The Mandalorian Double Take: Chapter 13

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 13: The Jedi, with Brandon Wainerdi of Talking Bay 94 joining the Tatooine Times team for a very special double take.

Brandon’s Double Take

• Story: Even during the intro of this episode, which featured previous exposition from The Armorer and Bo-Katan (and some killer music), this episode really levels up the story that we were expecting from this season and beyond … as well as any further spin-offs. Much like the last scenes of Chapter 12, with Gideon’s plans sharpening for the audience, we’re starting to finally peel back more of the curtain of what tale Favreau / Filoni are trying to tell.
  Part of me is worried about what this means for the overall show: what makes The Mandalorian such an exciting part of Star Wars (for me, at least) is the fact that it seemed small … a self-contained story. I think I would be even more excited if these new story beats and characters (whether the tease of Boba Fett or the search for a certain Grand Admiral) were just a way to launch other shows or novels, but having Din be so heavily involved in this world seems just a little jarring. We’ll see!
• Ahsoka: Alright, let’s talk about the Togruta in the room: Lady Tano, herself. Jumping from animation to live-action is incredibly tricky, but Rosario Dawson’s portrayal seemed to me to be very respectful of Ashley Eckstein’s mannerisms and traits, as well as to the overall legacy of the character that we’ve had in our hearts for 13 years.
  My remaining question: how long has Ahsoka been on Corvus (as in: is she in regular communication with Bo? Or has she been living there for a while, as maybe suggested by her familiarity with the new, kinder magistrate at the end of the episode?)
• Planet: On the note of Calodan / Corvus: the city’s evolving design was a great throughline during the entirety of the episode. It begins dead and gray, ends bright and green, the walls and gates of the (very Avatar: The Last Airbender) city opening to the rest of the world. I really enjoyed the overall design of the planet, and the colors and doors telling a story all their own.
• Villains: We really get a large number of villains that Ahsoka and Mando need to team up to take down, between HK-87 droids (a fun, evolved look at Knights of the Old Republic characters), the masked soldiers and Diana Lee Inosanto’s Morgan Elsbeth, there was a lot to handle. With all of that in the mix, though, part of me feels like Michael Biehn (star of The Terminator, Tombstone, Aliens, and more) was underused. He could have been a solo villain in his own episode!
  Thrawn: Of course, that name drop sets off a brand new chain of events (as well as questions about the timeline for the Rebels finale epilogue). I can’t wait to see him in live action. Literally a dream come true.
• Father and Son: Whether learning a new name (Grogu!) or just seeing some incredible story beats finally play out, the relationship between Din and The Child is really solidified here. As they hold each other when “it’s time to say goodbye” and, of course, Ahsoka literally saying, “You’re like a father to him”, the emotional journey of The Mandalorian is reaching the end of an arc.

Fabio’s Double Take

• The Jedi: I knew this was Ahsoka Tano’s debut in live-action, we all did. However, I genuinely did not expect her to appear immediately at the beginning of the chapter. Her entrance is impactful, and it did not disappoint. The rumors were true about Rosario Dawson portraying Ahsoka—although many still hoped for Ashley Eckstein to reprise the role—but obviously there were some fan reservations about the character’s transition from animation to live-action. Dawson absolutely nailed it, in my opinion. Her physicality (and most likely that of a stunt double during some of the fight scenes) perfectly matched the one from the animated shows, both The Clone Wars and Rebels. From her fighting style and iconic moves to the subtle facial expressions, Dawson faithfully portrayed the beloved character. Even her voice (which was a concern of mine, being a huge fan of Eckstein) was surprisingly authentic while Dawson’s deeper timbre matching the character’s age. As far as makeup and costume goes, I thought it was translated beautifully from the many versions of the character, and even animation styles from The Clone Wars to Rebels. Her lightsabers are exactly like the ones seen the latter show—from the hilts to even the unique humming on the weapons while ignited. The fresh costume has a new vibe to it, but still it perfectly fits Ahsoka’s design choices over the years. As far as special effects makeup, I thought it was amazing. There have been a lot of fans upset about the lekku’s length, a detail that immediately caught my attention. While I understand they should’ve been way longer to match her look in Rebels, I think having such a big headpiece could’ve been cumbersome for the actress, especially while performing during fight scenes. I believe that this was probably the most practical choice, and I’d rather see Ahsoka in action than having the most accurate appearance for the character.
• The Magistrate: Ahsoka’s current enemy is a fascinating one to say the least. First of all, it was portrayed by none other than Diana Lee Inosanto, goddaughter of martial arts legend Bruce Lee. Her character has a powerful presence, and she is a worthy opponent to Ahsoka Tano. She holds crucial information about the whereabouts of her mysterious master, who will eventually reveal after her koi pond duel against the Jedi.
• Lang: I feel like The Mandalorian is fulfilling the wishes of every child who grew up watching 80s action flicks. Chapter 13’s cameo got me pointing at the screen in excitement as I got a glimpse of Michael FREAKING Biehn! For those of you who are not familiar with the actor, Biehn was one of the protagonists of two of my all-time favorite sci-fi movies: The Terminator and Aliens, portraying John Connor and Corporal Dwayne Hicks respectively. In Chapter 13 he is Lang, the Magistrate’s most trusted soldier. Sadly, his final showdown with Mando costs him his life. I am hoping we will get more character development in the publishing world.
• The Convor: Mando’s first encounter with Ahsoka Tano was preceded with a brief easter egg that not every viewer caught right away. Perching on top of a dead tree was the Morai, the female convor who watches over Ahsoka. If you still haven’t seen The Clone Wars, particularly the Mortis arc, then drop everything and go watch it!
• Grogu: Probably one of the most surprising moments of Chapter 13 was the reveal of Baby Yoda’s name. After establishing a Force connection with the Child, Ahsoka begins addressing him as “Grogu”, his birth name. Finally! The little green friend has been called the Child, kid, and affectionately Baby Yoda by Star Wars fans … will the fans be able to resist from still using Baby Yoda or will they embrace Grogu?
• Ahsoka vs the Magistrate: Chapter 13 was clearly highly influenced by Asian culture—the koi (?) pond duel of Ahsoka vs the Magistrate being an homage to martial art movies. From the slow pace down to the harmonic movements of the two warriors, the scene is so powerful, both visually and audibly, the latter characterized by the vibrations of the Magistrate’s beskar staff against Ahsoka’s humming or her lightsabers.
• The Master: If the presence of Ahsoka Tano and the name reveal of the Child wasn’t enough, Chapter 13 drops yet another shocking revelation, this time the identity of the Magistrate’s mysterious master: Grand Admiral Thrawn! Much like Ahsoka, Thrawn has been the center of discussion for characters making the jump into Star Wars live-action. This name drop is not just fan service, but it is a logical one as Thrawn was last seen in Rebels as he disappeared along with Ezra Bridger at the end of the series. If you have watched the finale of Rebels, then you know Ahsoka and Sabine Wren are searching for Ezra. The location of Thrawn could lead Ahsoka to Ezra. Will we see Thrawn, Ezra, and/or even Sabine appear in future episodes of The Mandalorian?
• A New Journey: The end of the chapter almost served the viewers with one of the saddest goodbyes of all time. However, The Mandalorian could not be the same without the Clan of Two. Ahsoka refuses to train Grogu, and the duo sets course for Taython, the location of an ancient temple strong with the Force—further opening a galaxy full of possibilities for the show.
• I love you, Dave: I couldn’t have finished this double take without mentioning Dave Filoni. His love, passion, and devotion to his character Ahsoka Tano and the Star Wars universe emanated from every angle in Chapter 13. Dave’s storytelling makes my heart soar. Thank you for inspiring me and the Star Wars community!

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. Don’t forget to follow Talking Bay 94 on Twitter and Instagram but most importantly make sure to visit talkingbay94.com to find out how you can listen to THE Star Wars podcast devoted to the cast, crew, and creators of a galaxy far, far away.