The Mandalorian Double Take: Chapter 11

Welcome to The Mandalorian Double Take—where we give some quick thoughts regarding the latest episodes of The Mandalorian on Disney+. In this article we will cover The Mandalorian Chapter 11.

The newest chapter of The Mandalorian is without a doubt the best episode of the show yet! Chapter 11: The Heiress welcomes an all-time favorite character, Bo-Katan to live-action from her previous unforgettable presence in both The Clone Wars and Rebels and reveals the whereabouts of the Jedi our hero has been searching for: Ahsoka Tano. Here are the highlights for this memorable episode:

• Hunk of Junk: After crash landing on Maldo Kreis during the previous chapter, the Razor Crest took such a beating that it could barely travel through space. When the crew finally arrives at the Frog Lady’s planet’s orbit, The Mandalorian is forced to manually land the ship, resulting in one of the most cringe worthy moments of the show. The aftermath of it is a complete disaster—with the Razor Crest having to get pulled out of the water, looking in worse shape than when the Jawas took it apart on Arvala-7. Not to worry, because your favorite Mon Calamari dock worker wearing a sweet Rian Johnson-approved sweater comes to the rescue—getting the Razor Crest flight-ready in no time. The iconic ship gets a fisherman makeover—earning the iconic ship the title of “Hunk of Junk”, closely competing with the Millennium Falcon.
• A Heartwarming Reunion: Probably one the most beautiful moments of The Heiress was the reunion of Frog Lady with Frog Man. A classic romantic scene of two lovers running towards each other through a crowd never looked so good than in the Star Wars universe! The couple later agrees to babysit The Child while Mando goes on a mission, which was alarming at first based on what happened in the last chapter—but luckily no frog eggs were eaten this time!
• It’s a Trap: Chapter 11 possibly featured the most Quarren and Mon Calamari appearances on screen—a true achievement in special makeup effects. Seeing the two species working together was surprising to me—based on their historical conflicts—but I knew The Mandalorian was in for trouble as he sat sail with the Quarrens. The Squid Heads have been stereotyped in Star Wars as the bad guys since the beginning—their status confirmed in the show as The Child is fed to a mamacore to lure Mando to rescue him and ultimately score the beskar armor. What happens next is the moment we’ve all been waiting for: The Clan of Two is rescued by a trio of Mandalorians—their leader none other than Bo-Katan!
• Bo-Katan of Clan Kryze: The reveal of Bo-Katan was not a surprise since her debut in live-action was reported a while back—with Katee Sackhoff coming back to reprise the role, this time providing both vocal and physical performance of the character. However, seeing the actress taking off the beskar helmet for the first time was an emotional and powerful moment to say the least. Fans of The Clone Wars and Rebels know how much Sackhoff’s performance means to them and the actress herself—Bo-Katan being one of the most beloved characters from the animated series. And as a fan of both shows myself, I could not help but squeal and tear up with excitement from her first live action debut in Star Wars. Sackhoff’s performance exceeded expectations, but what helped her success was the spot on costume design and her stunt double’s equally astounding performance during the fight scenes. Bo-Katan’s appearance (and also of the other two Mandalorians, Koska Reeves and Axe Woves) in the show was not just fan service, but provided a crucial link to our hero’s place in Mandalorian society as a Child of the Watch—opening new perspectives for Mando and possibly a new meaning to the iconic motto “This is the Way”.
• Hijacking an Imperial Gozanti freighter: Bo-Katan, Koska Reeves, Axe Woves, and The Mandalorian team up to hijack an Imperial Gozanti freighter loaded with weapons. This scene is the peak of the chapter’s action—showcasing an overload of badassery as the Mandalorians start taking down Imperials one by one like it’s no big deal, accompanied by Ludwig Göransson’s most exciting soundtrack from Season 2. This entire sequence—from jetting up onto the ship to taking over the bridge—is a true masterpiece from Bryce Dallas Howard, which now more than ever deserves to direct an entire Star Wars movie. Giancarlo Esposito adds the cherry on top with a brief holo appearance as Moff Gideon as he instructs the ship’s Captain (unexpectedly played by the talented Titus Welliver) to sacrifice the ship and the rest of the crew. “Long live, the Empire”.
• Looking for the Darksaber: Speaking of the Moff, I still can’t get enough of the iconic ending scene from Season 1 as Gideon breaks out of his crashed TIE fighter holding the Darksaber. The legendary weapon has had many owners (more than the Skywalker legacy saber, believe it or not), but this time seeing it held by the series’ new villain sparked many questions and theories among the fans. Before The Mandalorian, the saber was given to Bo-Katan by Sabine Wren in Rebels, which proclaimed her the new leader of the Mandalorian people. Bo-Katan lost the saber during the Great Purge—eventually finding its way into the hands of Gideon. Her search for the Darksaber will hopefully play a great part of Season 2. I can’t wait to see Bo-Katan and Gideon face each other in an epic battle!
• Ahsoka Tano: Without a doubt, the most exciting and shocking moment of the episode was the revelation of Ahsoka Tano’s whereabouts by Bo-Katan. The Jedi Mando has been looking for is none other than Tano herself. There have been a lot of rumors and speculations about the character’s live-action debut, but nothing was ever confirmed, until now. Hearing her name in the show is truly special—and in my opinion does not take anything away from her identity in the animated series. We are yet to find out who is going to play her in the show, whether it will be the so-rumored Rosario Dawson, Ashley Eckstein, or even someone else entirely—the middle representing the heart and soul of the character. One thing we know for certain: Ahsoka Tano is Dave Filoni’s greatest creation, and we can only assume her introduction to live-action (I’m guessing will be in Chapter 13, written by Filoni) is going to be unforgettable. See you at the city of Calodan on the forest planet of Corvus, Lady Tano!

We would love to hear your thoughts and reactions on the chapter through a comment below. If you choose to engage in the conversation on social media, make sure to use #TheMandalorianSpoilers as we try to be mindful of fellow fans who may not have watched the latest chapter yet. Visit our Twitter and Instagram for more Star Wars fun and May the Force be with you!