The Mandalorian: Season 2, Episode 8 'The Rescue' Recap and Review
This is The finale we were all promised, thrilling from start to finish
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD
Season 2 started slow, a subtle push to begin the journey, but as it rolled down the proverbial hill it gained speed, weight, and momentum until it became exactly what so many of us already knew it was peak Star Wars. Director Peyton Reed managed all of the story threads gracefully as they wove themselves into tense, satisfying, and epic conclusion. We’ve seen every piece of this episode before. Every character has shown up in the season before, aside from one major omission, but one by one their story arcs are concluded leaving us satisfied yet yearning for more. And most importantly our two season-long journey with the Child has led to the most interesting reveal since his own, the return of Luke Skywalker.
The episode begins with the abduction of Dr. Pershing, once again played by Omid Abtahi. Here we get a nice dichotomy between how the Imperials view the destruction of the Death Star(s) verses how the Republic sees it, we are reminded that the war has been devastating on both sides. This plays out in a tense moment between the pilot, played by Luke Baines, and Cara Dune, Gina Carano, which is played well by both actors. With Dr. Pershing in tow, they head off to pick up more aid in the form of Katee Sackhoff’s Bo-Katan Kryze and Mercedes Varnado’s Koska Reeves. Tempers flare between Koska and Boba Fett, they know he is a clone and no Mandalorian. A quick tussle and a beautiful Tornado DDT from Koska and they set aside their differences for the sake of the Child. It is decided that they will use Dr. Pershing’s captured vessel as a trojan horse by feigning a distress call and having Boba Fett chase it into the ship. From there, everyone will push through the ship and capture the bridge, except for Din. Our Mandalorian will be going alone and sneaking to the holding cell for the Child for the rescue. As the plan ensues, the group board the vessel with little issue, but on the way through the ship, Giancarlo Esposito’s Moff Gideon activates the Darktroopers. Din shuts the door to the Troopers just in time but one manages to free himself. The Darktrooper beats the Bantha fodder out of Din before he manages to catch it with a well-placed stab to the neck with the Beskar spear and jettison the rest into space. Mando reaches Grogu’s cell only to find Moff Gideon waiting. Here Moff Gideon flexes his sinister muscles and offers an exchange, Mando gets the Child and Moff can leave with the Darksaber. But this is a trick, Moff Gideon attacks Mando as soon as he turns his back. The two square off to duel. The Moff is strong, and a worthy opponent, but Mando is just too skilled of a fighter. Mando bests the Moff with his Beskar spear and claims rightful ownership to the Darksaber, which is a problem. Bo-Katan needed to have a rightful claim to the Darksaber or it would be meaningless, so now, for her to complete her own goal she would have to defeat the Mandalorian in combat. But before they could settle this, the Darktroopers return. The Troopers would no doubt overwhelm the group and it looks as they were facing certain death, but alas, a ship is on approach. A single X-wing boards the Light Cruiser, and all the Darktroopers stop. They turn to face the larger threat, one Jedi, dressed in black, with a single black glove and wielding a green lightsaber. It becomes obvious that this is the Jedi that Grogu called out to, and he is the Jedi. Luke Skywalker rips through the Darktroopers like tinfoil, Mando knows he means no harm to them. He and R2-D2 have come for the Child. To say goodbye, Mando shares a moment with Grogu, his son. He removes his helmet, and watch themselves set down paths without each other. The Mandalorian’s quest is now complete.
When Ninety percent of this season is spent watching Pedro Pascal try and succeed to emote through a helmet, the acting he does without it is special. Last week it was Din acting like a deer in the headlights without it. The Mandalorian’s character is so deeply tied to the helmet that when he had to take it off, he didn’t know what to do without it. This week, he took off the helmet because it was in the way of a deeper connection with his son. The philosophical change in the Mandalorian from the beginning of the series to the end when it involves the helmet is polar in its opposition. His removing the helmet symbolizes the life he thought he knew was his and how that has completely changed by caring for this small child. The nuance in Pascal’s performance in this scene was magnificent. The Showdown between Moff Gideon and the Mandalorian was short, explosive, and so much fun to watch. The entire fight felt like a metaphor for how Moff Gideon’s interactions with the Mandalorian have gone so far up to that moment. They start off with a surprise attack and do not relent, that is until Din uses his superior skill and brute force of will to ultimately come out on top. Even the ending of the fight leads to intrigue. The history and symbology of the Darksaber are powerful in their own right, so when that symbolism is attempted to be forced aside, it is met with resistance. Mando doesn’t want the Darksaber, in fact, he has very little interest in the plight of Mandalore, but Bo-Katan needs the Darksaber and needs to acquire it the proper way. This thread will no doubt be explored in the next season and may serve to lead directly into the next major arc. Mid-way through the credits we get to see a teaser for Boba Fett’s next venture. After Fennec clears out the riff-raff of Jabba the Hutt’s old hideout, Boba Fett enters the room, kills the acting leader Bib Fortuna, and takes his place on Jabba’s throne. Additionally, to a great callback moment, we get an idea of what to expect from Bobba Fett’s solo series, The Book of Boba Fett, he most likely will be re-gaining his legend on the desert planet that once swallowed him whole.
There is no hiding my disappointment in the first two episodes of this season, I thought they were meaningless side quests that did very little to progress the story. I was wrong, those two episodes built and established moments and storylines that paid off big time down the road. From the seeds of Boba Fett sewn into the first episode to the Red-Herring X-Wings shown in the second that foreshadow Luke’s incredible return, the depth of this season surprised me. The entire journey of this season was so enjoyable that the filler episodes didn’t feel like filler and the fan-service was camouflaged in shadow and mist. They managed to fit big-time lore characters like Bo-Katan Kryze, Ahsoka Tano, Boba Fett, and the Legend Luke Skywalker into this story and not have them overshadow the Mandalorian or his journey. To do that takes great care and focus and I think we have Creator John Favreau and writer Dave Filoni to thank for that. John Favreau has proven time and time again that he is not only one of the best Directors of our time but that he may be one of the best in a generation. Couple him with Dave Filoni has risen to the rank of Star Wars powerhouse by being the backbone of Star Wars television for over a decade and the result is one of the best shows on television, period. This episode didn’t even need to bring in Luke Skywalker, and honestly, he proved only to be an embarrassment of riches for the series. It didn’t need him because we were so enamored with and enthralled by our Mandalorian. They made us care for a new character more than the return of Boba Fett or the debut of Ahsoka Tano. That alone would be a triumph but they managed to create this, a new generation’s first step into the galaxy far, far away that I love so very much. And for that specifically, I thank them from the bottom of my heart.