Full Reaction to The Mandalorian - S02 E05 - The Jedi

^ _ ^ Too many precious Duaffy moments to count in this one. So yes the child finally has a name, and squeeing fans of the Clone Wars cartoons got to see their beloved queen and savior depicted in live action. I was never a fan of Ahsoka and yet I still like how she was utilized in this episode. The role I don't quite understand is Michael Biehn. I wouldn't go so far as some saying he was wasted in his role, I just was expecting something deeper from his showdown with Mando. He really ends up being a stock adversary when deep down a part of me thought there was going to be a memorable moment between the two. Like Mando telling him he can walk away from this, find another retainer for his services elsewhere. Then Lang could touch on how he had been hiring himself out longer than he could even remember, how everyone in the galaxy is a servant to something or other (even if it's just profit), and finally make it clear that he intended to go out guns blazing. Mando's last word to him could have simply and sincerely been, "Don't." Heck, even after taking him down it could have ended with some last words from Lang. Something like, "Taking on... a Jedi... and a Mandolorian... heh, can't think of a more... memorable way to go." Then just a slow track in shot on Mando. Even with the helmet on, you can tell he's pondering this mercenary's words, perhaps not wanting to end up going down a similar path. I dunno. These are just some of the things that occur in my head.

Lang (the gunslinger) is played by Michael Biehn who played Hicks in Aliens. Nice catch spotting Morai (the owl). She has a history with Ahsoka. The fox was actually a Loth cat, a little visual reference Filoni slipped in so we'd know Ahsoka is looking for Ezra Bridger, who was last seen with Grand Admiral Thrawn. Ahsoka is a Togruta and has head tentacles instead of hair, kind of like the Twi'lek (Jabba's major domo and the dancer he fed to the rancor). There's some uncertainty about the title of the episode, because the last time Ahsoka said anything on the topic her exact words were "I am no Jedi!", but the general populace of the SW galaxy doesn't know ex-Jedi is an option. When Ahsoka refused to train Grogu and said she'd seen what attachments could do "to the best of us", she was thinking of Anakin turning into Vader. She was his apprentice. Jedi and Mandalorians being enemies is ancient history. The Darksaber that Moff Gideon has was created by the first (and, IIRC only) Mando allowed into the Jedi Order. Some of his descendants stole it from the Jedi Temple and passed it down as an heirloom of sorts.

Mike Yocom