The Mandalorian Double Take: Chapter 8

Welcome to The Mandalorian Double Take—where Fabio and Ross (and maybe even special guests) will give some quick thoughts regarding the latest episodes of The Mandalorian on Disney+. On this article we will cover The Mandalorian Chapter 8.

Fabio’s Double Take

The Mandalorian’s Season 1 finale has given us so much—while still taking away some important characters in the story. We were left out in Chapter 7 with things going downhill for our heroes, from Mando, Cara Dune, and Greef Karga left with no escape and surrounded by ex-Imperials to Kuiil giving his life (too soon) and losing The Child to a couple of Scout troopers. The odds turn out in favor of our heroes in the end while still paying the price of loss.

Here is a break down of Reckoning:

• The aim of a trooper: Baby Yoda’s captors (who, by the way, are extremely mean to our green friend) are the stereotypical example of two Imperial troopers with poor aim. I was cracking up as the trooper duo was trying to pass some time—while waiting on orders to deliver The Child—by doing some target practice and literally missing every single shot. I thought their random interaction was hysterical and felt genuine … just another day on the job.
• IG-11, the unsung hero: IG-11 might have been reprogrammed to be a nurse droid, but it certainly did not lose its badass status as it literally takes down almost the entirety of the Imperial forces on Nevarro single handedly while carrying Baby Yoda in a backpack! It manages to rescue everyone—even a dying Mando who finally begins to trust the droid. Just when we’re all starting to fall in love with this amazing character, the journey leads IG-11 to perform the ultimate sacrifice, initiating its self-destruct sequence and liberating our heroes from certain doom. Gone too soon.
• Din Djarin, The Mandalorian: The show wouldn’t be called The Mandalorian if it didn’t have any major reveals about the character of the same name. Chapter 8 gave us so much more Mandalorian than I would have ever expected. First of all, we FINALLY get to see the man himself—HELMET OFF!!! Second, he gets the final upgrade with the iconic Mandalorian jetpack, matching his already amazing beskar armor. Third, we get his birth name, Din Djarin, and a flashback of him being rescued by the Death Watch (did you spot the symbol on the Mando’s shoulder plate?), which lead him to become a Foundling, a Mandalorian.
• The Moff and the Darksaber: The season finale couldn’t have been a true one without a mouth-dropping surprise. I knew for sure Moff Gideon was not dead. What I didn’t know was that he is in possession of none other than the Darksaber!!! This reveal just brought our new villain to a whole new level. I cannot wait to learn more about him and how he managed to earn such powerful weapon.

It’s a wrap for Season 1 of The Mandalorian. I am excited about what the next season will bring!!! Who will the duo run into during their journey to finding Baby Yoda’s species? How far will Moff Gideon go in order to snatch away The Asset? Time will tell … Fall 2020!!!

Ross’ Double Take

Biker scouts can’t aim, The Child is (still) amazing and the record is set straight of what being a Mandalorian means as Chapter 8, Reckoning, answered some questions left open across Season 1—and set up new paths for Season 2 to jump immediately to lightspeed in Fall 2020. Please note that IG-11 will get due love in the full season recap from me—so it doesn’t happen here.

I’m going to break down this episode into four categories: Imperials, the crew, Mandalorians and Jedi:

• Imperials: The most up-to-date model of the e-web heavy repeating blaster is impressive, but it is Moff Gideon that almost seems to become a more hated version of Grand Moff Tarkin during this finale. Gideon is a former ISB (Imperial Security Bureau) officer apparently involved with the Empire’s Siege of Mandalore. He is well-informed, confident, straight-forward, very measured and relentless. He wants “Baby Yoda” more than some fans want a plush of the character. He also loves to intimidate his enemies by letting them know what he knows about them.
• The crew: Gideon does his homework and educates the audience while exposing his targets. First, he calls out Cara Cynthia Dune, letting her know he not only is aware of her middle name but also knows she is an ex-Republic shock trooper from the planet Alderaan. Being from Princess Leia’s home planet, which was destroyed by the original Death Star, it makes absolute sense that Dune jumps at an opportunity to go after Imperials. Greef Karga is outed as a disgraced magistrate and then our hero is called by his given name—Din Djarin. This leads Mando to the realization that it is Moff Gideon leading the enemy, even though Dune says Gideon was supposedly executed for war crimes. (And could that be why he is desperate to capture the Force healing powers of The Child?) It shouldn’t be overlooked that the Mandalorian takes time to give Kuiil a proper burial upon arriving at the Razor Crest before leaving the planet.
• Mandalorians: This episode provides new Mandalorian background information from various sources as we learn that “Mandalorian is not a race—it is a creed,” when Mando finishes a statement from Dune. We watch the culmination of Djarin’s childhood flashback—being rescued by the Mandalorian fighting corps who then adopt him as a Foundling, setting his current course and skill-set. Gideon—on top of revealing his given name—taunts Mando with phrases like “the songs of the Siege of Mandalore” and “the night of a thousand tears” when the Empire wiped out endless Mandalorian recruits. Upon escaping the Imperial safe house, Mando and crew find the space in the sewers where the covert had hidden—with only the Armorer remaining. She is salvaging the emptied armor of those who were lost to Imperial attacks and remains steady and strong in the ways of the creed. She provides guidance to the Mandalorian—overruling his desire to stay and help her because of his responsibility to The Child: “You must go. A foundling is in your care. By creed, until it is of age or reunited with its own kind you are as its father. This is the way.” She presents him with his signet while naming him and The Child “a clan of two” and gives him his own jet-pack to continue his journey.
• Jedi: The Armorer is made aware of The Child’s powers and knows of the story of “an order of sorcerers called Jedi” who could move things with their mind. Once an enemy of the Mandalorians—she now claims the Child is not an enemy. As important as this is—the biggest Jedi component in the episode is the very final scene. After Mando destroys Gideon’s tie-fighter in the final battle the heroes move on—assuming that Moff is dead. As three off-world Jawas ready to scavenge the downed tie—the Darksaber, originally created by Tarre Vizsla, the first Mandalorian ever inducted into the Jedi Order-pierces the metal, freeing Gideon and setting the stage for a whole new level of amazing in Season 2.

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!