The Mandalorian The Mandalorian 1.05-Chapter 5-Discussion Thread (Spoilers Allowed)

I liked it a lot less than Episode 4. Agree with the previous poster. It doesn't move the season arc at all. We've already established that Mando is an awkward child caregiver. We've established that Mando and yodababy are in constant danger from the GFFA bounty hunter community. This episode was little more than going down a checklist of Star Wars PT/OT memorabilia, though I did like seeing Ming-Na Wen. But mostly it was just a weak story barely registering any kind of a plot.

 

I’ve been saying for a while that the end of season cliffhanger would be

Spoiler

a Boba reveal

This episode brought that idea a bit closer.

 

He looked like the kid of a detergent powder advertising spot. The one who's clumsy and stains his clothes with ketchup, but the mother has Tide, and they will smell again like fresh lavender after 30 minutes.

I'm not sure why in Hollywood we keep seeing this clean pretty looking uninteresting dudes.

 

My take is that The Mandalorian isn't trying to tell a big, complicated narrative so it makes sense that we get these episodes that don't move the narrative forward that much. There's not much of a narrative to tell. That's not a ding on the show. Not every story needs to be epic in scope.

What's to tell? What's the Mando's goal? I suppose it's to find a place for Baby Yoda to be safe and...that's kinda the end of the narrative, right? Yeah one could argue that there are themes about parenthood and the Mando trying to find his place in the galaxy and there are questions about identity but the nuts and bolts of the show are, "make sure Baby Yoda is safe", so it's no surprise to me that we're getting these small stories that don't move forward a lot.

 

I will say I disagree we really don't know the narrative point of the story yet. the immediate one would be I guess find a place for baby Yoda???? but it seems the mandalorian's overarching goal is to get his tribe back in power and become a true Mandalorian, but we haven't seen them either for two episodes. I think the show is still trying to find out what it really wants to be

 

All of this, plus, if there's anything that we must have learned from Filoni both from TCW and Rebels, is that he sets up everything in Season 1 to the smallest detail, makes us slowly fall in love with the main characters, sets the state of affairs in the Galaxy, and then raises the stakes, while leading to a much larger and lore-rich storyline in following seasons.

Having said that, we can't be sure about the amount of Filoni's involvement, but I suspect he and Favreau have worked together a lot, and will probably work more in the future, if the show is going to have 3-4 seasons (or more?)

When Disney announced TV shows, I always presumed they will be one-season thematic shows. But now I can the see the potential of this "fully operation battle station". If what happened with TCW and Rebels happens with The Mandalorian too, then we are in for some amazing treats in the future. With the possibility of many important cameos or even the re-introduction of many beloved characters. I somehow think that in subsequent seasons we will see Ahsoka, Ezra, Thrawn and who knows who else. Only then, will people realize the power of the Filoni side (the excitement about this show has opened up my cheesiest geekiest nerdiest self to the maximum).

 

Guess I was the only one who didn't like it? Maybe I just don't like Filoni's style but the entire episode was very predictable and the acting and dialogue was by far the worst of any episode. I really liked episodes 2 through 4.

 

No I would say it's about 50/50 on this episode the professional reviews also have not been very positive either IGN gave it like a 5 out of 10

 

Hmm, I'm a bit confused. Are you saying that I don't think we know what the narrative is yet because I think I do know what the narrative is, i.e. protect Baby-Yoda.

But yeah beyond that with every mention of how the mandalorians are practically an endangered species that remain in hiding it does seem like they are setting up the idea that the mandalorian are going to come out of the shadows and make a comeback at some point but I don't know that they're going to get to that in three episodes. That's some big picture stuff that they might flesh out in season two.

 

That is what I'm saying it could be keep baby Yoda safe and raise him.it could be find baby yoda a home or it could ultimately be find out why the Empire is so interested in getting baby Yoda in the first place. Yoda's plot line to me has not truly been revealed yet. Either way I think that's only one plot line and the ultimate plot line is the Mandalorian himself and his race of people. Or at least it was until baby Yoda got so popular that they might shift the focus.

By the way if we're talkin about big-picture stuff then we are talking about a Game of Thrones type show and not a one-off episode every week type show

 

Should’ve just named the kid Dash Rendar and called it a day.

 

Good enough, but I'm continually wary of all the surface nostalgia elements, which this chapter was drenched in. Enjoyed the pit droids and swoops though.

 

I enjoyed the episode, but we're reaching a point where the quality of the show is not equal to the sum of its parts. Each episode is too isolated. There needs to be more unification, so hopefully the next three episodes start looping everything together.

 

I get what you’re saying, but to be fair, both this and the last episode did link back to what happened in chapter 3, and the Mando and Yodaling being targets. Though 4 and 5 are essentially the same, in that regard, so I can see why some fans are anxious to connect back to the Imperial remnant/ Guild/ Mando Enclave story. Given who’s directing the next three, I think we’re in for a dramatic and satisfying close, though. And in retrospect, these past two episodes will feel like refreshing breathers.

 

They link back in the sense that logically follow those events. But they don't link in any way that adds depth or intrigue to protagonist/antagonist dynamic. I felt the same way about the 2nd episode. Only Chapter 1 and Chapter 3 feel connected.

 

Yes, but when you have the cinematic (and symbolic brilliance) of episode 2 -especially regarding the egg quest and how it sets up the Mando’s decision to deliver the Yodaling in his cracked egg in episode 3 - that disconnect with the main antagonists really isn’t an issue. Like, at all. My issue with chapters 4 and 5, which I still like a lot, is they’re simply not cinematically even close to episode 2, which heightens the feeling of aimlessness. That said, I have a feeling all 8 episodes will tie together really well by the end. At least, impressionistically. But I do see this show as functioning very differently from most shows and action films. It really is more about the Mando and his child than it is about the Mando and his enemies. And so I don’t see these episodes as wheel-spinning.

 

So what evidence do we have that it was Boba? personally i really do not think that will end up Boba Fett. id like to be wrong. but... i just do not see it.

 

Chapter 2 was actually very important, since it builds the bond between Mando and BY which prepares us to Mando's decision in Chapter 3. Moreover, it shows BY using the Force for the first time.

 

I'm going with Jann Torvolta.

I love her mechanic character. There was a bit of Ellen Ripley, but mostly Carla Tortelli..... not just because of the hair, but some of her attitude.

 

I like that the Mos Eisley population looked visually different now that Jabba was gone. It wasn't so crowded. The scum and villainy element weren't patrons at the Cantina.

 

Which i hope happens again soon. Baby yoda needs more character development or we need another core cast member. I think the show made a big mistake by not bringing nick nolte's character along for the ride. His dynamic with the mechanic in this episode could have brought some good humor and develipment to those scenes, and to the show as a whole.

 

Well, I didn't get what I knew better than to hope for in the episode, but it was still very well done. Recreating the streets of Tatooine and the entrance/interior of the Cantina was amazing. The 'twist' was kind of predictable, probably my only issue with this episode. That end reveal really wasn't a reveal, though. More of a hint; and realistically could be many different people. I think the big B everyone seems to think that person is has the highest probability, though.

I'd go 8.5ish/10. I do agree with some that would like to see the plot start really churning soon. There's only 3 half hourish episodes left! And I'd like to see more tying in to ongoing stuff in the Galaxy. Maybe not an episode in the core, but news on TVs and such.

 

I loved the episode. So far, only one episode of this series has scored less than a 9/10 for me (Chapter 4 scored 8.5). This one, for story scores a 9, for nostalgia and 11, so a total of 10!

 

Hmm, I felt the opposite in terms of population, especially given all the celebrating that happened at the end of ROTJ. It felt weird to see the streets so empty.