Ryan Shoots First: The Mandalorian (S1 Ep1) “Chapter One”

Here we go! I have to say I have not been this excited for a TV show in a very long time. While the movies may not feel the same in regards to importance or cultural milestones the significance of the first live-action Star Wars series being the anchor of Disney’s robust explosion into the digital streaming service game is huge. 

The Mandalorian ticks all the boxes for me, its Mandos and while it is NOT Boba Fett it’s clear it pretty much might as well be had they decided not to keep him rotting in the Sarlacc’s stomach for a thousand years. It’s also being spearheaded by some pretty big names one of which is Dave Filoni who has been a key figure in Star Wars since before it was a gleam in Disney’s eye. He is a close confidant of George Lucas and in my opinion “gets” Star Wars better than anyone at Lucasfilm. He is writing some of the show and is directing some episodes including the premiere. For those unaware he has been the head of Lucasfilm animation and is the mind behind Star Wars Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels and the current show Star Wars Resistance. This being his first chance at live action is very exciting and I hope a sign that he is given even more influence in the future of Star Wars. SO with no fur there adieu lets dive into The Mandalorian!

Show starts with the clip we saw on Monday Night Football last night with the Mando walking into a bar and doing the “you spilled my drink” bit but you know in space! The Clint Eastwood western influence on the show is not subtle but it’s completely Bad Ass. Where the clip ends though we see the door does indeed chop the troublemaker in half. Turns out he’s not even here for these guys the guy they were shaking down is the actual target. 

I love this show already. He attempts to get passage to a nearby town but is not happy to see a droid ran speeder show up. He pays extra to avoid any droid control. The speeder pilot (who is played by nerd mainstay Brian Poshen) takes him to his ship which we see for the first time. The speeder driver tells him to watch out for the ice before we see something suck down his speeder from beneath the ice. The giant monster bursts out of the ice and attacks the Razor Crest. Mando takes it on himself to take the monster out. While in transit the perp uses the old “I need to use the Vat Tube” trick to try and escape before discovering a bunch of carbonite frozen trophies. As he turns around the Mando is there and adds him to his collection. Seems Boba’s trick in Empire has become standard in the bounty game. 

We move to a scene in a local bar where we meet Bulletproof Action legend, Carl Weathers. He cashes in and Weathers tries to pay him in Imperial Credits which the Mando tells him are no good as the Empire has fallen. See this show is set in the timeline between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens. The Mando learns of a big job that will only be delivered face to face. He shows up to a door where a droid shows up and repeats the exact same messages from Return of the Jedi outside Jabba’s Palace. He walks into a room to find a office filled with Stormtroopers. Judging by the necklace The Client wears he is former Empire. 

The bounty is for alive and will deliver more Baskar Steel that it appears his armor is made from. He is given incomplete codes he sets out and heads to an underground bunker nearby where a bunch of other Mandos are living. He meets a Mando blacksmith and presents to her his credits and the Baker Steel it appears it was all taken in the purge which means the Empire took it all when they took over Mandalore (see Star Wars Rebels). She begins to forge something from it as the Mando has some flashbacks to his childhood and what was likely the purge. She makes him a new shoulder piece to his armor from the steel and he is off again. 

Man I’m loving this show.

On the next planet he is attacked by giant pig horse things before being rescued by the pig horse riding guy we’ve seen from the trailers. He informs him many have passed through and have not survived. He tells him he needs to learn how to ride the Blurb (the Pig things). After some adversity he figures it out and they are off. He attempts to pay the man but he wants those he is hunting gone so he’s all for the Mando taking them out. He scopes out the camp and sees IG-11 the bounty droid voiced by Taika Watit who will also be directing an episode of the series. He informs him he is also in the Bounty Guild and they decide to split the reward. They argue about who gets the money and who gets the “Reputation credits” before they are attacked. 

He talks IG out of self destructing as they fight their way in. They find their target which appears to be a small capsule with a baby in it. The baby looks a lot like yoda and even though it is 50 years old is just a baby. Maybe this isn’t IG-11 from the trailers because his directive from the guild is to kill the baby, Mando shoots him in the head before he can fulfill that and the episode ends with him looking at the baby. 

I’m going to love this show and I imagine many Star Wars fans will hopefully it can bring some scorned brothers and sisters in from the cold before Rise of Skywalker hits next month. The production values are beyond movie quality, hopefully it isn’t just for the premiere but everything was top notch. The slow methodical pace was so different from typical Star Wars. The whole episode was just comfortable enough to feel familiar but so refreshing and just beyond cool. The show oozes that cool dark Star Wars underbelly fans gobble up at any chance they get and this is the most direct canon form of that we have gotten. I am hooked and ready for more if they released all the episodes at once I would not eat or sleep until I was done but alas we will need to wait till next week for these mysteries to unravel further. This Disney+ thing is going to be awesome. 

See ya next time you dirty Mercs. 

OBSERVATIONS

• Whatever the little opening was was cool.
• I love the Stormtrooper’s dirty armor showing the Empire has fallen but they are loyal to the cause.
• The droid doing the exact bit from Return of the Jedi at the door tells me there is an intergalactic Ring Doorbell industry we never knew about. 
• We’ve all wanted to do that to Salacious Crumb admit it.
• The Mando Lair is sooooo Bad Ass, more please!
• Love the music
• HE HAS A FLAMETROWER!!!
• The production values and make up are just top notch
• The reference to his ancestors riding the Mythosaur is a callback to Boba’s Holiday Special debut. Love it. 
• Blurb travel montage had a Rocky feel to it. 
• The look into how the bounty guild works with claims and rep was interesting as well as the idea that some people just send droids to do the work for them. I hope to see more how this economy and industry work.
• Mando seems to hate droids so of course he’ll end up with a companion. 
• Interesting the IG unit was told by the guild to kill the baby but Mando was told in secret to take it alive.
• So many cool shots, Filoni’s animation background showing off here. 
• I want posters of all of the credits shots. 
• Nick Nolte was the pig horse guy? 
• Horatio Sanz was the bounty blue alien guy in the beginning of the episode?
• Ok I mean that’s a Yoda clone, right? Perhaps that explains Palpatine being back in Rise of Skywalker? Clones all over the place!
• Still so many characters we haven’t met Carano, Esposito, Julia Jones and Ming-Na Wen to name a few. 
• Crazy to no references or Easter eggs for the Rebellion. Just Empire and bounty hunters.
• Dave Filoni is a great story teller. 
• Did I mention I’m loving this show?

PREDICTIONS

• I’m guessing the baby is a Yoda clone cause it looks way to much like him also explains why the empire remnants would want it alive.
• We haven’t met Gina Carano’s character yet but after seeing other Mando’s in this society I bet she’s disgraced or ex-Mando with no helmet.
• BOLD Prediction we find out the Mando isn’t actually from Mandalore but adopted their beliefs. 
• Someone from Filonis animated shows is showing up later most likely Sabine Wren since she is a Mando and I’m all for it.