***Spoilers Ahead***
The Mandalorian Chapter 10 — an episode titled “The Passenger” — sounds like a typical Jason Statham city-wide car-chasing rampage. But thankfully, this is The Mandalorian, and expectations are for a more refined story if you will. After the bombshell reveal last episode, one may drool at the aspects of this reveal continuing in the next chapter.
However, Disney is keeping this close to the chest as this episode strays from the last. As seen last week, the premiere of The Mandalorian leaned into the motifs which hooked fans last season, and The Mandalorian Chapter 10 would continue on with another story inside the larger plot. The overarching arc of seeking out other Mandalorians is still at play, but this little side-quest — taking passenger who needs to bring her spawn to a far planet to preserve her species — is a fun-yet-horrifying reminder there are space creatures higher up the food chain and that Mando’s previous engagements have consequences.
It would appear character Peli Motto (Amy Sedaris – At Home with Amy Sedaris) will be more guide and advisor this season, seemingly able to offer key words of advice and connections to assist Mando (Pedro Pascal, Game of Thrones) on his quest. She also sets up the passenger with Mando who knows of other Mandalorians and can take him to them no problem. Well, except there is a catch, a catch that leads to a sequence of events which nearly derails everything. The catch? Mando cannot use hypedrive to get the passenger to their destination as the jump would kill the passenger’s eggs. (Our lovable Child aka Baby Yoda fills in that role, but I will detail this at the end). Instead of one quick hyperjump, the plodding Razorcrest is then tailed, police-style by two X-Wings asking for license and registration in Galaxy Far Far Away terms. Mando decides to make a run for it, and winds up plowing the ship on an ice planet which disables his ship.
Oh, but it gets worse. We inevitably meet our baddie-of-the-week all the while Child’s appetite is unabated and the Frog Lady decides to shuffle off to take a hot bath. This combination wakes up some seriously frightening creature dwellers. No, no Wampa beasts here. These look along the lines of hideous creatures described in Game of Thrones and I am beginning to believe I never want to leave Earth. Ever. Not just one big bad, but a horde, plus the disgusting scariness to it all, is a horror movie feel which works for the sci-fi adventure.
X-Wings and their pilots are seen more than once this episode, and mentions of previous encounters seem to buy Mando a pass. Although the Empire were the bad guys for a long time, some Rebel pilots can still be jerks. This is fine, because in this galaxy, we’re not always going to get the feel-good ending, but the ending which keeps Mando on his quest.
Now onto the pink elephant in the room, or the little green one. The Child eats eggs. You know it’s coming, and first it is cute how it slurps the Frog Lady’s spawn. But then, in a moment you realize, The Child is EATING HER KIDS. Let that sink in. Does it devour them all? No. However, this little 50-year-old is comparable to my two-year-old who I tell not to eat food off the floor and stop sticking playdoh in her ears. It’s a baby. Remember this.
This is what I enjoy most. Not every conclusion needs smiles or a cliffhanger. I am sure not everyone will love this episode. We did not get to see “him” again or “the other guy” or anything remotely connected. This was a one-off adventure showing how dangerous this galaxy can be. While the action was different than last week’s kickoff, it satisfies me knowing these side adventures will play a role to come in the larger arc.
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