Title: Return of the Mandalorian
Directed by: Bryce Dallas Howard
Runtime: 51 minutes
Well I can’t provide you with a spoiler alert this time as the title kind of gives it away. Yes, Din Djarin is back. We knew he would be appearing at some point. The end of Chapter 4 kind of foreshadows that. Given the title of the episode it should be obvious he is the focal point of Chapter 5.
While the title kind of gives away one particular spoiler, there are things that happen that I don’t want to give away.
Therefore I am going to pause here so I can …
The following content contains spoilers for The Book of Boba Fett S1E5.
He’s Back! Oh Wait, We Already Knew That
If you are reading this then you know that this whole episode is about what Din Djarin is up to. Boy howdy this is an exciting episode. There are a few things that happen and some more predictions I’d like to discuss.
Din Djarin is still kicking ass and taking names. After a Klatooinian bounty decides to choose the latter of Mando’s “hot or cold” options, we are reunited with a couple more familiar … umm …”faces”. (Klatooinians are not pleasant looking aliens, they kind of look like rabid pit bulls.)
The armorer is back and she gives some explanation on the Darksaber’s backstory as well as Bo-Katan. After she learns that Din Djarin has removed his helmet she tells him he is no longer a Mandalorian because he violated the creed. This is my first prediction. She tells him that he can only be redeemed in the “living waters” beneath Mandalore. I think this might be setting up the plot for Season 3 of The Mandalorian.
Pimp My Starfighter
This episode has so many references to all the Skywalker Saga movies! I love all of them! Let’s see if you caught them. Amy Sedaris is back as Peli Motto, whom Mando has commissioned to find him a replacement for the Razor Crest.
Let’s start with the obvious reference to the Prequel Trilogy. When Peli Motto pulls back the sheet to reveal the “replacement”, I’m sure we were all thinking the same thing. Mando is way too cool to be flying around in a Naboo N-1 Starfighter! But then Peli and Mando channel their inner Danny Koker and we get a Star Wars version of Counting Cars. When it’s all said and done, I think it looks pretty awesome. I mean, it’s no Razor Crest, but it’ll do … for now.
Now for a few of the more subtle references. The lest obvious reference is to The Last Jedi when Peli mentions a Fathier. When Mando is test flying his new, tricked out N-1, its very reminiscent of the Boonta Eve pod race. Then, of course there is Beggar’s Canyon. However, I think the best homage is to A New Hope. Did anyone else recognize that the part the Jawa’s brought for Mando is similar to what Han, Luke and Leia tried to use to stop the trash compactor?
A couple more quick cameo’s. I feel like the Klatoonian boss, Kaba Baiz, is familiar. I almost get a Vincent D’Onofrio vibe. Paul Sun-Hyung Lee reprises his role from The Mandalorian and I feel like the other X-Wing pilot is familiar too. I can’t tell if its Robert Rodriguez.
So, while we didn’t see Boba riding a rancor (yet), this is a spectacular episode. The final two episodes are going to be big. I can feel it.