The Book of Boba Fett: Chapter 5: Return of the Mandalorian
January 26, 2022 2:35 AM - Season 1, Episode 5 - Subscribe
A new ally emerges.
Look, it’s a cool hot rod, but the Razor Crest was a home. You can’t live in a hot rod.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 3:32 AM on January 26, 2022 [21 favorites]
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 3:32 AM on January 26, 2022 [21 favorites]
I cannot recall ever before seeing an episode of a TV spin-off that was 98% an episode of the parent series.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 5:01 AM on January 26, 2022 [29 favorites]
posted by ricochet biscuit at 5:01 AM on January 26, 2022 [29 favorites]
I mean I really liked it! But... it was just an episode of The Mandalorian. It's interesting how closely the series are intertwined.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 5:10 AM on January 26, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by EndsOfInvention at 5:10 AM on January 26, 2022 [2 favorites]
I really enjoyed this but it hardly seems fair to tease us with Mando season 3 when it’s probably not coming out this year.
Overjoyed to see the Armorer again! So relieved that she survived.
posted by orrnyereg at 5:16 AM on January 26, 2022 [11 favorites]
Overjoyed to see the Armorer again! So relieved that she survived.
posted by orrnyereg at 5:16 AM on January 26, 2022 [11 favorites]
I loved this episode even though, yeah, it was just an episode of Mando.
I think the moral of the story is keep Rodriguez away from directing or you'll get Spy Kids crap like the scooters.
posted by Fleebnork at 6:21 AM on January 26, 2022 [6 favorites]
I think the moral of the story is keep Rodriguez away from directing or you'll get Spy Kids crap like the scooters.
posted by Fleebnork at 6:21 AM on January 26, 2022 [6 favorites]
Bryce Dallas Howard should direct ALL the Star Wars!
posted by briank at 7:04 AM on January 26, 2022 [26 favorites]
posted by briank at 7:04 AM on January 26, 2022 [26 favorites]
Great episode! I'm planning to use "Persistence without insight will lead to the same outcome" at the next available opportunity.
posted by TheophileEscargot at 7:55 AM on January 26, 2022 [18 favorites]
posted by TheophileEscargot at 7:55 AM on January 26, 2022 [18 favorites]
I’ve ventured before that much of the current Star Wars tv is just Favreau and Filoni at twelve playing with their Kenner action figures: Boba Fett riding a rancor! Fett’s ship attacks the sarlacc play set!
This episode felt like that time you were stuck for a day at your cousin’s house while your parents had a dinner party with your aunt and uncle and your cousin was away at camp and he’s like five years older and doesn’t have any good toys so you had to make do with what was there.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 7:57 AM on January 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
This episode felt like that time you were stuck for a day at your cousin’s house while your parents had a dinner party with your aunt and uncle and your cousin was away at camp and he’s like five years older and doesn’t have any good toys so you had to make do with what was there.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 7:57 AM on January 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
I'm planning to use "Persistence without insight will lead to the same outcome" at the next available opportunity.
Maybe the Armorer was the one providing all the epigraphs for The Clone Wars.
posted by 1970s Antihero at 8:28 AM on January 26, 2022 [7 favorites]
Maybe the Armorer was the one providing all the epigraphs for The Clone Wars.
posted by 1970s Antihero at 8:28 AM on January 26, 2022 [7 favorites]
The next Holiday Special is a Hallmark movie about Amy Sedaris and the Jawa.
posted by Gary at 9:42 AM on January 26, 2022 [18 favorites]
posted by Gary at 9:42 AM on January 26, 2022 [18 favorites]
I agree, Bryce Dallas Howard FTW!
posted by mikelieman at 10:12 AM on January 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by mikelieman at 10:12 AM on January 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
I think that was more an Orbital than a Ringworld (and a fairly small one at that, by Culture standards) but even so I think it may be the first megastructure we've seen in the Star Wars universe that is built as a habitat rather than a weapon system.
The flashback to the KX-series droids hunting down survivors in the nuked devastation of Mandalore was a pretty clear visual nod to the T-800s hunting down the human resistance in the flashback (well, flash-forward) in The Terminator.
posted by Major Clanger at 1:36 PM on January 26, 2022 [16 favorites]
The flashback to the KX-series droids hunting down survivors in the nuked devastation of Mandalore was a pretty clear visual nod to the T-800s hunting down the human resistance in the flashback (well, flash-forward) in The Terminator.
posted by Major Clanger at 1:36 PM on January 26, 2022 [16 favorites]
Also, was that a Womp Rat we saw in Beggar's Canyon? I'm glad some survived the teenage Luke Skywalker's reign of terror.
posted by Major Clanger at 1:46 PM on January 26, 2022 [9 favorites]
posted by Major Clanger at 1:46 PM on January 26, 2022 [9 favorites]
The next Holiday Special is a Hallmark movie about Amy Sedaris and the Jawa.
I'm just a big city girl from Mos Eisely, broken down in a remote desert community... but this simple, handsome desert scavenger has taught me the true meaning of Life Day...
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 2:26 PM on January 26, 2022 [19 favorites]
I'm just a big city girl from Mos Eisely, broken down in a remote desert community... but this simple, handsome desert scavenger has taught me the true meaning of Life Day...
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 2:26 PM on January 26, 2022 [19 favorites]
I had a thought about whatever-it-is that the Armorer made for Grogu. If it is, as I suspect, a chain mail shirt, that could be the explanation for how Grogu survives Kylo Ren. If he wore it under his clothes there’s no reason Ben would know he had it. It’s probably more likely that Grogu rejoins Space Dad some time before that, but the idea of a mithril/beskar shirt appeals to me.
posted by orrnyereg at 2:52 PM on January 26, 2022 [15 favorites]
posted by orrnyereg at 2:52 PM on January 26, 2022 [15 favorites]
This episode of The Mandalorian proves to me what is lacking in the Boba Fett show - some levity and depth of character and clear goals. Yeah, they spent 10 minutes cleaning up an old Starfighter but I care about that more than Boba's ship, whatever it's called now. Amy Sedaris' character is fun, which none of the Fett supporting characters are. I know Mando wants to go see Grogu and that's all the motivation I need. Boba often wanders around doing stuff and I don't know why.
Super interesting that Favreau knows how to make Mando fun and can't do the same for Boba.
Super weird that they'd drop an ep of Mando into the middle of Boba.
posted by crossoverman at 3:10 PM on January 26, 2022 [10 favorites]
Super interesting that Favreau knows how to make Mando fun and can't do the same for Boba.
Super weird that they'd drop an ep of Mando into the middle of Boba.
posted by crossoverman at 3:10 PM on January 26, 2022 [10 favorites]
I am sad that Space Dad has to give up his shiny spear, that he knows how to use well, in favour of the darksabre, which he appears to suck at.
Also, that whole spear for one tiny chain mail piece of armour?
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 4:04 PM on January 26, 2022 [4 favorites]
Also, that whole spear for one tiny chain mail piece of armour?
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 4:04 PM on January 26, 2022 [4 favorites]
I was hoping for a gear shift knob made of beskar.
posted by snofoam at 4:34 PM on January 26, 2022 [20 favorites]
posted by snofoam at 4:34 PM on January 26, 2022 [20 favorites]
I was hoping for a gear shift knob made of beskar.
Beskar dice to hang on the rear view.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 4:44 PM on January 26, 2022 [4 favorites]
Beskar dice to hang on the rear view.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 4:44 PM on January 26, 2022 [4 favorites]
It's sad that Space Dad got excommunicated for taking off his helmet to achieve the quest that the Armourer sent him on.
Also, I fell down a rabbit hole trying to figure out the darksabre, and as a consequence watched quite a lot of Clone Wars and Rebels. And all the Death Watch people in those shows take off their helmets all the time. And by Rebels that's only maybe 10-15 years prior to this. So what's the deal? Where did these zealots come from?
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 4:50 PM on January 26, 2022 [5 favorites]
Also, I fell down a rabbit hole trying to figure out the darksabre, and as a consequence watched quite a lot of Clone Wars and Rebels. And all the Death Watch people in those shows take off their helmets all the time. And by Rebels that's only maybe 10-15 years prior to this. So what's the deal? Where did these zealots come from?
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 4:50 PM on January 26, 2022 [5 favorites]
And all the Death Watch people in those shows take off their helmets all the time. And by Rebels that's only maybe 10-15 years prior to this. So what's the deal? Where did these zealots come from?
As I recall that's covered in s2 of Space Dad, when he encounters Bo Katan.
Super weird that they'd drop an ep of Mando into the middle of Boba.
I have a feeling they're playing around with slightly different approaches to world building, and this was clearly the "crossover with the spacedad story" episode that also sets up what he's been doing since the end of s2 AND provides the impetus for S3 - he was searching for his clan, found it, and got cast out. Parallels nicely with bobas family/tribe building efforts this season.
Now we're ready for mando to help boba close out his side quest story arc, and then to join Spacedad rebuilding mando society
posted by coriolisdave at 4:59 PM on January 26, 2022 [2 favorites]
As I recall that's covered in s2 of Space Dad, when he encounters Bo Katan.
Super weird that they'd drop an ep of Mando into the middle of Boba.
I have a feeling they're playing around with slightly different approaches to world building, and this was clearly the "crossover with the spacedad story" episode that also sets up what he's been doing since the end of s2 AND provides the impetus for S3 - he was searching for his clan, found it, and got cast out. Parallels nicely with bobas family/tribe building efforts this season.
Now we're ready for mando to help boba close out his side quest story arc, and then to join Spacedad rebuilding mando society
posted by coriolisdave at 4:59 PM on January 26, 2022 [2 favorites]
As I recall that's covered in s2 of Space Dad, when he encounters Bo Katan.
Answering my own question: All she says is that he's 'A Child of the Watch'. Wookiepedia suggests that this is not actually the Death Watch but a splinter group, The Children of the Watch.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 5:10 PM on January 26, 2022 [3 favorites]
Answering my own question: All she says is that he's 'A Child of the Watch'. Wookiepedia suggests that this is not actually the Death Watch but a splinter group, The Children of the Watch.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 5:10 PM on January 26, 2022 [3 favorites]
Armorer: I'm melting down the spear because beskar shouldn't be used for weapons. Instead you should use this sword (made of some super nice, 1000-year-old beskar).
posted by paper chromatographologist at 5:31 PM on January 26, 2022 [5 favorites]
posted by paper chromatographologist at 5:31 PM on January 26, 2022 [5 favorites]
Armorer: I'm melting down the spear because beskar shouldn't be used for weapons. Instead you should use this sword (made of some super nice, 1000-year-old beskar).
The darksabre, like lightsabres, cannot pierce beskar armour, and so is not a threat to Mandalorians. The beskar spear can pierce beskar armour, so it's a threat. But also the Armourer clearly believes in a lot of bullshit, like you can never take off your helmet, so maybe she's not the best role model.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 5:43 PM on January 26, 2022 [14 favorites]
The darksabre, like lightsabres, cannot pierce beskar armour, and so is not a threat to Mandalorians. The beskar spear can pierce beskar armour, so it's a threat. But also the Armourer clearly believes in a lot of bullshit, like you can never take off your helmet, so maybe she's not the best role model.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 5:43 PM on January 26, 2022 [14 favorites]
How was this episode of Mando deals with the Star Wars TSA and then does some mechanic work THAT much better TV than every other episode of this whole series combined?
And... Does Mando carry a DOLL OF BABY YODA?
posted by synecdoche at 5:53 PM on January 26, 2022 [6 favorites]
And... Does Mando carry a DOLL OF BABY YODA?
posted by synecdoche at 5:53 PM on January 26, 2022 [6 favorites]
Look, it’s a cool hot rod, but the Razor Crest was a home. You can’t live in a hot rod.
Very much concur. Not much in the way of trunk space either - doesn't exactly lend itself to stashing a bunch of freeze-dried baddies.
I wonder if Spacedad might end up with Boba's ship as a daily drive, with this strapped on top (or traded with Boba? Boba has a whole-ass palace now, but a fun hotrod could be sweet)
posted by coriolisdave at 6:00 PM on January 26, 2022 [2 favorites]
Very much concur. Not much in the way of trunk space either - doesn't exactly lend itself to stashing a bunch of freeze-dried baddies.
I wonder if Spacedad might end up with Boba's ship as a daily drive, with this strapped on top (or traded with Boba? Boba has a whole-ass palace now, but a fun hotrod could be sweet)
posted by coriolisdave at 6:00 PM on January 26, 2022 [2 favorites]
At least one outlet is speculating that the new starfighter is the same that Anakin flew in Ep 1. This would be very stupid and totally on brand for Star Wars.
posted by paper chromatographologist at 6:00 PM on January 26, 2022 [15 favorites]
posted by paper chromatographologist at 6:00 PM on January 26, 2022 [15 favorites]
Just watched a Screencrush episode that compared the ID tags around the cockpit to conclude they're different ships.
posted by coriolisdave at 6:02 PM on January 26, 2022 [6 favorites]
posted by coriolisdave at 6:02 PM on January 26, 2022 [6 favorites]
Huh. I had a very different reaction to most of this. I did not care for the hot-rod mechanic montage or the George Lucas-style 50s nostalgia powering the whole sequence. The earlier sequence with Mando, Armorer, and Visla on the walkway without railings hovering over space gave me legit anxiety. I do not like heights, and I felt like I was about to fall into the fucking abyss that entire time. Even knowing Mando had his jetpack on, I was freaking out when he fell off the first time -- and the second time too.
posted by Saxon Kane at 6:29 PM on January 26, 2022
posted by Saxon Kane at 6:29 PM on January 26, 2022
That empty repair droid bubble screams baby yoda carrier.
Flying cattle class in the space airplane was an interesting touch.
posted by joeyh at 6:38 PM on January 26, 2022 [7 favorites]
Flying cattle class in the space airplane was an interesting touch.
posted by joeyh at 6:38 PM on January 26, 2022 [7 favorites]
That empty repair droid bubble screams baby yoda carrier.
good catch! I was hoping he'd end up with that cute BD bot, that (until I hear otherwise) I'm going to assume is BD-1 and will lead him to a neat cross-genre meetup
posted by coriolisdave at 7:02 PM on January 26, 2022 [2 favorites]
good catch! I was hoping he'd end up with that cute BD bot, that (until I hear otherwise) I'm going to assume is BD-1 and will lead him to a neat cross-genre meetup
posted by coriolisdave at 7:02 PM on January 26, 2022 [2 favorites]
Clarifying my earlier comment: I didn't like the garage montage (mont-garage?), but I DID appreciate the tension of the earlier scene. The legit anxiety was a good thing, because watching this show thus far I have been, like the central character's performance, cold and dead.
Sorry Mr. Morrison. That was a low- blow. I really don't mean to bag on the guy, because after all, he's playing fucking Boba Fett, and I'm a regular jag-off. I mean, let's be honest. Anyways, he looks lost in the part, to me, like he is not getting the direction or something that he needs.
In conclusion, I, too, think Robert Rodriguez shouldn't direct Star Wars.
posted by Saxon Kane at 7:40 PM on January 26, 2022 [3 favorites]
Sorry Mr. Morrison. That was a low- blow. I really don't mean to bag on the guy, because after all, he's playing fucking Boba Fett, and I'm a regular jag-off. I mean, let's be honest. Anyways, he looks lost in the part, to me, like he is not getting the direction or something that he needs.
In conclusion, I, too, think Robert Rodriguez shouldn't direct Star Wars.
posted by Saxon Kane at 7:40 PM on January 26, 2022 [3 favorites]
I'm just glad Paul Sun-Hyung Lee was there.
posted by RakDaddy at 7:40 PM on January 26, 2022 [7 favorites]
posted by RakDaddy at 7:40 PM on January 26, 2022 [7 favorites]
And... Does Mando carry a DOLL OF BABY YODA?
I think you are referring to the end of the scene of his commercial flight and takes out the mystery gift for Grogu? I too noticed how the cloth bundle looked like like the head/ears of Baby Yoda (no doubt deliberately).
(At the 27:57 mark)
posted by mikepop at 7:55 PM on January 26, 2022 [6 favorites]
I think you are referring to the end of the scene of his commercial flight and takes out the mystery gift for Grogu? I too noticed how the cloth bundle looked like like the head/ears of Baby Yoda (no doubt deliberately).
(At the 27:57 mark)
posted by mikepop at 7:55 PM on January 26, 2022 [6 favorites]
Sorry Mr. Morrison. That was a low- blow. I really don't mean to bag on the guy, because after all, he's playing fucking Boba Fett, and I'm a regular jag-off. I mean, let's be honest. Anyways, he looks lost in the part, to me, like he is not getting the direction or something that he needs.
I sure see what you mean, he's not been as.. imposing.. in this series as he was in - say - his entrance in The Mando. That initial combat scene with the imps was eye-wateringly good.
Everything since that has been a trifle meh
posted by coriolisdave at 8:02 PM on January 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
I sure see what you mean, he's not been as.. imposing.. in this series as he was in - say - his entrance in The Mando. That initial combat scene with the imps was eye-wateringly good.
Everything since that has been a trifle meh
posted by coriolisdave at 8:02 PM on January 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
"Also, was that a Womp Rat we saw in Beggar's Canyon? "
If it was, it had to be a baby, because it looked way smaller than not much bigger than two metres.
posted by jonathanhughes at 8:03 PM on January 26, 2022 [2 favorites]
If it was, it had to be a baby, because it looked way smaller than not much bigger than two metres.
posted by jonathanhughes at 8:03 PM on January 26, 2022 [2 favorites]
"Also, was that a Womp Rat we saw in Beggar's Canyon? "
I thought the thing that nearly ate Amy Sedaris that Mando shot was a womp rat.
posted by crossoverman at 8:12 PM on January 26, 2022 [3 favorites]
I thought the thing that nearly ate Amy Sedaris that Mando shot was a womp rat.
posted by crossoverman at 8:12 PM on January 26, 2022 [3 favorites]
Super weird that they'd drop an ep of Mando into the middle of Boba.
posted by crossoverman
Are we not doing eponysterical anymore?
posted by rp at 8:14 PM on January 26, 2022 [16 favorites]
posted by crossoverman
Are we not doing eponysterical anymore?
posted by rp at 8:14 PM on January 26, 2022 [16 favorites]
That was hella weird. They just did an episode of a different show, like they knew we’d rather be watching that one. That’s just really weird.
posted by skewed at 8:47 PM on January 26, 2022 [12 favorites]
posted by skewed at 8:47 PM on January 26, 2022 [12 favorites]
The earlier sequence with Mando, Armorer, and Visla on the walkway without railings hovering over space gave me legit anxiety
walkways without railways is also very star wars...maybe the most star wars thing, considering how many major events in star wars involve people falling over into pits
posted by eustatic at 8:53 PM on January 26, 2022 [10 favorites]
walkways without railways is also very star wars...maybe the most star wars thing, considering how many major events in star wars involve people falling over into pits
posted by eustatic at 8:53 PM on January 26, 2022 [10 favorites]
actually, now that i think about it, that's what the sequels were missing, characters falling
posted by eustatic at 8:55 PM on January 26, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by eustatic at 8:55 PM on January 26, 2022 [3 favorites]
New Republic OSHA is just Imperial OSHA that feels guilty about not doing anything.
posted by RakDaddy at 9:06 PM on January 26, 2022 [9 favorites]
posted by RakDaddy at 9:06 PM on January 26, 2022 [9 favorites]
I liked this ep, but it's kind of a problem: this is a 7-episode arc. And it feels like more has happened in Mando's life in this one ep than anything that happened with Boba Fett in the past four. There are literally only 2 episodes left in this season and straight-up I still do not know what this show is about.
I take that back, I understand what half the show is about: half the show is the adventure of how Boba got from the Sarlac pit to the present day. I like this half. I like the idea of a story about a bad-ass who was left for dead, robbed, enslaved, and has to scrape his way from the bottom to build himself up into a bad-ass again.
It's just that, I do not understand the other, present, half of the story. He wants to be a... crime lord? Of a shit town on tatooine? Because... I'm not sure? Someone on reddit said that would be like wanting to be the crime lord of Gary, Indiana.
And like, when I think about it, I could see a story there, where this John Wick-type former bad-ass just wants to live a regular peaceful life, and understands that he might need to get some bad guys to lay off his people a little bit. But the leap from "I'm going to get people to stop shooting at my adopted family" to "I'm going to replace the mob" isn't working.
And that's crazy, because that formula worked really, really well in Breaking Bad. A guy who just wanted a little taste of crime to get some money to take care of his family went one step at a time until Walter White was a goddamn master criminal.
But here? Jesus christ what is the story? When will the story set in the present day start? I feel like we're stuck in act one of the three act structure but we're still waiting on an inciting incident to get this story started. And we have two episodes left to cover acts 2 and 3.
I've got a bad feeling about this...
posted by nushustu at 9:13 PM on January 26, 2022 [6 favorites]
I take that back, I understand what half the show is about: half the show is the adventure of how Boba got from the Sarlac pit to the present day. I like this half. I like the idea of a story about a bad-ass who was left for dead, robbed, enslaved, and has to scrape his way from the bottom to build himself up into a bad-ass again.
It's just that, I do not understand the other, present, half of the story. He wants to be a... crime lord? Of a shit town on tatooine? Because... I'm not sure? Someone on reddit said that would be like wanting to be the crime lord of Gary, Indiana.
And like, when I think about it, I could see a story there, where this John Wick-type former bad-ass just wants to live a regular peaceful life, and understands that he might need to get some bad guys to lay off his people a little bit. But the leap from "I'm going to get people to stop shooting at my adopted family" to "I'm going to replace the mob" isn't working.
And that's crazy, because that formula worked really, really well in Breaking Bad. A guy who just wanted a little taste of crime to get some money to take care of his family went one step at a time until Walter White was a goddamn master criminal.
But here? Jesus christ what is the story? When will the story set in the present day start? I feel like we're stuck in act one of the three act structure but we're still waiting on an inciting incident to get this story started. And we have two episodes left to cover acts 2 and 3.
I've got a bad feeling about this...
posted by nushustu at 9:13 PM on January 26, 2022 [6 favorites]
Maybe the lack of railings is a custom that actually traces back to a period of Mandalorian dominance over the galaxy, and was intentional (back then) to give the people with jetpacks a big tactical advantage and make all the non-Mandalorians nervous. And then everyone just gradually got used to it, so now it's just "Oh we've always done it that way. Would look weird if we didn't."
No the thing that puzzled me about it was the mechanics of the Dyson ring. Once you're on the outside of it, facing outer space instead of the star, shouldn't the gravity from the mass of the ring pull you back towards the ring if you fall? Or is it actually centrifugal force from the ring spinning, rather than gravity, that makes them seem to "fall" away from the ring? In that case, it still seems like you'd fall a ways....and then gradually gravity would counteract the inertia and pull you back towards the ring.
Anyways, point is, the ring-world was cool and all but I want to run around on it dropping things off walkways and seeing where/if they land.
posted by mstokes650 at 9:21 PM on January 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
No the thing that puzzled me about it was the mechanics of the Dyson ring. Once you're on the outside of it, facing outer space instead of the star, shouldn't the gravity from the mass of the ring pull you back towards the ring if you fall? Or is it actually centrifugal force from the ring spinning, rather than gravity, that makes them seem to "fall" away from the ring? In that case, it still seems like you'd fall a ways....and then gradually gravity would counteract the inertia and pull you back towards the ring.
Anyways, point is, the ring-world was cool and all but I want to run around on it dropping things off walkways and seeing where/if they land.
posted by mstokes650 at 9:21 PM on January 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
“I dated a Jawa, I know what I’m doing.” This just made me miss watching the mandalorian.
posted by WedgedPiano at 9:39 PM on January 26, 2022 [17 favorites]
posted by WedgedPiano at 9:39 PM on January 26, 2022 [17 favorites]
Was anyone else put off by the elevator on the orbital ring?
posted by Pronoiac at 10:22 PM on January 26, 2022
posted by Pronoiac at 10:22 PM on January 26, 2022
Could this really have been the plan all along? To do four episodes of a Boba Fett show, and then jump straight to The Mandalorian s3e1 for a week? Only two scenes in this whole hour even connect to the story we've been watching so far.
Was this a panicked mid season audible? Is there a lost 5th episode of Boba Fett sitting in the Lucasfilm vault next to all the deleted scenes from Rogue One and all the abandoned plot threads from Solo? I'm so confused. And I'll be back next week for sure, so mission accomplished I suppose.
posted by EatTheWeek at 10:30 PM on January 26, 2022
Was this a panicked mid season audible? Is there a lost 5th episode of Boba Fett sitting in the Lucasfilm vault next to all the deleted scenes from Rogue One and all the abandoned plot threads from Solo? I'm so confused. And I'll be back next week for sure, so mission accomplished I suppose.
posted by EatTheWeek at 10:30 PM on January 26, 2022
This man is a bounty hunter. Where exactly is he going to put a bounty in this thing??
posted by sixswitch at 10:55 PM on January 26, 2022 [6 favorites]
posted by sixswitch at 10:55 PM on January 26, 2022 [6 favorites]
This man is a bounty hunter. Where exactly is he going to put a bounty in this thing??
I guess that extra passenger bubble could fit several severed heads? And Grogu does like round things.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 11:03 PM on January 26, 2022 [4 favorites]
I guess that extra passenger bubble could fit several severed heads? And Grogu does like round things.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 11:03 PM on January 26, 2022 [4 favorites]
I was embarrassed by how much I enjoyed this episode. I've written fanfiction where a sequel-era character cannibalized a hyperdrive from a clone wars era starfighter including a lengthy excursion into reprogramming the thing to boot again despite multiple date format changes so I guess this shit just got me right where I live. There were some rad fucken ships in the clone wars and some of the raddest were made on Naboo.
I think the N-1 is too flashy a ride for him though. I mean it's definitely an attention getter and the last thing he usually needs is attention.
I think I don't even need to talk about how much I loved Mando taking off all his weapons to get on the Southwest flight. And what a testament to the New Republic's security regime that all his stuff was still in the crate when he got it back! I was like "bro that darksaber is gonna get STOLEN" when he put it in the box.
Anyway. I did not mind seeing these characters again. I have been trying to convince myself that I enjoy the Boba Fett show but this episode reminded me that actually it isn't that great and I am not really enjoying it that much and I would rather be watching a different Star Wars show, so it was nice to get a surprise episode of a different Star Wars show.
posted by potrzebie at 11:19 PM on January 26, 2022 [15 favorites]
I think the N-1 is too flashy a ride for him though. I mean it's definitely an attention getter and the last thing he usually needs is attention.
I think I don't even need to talk about how much I loved Mando taking off all his weapons to get on the Southwest flight. And what a testament to the New Republic's security regime that all his stuff was still in the crate when he got it back! I was like "bro that darksaber is gonna get STOLEN" when he put it in the box.
Anyway. I did not mind seeing these characters again. I have been trying to convince myself that I enjoy the Boba Fett show but this episode reminded me that actually it isn't that great and I am not really enjoying it that much and I would rather be watching a different Star Wars show, so it was nice to get a surprise episode of a different Star Wars show.
posted by potrzebie at 11:19 PM on January 26, 2022 [15 favorites]
Anyway. I did not mind seeing these characters again. I have been trying to convince myself that I enjoy the Boba Fett show but this episode reminded me that actually it isn't that great and I am not really enjoying it that much and I would rather be watching a different Star Wars show, so it was nice to get a surprise episode of a different Star Wars show.
Yup, I'm trying not to be too hard on Boba Fett, just so I give myself a chance to enjoy the good bits, but five minutes with Mando reminded me of what it's like to be fully engaged with the onscreen activity again. I don't know how a laconic character who doesn't show his face has that much screen presence, but they've clearly got a knack for writing and directing him that they don't have for Fett.
posted by mark k at 11:32 PM on January 26, 2022 [4 favorites]
Yup, I'm trying not to be too hard on Boba Fett, just so I give myself a chance to enjoy the good bits, but five minutes with Mando reminded me of what it's like to be fully engaged with the onscreen activity again. I don't know how a laconic character who doesn't show his face has that much screen presence, but they've clearly got a knack for writing and directing him that they don't have for Fett.
posted by mark k at 11:32 PM on January 26, 2022 [4 favorites]
I legitimately seriously think that yeah, the melted spear was turned into Some Item + a little gear shift knob. He takes it out to look at it lovingly (maybe) when the little alien kid on the commercial flight is looking at him? Surely it must be a little baby yoda fidget toy, no?
posted by lazaruslong at 12:29 AM on January 27, 2022
posted by lazaruslong at 12:29 AM on January 27, 2022
Could this really have been the plan all along? To do four episodes of a Boba Fett show, and then jump straight to The Mandalorian s3e1 for a week? Only two scenes in this whole hour even connect to the story we've been watching so far.
The ending has me even more puzzled. Is Mando's reunion with Grogu going to happen off-screen? Is he going to show up next week having already visited Grogu? Or will Boba have another adventure next week and Mando turns up in the finale? Is next week going to be an episode of the new Asohka show?
Is the whole of season three Mandalorian going to happen in between this episode and next?
I thought the structure of this season, with half of it devoted to flashbacks was weird, but now we get an episodes of another show entirely?
posted by crossoverman at 12:31 AM on January 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
The ending has me even more puzzled. Is Mando's reunion with Grogu going to happen off-screen? Is he going to show up next week having already visited Grogu? Or will Boba have another adventure next week and Mando turns up in the finale? Is next week going to be an episode of the new Asohka show?
Is the whole of season three Mandalorian going to happen in between this episode and next?
I thought the structure of this season, with half of it devoted to flashbacks was weird, but now we get an episodes of another show entirely?
posted by crossoverman at 12:31 AM on January 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
It’s certainly a weird structure for story telling even before throwing in an episode of The Mandalorian. At this rate, presumably we’ll also catch up with Obi-Wan in the next episode or two to kick off his story. I *think* that story is set in the same time period (though I have to admit I’m a bit confused).
posted by chill at 3:11 AM on January 27, 2022
posted by chill at 3:11 AM on January 27, 2022
At this rate, presumably we’ll also catch up with Obi-Wan in the next episode or two to kick off his story. I *think* that story is set in the same time period (though I have to admit I’m a bit confused).
Since this is set five years after Return of the Jedi, Obi Wan is very dead.
By necessity, the Obi Wan show has to occur in between the last prequel movie and A New Hope, while Obi Wan is in hiding on Tatooine.
Anyway I spent too much time reading Star Wars timelines today.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 4:05 AM on January 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
Since this is set five years after Return of the Jedi, Obi Wan is very dead.
By necessity, the Obi Wan show has to occur in between the last prequel movie and A New Hope, while Obi Wan is in hiding on Tatooine.
Anyway I spent too much time reading Star Wars timelines today.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 4:05 AM on January 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
Was anyone else put off by the elevator on the orbital ring?
I actually loved that scene. The sideways glance, the quick look away, and the little sigh that Mando did after the quick look-away. And baggage-checking the weapons for the Space Southwest flight. It's just this weird intrusion of normalcy that has made me really like Mando. Like, he's just this regular guy, y'know? When S1 turned into the space dad saga, I was initially unconvinced, but it's been amazing to see how humanizing a story about a dude who looks like a robot has been.
Kinda the opposite of the Boba story, so far.
posted by rp at 7:06 AM on January 27, 2022 [11 favorites]
I actually loved that scene. The sideways glance, the quick look away, and the little sigh that Mando did after the quick look-away. And baggage-checking the weapons for the Space Southwest flight. It's just this weird intrusion of normalcy that has made me really like Mando. Like, he's just this regular guy, y'know? When S1 turned into the space dad saga, I was initially unconvinced, but it's been amazing to see how humanizing a story about a dude who looks like a robot has been.
Kinda the opposite of the Boba story, so far.
posted by rp at 7:06 AM on January 27, 2022 [11 favorites]
Also loved the return of the space cops.
posted by rp at 7:25 AM on January 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by rp at 7:25 AM on January 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
Was anyone else put off by the elevator on the orbital ring?
That whole bit was also a pretty long one-er. I have a feeling Howard did that to show how they could rearrange the Volume in real time, off camera.
posted by nushustu at 7:45 AM on January 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
That whole bit was also a pretty long one-er. I have a feeling Howard did that to show how they could rearrange the Volume in real time, off camera.
posted by nushustu at 7:45 AM on January 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
Since this is set five years after Return of the Jedi, Obi Wan is very dead.
Obi Wan force ghost in the Ahsoka series is a definite possibility though.
posted by nathan_teske at 8:17 AM on January 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
Obi Wan force ghost in the Ahsoka series is a definite possibility though.
posted by nathan_teske at 8:17 AM on January 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
+1 for replacing Boba Fett with Space CHiPS
posted by q*ben at 8:46 AM on January 27, 2022 [11 favorites]
posted by q*ben at 8:46 AM on January 27, 2022 [11 favorites]
Space CHiPS would be hilarious, especially if you could get Michael Dorn (Worf on Star Trek TNG) on it, as he was in the original CHiPS.
posted by Halloween Jack at 9:01 AM on January 27, 2022 [5 favorites]
posted by Halloween Jack at 9:01 AM on January 27, 2022 [5 favorites]
No the thing that puzzled me about it was the mechanics of the Dyson ring. Once you're on the outside of it, facing outer space instead of the star, shouldn't the gravity from the mass of the ring pull you back towards the ring if you fall?It's rotating fast enough to provide centrifugal force similar to a planet's gravity. If it has a mass larger than that, sure. Although a lot of the ring is very far away from you and so the graviry of that part will be minimal.
(Or, this being star wars, maybe it's got artifical gravity like everything else and is rotating for some other reason. Also who even knows if the inverse cube law is even a thing.)
posted by joeyh at 9:21 AM on January 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
Concur that this new Starfighter is not all that useful for someone without an actual home. Where is he gonna hang his underwear to dry?
I found the discussion with the Armorer interesting: we got confirmation on a bunch of fan theories about the "Covert" and the rest of the Mandalorians. The sect (Children of the Watch? Is that the actual name, or just what Bo-Katan calls these people who are clearly derived from Death Watch?) was on Concordia, and some managed to escape when the Empire finally decided Mandalore was too much trouble. When did that happen? Unclear.
Bo-Katan was given the Darksaber in like 4 BBY by Sabine Wren, who won it from Gar Saxon. Kryze was at first reluctant to accept it. That must have been before the Great Purge.
I guess Moff Gideon swiped the Darksaber during the purge, or actually fought Bo-Katan for it. So she knows better than to accept it as a gift: she was unable to hold onto it last time, and people like the Armorer blame her for that.
I am uncertain as to why Paz Viszla decided he needed to kill Din in the fight for the Darksaber, especially since the Armorer had just dissed Kryze for relying on blood/ancestry to support her claim to rule. Why did Paz think he had more right to the Darksaber, and why did he really try to kill someone who had just thanked him for saving his life? I found the character motivations here difficult, especially given the lack of facial expression.
I still want more information about the Mandalorian diaspora. For one thing, every clone who survived the Empire was raised Mandalorian. For another, we've only seen five or six Mandalorians: where is everyone else?
I suspect that Din could find himself some Mandalorians who are less strict than the Armorer, and less politically fraught than Bo-Katan. People he can share a meal with! Din's problem reminds me of that Netflix show about the young woman raised in a strict Orthodox sect in NYC, who fled to Berlin but kept much of her faith. Just because you leave one community doesn't mean there isn't a place for you.
posted by suelac at 9:39 AM on January 27, 2022 [5 favorites]
I found the discussion with the Armorer interesting: we got confirmation on a bunch of fan theories about the "Covert" and the rest of the Mandalorians. The sect (Children of the Watch? Is that the actual name, or just what Bo-Katan calls these people who are clearly derived from Death Watch?) was on Concordia, and some managed to escape when the Empire finally decided Mandalore was too much trouble. When did that happen? Unclear.
Bo-Katan was given the Darksaber in like 4 BBY by Sabine Wren, who won it from Gar Saxon. Kryze was at first reluctant to accept it. That must have been before the Great Purge.
I guess Moff Gideon swiped the Darksaber during the purge, or actually fought Bo-Katan for it. So she knows better than to accept it as a gift: she was unable to hold onto it last time, and people like the Armorer blame her for that.
I am uncertain as to why Paz Viszla decided he needed to kill Din in the fight for the Darksaber, especially since the Armorer had just dissed Kryze for relying on blood/ancestry to support her claim to rule. Why did Paz think he had more right to the Darksaber, and why did he really try to kill someone who had just thanked him for saving his life? I found the character motivations here difficult, especially given the lack of facial expression.
I still want more information about the Mandalorian diaspora. For one thing, every clone who survived the Empire was raised Mandalorian. For another, we've only seen five or six Mandalorians: where is everyone else?
I suspect that Din could find himself some Mandalorians who are less strict than the Armorer, and less politically fraught than Bo-Katan. People he can share a meal with! Din's problem reminds me of that Netflix show about the young woman raised in a strict Orthodox sect in NYC, who fled to Berlin but kept much of her faith. Just because you leave one community doesn't mean there isn't a place for you.
posted by suelac at 9:39 AM on January 27, 2022 [5 favorites]
Concur that this new Starfighter is not all that useful for someone without an actual home. Where is he gonna hang his underwear to dry?
Space commercial airlines implies the existence of space Holiday Inn Express.
posted by paper chromatographologist at 9:45 AM on January 27, 2022 [15 favorites]
Space commercial airlines implies the existence of space Holiday Inn Express.
posted by paper chromatographologist at 9:45 AM on January 27, 2022 [15 favorites]
I have been working from the assumption that this entire series is just exposition to go along with the main Mandalorian series, catching us up on some missing backstory for Fett and putting things in place for s3 of Mando. This episode pretty much solidifies this for me.
I would not be at all surprised if Fett and Shand just rejoin Mando in the main series after some showdown wraps up this one. Or, Mando s3 starts on Tatooine, with the war against the Pykes. We're never going to get "Boba Fett, Crime Lord" as an actual show.
Also, I am quivering with anticipation that we get a Grogu cameo in one of the next two eps.
posted by briank at 10:57 AM on January 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
I would not be at all surprised if Fett and Shand just rejoin Mando in the main series after some showdown wraps up this one. Or, Mando s3 starts on Tatooine, with the war against the Pykes. We're never going to get "Boba Fett, Crime Lord" as an actual show.
Also, I am quivering with anticipation that we get a Grogu cameo in one of the next two eps.
posted by briank at 10:57 AM on January 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
I would not be at all surprised if Fett and Shand just rejoin Mando in the main series after some showdown wraps up this one.
Most likely outcome. The second and third acts are the first and second half of the next season of Mando. Which also maybe explains why this series didn’t really go anywhere.
Edit: referenced CHiPS above but think we’d be more likely to get Outer Rim 911. Which is arguably better.
posted by q*ben at 11:22 AM on January 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
Most likely outcome. The second and third acts are the first and second half of the next season of Mando. Which also maybe explains why this series didn’t really go anywhere.
Edit: referenced CHiPS above but think we’d be more likely to get Outer Rim 911. Which is arguably better.
posted by q*ben at 11:22 AM on January 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
Most likely outcome. The second and third acts are the first and second half of the next season of Mando. Which also maybe explains why this series didn’t really go anywhere.
Not sure if this is still the case, but last I heard, Disney had *10* Star Wars shows in development, a figure that I find exhausting. I'm more and more of the mind that there should be *one* show, and that it should be called "Star Wars."
posted by EatTheWeek at 11:37 AM on January 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
Not sure if this is still the case, but last I heard, Disney had *10* Star Wars shows in development, a figure that I find exhausting. I'm more and more of the mind that there should be *one* show, and that it should be called "Star Wars."
posted by EatTheWeek at 11:37 AM on January 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
I think that was more an Orbital than a Ringworld (and a fairly small one at that, by Culture standards)
Ah! That didn’t even occur to me, but that would really cool. As an aside, I would watch the hell out of a Culture series.
Anywho...
I mean, it was fun seeing Mando again, but it sure was a loooooong way to go just to get the invite to join up with BF. I’m sure we all assumed that was going to be the ultimate payoff as soon as we saw Mando, so the rest of the ep was pretty much filler and/or an extended preview for Mando s3. I guess s3 will be Mando trekking to restore his honor, and Paz out to get the darksaber from him?
Agree about the speeder being totally inadequate for the bounty hunter trade.
Mando having to check his weapons was dumb. How did get to the orbital in the first place without having to check them?
Did anyone else think it was odd that Mando had no idea where the secret Mandalorian lair was, but it was known by civilians? And, he conveniently could arrange a bounty job to get the info? I dunno...It just felt like sloppy writing to me.
posted by Thorzdad at 12:25 PM on January 27, 2022
Ah! That didn’t even occur to me, but that would really cool. As an aside, I would watch the hell out of a Culture series.
Anywho...
I mean, it was fun seeing Mando again, but it sure was a loooooong way to go just to get the invite to join up with BF. I’m sure we all assumed that was going to be the ultimate payoff as soon as we saw Mando, so the rest of the ep was pretty much filler and/or an extended preview for Mando s3. I guess s3 will be Mando trekking to restore his honor, and Paz out to get the darksaber from him?
Agree about the speeder being totally inadequate for the bounty hunter trade.
Mando having to check his weapons was dumb. How did get to the orbital in the first place without having to check them?
Did anyone else think it was odd that Mando had no idea where the secret Mandalorian lair was, but it was known by civilians? And, he conveniently could arrange a bounty job to get the info? I dunno...It just felt like sloppy writing to me.
posted by Thorzdad at 12:25 PM on January 27, 2022
Mando having to check his weapons was dumb. How did get to the orbital in the first place without having to check them?
Bo Katan may have dropped him off in her shiny new light cruiser that they captured in the end of Space Dad season 2? Maybe he hitched a ride with someone else. He's made plenty of friends.
Did anyone else think it was odd that Mando had no idea where the secret Mandalorian lair was, but it was known by civilians? And, he conveniently could arrange a bounty job to get the info? I dunno...It just felt like sloppy writing to me.
The information he sought was how to get to the underside, not where to find the covert. It seems like he knew where it was, he just didn't know how to get there.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 2:57 PM on January 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
Bo Katan may have dropped him off in her shiny new light cruiser that they captured in the end of Space Dad season 2? Maybe he hitched a ride with someone else. He's made plenty of friends.
Did anyone else think it was odd that Mando had no idea where the secret Mandalorian lair was, but it was known by civilians? And, he conveniently could arrange a bounty job to get the info? I dunno...It just felt like sloppy writing to me.
The information he sought was how to get to the underside, not where to find the covert. It seems like he knew where it was, he just didn't know how to get there.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 2:57 PM on January 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
That whole bit was also a pretty long one-er. I have a feeling Howard did that to show how they could rearrange the Volume in real time, off camera.
It was impressive. A little shy of two and a half minutes involving multiple sets in the same apparent space. I assume the elevator rotated on the set to pull some of that stuff off.
As her dad wound up (re-)directing Solo, it strikes me that there cannot be many franchises where different iterations have been directed by multiple generations of of the same family. Off the top of my head, I recall that Adam Nimoy directed a couple of episodes of ST:TNG, but nothing else springs to mind.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 7:51 PM on January 27, 2022
It was impressive. A little shy of two and a half minutes involving multiple sets in the same apparent space. I assume the elevator rotated on the set to pull some of that stuff off.
As her dad wound up (re-)directing Solo, it strikes me that there cannot be many franchises where different iterations have been directed by multiple generations of of the same family. Off the top of my head, I recall that Adam Nimoy directed a couple of episodes of ST:TNG, but nothing else springs to mind.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 7:51 PM on January 27, 2022
Also loved the return of the space cops.
The new wingman was the actor who was the body double for Hamill in the last episode of The Mandalorian, which I thought was great for them to include him on-screen.
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 7:51 PM on January 27, 2022 [12 favorites]
The new wingman was the actor who was the body double for Hamill in the last episode of The Mandalorian, which I thought was great for them to include him on-screen.
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 7:51 PM on January 27, 2022 [12 favorites]
As her dad wound up (re-)directing Solo, it strikes me that there cannot be many franchises where different iterations have been directed by multiple generations of of the same family. Off the top of my head, I recall that Adam Nimoy directed a couple of episodes of ST:TNG, but nothing else springs to mind.
Ivan Reitman and Jason Reitman with the Ghostbusters franchise is another recent example.
posted by nathan_teske at 7:58 AM on January 28, 2022 [3 favorites]
Ivan Reitman and Jason Reitman with the Ghostbusters franchise is another recent example.
posted by nathan_teske at 7:58 AM on January 28, 2022 [3 favorites]
Upon rewatch I now feel comfortable saying that I think Mando should have reacted to the unveiling of the N-1 with something along the lines of "you trying to sell me a podracer?" Because without most of the plating that N-1 could easily be mistaken for a podracer! Especially on Tatooine!
posted by potrzebie at 12:34 AM on January 29, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by potrzebie at 12:34 AM on January 29, 2022 [3 favorites]
They would not have spent so much time selling us on the N-1 starfighter if they didn't intend on it being Mando's new daily driver. He has the damn Darksaber now, and a vague mission (restore mandalore, bathe in the Living Waters, restore his honor), he's not going to be bounty hunting much for the foreseeable future I think.
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 8:42 AM on January 29, 2022 [5 favorites]
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 8:42 AM on January 29, 2022 [5 favorites]
Yeah. That dude's bounty hunting days are over, no question. Maybe once in awhile he'll "bring one in cold" for a quick buck and then he's only got to have the head, apparently.
Also, rewatching reminded me of one of the funniest things in this episode that I just wanted to take a second to appreciate: that awkward elevator ride! Little moments like that are what elevates The Mandalorian from "fun show" to "good show".
I think it's eminently plausible the theory that Grogu has a beskar mail shirt that saves him when Ben Solo goes dark. I look forward to seeing if it pans out! And it's clear from this episode that there's material for at least a couple more seasons of The Mandalorian being planned.
posted by potrzebie at 9:43 AM on January 29, 2022 [2 favorites]
Also, rewatching reminded me of one of the funniest things in this episode that I just wanted to take a second to appreciate: that awkward elevator ride! Little moments like that are what elevates The Mandalorian from "fun show" to "good show".
I think it's eminently plausible the theory that Grogu has a beskar mail shirt that saves him when Ben Solo goes dark. I look forward to seeing if it pans out! And it's clear from this episode that there's material for at least a couple more seasons of The Mandalorian being planned.
posted by potrzebie at 9:43 AM on January 29, 2022 [2 favorites]
Mando got the hotrod fighter because he's leveling up very fast. But don't worry, he's going to be a sidekick/dragon for Boba fett. That's also why he doesn't need the flying home anymore, because he's soon moving in to Jaba's palace.
Fett is trying to take over Tattooine because it is a (surprising) backwater hub. Something about space lanes. Mos (espa/isley) is just the first municipality, and he's got the in so he's building power. But he's also trying to take it slow, because he's still finding himself. He turned over a new leaf, and his attempt to protect the sand people taught him he needs to gain managerial skills.
Momdo (the armourer?) got rid of Mando because, while the fight ended, she knew the darksaber wasn't really something she wanted added to the mix. Her and muscles had a plan. And here comes this guy they sacrificed everything to protect... And he wants to rejoin the pack? Nah, he's leveled up. He was a lone wolf, and now he's got a record with the imperials. So it wasn't the helmet thing. That was the reason, but not the reason.
posted by rebent at 4:48 PM on January 29, 2022
Fett is trying to take over Tattooine because it is a (surprising) backwater hub. Something about space lanes. Mos (espa/isley) is just the first municipality, and he's got the in so he's building power. But he's also trying to take it slow, because he's still finding himself. He turned over a new leaf, and his attempt to protect the sand people taught him he needs to gain managerial skills.
Momdo (the armourer?) got rid of Mando because, while the fight ended, she knew the darksaber wasn't really something she wanted added to the mix. Her and muscles had a plan. And here comes this guy they sacrificed everything to protect... And he wants to rejoin the pack? Nah, he's leveled up. He was a lone wolf, and now he's got a record with the imperials. So it wasn't the helmet thing. That was the reason, but not the reason.
posted by rebent at 4:48 PM on January 29, 2022
One thing I've been thinking about is it always seemed like it was our Mando, Din Djarin, who was the one going out of the covert and taking jobs to bring in money for the clan. Was he appointed to be the outside guy? Was he given that job because he wasn't content to sit in the sewers polishing his helmet? Did the Armorer take him for a guy who wouldn't stick to the creed when push came to shove? And did she already know what the answer was before she even asked Mando about his helmet?
I can't help but notice she was a lot more informed about Jedi and Mandalorian lore than she seemed to be in S1 of The Mandalorian, when she called the Jedi a bunch of wizards. I guess she had dumbed it down for Mando but now that he came back with the most legendary Mandalorian weapon ever he was ready for more detail. Heck, she was probably looking for an excuse to kick him out of the nest again, after getting a feel for how he handles himself and the Darksaber.
I wouldn't even be surprised if "Bathe in the Living Waters" is bullshit and per the creed there really is no coming back from exposing your face, but an apostate who brings glory back to Mandalore is better than an apostate who doesn't.
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 5:40 PM on January 29, 2022 [1 favorite]
I can't help but notice she was a lot more informed about Jedi and Mandalorian lore than she seemed to be in S1 of The Mandalorian, when she called the Jedi a bunch of wizards. I guess she had dumbed it down for Mando but now that he came back with the most legendary Mandalorian weapon ever he was ready for more detail. Heck, she was probably looking for an excuse to kick him out of the nest again, after getting a feel for how he handles himself and the Darksaber.
I wouldn't even be surprised if "Bathe in the Living Waters" is bullshit and per the creed there really is no coming back from exposing your face, but an apostate who brings glory back to Mandalore is better than an apostate who doesn't.
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 5:40 PM on January 29, 2022 [1 favorite]
One thing I've been thinking about is it always seemed like it was our Mando, Din Djarin, who was the one going out of the covert and taking jobs to bring in money for the clan. Was he appointed to be the outside guy?
It's established early in Space Dad season 1 that they only went out one at a time to conceal their numbers.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 7:22 PM on January 29, 2022
It's established early in Space Dad season 1 that they only went out one at a time to conceal their numbers.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 7:22 PM on January 29, 2022
My prediction mid episode is that the starfighter is going to be junk before Mando leaves Tatooine. He pretty much wrecked the RC every episode and it's clear this ship is impractical as its replacement. It was just a fun half episode of monster space garage.
posted by OHenryPacey at 7:49 PM on January 29, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by OHenryPacey at 7:49 PM on January 29, 2022 [2 favorites]
Yep. The reason for all the "this ship is so fantastic" stuff might be to trash it and give him a worse one to deal with. I wonder if he ends up with Boba Fett's old ship.
posted by TheophileEscargot at 8:39 PM on January 29, 2022
posted by TheophileEscargot at 8:39 PM on January 29, 2022
The reason for all the "this ship is so fantastic" stuff
...is mostly to sell merch, I expect. The Lego set for this ship will be very in demand (the Mandalorian Starfighter set is currently out-of-stock on Lego.com).
Even when they're good, both of these shows feel like product-focused output, rather than something that sprang from a genuine creative impulse, like they're being made because there's market space and audience for them, not because the stories are particularly interesting or important to tell. Book of Boba Fett as a story holds no interest to me other than its setting; remove the science fiction and it's just lone-wolf warrior survives trial, is taught the importance of relying on others by wise indigenous tribe, and tries to be better because of it....there's no reason that this story has to be set in the Star Wars universe, with these characters, it could just as easily be a western or mob or medieval or criminal-turned-cop. The stories so far have just been bland and generic, with unbelievably great artistic and artisan work rendering it all. Sound and fury, signifying really mundane stories that move awfully slowly.
(That sounds much more harsh than I feel while watching the show, and it's not like the basic plot of Star Wars is particularly interesting or original in the first place. But I cared about what happened to the kid busting swamp rats in Beggar's Canyon, I wanted to know how his story specifically went. I kind of think Favreau and Filoni et al are going for 'mythic' but are landing more on 'generic.' The stories still have to be interesting.)
posted by LooseFilter at 8:54 AM on January 30, 2022 [1 favorite]
...is mostly to sell merch, I expect. The Lego set for this ship will be very in demand (the Mandalorian Starfighter set is currently out-of-stock on Lego.com).
Even when they're good, both of these shows feel like product-focused output, rather than something that sprang from a genuine creative impulse, like they're being made because there's market space and audience for them, not because the stories are particularly interesting or important to tell. Book of Boba Fett as a story holds no interest to me other than its setting; remove the science fiction and it's just lone-wolf warrior survives trial, is taught the importance of relying on others by wise indigenous tribe, and tries to be better because of it....there's no reason that this story has to be set in the Star Wars universe, with these characters, it could just as easily be a western or mob or medieval or criminal-turned-cop. The stories so far have just been bland and generic, with unbelievably great artistic and artisan work rendering it all. Sound and fury, signifying really mundane stories that move awfully slowly.
(That sounds much more harsh than I feel while watching the show, and it's not like the basic plot of Star Wars is particularly interesting or original in the first place. But I cared about what happened to the kid busting swamp rats in Beggar's Canyon, I wanted to know how his story specifically went. I kind of think Favreau and Filoni et al are going for 'mythic' but are landing more on 'generic.' The stories still have to be interesting.)
posted by LooseFilter at 8:54 AM on January 30, 2022 [1 favorite]
There's already a lego model for this ship design though, as Anakin's Clone Wars ship. If it was about merchandising they'd want a brand new design. Also Boba Fett is rated TV 14, they'd want a younger rating if it was merchandise driven.
posted by TheophileEscargot at 12:17 PM on January 30, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by TheophileEscargot at 12:17 PM on January 30, 2022 [1 favorite]
It's 2022 not 1977. Subscription revenue from streaming services is what they're after. The commercial goal is to keep people excited enough about the next series that they don't cancel their Disney Plus subscription and move to Netflix instead. That's why Boba Fett takes over The Mandalorian for an episode, and why Din Djarin has an episode of Boba Fett.
posted by TheophileEscargot at 12:40 PM on January 30, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by TheophileEscargot at 12:40 PM on January 30, 2022 [1 favorite]
TheophileEscargot, you sweet summer child, I promise that "show is written for adults" and "show sells many Lego units and also many other non-Lego toys" are not incompatible concepts, for several reasons. Like half the Lego catalog these days is 14+ including items microtargeted at various adult age cohorts. And kids do in fact watch The Mandalorian. And my child, who has never seen The Mandalorian, owns one of those uncanny wee talking Grogu toys and also a Grogu toothbrush, because people know he likes Star Wars and get him things that say Star Wars on the box. And that same child would very happily own another Lego N-1 starfighter in silver to go with the yellow one he already has, and would ask very few questions about why this one isn't yellow, because N-1 starfighters are, as mentioned upthread, rad, and if he had two of them, he would have one for each hand.
I'm not arguing that decisions on this show are being made primarily for merch reasons. I have no idea. But none of the decisions being made are at all an impediment to making obscene bank on merch. I mean Disney sold bajillions of toys calling a major character "The Child" because we didn't know his name for a season and a half. They know what they're doing.
posted by potrzebie at 4:22 PM on January 30, 2022 [3 favorites]
I'm not arguing that decisions on this show are being made primarily for merch reasons. I have no idea. But none of the decisions being made are at all an impediment to making obscene bank on merch. I mean Disney sold bajillions of toys calling a major character "The Child" because we didn't know his name for a season and a half. They know what they're doing.
posted by potrzebie at 4:22 PM on January 30, 2022 [3 favorites]
There have been 5 N-1 starfighter Lego models, 11+ X-Wings models, 6 versions of Fett's ship. They did a special model of the raider's AT-ST from the Mandalorian despite existing Imperial AT-ST models. "We already made one of these" is 100% not something anyone says in the Lego Star Wars licencing department...
posted by EndsOfInvention at 4:10 AM on January 31, 2022 [8 favorites]
posted by EndsOfInvention at 4:10 AM on January 31, 2022 [8 favorites]
This is the franchise that brought you dozens of white armored clone troopers with different splotches of paint on their helmets.
posted by Fleebnork at 5:25 AM on January 31, 2022 [5 favorites]
posted by Fleebnork at 5:25 AM on January 31, 2022 [5 favorites]
This is the franchise that brought you dozens of white armored clone troopers with different splotches of paint on their helmets.
And we love all of them equally! (RIP, Fives.)
posted by orrnyereg at 11:14 AM on January 31, 2022 [6 favorites]
And we love all of them equally! (RIP, Fives.)
posted by orrnyereg at 11:14 AM on January 31, 2022 [6 favorites]
Super interesting that Favreau knows how to make Mando fun and can't do the same for Boba.
I strongly suspect they're not trying to make Boba Fett. There's a level of seriousness the he has since he's not babysitting
Super weird that they'd drop an ep of Mando into the middle of Boba.
WHERE IS MY FENNECT SHAND EPISODE?!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 5:49 PM on January 31, 2022 [3 favorites]
I strongly suspect they're not trying to make Boba Fett. There's a level of seriousness the he has since he's not babysitting
Super weird that they'd drop an ep of Mando into the middle of Boba.
WHERE IS MY FENNECT SHAND EPISODE?!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 5:49 PM on January 31, 2022 [3 favorites]
Ming Na Wen is amazing. Probably everyone else already knows this and I have just been ignorant, but I peeked at her IMDb page last week and it was just one mindblowing thing after another:
She is 58 years old!! Unbelievable!!
Her first acting credit in the U.S. is “Royal Trumpeter #3” on Mister Rogers!!
She played Chun-Li in the Street Fighter movie!!
She is *actually* Mulan in the hit Disney animated film “Mulan”. Like the Mulan.
posted by chrchr at 9:11 PM on January 31, 2022 [15 favorites]
posted by chrchr at 9:11 PM on January 31, 2022 [15 favorites]
It's established early in Space Dad season 1 that they only went out one at a time to conceal their numbers.
Which makes, like, ZERO sense, especially since the only one we ever see outside is Mando, so I guess everyone else is just chilling in the sewers all the time? Can someone else leave when Mando is off-planet? And also, what, people can't tell the difference between Mandalorians of different sizes and differently painted armor? Wouldn't you get suspicious if you kept seeing a different Mandalorian every other day at the grocery store? Oh, our town just happens to get a lot of Mandalorian tourists coming through, but only 1 at a time, how odd!!
I can't help but notice she was a lot more informed about Jedi and Mandalorian lore than she seemed to be in S1 of The Mandalorian,
This also confused me, as well as Mando's complete ignorance of the Jedi. The Jedi were around for something like 20k+ years before the Republic and the Empire. Din Djarin was born sometime before the year 19BBY, which was when Palpatine executes Protocol 66 and the Jedi are massacred -- so they are still very much a part of current events during his childhood. And he's raised by Mandalorians, who have a long history with the Jedi, so it doesn't make much sense that he would have never heard of them until the events of Season 1. Wouldn't he have learned about the Jedi-Mandalorian War, or really, any of the history of Mandalore? Even if the Empire tried to generally suppress general knowledge about the Jedi, it seems like he would have heard something besides "mysterious wizards" at some point in his life.
But then, Star Wars has always played fast and loose with timelines. I mean, Luke Skywalker was born in 19 BBY, the same year that Obi Wan goes into exile on Tatooine to watch over him. Yet somehow Obi Wan goes from 34 yr old Ewan McGregor to 63 yr old Alec Guiness in the space of 19 years. I guess Tatooine is just hard on the skin.
posted by Saxon Kane at 10:47 AM on February 2, 2022 [2 favorites]
Which makes, like, ZERO sense, especially since the only one we ever see outside is Mando, so I guess everyone else is just chilling in the sewers all the time? Can someone else leave when Mando is off-planet? And also, what, people can't tell the difference between Mandalorians of different sizes and differently painted armor? Wouldn't you get suspicious if you kept seeing a different Mandalorian every other day at the grocery store? Oh, our town just happens to get a lot of Mandalorian tourists coming through, but only 1 at a time, how odd!!
I can't help but notice she was a lot more informed about Jedi and Mandalorian lore than she seemed to be in S1 of The Mandalorian,
This also confused me, as well as Mando's complete ignorance of the Jedi. The Jedi were around for something like 20k+ years before the Republic and the Empire. Din Djarin was born sometime before the year 19BBY, which was when Palpatine executes Protocol 66 and the Jedi are massacred -- so they are still very much a part of current events during his childhood. And he's raised by Mandalorians, who have a long history with the Jedi, so it doesn't make much sense that he would have never heard of them until the events of Season 1. Wouldn't he have learned about the Jedi-Mandalorian War, or really, any of the history of Mandalore? Even if the Empire tried to generally suppress general knowledge about the Jedi, it seems like he would have heard something besides "mysterious wizards" at some point in his life.
But then, Star Wars has always played fast and loose with timelines. I mean, Luke Skywalker was born in 19 BBY, the same year that Obi Wan goes into exile on Tatooine to watch over him. Yet somehow Obi Wan goes from 34 yr old Ewan McGregor to 63 yr old Alec Guiness in the space of 19 years. I guess Tatooine is just hard on the skin.
posted by Saxon Kane at 10:47 AM on February 2, 2022 [2 favorites]
This also confused me, as well as Mando's complete ignorance of the Jedi. The Jedi were around for something like 20k+ years before the Republic and the Empire.
Sure, but he was raised by a weird isolationist cult. He didn't even know that other Mandolorians take off their helmets. He didn't even know he was in a cult.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 3:45 PM on February 2, 2022 [2 favorites]
Sure, but he was raised by a weird isolationist cult. He didn't even know that other Mandolorians take off their helmets. He didn't even know he was in a cult.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 3:45 PM on February 2, 2022 [2 favorites]
Well, right, doesn't that make it MORE likely that he'd have heard about the Jedi? The ancient enemies of the Mandalorians, against whom we must always be vigilant therefore unto us to Follow the Way, yay verily? What I'm saying is that I think he would have heard a story or two, at least.
posted by Saxon Kane at 6:33 PM on February 2, 2022
posted by Saxon Kane at 6:33 PM on February 2, 2022
And it's a cult that obviously knows a little bit about the Republic, Empire, and economics of bounty hunting.
posted by Saxon Kane at 6:39 PM on February 2, 2022
posted by Saxon Kane at 6:39 PM on February 2, 2022
I will not begrudge this season of 'The Book of Boba Fett' purely, and easily, on the strength that it brought us this stealth episode of 'The Mandalorian.'
Amy Sedaris is a pleasure. I love love love her salesbeing strategy and banter to sell an antique to Din Djarin. It's a shtick that's predictable as heck, but that was a fine performance of it. Then topped it with speaking Jawa. Loved that throwaway line.
But, how does one excrete in a flight suit when flying an N-1 for weeks at a time? Is there a closed-loop water recycler? A way to convert bodily waste into CHON and re-synthesize (by adding energy/ reduce entropy) into "food?" There are an awful lot of cofactors and other vital amines that are tricky to chemically synthesize - when you might be considering a range of requirements considering that the end user may be from several different arms of the local galaxy.
At least the Razor Crest has different compartments.
But that rebuilt N-1 looks sexy as Hell. I'm wondering if someone is giving 'Top Gun 2' some snark with the cockpit imagery (Djarin's Mandalorian helmet, Tom Cruise's makeup/ CG aftereffects).
I'm pretty sure that the comment by the New Republic border guards/ tax excisers: "Doesn't match your power drives." is a dig at previous Microsoft Windows operating system installations that'd self-expire when it detected that the motherboard was changed despite everything else including the primary storage unit that the OS was installed on were the same.
posted by porpoise at 9:48 PM on February 2, 2022
Amy Sedaris is a pleasure. I love love love her salesbeing strategy and banter to sell an antique to Din Djarin. It's a shtick that's predictable as heck, but that was a fine performance of it. Then topped it with speaking Jawa. Loved that throwaway line.
But, how does one excrete in a flight suit when flying an N-1 for weeks at a time? Is there a closed-loop water recycler? A way to convert bodily waste into CHON and re-synthesize (by adding energy/ reduce entropy) into "food?" There are an awful lot of cofactors and other vital amines that are tricky to chemically synthesize - when you might be considering a range of requirements considering that the end user may be from several different arms of the local galaxy.
At least the Razor Crest has different compartments.
But that rebuilt N-1 looks sexy as Hell. I'm wondering if someone is giving 'Top Gun 2' some snark with the cockpit imagery (Djarin's Mandalorian helmet, Tom Cruise's makeup/ CG aftereffects).
I'm pretty sure that the comment by the New Republic border guards/ tax excisers: "Doesn't match your power drives." is a dig at previous Microsoft Windows operating system installations that'd self-expire when it detected that the motherboard was changed despite everything else including the primary storage unit that the OS was installed on were the same.
posted by porpoise at 9:48 PM on February 2, 2022
She is 58 years old!! Unbelievable!!
Ming-Na Wen is 58, Jennifer Beals is 58, Amy Sedaris is 60. I would not have expected for a Star Wars series about Boba Fett to carve out three distinct and cool recurring roles for women creeping up on retirement age, but damned if this didn't manage it.
posted by Navelgazer at 8:03 AM on February 17, 2022 [7 favorites]
Ming-Na Wen is 58, Jennifer Beals is 58, Amy Sedaris is 60. I would not have expected for a Star Wars series about Boba Fett to carve out three distinct and cool recurring roles for women creeping up on retirement age, but damned if this didn't manage it.
posted by Navelgazer at 8:03 AM on February 17, 2022 [7 favorites]
Bold choice to make 4 episodes of "meh" spinoff TV and then have your 5th episode be a much more exciting show from the parent show.
Where is he gonna hang his underwear to dry?
Mandalorian Fanatics never remove their underwear either. Gets as hard as beskar over time.
posted by Nelson at 6:58 AM on February 22, 2022 [2 favorites]
Where is he gonna hang his underwear to dry?
Mandalorian Fanatics never remove their underwear either. Gets as hard as beskar over time.
posted by Nelson at 6:58 AM on February 22, 2022 [2 favorites]
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What a wizard episode!
posted by EndsOfInvention at 3:15 AM on January 26, 2022 [18 favorites]