One note from the Marshall: A Fett clone is on Tatooine. Of course it's known who he is but it was a nice teaser for future stories. Anyway, on to the next episode: "The Passenger." This is one of the episodes that I was not looking forward. Largely because it's a bizarre mix of action and a little horror. Din demonstrates an interesting attitude towards his passenger, willing to ignore her until she browbeats him in to submission. Ok, fair enough, and he does a good job fighting off the knob spiders, which I thought were a great nod to McQuarrie art. Apparently Din is good at fighting, but terrible at flying. Which, the cold open did a good job of doing, though it surprised me he was taken down by the rope trick. The Frog Lady is a well done alien but a terrible name. Same with Dr. Mandible. Seriously? I know that Star Wars names are rarely great but ugh...please, no. And the New Republic pilots? They are serious jerks. What the heck? This series does a terrible job with making the New Republic sympathetic. "The Heiress." Ok, please can we move past the Frogs? Cool, thanks. Can't see that without thinking of "Pink 5 Strikes Back" and Trey Stokes at least made it funny. Anyway, the landing sequence was funny enough, especially as it falls in to the water. I can only feel bad for the dock worker though. I really liked the Quarren and Mon Calamari, as well as seeing a boat in Star Wars. The rest of the story is OK. Bo Katan is an interesting contrast to the Armorer, as well as a much different fighting style than the Mandalorian. It's very interesting to watch Din be surprised by their fighting style. And, now on to the Empire. So, of course Imperials are jerks but Gideon and the captain are Jerks. The ending made me chuckle.
Well, I don't think that "Frog Lady" is literally meant to be the character's name in-universe. More of a humorous aside/afterthought for those who pay attention to the end credits. And "Doctor Mandible" could just be a nickname given by speakers of Galactic Basic. His real name in his insectoid language is probably unpronounceable for humans. I've also started a Mandalorian rewatch recently. I had forgotten one aspect of Kuiil's depiction. The way his mouth movements don't quite match up with his dialog is a clever stylistic choice, which looks very much like old-school puppetry. Kor
Well, Peli literally says "I don't speak Frog." Come on, please. I know it's Star Wars, I know silliness is baked in to the concept, I know I am being slightly pedantic but that once just hurts. I can almost forgive mandible. Frog is harder to ignore.
Marvel is going to be starting a comic book adaptation of Season 1 in June. It's going to be eight issues long, with each issue covering one episode, and is written by Rodney Barnes with art by Georges Jeanty. I'm a little disappointed that our first tie-in for Mando is going to be an adaptation rather than an original story.
Yeah I would rather have an original story too. Maybe some stuff that happened to Mando after season 2, or a coming of age story from his younger days. I don't really enjoy comic book adaptations of movie or TV scripts, unless maybe they reveal some extra background story or info that wasn't in the original, or tell it from a different character's perspective or something. When I was a kid and wasn't able to have my own copies of movies, I liked those comics better. Kor
Yup, it's been a minute since I got to continue this rewatch. Tonight was decent night for pizza and an episode. "The Siege": This is an interesting episode to be sure, probably one of the higher points of Season 2. It was nice to revisit the Greef, Cara and Nevaro. Watching this back to back with Season 1 actually helped to feel a small connection with the city Greef was trying to help out. Of course, we have the requisite Imperial base, and even a fun nod back to A New Hope. Unfortunately, what the episode has done has highlighted some very interesting cracks in the Mandalorian's presentation of the Star Wars galaxy as well as Din as a character. More on that in a moment. The plot itself is very straight forward. Mythrol is very annoying and is not a character I wanted to see back. His cowardice was difficult to take even when they were not being shot at. Cara Dunne was a welcome sight to see again, though of course a wrestling star will get the wrestling moves in. Where we get the high point is the speeder chase. Getting to see the Marauder in action, as well as various Imperial equipment was actually pretty cool. Stormtroopers were not bad shot as much as Din having decent armor. It felt like an even battle, mostly. And the Child in the classroom was good fun/ Plus shout out to space macaron for my baking friend. Overall good fun. Now on to other thoughts. First, for the galaxy at large. Greef presents probably the most interesting perspective in the galaxy, one that is oriented towards freedom. His comments around the Outer Rim and the New Republic needing to leave it alone paint the New Republic in a very different light. They are not the freedom fighters from the Rebel Alliance, but a bureaucracy to be avoided. Secondly, on a character note, Cara, Greef and Din all have negative views on this organization, and it's ability to mange the Outer Rim. Greef is passive aggressive with the New Republic officer, and pretty much does his best to be politely unhelpful. Even with Cara working as Marshall it's still clear she is doing it her way. It all strikes me as incredibly interesting from a world building point of view. And more so, to see the fan reaction to this. I think it points to why the sequels were done how they were. People prefer the anti-authoritarian stance of Star Wars, with its deep roots in anti-Vietnam attitudes, and did not necessarily want the heroes of the OT to become part of the establishment bureaucracy. Instead, someone closer to Din, Greef, Han or to go outside Star Wars, Malcom Reynolds, Jake Sparrow, Elizabeth Swann, are more preferred as heroes.
Finally wrapped it up and on to Book of Boba Fett. Obviously it has not been a high priority but with Obi-Wan upcoming I figured it would be helpful to work my way through it. The Jedi: Another episode I remember very well and enjoyed well enough. Ahsoka is well presented here, and Corvus is such an interesting planet of contrasts, especially in the Magistrate's palace. I appreciate the small amount of history given to Grogu, but having him surviving the Purge was a little much for me. Ahsoka's refusal to train him, while I appreciate the nod back to her history with Anakin, just feels off. Like, repeating the mistakes of the Prequel, and interestingly enough, giving weight to Luke's argument in TLJ. I really like Corvus, and how Ahsoka is fighting in the mists. Reminds me a bit of Vin from the Mistborn series. The whole "Where is Thrawn bit?" though felt very odd. Not sure why. But, her working with Grogu, making that meaningful connection, and trying to help Din see his connection with Grogu was good character work. Again, interesting that the guest characters provide more insight than the main character does. The Tragedy: Confession time: I really didn't care for this episode the first time I watched it. I felt that Fett was overdone, and the capturing of Grogu was done so conveniently. Gideon throws a whole bunch of stormtroopers at Din, they die, then sends four Dark Troopers who win without an engagement. More surprisingly is the fact that I enjoyed Fett's appearance this time around. His whole demeanor is one of pragmatic solution finding but when it comes to combat he is utterly savage. Morrison clearly relishes the role and gives it a nice energy and even a bit of humor. Also, goodbye Razor Crest. The Believer: Again, guest starts showcase a really next depth of worldbuilding. Mayfeld irritated me highly in Season 1 so his return was not something I welcomed. But, his history as an Imperial, the way that the whole system gets under his skin, so much so that he cannot remain calm with his old CO was a very well done bit of character building. Also, and what's more fascinating to me, is how this show sets the tone for the sequel trilogy. People ask "how did the First Order win so quickly?" Well, as this Imperial officer notes, people will come running back to order. Also, a nice bit of character work, as Din discovers the limits of plastoid armor when fighting the pirates on Morak. But, he still fights in his style, which was nice. And even a little bit character growth between him and Mayfeld and a small amount of mutual respect. The Rescue: Really enjoy Fett and Bo Katan, each with their own little agenda. The Rescue is a perfect heist style plan, with it obviously not going to plan, and even the ending is a bit of a downer, with Luke coming to rescue against the Dark Troopers, but Din obviously sad at the parting. Final thoughts: Overall, Season 2 is a marked improvement over Season 1. Din shows a small bit of character growth, as well as the growing ability to galvanize people together against a common enemy or for a common cause. This season does a better job of fleshing out the world, but it's nothing that really grabs hold of me and makes me fully invested in the characters going forward. Din still lacks that quality of making me care about him as a main character. But, there is at least something there to keep me moving to the next part of his story, which I didn't expect when Grogu left.
Started my Book of Boba Fett rewatch. Here's some thoughts as I go through. To preface this, I should note that I am not fan of Boba Fett. He was uninspired in ESB, and nearly a farce in ROTJ. The PT did the character no favors. I don't say this to rag but to say that what Mandalorian and BOBF did to make me interested in an uninteresting character is quite impressive. Chapter 1: As expected, we get Fett's survival story, though not quite as I was expecting it. To be honest, that he survived is ridiculousness in of itself. But, that's just the start of Fett's rebirth as a new man. More interesting is his efforts to assert control over Jabba's domain. While admirable, he is clearly still learning. Flashbacks tie in with his finding his place amongst the Tuskens. Overall, I really liked this introduction because it sets the tone very well for what Boba is becoming. And, honestly, I like him. Which is a credit to Morrison's performance that I am actually invested in Fett and his journey. Chapter 2: This one is a bit more predictable, with the trope of outsider finally accepted by the tribe, including a vision quest involving hallucinations. Outside of that, I really appreciate seeing the politics of Mos Espa and how Fett's time amongst the Tuskens changed him quite a bit. The bacta flashbacks are really interesting to me.
I have a question. Do you think the series will ever reveal how Grogu ended up on that planet where Mando found him?
Carrying forward: Chapter 3: If chapter 2 was a bit predictable, Chapter 3 was a demonstrable uptick in my interest. Fett is working to assert his authority, while realizing that it will not be so easy. The water merchant is quite fun, with shades of Dune feeling a part of his business and Fett's moving in as the new power. While many do not like the Mods, I have no issues with them and quite like Fett's willingness to employ them rather than just punish them. It's a nice bit of character building. Also, this episode does a great job of world building, expanding the politics of the area of Tatooine, making Mos Espa feel very large as Fett attempts to assert his control through building a tribe. The Hutt twins are an interesting example of filling in just enough that the galaxy feels bigger, but not bogging down in details. The Pykes are quite an good enemy. And I hope we see more of Danny Trejo. Chapter 4: Well, it centers around how Fett meets Shand, whom I have little interest in. Despite my misgivings, Fett's new resolve in seeing her healed, and not demanding much is again a reflection of Fett's deep change. Shand even comments on this as she recovers, and we get an insight that despite how important his armor and ship are, the near death experience and being adopted by the Tuskens meant a lot to Fett. His efforts to appeal to the major families controlling Mos Espa comes from this new place, which doesn't go well. Too bad.
Or even if he was rescued at all. For all we know he spent most of the Imperial years on Nur and/or Weyland, only getting out and into mercenary hands due to the general chaos between Endor and Jakku. Black sites like those tend to only be answerable to the highest authorities, and since the Empire was basically decapitated, (and then set to self destruct by Operation Cinder) one imagines it was a free-for all with some people just grabbing whatever classified material seemed valuable and running, lest they be executed by one side or the other.
Chapter 5 and 6: Whelp, I knew it was coming and, well, it did two things for me. One, it gave the Mandalorian a path forward that felt reasonable and an actual movement. Two, it highlighted what I had struggled to find the reason why The Mandalorian as a show never quite worked for me. It was an interesting lesson in contrasts of two very different storytelling styles. Which, OK, I don't usually go full depth analysis on a lot of these episodes but this one stood out strongly to me, so here we go... The opening is where I noticed the different. While Boba Fett has a very good framing device of either flashback or current struggle, Mandalorian has a much more leisurely pace, introducing the latest job, it goes wrong, and Din reports back to the Armorer. This time around, there is an actual conflict on which it feels like moves Din's character in to a different place than before. Before, he felt the most like an RPG player character of any Star Wars character. Go here, do quest, return to quest giver, receive reward. There's not a lot of forward action as it is more Din reacting to things. Now, credit where credit is due-this episode really highlights how much Din's choice has weight and consequences on him, rather than just blowing on past it. The conflict between him and the other Mandalorian, Vizila, was pretty apparent but done well enough. And we get more lore around Mandalore. Again, limited interest but enough to move it forward. His going back to Tatooine, and connecting with Boba was nice. I really appreciate his improving relationship with the Jawas as well building his ship. Overly long, but done well. Of course we see Grogu, and Ahsoka and Luke, and we get the inevitable choice to Grogu, as well as the lecture on attachments. It's unfortunately that as the droids are laying the foundation of the new Jedi Academy, that there is also the foundation for repeating the same mistakes, Cautionary tale indeed. Finally, there's Cobb Vanth. Still my favorite character in this little corner of Star Wars, and Cad Bane's stupid entrance was annoying but effective. He's at least a villain I want to see die. The building up of allies is nice if frustratingly long. These episodes definitely represent a languishing of the pace for me. Do I appreciate some of it? Yeah, but it's overly extended for very little payoff. It's why I find the earlier episodes so much more enjoyable. There's a sense of forward motion, of action, and activity within it. For Din, it's a leisurely stroll through the galaxy. It just doesn't work for me.
I am fairly certain the both Rebels and The Mandalorian are writen intentionally like an old West End Games style RPG adventure group. Mando is a solo adventure while The Ghost crew is the classic six-man party complete with a light freighter.
Chapter 6 (brief addendum): I should add a brief aside that should make sense as I wrap up this rewatch. While I do not like Cad Bane I will credit the writers in that they make him villainous enough, even in his one appearance, to make me wish he was dead. His shooting of Vanth and the deputy only further cemented that fact. His whole bearing reminds me a bit of Fett from the OT, which may inspire my great dislike of him. Anyway, Chapter 7 and the finale: Well, I have to say that such a short series still went out with a bang. I enjoyed the street war between the Pykes and Fett's forces, including the banter between the Mods and the Freetown people. Each group is galvanized in a way, and it makes this ending so much more in terms of dramatic weight. Fett riding the rancor is good fun, and Din wielding the saber is an interesting lesson in this character's life. Bane's entrance comes as no surprise, nor is the way that Fett beats him. But, I think thematically, the killing of Bane is a reflection of Fett turning his back on his former life, what Bane represented. No longer a hunter, but a protector; no longer an employee but an employer. It's telling that Fett does not go to kill the Pyke leaders in Eisley but lets Shand handle it. Shows a measure of growth. Overall, episode 7 I rank higher than the last two, and the battles are a lot of fun. Mos Espa feels suitably big enough to be the stage of Fett's heroics, while you still get a good sense of the size of the town. I really like the Pykes as an enemy, and probably one of the more interesting alien races in Star Wars in a while. I would rate the Book of Boba Fett over Mandalorian, but I am also curious about Season 3 of Mandalorian because of Book of Boba Fett.