In “The Mandalorian” recap, Mando arrives on an ocean planet where he meets up with a ‘Star Wars’ legend while still seeking information about the mysterious Jedi…
By Damon Martin — Editor/Lead Writer
For all the ways that “The Mandalorian” has been easy to follow even for the most casual “Star Wars” fan, the latest episode paid off for the hardcore audience that has enjoyed every little Easter egg that’s been planted in the show since the very beginning.
As Mando continues to search for more of his people, he lands on an ocean planet this week where he runs into a legendary figure from the “Star Wars” animated universe brought to life on screen for the first time ever.
The introduction to Katee Sackhoff as Bo-Katan of Clan Kryze was a jubilant moment for every longtime “Star Wars” fan, who obsessively watched series like “Clone Wars” and “Rebels” while begging for the day when some of these characters would crossover into live action. Sackhoff actually voiced Bo-Katan for the animated series and thanks to her own iconic experience as a legitimate science fiction bad ass, she was easily able to play the part for real.
As exciting as it was to introduce Bo-Katan for the first time, she also dropped some information at the end of the episode that will surely have “Star Wars” fans frothing at the mouth with the expected arrival of another legendary character from the animated series. Needless to say between seeing Boba Fett return in the debut episode and the introduction of Bo-Katan in episode three, “The Mandalorian” is paying off in ways the latest “Star Wars” trilogy never did.
With that said, let’s get to our recap of the latest episode of “The Mandalorian” titled “Chapter 11: The Heiress”….
Long Live the Empire
Following his encounter with a pair of X-wing fighters and crash landing on an ice planet filled with giant spiders, Mando is able to get his badly damaged ship back into the air before finally arriving at Trask — an ocean planet where the Frog Lady needed passage in order to reunite with her husband.
After crash landing at a port, the Razor Crest slipped into the water before being fished out by locals, who offer to fix up the ship as best they can for a steep price. Trask is primarily home to aquatic races like Mon Calamari — the same species as Admiral Ackbar — and Quarren, who are often referred to by a derogatory name “Squid Heads.”
Once Frog Lady and her husband are back together again — a surprisingly sweet moment — Frog Man points Mando to a local tavern where he can find out information regarding the location of more Mandalorians, who apparently frequent this planet.
While Baby Yoda snacks on some still alive chowder, Mando meets with a Quarren captain, who promises to deliver him to more Mandalorians for a price. Mando agrees and along with Baby Yoda, they board the ship bound for parts unknown where he hopes to be connected with more of his people.
Sadly it turns out the entire offer was a rouse after the Quarren captain kicks Baby Yoda into an awaiting creature held inside the ship. The creature swallows Baby Yoda inside his carrier and Mando dives into the water to rescue the child.
The Quarren lock a cage over Mando, trapping him inside where he will either agree to give up his valuable Beskar armor or the creature will eventually snack on him the same as it just did the child. As Mando gasps for air, three Mandalorians land on the ship and take out the Quarrens in rapid-fire fashion before rescuing Mando for a potential watery grave.
One of the Mandalorians dives into the water, kills the beast and rescues Baby Yoda, whose carrying case was dented but the child was still completely fine inside.
Mando is relieved not only because the baby is safe and he’s alive but this incident has finally reunited him with more Mandalorians. His elation soon turns to anger when the Mandalorians all remove their helmets to greet him.
He asks where they got this precious Mandalorian armor.
The leader introduces herself as Bo-Katan of Clan Kryze and she explains to Mando that she is very much a Mandalorian and the armor has been part of her family for three generations.
For those unaware of Bo-Katan’s history — and it’s very long and involved — but here’s the short version…
Bo-Katan is a legendary Mandalorian warrior, who sought to return her home planet to their warrior ways even if that meant ousting her sister as the current leader of her people. Over time, Bo-Katan even teamed up with Darth Maul — the apprentice to Darth Sidious, who was killed in “The Phantom Menace” but actually survived — as she sought to take back Mandalore. After Darth Maul helped retake the planet, he killed the Mandalorian expected to rule and Bo-Katan refused to follow a member of the Sith as her leader.
Maul then killed Bo-Katan’s sister, which turned her against him as she was determined to take back her planet. Eventually, Maul was ousted as leader but then the Galactic Empire rose to power and enacted ‘The Great Purge,’ which was a horrific atrocity as the Emperor ordered his troops to take aim at Mandalore and its people. Bo-Katan refused to bow to Empire control of her planet and she finally united her people against them after being granted control of the Darksaber — a black-bladed lightsaber that stood as a symbol of power and leadership on Mandalore.
Of course we’ve already seen the Darksaber on “The Mandalorian” because Moff Gideon used it in the season 1 finale. How he gained control of that weapon remains a mystery but the last Bo-Katan was seen in the “Star Wars” animated series was still during the Empire occupation of her planet so a lot has seemingly happened before she arrived on Trask.
Cut to present day — Bo-Katan and members of her Nite Owl team include Koska Reeves (played by WWE superstar Sasha Banks) and Axe Woves — rescue Mando from the Quarrens before realizing that he’s been raised by a group of religious extremists called “The Watch,” who apparently live by a very strict code of the ancient ways. That explains why other Mandalorians can take off their helmets while Mando considers it an egregious sin for anyone to see his face.
He scoffs at Bo-Katan’s rather abrupt history lesson about Mandalore and he grabs Baby Yoda and flies back to the port where the Razor Crest is parked.
But once he lands back at the port city, he’s ambushed by the remnants of the Quarren crew who kidnapped him. They want revenge after the Mandalorians killed everybody and blew up the ship. Just when it appears that Mando is going to have to survive a battle where he’s outnumbered at least 10 to 1, Bo-Katan and her Nite Owls swoop into save the day…again.
She then offers to buy Mando a drink so she can explain what they’ve been doing on this planet.
Inside the tavern, Bo-Katan details how she’s arrived on Trask because this is a black-market planet where weapons and other valuable items are bought, sold and exchanged. It seems there’s an Imperial cruiser that’s been dealing in Mandalorian weapons and she’s determined to take back what’s been stolen in order to fight back against the oppressors still occupying her home planet.
Mando believes the planet of Mandalore is cursed but Bo-Katan very much wants to take back the planet, especially now that the Empire has crumbled.
Bo-Katan then promises to lead Mando to a Jedi if he will help them take the weapons away from the Imperial ship about to leave port the next morning. Mando agrees but leaves Baby Yoda with Frog Lady and her husband while he’s gone on this adventure.
After launching a surprise attack on the ship, Mando and the Nite Owls quickly dispatch the Stormtroopers, who can’t fire and hit the side of a bantha (according to Axe Woves). As the Mandalorians continue to plow through the Stormtroopers dispatched to stop them, we meet an Imperial captain (played by the great Titus Welliver), who has run into these “pirates” before.
Every attempt to slow down the Mandalorians fails miserably as they eventually capture all of the weapons but that’s when Bo-Katan reveals her true intentions. She wants to take the entire ship in order to use it to take back Mandalore.
Mando is angry that the deal he made has changed but once Bo-Katan hits him with a “this is the way” he agrees to stay on board in order to help her take back the ship.
Back at the bridge, the captain makes a frantic distress call to Moff Gideon, who makes his first appearance in the series this season. The captain tells him that the Mandalorian raiders are on board and they are very near to breaking through the last lines of defense.
Moff Gideon informs him that it’s already too late to send reinforcements and he knows what must be done in order to protect the weapons and the ship from falling into enemy hands. They salute each other by saying “Long live the Empire” and that leads to the captain shooting the two men piloting the ship as he takes over with the intention of crash landing to the surface, which will destroy the freighter and kill everyone left on board.
As the ship dramatically alters course, Mando leads the charge to get through the last remaining Stormtroopers before blasting into the cockpit. Inside, Mando and Koska Reeves grab control of the ship to prevent a crash landing while Bo-Katan questions the captain as she searches for an item that’s been stolen from her.
She’s obviously looking for Moff Gideon and the darksaber.
The ship is saved but sadly the captain refuses to give up information on Moff Gideon before taking a suicide pill that kills him instantly. Bo-Katan is angry but refuses to give up in her quest to take back the weapon that she believes will help unite her people and take back Mandalore.
Once the ship lands, Bo-Katan pays off her side of the bargain with Mando by offering him information on where he can locate a member of the Jedi, who may be able to help him find Baby Yoda’s people.
“Take the foundling to the city of Calodan on the forest planet of Corvus. There you will find Ahsoka Tano. Tell her you were sent by Bo-Katan.”
That line sent every hardcore “Star Wars” fan into a frenzy because Ahsoka Tano is one of the most important characters in the history of canon yet she’s only ever appeared in the animated series. Ahsoka Tano is a former apprentice to none other than Anakin Skywalker and her history is even deeper than Bo-Katan but more on that later.
What we now know for sure is that Ahsoka Tano will assuredly appear in this season of “The Mandalorian” as played by Rosario Dawson.
Mando leaves his fellow Mandalorians, who take the ship and the weapons with them, as he picks up Baby Yoda from the Frog family and boards what’s remaining of the Razor Crest after a very expensive patch job to get the ship ready for flight again. On board, Mando is none too happy at how the Mon Calamari mechanic put his ship back together again but for now it’s at least working again.
He takes off from the ocean planet bound for Corvus where Mando hopes to meet a Jedi named Ahsoka Tano for the first time.
“The Mandalorian” will return with a brand new episode next Friday on Disney+
