COMON Network

By Sam Hixson, Guest Contributor

We last left the Mandalorian and Baby Yoda traveling around in the completely trashed Razor Crest. They are performing maintenance as the Razor Crest travels and we quickly find out that the Child is no electrician. Side note this was an unreal episode for Baby Yoda cuteness, all you Baby Yoda fans out there will enjoy how much they get America’s most popular baby screen time. That little dude treats Razor Crest like a Kennywood Coaster and I’m here for it. After a brief discussion over some soup (Which is a Baby Yoda favorite, even though I’m starting to think everything is his favorite, the lad is growing of course) they decide that they will be going back to Nevarro.

While anywhere is dangerous for the Mandalorian to go, you would have to assume Nevarro would be a more desired destination for him while carrying the Child because of the allies he has there. Cara Dune and Greef Karga have a pretty good hold of things on Nevarro with law and order. We knew their reintroduction would come eventually in season 2 and I’m sure it won’t be the last we see of them. Favreau frequently puts an emphasis on the Mandalorian being stronger when he doesn’t have to do things by himself. The lone wolf mentality can only get you so far in a galaxy so big and so dangerous. The way the Mandalorian has gone from the hunter to the hunted since acquiring the Child only increases his risk of going at things alone. I mean who wouldn’t be stronger with help? Dune and Karga only bring out efficiency in Mando when it comes to getting the job done. They are also the closest thing to friends that he has besides the Child. It never hurts to ask for help, and Mando gets some much needed help with his ship getting repaired. That repair is coming at a crucial time too. Because every episode seems to have a person who recognizes the Mandalorian and rats to the Empire and on Nevarro we get a glimpse of who Mando’s rat is as soon as he lands. It is the one mechanic who ends up placing a tracking device on his ship that we find out at the end of the episode which is very bad news for Mando and the Child. Throw that in with them finding out that Moff Gideon is still alive and it sets up for a dangerous next episode.

I always find it funny that the people that sell the Mandalorian out are usually common people. It just shows the value that the Empire places on Baby Yoda. They have a reward so large on him that anyone from a bar keeper to a mechanic will take a run at the Mandalorian. The m-count of Baby Yoda is absurdly high and that is why he is so valuable to the Empire who has something brewing at the base that Mando and company infiltrate. The doctor from season 1 who was drawing blood from Baby Yoda when Mando originally turned him over reveals something that as audience members we already knew but Mando was not aware of. Moff Gideon is very much alive and has his eyes on acquiring the Child.

The lousy shot Stormtroopers can’t take down the quartet even though it is a 50 v 4 handicap match and the Empire base on Nevarro gets compromised. Certainly this is progressive for the Mandalorian, but his journey will only get harder as he is now being tracked by the Empire. The end of the episode shows Moff Gideon in his lab of sorts and even though we do not get a good look at what is being made, it will be tough to take down. Where next for the Mandalorian? Well he has a now healthy ship, he’s being aggressively hunted by the Empire and he has their most wanted asset. He needs reinforcements and I think the next episode has to be the debut of Ahsoka Tano who we heard about in Episode 3. Mando originally wanted to get the Child with people who can help him thrive and use his powers for good. I don’t think departing the Child will be easy at this point for him even though it makes being under the radar a lot easier. He is much more of a father figure than he ever realized. New Mandalorian on Friday has to have some big twists. I know I’ll be watching.