian has been fun and more entertaining for me than any of the Prequel of Sequel trilogies. Love the depth of the worlds they show, and like that the stories have a nice combo of good character interaction with some action on occasion.

I'm afraid I cannot agree with that. This is the kind of stuff that would have been great for a standalone movie or an episode. But I'm glad that this kind of material was not incorporated in the Prequel Trilogy.

Judging from the way the writing seemed to be padded this season, I get the feeling that this season will end on a cliffhanger, instead of wrapping up a season long narrative and introducing a new one.

 

[fireproof78]

Interesting. Your view of Din in season 1 and 2 is my view of him now. Well, as you say, mileage will vary.

I think one benefit of this season is that it makes Season 1 and 2 a little more palatable for Din as a character. His trajectory is less murky and his growth more appreciable here.

Before he was the least interesting facet of the show about him. Now he has a little more interest to me.

 

[Set Harth]

Most of the scenes with Lizzo talking formally it looks like Katee is struggling not to laugh. Be that Lizzo or just Jack Black being present is unclear.

In a situation like that you kind of have to laugh to keep yourself from crying.

 

[CorporalClegg]

I'm not really sure what the implication here is supposed to be, but the reason why Sackhoff lools like she's holding in a laugh is most likely because Jack Black was being Jack Black.

 

[JoseNoodles]

This episode just did exactly that; these ones by and large they want to be useful. They're grateful to have been built. They want to follow what's in their programming (because that's also in their programming.)
It's a mistake to presume that they have the same wants and needs as organic beings, and they certainly don't think like them either. To them, freedom has a very different meaning.

Well the droids on this planet may have had these feelings, but it's not universal to all droids everywhere. Remember Lando's droid partner from Solo? She definitely wanted the same status as an organic being.

Also (I find I keep having to remind people of this over and over) remember that Star Wars isn't really science fiction. It's a fantasy fairy tale mythology with a sci-fi flavouring. So it's never really going to get into this issue the same way it's not going to really get into transhumanism despite having several cyborg characters, nor is it going to get into the physics of hyperspace travel despite characters making use of it all the damn time.

With shows like the Mandalorian delving deeper into the nitty-gritty of the Star Wars universe outside the Skywalkers, this position is becoming harder to maintain. If they don't address things, it makes it harder for the world to seem believable, even with suspension of disbelief.

The original purpose of the droid characters was as an homage to the two bickering peasants in 'The Hidden Fortress'. Slaves, serfs, peasants etc. have been a reality of human history seemingly since the very beginning, and as such they have as much a place in our mythological storytelling as princes, emperors, and queens. So in Star Wars, droids are the default placeholder for those in the lowest station of society, without all the problematic real-world baggage of portraying them as actual human beings.

Not to belabor the point, but I never thought the substitution of droids for the poor and oppressed worked 100%, since they still act like real humans living in a socially stratified society. Plus you still have humans (and other sentient beings) living as slaves in the world of Star Wars, so evidently the invention of droids did not solve this problem.

George Lucas has always been positive about droids, even back when they were so often portrayed as the villains. The dangerous unknowable thing that's going to murder everyone the first chance it gets. Star Wars movies and shows have never done that. In this show's first season this was explicitly addressed with IG-11. Even a droid designed for violence only wants to follow it's programming, and is itself just a neutral reflection of the ones that programmed it.

Ok, but droids still engender bad feelings because organics still use them to do bad things. Like you say, it's not the droid's fault, but they've become the face of technology abuse in Star Wars, not in the least because some people (like the Separatists) used them to harm organics. It's funny that Lloyd's character decried society's over reliance on droids even though he was part of political movement that was known for its over-reliance on droids in battle.