Background information
«The Mandalorian», Season 2: «Chapter 10: The Passenger»
by Luca Fontana
«The Mandalorian», Season 2: «Chapter 12: The Siege»
20.11.2020
Translation: Veronica Bielawski
The mission is clear: Mando and Baby Yoda must get to Corvus. That's where they expect to find Ahsoka Tano, a Jedi. But first, they crash land on Nevarro, where they uncover machinations that threaten the whole galaxy.
First off: this discussion of the episode includes spoilers! So watch «The Mandalorian – Chapter 12: The Siege» before you read on.
These are the episode's best WTF moments and Easter eggs.
A reunion with old friends... and enemies
We’ve caught on to the formula by now. On his quest through the galaxy, the Mandalorian meets old friends and enemies. «Ah, that's the guy from that episode in season one, who did that thing together with the desert whatchamacallits back on planet Whatsit.» There’s always something along those lines. The galaxy is quite small, it seems.
The series should seriously never stop doing this. It’s great.
I know, I know – I can already hear the critics. «Total lack of ideas!» and «Can they not do something new for a change!?» they cry out. But I like how «The Mandalorian» references itself. Or as I put it, the way it develops and expands its own mythology. There’s no question: «The Mandalorian» is set in the «Star Wars» universe. Stormtroopers here, Din Djarin's Mandalorian helmet there... and Baby Yoda, of all things.
But for «The Mandalorian» to actually work on its own, it needs a certain amount of self-reference. The characters we get to know should be important and exciting enough to bring back in later episodes. It should feel familiar to us viewers – like returning home after a trip. And it also really doesn't have to be all about the Skywalker family all the time.
So, I'm glad to see Mando's ex-rebel friend Carasynthia Dune and ex-merc contractor Greef Karga – played by Carl Weathers, who also directed the episode – again.
Like I said, I love it.
Baby Yoda goes to school – legendary!
No idea what the scene is actually supposed to be. Or what it contributes to the story. All I know is Baby Yoda goes to school for one episode and it’s one of the greatest things that «Star Wars» has ever produced. At least he's not exterminating frog people. That seems to have upset the Internet.
By the way, «The Mandalorian» also goes on to totally casually give us the best thing since blue milk: blue Luxemburgerli.
Dank farrik!?
Why do I immediately think of «dank memes»? In which case, what’s a «farrik» and why is it dank? Corny humour aside, it seems to actually be a swearword. Something along the lines of «damn it». Because in the galaxy far, far away, we don't say things like «fuck», «shit», or «fudge nuggets». We say «dank farrik».
Why do I immediately think of «dank memes»?
I decided to bring this up because we’ve heard the expression in all four chapters so far, and I just can't get over how crackbrained it sounds.
May the «dank farrik» be with you all!
The old, abandoned shipyard that really isn’t
The mission of the week: one last remnant of the empire is causing trouble. Namely, an old imperial base outside the city, where Greef and Marshal Carasynthia now maintain law and order. The base itself has supposedly existed since the beginning of the Empire. And to this day, it hasn’t managed to be stamped out entirely. A real thorn in Carasynthia and Greef’s sides.
But the real danger is supposedly not the small emergency team that’s still operating the base. It’s the weapons and vehicles that are still stored there and could fall into the hands of looters. If they were to stock up the black market with those goods, chaos and violence would be bound to reign in Navarro once again.
In it, he recounts failed attempts ending in «catastrophic failure»; something about blood being given to test subjects but being rejected after 14 days, and a lack of replacement blood. Apparently, only this one donor's blood had a sufficiently high M-count– probably referring to midi-chlorians. Pershing is talking about the Child.
So, it really doesn't sound that far-fetched, especially in the context of what we get to hear from the X-wig pilot Carson Teva at the end of the episode.
X-wing pilots and genetically engineered stormtroopers
Change of scene. An Imperial cruiser floats through the shot, like in «Star Wars – Episode IV: A New Hope» in 1977. An Imperial officer talks to one of the mechanics who fixed the Razor Crest via hologram. The ship has successfully been equipped with a tracking device. The officer seems satisfied and promises the mechanic will be well-rewarded in the «new era».
And then there's one last scene with Moff Gideon. He stands there, admiring... well, you can't really see what Moff is standing in front of, admiring. Probably genetically engineered stormtroopers. Maybe fortified with the Child’s blood. I’m not entirely sure how that’s supposed to help the stormtroopers. In any case, Gideon, is looking forward to pursuing the Razor Crest.
I wonder... Might we see Ahsoka Tano vs. genetically modified stormtroopers in the next episode?
Bottom line: first a little «meh», then «ooooh»
New week, new episode, a happy Luca once more. Okay, Carl Weathers' «Chapter 12: The Seige» isn’t quite on the previous chapter’s high level. Especially not its beginning.
I had actually been hoping for Ahsoka Tano's big performance. Instead, I got the – admittedly cute – scene where Mando and Baby Yoda try to repair their almost broken ship. An attempt closely followed by the conclusion that it won’t work and they’ll have to land somewhere and get help.
«Yup, filler episode, ahoy,» I mumbled to myself right then.
The filler episode feels quite long and quite filling indeed. Mando meets his friends, explains that the ship has to be repaired, and Greef is like, «Sure thang, but it’ll take a while, so you can help me with a problem of my own, in the meantime.» It’s the typical «The Mandalorian» formula.
Things get interesting when the troop realises the Imperial base is actually not a mere base, but a laboratory. My first thought is of Supreme Leader Snoke. The First Order. Or perhaps even the Emperor himself? Did he need Baby Yoda's blood to save his battered body? Suddenly, it's no longer about local affairs à la «Chapter 9: The Marshal», but about the whole galaxy.
And just like that, all signs of a filler episode disappear.
Not in this episode.
What did you think of this episode? Are there any more Easter eggs I've missed? Let me know in the comments! See you next Friday for the «Chapter 13» episode discussion. And I better finally get a good look at Ahsoka Tano.
Luca Fontana
Senior Editor
Luca.Fontana@digitecgalaxus.chI write about technology as if it were cinema, and about films as if they were real life. Between bits and blockbusters, I’m after stories that move people, not just generate clicks. And yes – sometimes I listen to film scores louder than I probably should.
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