Title: The Spies
Director: Rick Famuyima
Runtime: 52 minutes
This is the penultimate episode of Season 3. The folks that attended the Star Wars Celebration got to watch it early and, surprisingly, nobody posted any spoilers. Granted I didn’t go looking for spoilers because I would never do that. This is an amazing episode! One of the best of the season! Let’s talk about The Mandalorian Chapter 23.
Now that the clans are reunited, it’s time to return to Mandalore and reclaim their home planet. However, danger awaits them, and it’s more than the beasts that survived the Imperial bombings.
This episode further enforces my theory that our first glimpse of a live-action Grand Admiral Thrawn will be in the final episode. Although I was surprised that Moff Gideon is not acting under orders by Thrawn. He is under the impression that Thrawn has not returned. Unless it’s all a ruse; one that can only be perpetrated by a very skilled (cough) blue (cough) tactician.
More Easter Eggs
They are doubling down on the connections to the sequel trilogy in this episode. If you were paying close attention, or you had the captions turned on, you heard the name, Commandant Hux. Brendol Hux is Armitage Hux‘s father. This is his first live-action appearance but he has been in other canon media (ex: Phasma by Delilah Dawson). Fun fact: Brendol Hux is portrayed by Brian Gleeson, the younger brother of Domhnall Gleeson who portrays General Hux in the sequel trilogy.
Also, I’m sure all of us have a pretty good guess what “Project Necromancer” is.
The next sequel trilogy easter egg is when Gideon asks for the use of three praetorian guards. Praetorian guards are the elite guards in Snoke’s throne room in The Last Jedi.
The last easter egg is unrelated to the sequel trilogy. Gilead Pellaeon is a member of the Shadow Council. This guy is a major player in the Thrawn storyline. He was first introduced in the (now Legends) Thrawn trilogy and was reintroduced into canon in the new Star Wars: Thrawn series. A big role requires a known actor and Xander Berkeley is a great cast. He is known for Terminator 2, Air Force One, and Shanghai Noon. His presence in this episode probably means he will be recurring in the upcoming Ahsoka series.
The season 3 finale is going to be non-stop action. I can’t wait.
What did you think of The Mandalorian Chapter 23?
