Ryan Shoots First: The Mandalorian (S2 Ep5) “Chapter 13: The Jedi”

Well, as I sat down to check out this highly anticipated episode of The Mandalorian I could already see it was the number 1 trending topic on Twitter which can only mean one thing… She’s coming. 

The episode opens with a small village rushing to the gates as blaster fire rings out. We waste absolutely no time as Ahsoka is kicking straight ass..It looks like a war lord is opressing a small town and Ahsoka is trying to get info out of her. The Magistrate as she is called is given one day to cooperate. After the opening credits we see the Razor Crest showing up at Corvis. The planet looks worn, torn and desolate. Mando checks in at the local town who let him in after confirming he is part of the guild. Mando asks around to try and get some info but no one will speak to him out of fear. He is told the Magistrate wants to speak with him and walks past some people being tortured along the way. As the gates open to her palace there is greenery and water clearly she is living higher than the others. She tells Mando there is a Jedi plaguing her and she wants him to kill her. She has a pure Beskar spear that she offers him as payment. Mando plays the game to find the Jedi’s location. 

Ahsoka attacks Mando in the woods but Mando clears it up pretty quickly as he names drop Bo and Ahsoka sees The Child. Rosario Dawson nails Ahsoka. Of course she is older and more grizzled but you can see the Ahsoka we know is in there. After spending some time with Ahsoka she learns his name is actually Grogu. He trained at the Jedi temple until the Clone Wars ended when he was sent into hiding. Ahsoka mentions Yoda and gives Mando a tutorial on the force real quick. Ahsoka tries a quick experiment to see if Grogu will listen to Mando. Mando pulls out the shifter knob Grogu loves and he takes it with the force. Mando is so proud. Ahsoka is scared by the fear and attachment in Grogu she mentions seeing the best of jedi undone by this of course meaning Anakin. Mando tells Ahsoka he was sent to kill her and promises to help her if she will find someone to train Grogu. 

Ahsoka charges the gates and takes out the top guards including their big bell in one big strike. I was worried that live action Ahsoka’s saber fighting couldn’t live up to the cartoon but I was wrong. Ahsoka tells the Magistrate the Bounty Hunter failed and that she wants to know where her master is. Mando shows up to stop the prisoners from being executed. Meanwhile Ahsola is picking off henchmen one by one. Ahsoka squares up with the Magistrate and her Beskar spear at the palace while Mando fights with the hired gun outside. The gunman tries to pull one over on Mando but he ain’t falling for that and takes him out. Ahsoka disarms the Magistrate and asks her for the whereabouts of… wait for it… Grand Admiral Thrawn! The hits keep coming! 

Mando goes to get Grogu while back at the ship he finds Grogu sleeping, he gets him ready to say goodbye but Ahsoka tells him again she cannot train him. Ahsoka sends him to Tython where a Jedi temple can help Grogu decide his own path. Mando leaves and as Ahsoka walks away the credits roll. 

WOW, for as awful as 2020 has been Dave Filoni in The Siege of Mandalore and this episode of The Mandalorian has given us 2 of the best Star Wars stories ever. Ahsoka’s story again moves forward but with Mando moving on I have to wonder where her, Thrawn and Ezra’s story gets picked up next. Perhaps a new Disney Plus series? Feature film? Who knows but as has been anything with Ahsoka we will likely have to wait. Dave gets such a kick out of dragging that story out. 

Observations:

• Filoni played us like a fiddle, teasing just to give us Ahsoka in the first 5 seconds
• Do ships ramps have a time delay? People always just walk off leaving their ramps open. 
• We see Corvis in the mud scenes of Solo, always cool to see the aesthetics cross over with the gas masks and stuff. 
• Oh yea that was totally a 
• Ahsoka V Mando was legit
• Seeing Beskar stop a lightsaber was awesome
• Grogu!!! It has a name!
• I want someone to be as proud of me for something as Mando was for Grogu using the force. 
• Fun fact… I found out the Magistrate played by Diana Lee Inosanto is actually Bruce Lee’s Goddaughter. 
• The shot of Mando standing with Ahsoka over his shoulder can be on my gravestone
• I can’t get enough of Ahsoka igniting those lightsabers
• THRAW IS ALIVE!!!
• Which means EZRA IS ALIVE!!!
• Ahsoka getting her own spinoff right?? Has to cause Mando is moving on in his story. 
• I love Star Wars.