With Mando’s decision to attempt to renew IG-11, he first seeks out Peli Motto, the galaxy’s top engineer, who is once again superbly portrayed by Amy Sedaris. Din shows up with Grogu in tow for assistance locating the crucial missing component after
witnessing her con a helpless Rodian on Boonta Eve, no less. He is unsuccessful in his attempts, but Peli agrees to sell him an astromech robot in exchange for his journey to Mandalore. It’s a fantastic start, reviving one of the show’s most beloved characters and providing some comic relief in what quickly turns into a heavier episode.
When Mando and Grogu are making their way to Mandalore, the emotional weight of Chapter 18 becomes more apparent. After three seasons, Din fully accepts the
Manda-dad position as he explains his past to Grogu and shows him how to operate the ship, which will be useful in the future. Din struggles with his violation of the Mandalorian Creed and the weight it has placed upon him; therefore, the conversation also has a lot of depth.
Din’s warning that they will be cut off from the universe as they reach Mandalore strongly hints that things might not turn out how he expects. The hairy Alamitos are the first organisms we encounter on the planet after R5 vanishes from the scanner. Even when Mando kills them, he is still in danger since he is captured by a creature that resembles a cyclops. At the first sign of true jeopardy this season, the one-eyed monster takes him off to the depths of the tunnels as Din urges Grogu to find Bo-Katan.
A frightened Baby Yoda follows instructions and bravely makes his way to Bo-castle Katan’s to ask her to help save Mando. She informs the kid about the history of
Mandalore as they return, describing it as a lovely civilization transformed into a tomb. In contrast to Mando’s prior disclosures to Grogu, the dialogue offers a wonderful counterpoint. While Bo-Katan relives about the old, there is a lot of bitterness remaining behind her voice rather than feelings of loss and sadness over not being linked to this area. After a short introduction in the pilot, Katee Sackhoff’s new, jaded Bo-Katan is quickly emerging as one of the most interesting elements of the show.
It’s unclear where the show will take us next, but it’s an attractive place to conclude. The beauty of The Mandalorian’s unending secrecy, after all, is that anything or anyone could be waiting around the corner at any moment.
The standalone exploits of Grogu and Mando were always the highlights of The Mandalorian series. Even if this falls short of the mark, “The Mines of Mandalore” captures its best qualities by transporting us to a different galaxy, strengthening the bonds between the protagonists, and creating a genuine sense of danger for the audience. Nevertheless, it truly shines in capturing the emotional impact that three seasons of storytelling have allowed. To know what’s ahead, stay tuned!!
