The Mandalorian Chapter 16 Review
Don’t be afraid, kid
Well, another season of the Mandalorian has ended. Season 2 really did a wonderful job connecting the Star Wars universe while also establishing itself as an independent part of the franchise. I truly had a blast watching all the unique characters Mando got to meet, new and old worlds that were explored, and the adventures this season held.
One last Season 2 synopsis
The Mandalorian and the Child continue their journey in a dangerous galaxy.
This episode was fantastic. It had great action sequences, it had chilling conflict, it had emotion, and it left a lot of things wide open for Season 3. I believe that was the intention; we are left unknown the fate of Moff Gideon’s experiments, Bo Katan and Mandalore, and whether or not we’ll see Baby Yoda/Grogu again.
Oh, also, a casual tease into Boba Fett’s show in 2021. Very well done, Disney. Fett was a great re-addition, so I will definitely be watching the Book of Boba in 2021.
Speaking of Fett, the internal conflict between the Mandalorians during this episode looks to be a bit of foreshadowing in Season 3. I imagine the Mandalorian clusters remaining in the galaxy will retake their home, only for their to be another civil war. Din/Mando is the technical ruler of Mandalore: we saw Darth Maul win over the planet in the Clone Wars by defeating its ruler in lightsaber combat, as Mando did to Moff Gideon this season. Expect this to push Bo Katan to a dark place: I predict she’ll play a sort of villainous role in Season 3 as a result.
I didn’t love the dialogue between the Imperial pilot and Cara Dune at the beginning, only because the conversation felt a little forced. I get the purpose it held (again, Dune is a very interesting character), but it just felt crammed in there. There’s better way to move her story along IMO.
I also wished this episode was a bit longer- the pacing felt rushed at times. Maybe I’m being a bit greedy there, but I would’ve enjoyed this episode to be a few minutes longer.
Okay let’s talk about it. I know you’re waiting for me to mention Luke. I was shocked honestly, but as soon as the X-wing came in, I knew who it was. The choice of Jedi to find Grogu makes complete sense: Luke is rebuilding the Jedi Order prior to Ben Solo’s birth. The CGI/de-aging wasn’t great however and was definitely something that threw me off, buttttttt watching prime Luke Skywalker tear throw droids was awesome.
Speaking of droids, a shame we only got a glimpse of the Dark Troopers. They were among many things the Mandalorian resurrected from Star Wars legends, but their design was really well done.
After two seasons of adventure together, the Baby Yoda/Mando duo is finally done. I will admit, I got teary-eyed seeing Mando pass Grogu to Luke, removing his helmet so the child could see his care takers face. The reality of things is that this is Mando’s show: maybe this is for the best. I’m sure we’ll see Baby Yoda again, but this show needs to continue to grow, and Grogu/Baby Yoda’s story arc has seemingly come to an end, at least for now. (I’m trying to be strong here I am DEVASTATED these two are splitting up).
I liked the lightsaber duel between Moff Gideon and Mando, but I would’ve liked to have seen it fleshed out a bit more. It was a struggle of a fight; Gideon desperately trying to stay in control while Mando struggled to fight for the one thing he cared about. I hope Mando gets to use this in Season 3: the dark saber is SO COOL.
Score: 8.9/10: As a Star Wars fan, The Rescue was a beautiful way to wrap things up for a fantastic second season of the show. It left us with both an emotional end while also setting up an unknown future for future seasons.
Christmas 2021, I’ll be waiting for you. It’s been an absolute joy to write about this show again. I may do a Season 2 final episode rankings article, or maybe a Season 3 wish list article. Whatever the case, I love this show. Thank you all for joining me on this adventure, and as always, may the Force be with you.
