The Mandalorian: Season 3, Chapter 18 - The Good, The Bad and the U.G.L.Y.

 2023, Disney+

Chapter 18: The Mines of Mandalore
d. Rachel Morrison

The Good

After last episode, I really thought we were going to be taking a long side diversion into finding a replacement maguffin for IG-11, which was going to be a whole side quest. But no, Din and Grogu make a quick pit-stop on Tattooine to see Peli (Space Amy Sedaris) who then sells Din R5-D4.  As much as I should bristle at this collision of Luke Skywalker-related mythos into Din Djarin's story, I kind of love that the droid-that-could-have-been has his own story being told. Nostalgia trigger for sure, but it works.

The Star Wars Minute guys pointed out that Din being Grogu's teacher means we get exposition scenes that make sense in-story and aren't just hoary writing necessities. 

I liked Din and Grogu exploring Mandalore, and then loved Din springing that trap. The cyborg creature that captured Din was freaky, creepy and totally amazing. It was reminding me of something... Lynch's Dune? No, that's not it. Chronicles of Riddick? Closer but no. Lexx.  Yeah, Lexx. Definitely Lexx. Just bizarre and uncomfortable to look at. That was Lexx's bag. (I should rewatch Lexx. There's no way those shows hold up, CGI-wise, but they were so unapologetic in their brazen horniness and lack of sophistication that they're probably as enjoyable as they ever were).

Bo-Katan picking up the Darksaber and wielding it so skillfully, like she's done it before (she definitely has), was amazing, and great contrast against Din's fumbling and reluctant battling with it earlier in the episode against the morlock-esque creatures.
Bo-Katan rocket-packing through the bloody water to rescue Din was sooooo baaaaaadaaaaassssss.

The Bad

I thought Grogu and R5 heading back to Bo-Katan on their own was super fun "Timmy fell down the well" stuff, and Bo-Katan being seemingly in a "too depressed to get off the couch" total mood tickled me, but the journey back to, and through, Mandalore was redundant. I think the episode would have been FAR stronger if it had started with Grogu arriving on Bo-Katan's doorstep. The sequences of arriving at mandalore could have been creatively cross-cut between the journey Grogu took with Bo-Katan and with Din, and then continuing the cross cuts as they explore the ruins of Mandalore, where you could highlight the differences between Din's knowledge of Mandalore, which only comes second hand, versus Bo-Katan's deep knowledge. Now that I'm thinking about all this cross cutting, this episode *could* have be a structural marvel, a real editing coup. As it is it feels kind of repetitive in an unnecessary way.

If I had the technology and a little know-how I would totally re-edit this episode. I don't think we'd wind up losing any of what was actually shown, just present it differently, more stimulating and with more parallels.

Unreal Problems

I can't help but wonder about where Grogu's pod fits in the N-1 Starfighter.  At one point Din tells Grogu to seal himself in the pod, as he exits the ship maybe heading into poisonous atmosphere...but where is the pod, and how did Grogu seal it up?  It's not a big ship, and there's as much trunk space in it as a Ferrari.

Also, I just assumed that Grogu's pod could only hover a few feet off the ground, like some sort of limited repulsor technology, but it seems it can literally fly if it needs to. Not sure I like that. I can let it go.  

Galaxy Building

Another reinforcement of the evils of the Empire. Any threat, even one that's theoretical, had to be eliminated, and the Empire obliterated Mandalore. Some life has survived, but it was a literal extermination of a culture of people.  I really feel that this decimation of Mandalore and genocide of its people should have been hit harder early on in the Mandalorian, probably from the Armourer.  It's pretty upsetting when you step back from the space opera and think about it. 

Looking Forward

Din takes his bath, and can go back to his cadre of zealots should he wish now. But clearly seeing an actual Mythosaur is a big deal. I haven't been digging heavily into all this Mando mythos, even though the Armourer, Din and Bo-Katan have all explained it, so I'm not sure what exactly the big deal is. But it's a whole deal.  

Once again, though, I would like Din and Bo-Katan to deal with their mutually exclusive ridiculous belief systems. I guess it's just the agnostic in me.

Yes, toys of that please

I already have toys of Bo-Katan in 6" and 4" scale. I may just need to get a Hot Toy... no...no...no...maybe...?