The Mandalorian | March 2023 for S3

[Porthos]

Title for the next episode has already leaked!

 

Spoiler

 

 

Well that SHOULD be it, given what happened this past week. 

[Brainbug]

Really liked the first season and i am loving the second. The last two episodes especially.

 

God, i honestly think Ahsoka is kind of my favourite Star Wars Character. Or at least, shes getting nearer to that every year. Imo she stole the show in Clone Wars and now she stole it in Mandalorian again.

[Knights of Ren]

43 minutes ago, Brainbug said:

Really liked the first season and i am loving the second. The last two episodes especially.

 

God, i honestly think Ahsoka is kind of my favourite Star Wars Character. Or at least, shes getting nearer to that every year. Imo she stole the show in Clone Wars and now she stole it in Mandalorian again.

She stole the show in clone wars because Dave Filoni made her the “focus”.  When your character gets about 50+ episodes to evolve, it better be interesting/engaging. 

[Menor the Destroyer]

Another solid episode although I felt it was too short. There was no need to put this much story into only 30 minutes. Some of the beats flew by too quickly. Still, was pretty entertaining.

 

Spoiler

Boba coming back was cool, although his appearance feels a little indulgent/unnecessary. Why couldn't he have just taken the armor from Cobb if he knew where it was? Regardless, excited to see him team up with Mando. Interesting that they have now retconned Jango back into being a Mandalorian after Clone Wars retconned him out of the culture. Not a big contradiction since Almec isn't exactly a reliable source. 

 

Just realized that Jango and Mando actually have some interesting parallels as characters. Foundlings who became bounty hunters and then "fathers". 

 

I thought the visuals were fine, but another setting that is far too Earthlike. Absolutely nothing was done to differentiate Tython from any random setting. It is isolated, but so was Corvus, and that planet had much more atmosphere. 

 

Grogu killing the stormtroopers was the most interesting part of the episode. He also choked Cara Dune last season. I do think that his "dark side" will come into play as the story progresses.

 

Dark Troopers are just very cool. Love the look. 

 

Great action throughout as others have said, hopefully Robert Rodriguez directs more episodes because this was very well done. 

 

Hopefully the next episode isn't just a breakout mission for Bill Burr, though I suspect it will be. The story is really picking up steam and I would hate to lose momentum so close to the finale. 

 

To add to the point I made outside of the spoiler tags, this episode could have really benefited from some slower, more reflective moments. The opening scene was a great example. We could have had more of that to really make Grogu's kidnapping hit harder. Perhaps Mando showing some repressed grief over the prospect of leaving Grogu to a Jedi. Just playing up that bond a little more so it hurts more to see Grogu taken away. I think it would've helped this episode quite a bit. 

 

Edited December 6, 2020 by Menor

[Menor the Destroyer]

40 minutes ago, Knights of Ren said:

She stole the show in clone wars because Dave Filoni made her the “focus”.  When your character gets about 50+ episodes to evolve, it better be interesting/engaging. 

There are plenty of main characters in TV shows that don't get the overwhelmingly positive reception of Ahsoka. She stole the show because people connected with the character. 

[Porthos]

29 minutes ago, Menor said:

Another solid episode although I felt it was too short. There was no need to put this much story into only 30 minutes. Some of the beats flew by too quickly. Still, was pretty entertaining.

 

  Hide contents

Why couldn't he have just taken the armor from Cobb if he knew where it was?

 

Spoiler

Gotta save something for the Boba Fett series the meeting between Fett and Cobb later this season/next season. 

 

I do actually have something of a nitpick regarding the episode that I doubt will ever be addressed:

Spoiler

How the hell Boba Fett even found out where Din Djarin was in the first place.  Expert tracker, yes.  Bit convenient that both him and the Empire show up practically at the same time.  

 

Won't say it ruined anything or even a plot hole, as not everything needs to be addressed.  Did...  I noted it as I was watching when it became apparent that Fett and the Empire weren't on the same team, is how I would put it.

 

Not like Fett could shake info out of Ahsoka, and no one else was there to overhear them.  So we're down to more mundane feats of tracking, which... Eh.  Noted as I said.

 

[Porthos]

One thing to note about Robert Rodriguez's episode.  Apparently he was a "last minute replacement":

 

 

Now depending on how last minute "last minute replacement" really was, that might mean he wasn't as involved in pre-production as many of the directors have been so far in Mando. 

 

Personally, I thought he did a very good job directing the episode, so I'm not putting this out as an excuse or anything like that.  Far from it.  Just making a note of it as it were.

 

(also should be noted that Robert Rodriguez didn't write this episode, Jon Favreau did) 

Edited December 6, 2020 by Porthos

[Knights of Ren]

2 hours ago, Menor said:

There are plenty of main characters in TV shows that don't get the overwhelmingly positive reception of Ahsoka. She stole the show because people connected with the character. 

They connected with her though because she was allowed to have the time to have a compelling character/arc.  Don’t get me wrong I like Ahsoka, but that’s mostly because she has been afforded plenty of time to be fleshed out as a character.  If all we saw her was for the first two seasons of TCW, well most people were not huge fans.  

Edited December 6, 2020 by Knights of Ren

[Menor the Destroyer]

2 hours ago, Knights of Ren said:

They connected with her though because she was allowed to have the time to have a compelling character/arc.  Don’t get me wrong I like Ahsoka, but that’s mostly because she has been afforded plenty of time to be fleshed out as a character.  If all we saw her was for the first two seasons of TCW, well most people were not huge fans.  

That argument is basically saying "if all we saw was the beginning of the character arc, people wouldn't be fans." Which is to be expected in the case of a character whose character arc is about maturing and learning patience/humility/uncertainty. I don't think Ahsoka is afforded any more focus than actual TV leads (Ahsoka doesn't really qualify since there were so many TCW episodes where she wasn't even present), many of whom are not the standout characters of their shows. 

[Knights of Ren]

https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2020/12/05/the-last-two-episodes-of-the-mandalorian-are-better-than-the-last-five-star-wars-movies/?fbclid=IwAR15oKOf9CM54oEMAjcgmo0hTbr0fhDs2u7Q2utjspZc5fnAAd0e-uzx01Y&sh=17b86a82d83f  

 

This is the dumbest article I have ever read.  The Star Wars community always feels the need to tear down other films in order to prop up others.  It’s gotten really old. 

[Porthos]

On 12/5/2020 at 10:10 PM, Knights of Ren said:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2020/12/05/the-last-two-episodes-of-the-mandalorian-are-better-than-the-last-five-star-wars-movies/?fbclid=IwAR15oKOf9CM54oEMAjcgmo0hTbr0fhDs2u7Q2utjspZc5fnAAd0e-uzx01Y&sh=17b86a82d83f  

 

This is the dumbest article I have ever read.  The Star Wars community always feels the need to tear down other films in order to prop up others.  It’s gotten really old. 

I cannot agree with this viewpoint more.  So much so that I refuse to even hate-click the article.

 

And it's not just the SW community, but online/social media in general when it comes to fandoms (entertainment or otherwise).  There's a real "mean girls" (for lack of a better phrase) streak in online commentary which is just... Well, I won't use a gendered term here (either male or female), but ultimately is just sad.

 

Yes, folks can be disappointed with the output of studios.  Nothing wrong with that! But when I see passive-aggressive little comments like the ones mentioned in the headline of the article, and trust me I've seen plenty of them on Twitter and YT these past few days after the one-two punch of Ahsoka and Boba Fett, I... Well, actually I'm past the point of wanting to roll my eyes (though I do), and now just am finding it sad as I said.

 

Like, folks, you don't need to tear something down to lift something else up.  Just not necessary!  Just enjoy what you like without going that extra mile.  Can even hint at things without being needlessly passive-aggressive.  "Best Since Empire!" is a hoary cliche in SW fandom, but the unstated commentary is that it's better than the immediate stuff that just came recently.  Leave it there and just move on.

 

(yes, I know my comment here is a losing battle as folks still shit on the prequels while praising something else 20+ years after the prequels first started and I damn well know people will still shit on them and now [parts of] the ST while praising something different until the day I die; but much like Sisyphus, I too have my rocks to push uphill)

Edited December 7, 2020 by Porthos

[Porthos]

In more happy news...

 

Folks.... FOLKS!!! 

 

Everything's gonna be alright. 

 

 

Grogu was at a save point BEFORE the Razor Crest exploded and he got captured.

 

Just has to reload to last week and not deplete his Force Meter this go around during his meditation! 

 

(joke partially stolen from Twitter, but I can't find the exact tweet I saw and I reworked it a little bit anyway)

Edited December 7, 2020 by Porthos

[Darth Lehnsherr]

3 hours ago, Porthos said:

(yes, I know my comment here is a losing battle as folks still shit on the prequels while praising something else 20+ years after the prequels first started and I damn well know people will still shit on them and now [parts of] the ST while praising something different until the day I die; but much like Sisyphus, I too have my rocks to push uphill)

It is frustrating that as a prequel defender as well you'd think many of those fans would know what it's like for people to constantly crap on something you enjoy and love only for many of them to do the same with the sequels. I have my many issues with the sequels but at the end of the day there are better things to do than constantly crap on something that many people enjoy. 

[Porthos]

Chap 14 poster released:

 

[Porthos]

 

Very nice interview with Temuera Morrison that covers a wide range of topics, including incorporating Maori fighting styles as Boba Fett.

 

(for folks curious, doesn't give the game away about the mooted Boba Fett miniseries that is allegedly filming or in some state of production right now)

[charlie Jatinder]

On 12/6/2020 at 6:35 AM, Menor said:

Spoiler

Dark Troopers are just very cool. Love the look

 

Spoiler

I thought, "ohh Favreau bring Iron Man" turned out they were robots.

 

The last few weeks went very fast this week is slow. Its only Wednesday yet. 

[charlie Jatinder]

On 12/6/2020 at 7:10 AM, Porthos said:

Spoiler

How the hell Boba Fett even found out where Din Djarin was in the first place. 

 

Spoiler

This has been issue for me throughout the series and I stopped thinking too much. Everyone finds everyone else instantly. I stopped bothering about it. Its same as Thanos army hunted for stones for years, and in Infinity War they could even track it in Wakanda of all places. Don't make sense, just go with it.

 

[Knights of Ren]

1 hour ago, charlie Jatinder said:

  Reveal hidden contents

This has been issue for me throughout the series and I stopped thinking too much. Everyone finds everyone else instantly. I stopped bothering about it. Its same as Thanos army hunted for stones for years, and in Infinity War they could even track it in Wakanda of all places. Don't make sense, just go with it.

 

Yea I had to turn off my brain this season also.  Its all coming too easy or circumstantial, but I don't really care lol. 

[Menor the Destroyer]

9 minutes ago, Knights of Ren said:

Yea I had to turn off my brain this season also.  Its all coming too easy or circumstantial, but I don't really care lol. 

That is one of my most consistent gripes with the series as a whole, though it's pretty minor. I still don't understand how those tracking fobs are supposed to work. My best guess is they might be tracking the midichlorian count, but that seems like something that would've been used quite a bit more by the Empire if it was possible. 

[Porthos]

2 hours ago, Menor said:

That is one of my most consistent gripes with the series as a whole, though it's pretty minor. I still don't understand how those tracking fobs are supposed to work. My best guess is they might be tracking the midichlorian count, but that seems like something that would've been used quite a bit more by the Empire if it was possible. 

To be fair, they've really curtailed the use of tracking fobs this season (seriously I don't remember them being used much at all).

 

But checking Wookiepedia, there is this entry:

 

Quote

Tracking fob

Tracking fobs were short-range sensors used by bounty hunters to track their quarries. Bounty hunters who take on assignments gain access to their target's chain code—an identification marker that describes certain biographical information. This code drives the parameters of tracking fobs, which are attuned to this biometric data.^[4]

Upon the capture and delivery of said quarry, a Guild operative runs a sensor check on the bounty's body and compares it to the chain code data on the fob, confirming the identification of the acquisition.^[4]

 

Source is from one of the reference books released this year: The Star Wars Book, by Pablo Hidalgo.

 

There is also this on chain codes:

Quote

A chain code was a type of identification marker that contained biographical information on an individual. These markers catalogued certain features of a person and their history and were used by the law enforcement of the New Republic to identify fugitives. Chain codes were also commonly used by bounty hunters, who used the markers in conjunction with devices known as tracking fobs to locate their targets.

 

Description

"What's the chain code?"
"We can only provide the last four digits."
"Their age? That's all you can give me?"

―Din Djarin and an Imperial client^[src]

Chain codes were made up of several numbers, with the final four digits signifying the subject's age.^[2] They contained other information as well, pertaining to topics such as an individual's family history^[4] and criminal record. Since governments like the New Republic were known to run an individual's chain code upon securing passage on registered starships, it was practice among criminals to lay low in order to avoid having the details of their codes shared.^[3]

 

The information within these markers was used by the enforcers of the Bounty Hunters' Guild, who were given access to their targets' codes upon accepting assignments. Hunters made use of devices known as tracking fobs, short-range sensors that were attuned to a code's specifics. After the hunter had obtained the target, dead or alive, Guild operatives would run a check on the body to ensure that it matched to the information included within the chain code.^[1]

Sources being in-show and, again, The Star Wars Book.

 

Like all reference books take it something with a grain of salt, but that's as much info as you're probably gonna get short of some sort of info-dump inside a series (which I doubt is coming by now this deep into the show).