The Mandalorian Episode 3 Review
by Mike Lunsford, Editor-In-Chief of The Great Geek Refuge
Warning: There will be spoilers ahead!!!
Hey GGR readers, our normal reviewer for this series, Benjamin Shapiro is going to be out of town for the next two episodes, so I will be subbing for him. BUT HE GAVE ME THE LESSON PLAN! So none of you kids try anything crazy, I know what you’re supposed to be doing!
There isn’t much out there in the Star Wars universe and extended universe that I won’t get up for, and The Mandalorian is no different. Even with certain series or movies that were not the best, I still appreciate them. So when I got back from vacation last Sunday and decided to catch up on the series that I was going to watch regardless of reviews, I was pleasantly surprised when it was really damn good. Just as Benjamin has stated in his first 2 reviews, the series feels like a spaghetti western shot in a galaxy far, far away. It’s a perfect mash-up of two genres and the 3rd episode fits right along with the first 2. In fact, it actually expands on some of the famous Star Wars lore. So let’s jump into episode 3, titled “The Sin.” Let’s hit the recap first.
As we last left our hero, the Mandalorian and Baby Yoda are coming out of hyperspace (the yodeling as fellow GGR’er James Rambo has referred to him). He recieves a holo-message from Greef Karga (Carl Weathers) stating his pleasure with “Mando’s” success in acquiring the target and that their Imperial client is eager to receive the goods. Mando takes the yodeling to Grand Moff Warner Herzog and his creepy, possibly-worked-on-Kamino-with-the-cloning-department friend and gets handsomely rewarded in the form of Beskar; a metal that is strong enough to deflect laser blasts and withstand lightsaber strikes. The Mandalorian makes the mistake of asking the client what they plan to do with “the kid,” which gets a frosty response: guild members aren’t supposed to ask such questions.
no one good ever wears glasses like those. They’re up to something evil.
While in the Mandalorian underground “covert,” Mando turns his Beskar haul into some sweet shiny new armor. We also get to see more of the Mandalorians who are in hiding on this planet. There are interesting aspects of their culture that is revealed, such as their distaste for the Empire after their occupation of their homeworld, with one of the other Mandalorians chastising Mando for taking work from former Imperials. They also show their integrity and adherence to a strict moral code even when disagreements arise as their fight is stopped by the armorer reminding them that they’re “same team” essentially.
Anxious to get back to hunting, Mando makes his way to the cantina. He still wants to know what the Empire intends to do with “the kid,” and asks Apollo Creed…oops, I mean Greef Karga. He gets the same dismissive response: a guild member never asks such things. Mando takes the bounty for a Mon Calamarian and makes his way to his ship. As he powers it up, he is reminded of the Kid and in a pivotal moment, has a change of heart. He makes his way to the Imperial’s location and blasts his way inside. There he finds the Kid, attached to some sort of device. He takes the Kid from the sniveling crony of Moff Herzog, who begs for his life, swearing they didn’t hurt it. As he makes his way out of the facility, he takes out at least a dozen stormtroopers in impressive and badass ways.
With the Kid in tow, the Mandalorian makes his way to his ship. However, every bounty hunter in close proximity is alerted by the tracking fob. We are treated to an old-west-style showdown as Mando is surrounded by a wretched hive of scum and villainy with no way out and ultimatums to turn over the Kid or get blasted. He manages to take cover and take out a few of the bounty hunters but things look bleak for him and Yodeling. When things look like there is no hope, Mando is saved by his Mandalorian brethren who jump into the fray, jet packs and gattling guns a-blazin’.
I got a feeling “heavy infantry Mandalorian” is going to be showing up in a lot of Google searches after this episode.
His comrades clear a path for Mando as he heads to his ship…only to be confronted by Dillion, that son of a bi….I mean Greef Karga. Mando gets the best of him, blasting him in the chest and right off the loading ramp. Greef manages to survive as his portion of Beskar was hidden beneath his coat and absorbed the blast. Mando and the Kid fly off into hyperspace, on their way to who-knows-where with countless bounty hunters sure to be on their trail. The plot thickens and our hero is truly that as he saves an innocent child.
best friends
The first 2 episodes of The Mandalorian set a great tone for the show, giving us a snapshot of a post-Empire galaxy and how Mando makes his way. The 3rd episode showcases that this is a man of principal and regardless of his chosen profession and the typical disregard-for-taking-sides-except-to-the-highest-bidder that normally comes with it, he stand by his convictions, as do his fellow Mandalorians. The Mandalorian that is known as “the Armorer” has a great quote that really foreshadows what I think the rest of the series will be.
When one choses to walk the way of the Mandalore, you are both hunter and prey.
Mando is most certainly prey now as he has a very valuable package in his possession. Every scoundrel in the galaxy will be looking for him and his green, pointy-eared companion.
What did you think of episode 3? Where do you think Yodeling came from? Let us know in the comments!