Tag Baby Yoda

Catching Up With The Mandalorian – “Chapter 8: Redemption”

Rob Siebert 2 Comments

The Mandalorian, season 1 posterSERIES: Star Wars:  The Mandalorian
EPISODE: S1:E8 – “Chapter 8:  Redemption”
STARRING: Pedro Pascal, Giancarlo Esposito, Gina Carano, Carl Weathers, Taika Waititi (Voice)
WRITER: Jon Favreau
DIRECTOR:  Taika Waititi
PREMIERE DATE: December 27, 2019
SYNOPSIS: Trapped, the Mandalorian and his allies struggle to keep the child out of Moff Gideon’s hands.

***New around here? Check out our Star Wars review archive!***

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

Taika Waititi, who directs this episode, and is also widely known for directing Thor: Ragnarok and Thor: Love and Thunder, serves as the voice of IG-11. Fitting, as this episode is a big one for the repurposed droid.

That scout troopers punching the child in the bag is one of those things that makes you hate the bad guy, but where you also can’t help but laugh a little. What can I say? It was funny. As was the target practice bit moment later.

This episode is the first time we hear the Mandalorian’s given name: Din Djarin. Not the worst name, by Star Wars standards. “The Mandalorian” has more mystique, of course.

The appearance of the super battle droids in the flashback sequence was a nice touch. It set the period.

It was pretty bad-ass to see IG-11 riding through that town on a speeder bike, twin guns blazing. Question: If his new base function is to nurse and protect, why does he bring the child into a town occupied by Imperial troops? Granted, none of them can shoot…

It’s funny to me how none of the stormtroopers can hit a target, as this episode makes light of. But when the episode needs him to be, Moff Gideon is a crack shot.

Din Djarin, The Mandalorian, Redemption, Pedro Pascal

I’d never seen or heard of Pedro Pascal prior to The Mandalorian. So what he looked like was news to me. He didn’t necessarily look how his voice suggested he looked. But that’s not a good or a bad thing, per se.

The armorer tasking Mando with reuniting the child with its own kind was a great hook for season two. As the last of the Jedi, the obvious implication was Luke Skywalker. Or perhaps Ahsoka Tano. But we couldn’t have realistically expected to see either of them…could we?

The big moment in this episode is when IG-11 sacrifices itself to save the rest of the group. I’ll say this much: The episode does a great job making us care about the repurposed robot, which we didn’t see again until the previous episode. It feels genuinely sad as he walks through the lava.

Something I appreciated about this group mission as opposed to some others we see in Star Wars is that there were consequences and casualties. Kuiil and IG-11 didn’t make it, and Mando was wounded to the point that he wouldn’t have survived if left to his own devices. The bad guys come off threatening and dangerous even in defeat.

Mando taking on Moff Gideon in the TIE fighter was a cool climax for the season. Suitably suspenseful, as you’d expect a man in a jetpack trying to take down a plane to be.

Din Djarin, The Mandalorian, Redemption

The one thing I didn’t like about this episode was how rushed everything was after said climax. Mando literally lands from taking down the TIE fighter, and everyone announces what they’re going to do going forward. Felt uncharacteristically clumsy.

The revelation of Moff Gideon with the Darksaber at the end was a fun little moment. Star Wars geeks knew what it was, obviously. And those who didn’t know would come to know as the series progressed.

Disney bet a lot on this first season of The Mandalorian. The first episode premiered with the launch of Disney+, so it was a great added incentive to give the service a try. But beyond that, it set the standard for all live action Star Wars TV projects to come. And thankfully for the fans, that standard wound up being pretty high. The Mandalorian season one isn’t just great Star Wars television. It’s great television, period. It’s compelling, intriguing, gorgeous to look at, and perhaps most importantly, very accessible to those not well-versed in Star Wars. (I’m trying to get my parents to watch it to this day.)

All in all? It was a home run for everybody involved.

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

The Mandalorian, “Chapter 17: The Apostate” Review

Rob Siebert 2 Comments

The Mandalorian, season 3 posterSERIES: Star Wars:  The Mandalorian
EPISODE: S3:E1 – “Chapter 17:  The Apostate”
STARRING: Pedro Pascal, Carl Weathers, Emily Swallow, Marti Matulis, Katee Sackoff
WRITER: Jon Favreau 
DIRECTOR:  Rick Famuyiwa
PREMIERE DATE: March 1, 2023
SYNOPSIS: The Mandalorian continues his journey toward absolution.

***New around here? Check out our Star Wars review archive!***

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

I know this gripe has been…uh…griped, by many already. But it must be said: This premiere should have been about how Din Djarin and Grogu are ultimately reunited after the latter’s time training with Luke Skywalker. Instead, they did that story on The Book of Boba Fett, stealing thunder that should have been reserved for this third season. Choosing to give us those critical moments under the banner of a different show was the biggest, and perhaps only major, mistake The Mandalorian has made thus far.

Simply put, The Book of Boba Fett should have been about Boba Fett, Fennec Shand, and the characters that show is specifically about. The Mandalorian should, conversely, be about Mando and Grogu’s journey together. Going forward, let’s not color outside the lines anymore. If they want these characters to appear in one another’s shows, be my guest. But events and moments that are critical to a particular show, should be done on said show. I don’t think that’s too much to ask.

Between this new season of The Mandalorian, and the success of The Last of Us on HBO Max, I think we can all agree Pedro Pascal is living his best life right about now.

I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who thought that opening sequence was a flashback to Din Djarin’s childhood. It would have made sense, given this episode, and apparently this season overall, are about him seeking redemption in the eyes of his people. Mando did get a nice entrance, though. So there’s the upside.

Vane and the other pirates want to break into an in-session school before being stopped by Mando and Greef Karga. That’s a nice heelish bad guy move.

I call BS on the notion that Mando thinks IG-11 is the only droid that can help him in his quest to find the living waters of Mandalore. IG-11 had a nice little story in season one. I even liked the statue in town being dedicated to him. We didn’t need to revive him for more.

Gorian Shard, the big lead pirate behind Vane and his crew, looked like, in Mrs. Primary Ignition’s words, “a swamp monster.” I did, in fact, get a Swamp Thing vibe from him. That’s not a bad thing. Just a thing. Either way, you know we haven’t seen the last of him this season.

Seasons one and two were largely held together by Grogu’s story. Mando’s quest to learn his origins, get him back to the Jedi, etc. This season, we don’t have that. So I’m very curious to see what they’re going to do with the Grogu character going forward. As fun as it is to watch him do cute things, there has to be more to him than that.

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

A Star Wars: The Mandalorian #2 Micro-Review – Mud-Caked with a Mudhorn

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***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

Star Wars The Mandalorian 2, cover, 2022, Kaare AndrewsTITLE: Star Wars: The Mandalorian #2
AUTHOR: Rodney Barnes (based on an episode written by Jon Favreau)
ARTISTS: Georges Jeanty, Karl Story (Inker), Rachelle Rosenberg (Colorist), Joe Caramagna (Letterer). Cover by Kaare Andrews.
RELEASED: August 17, 2022

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

Roughly half this issue has no dialogue, as it’s mostly just Mando and the child. That’s kind of refreshing. It certainly allows you to appreciate the art.

I came into this issue looking forward to the mud-covered fight between Mando and the mudhorn creature. It didn’t disappoint. I might have caked a little more mud on to Mando’s costume. But that’s just me.

Beautiful cover by Kaare Andrews.

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

Toy Chest Theater: Spock’s Little Friend by @toyfanatic

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By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

There isn’t a heck of a lot to this shot from @toyfanatic. But in this case, there doesn’t necessarily need to be. The juxtaposition of these two characters and the perspective of the shot are enough.

It pitches an interesting story too. Imagine if Spock, not the Mandalorian, had discovered Grogu…

Spock, Grogu, by @toyfanatic

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

A Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi, “Part III” Review

Rob Siebert 1 Comment

Leia poster, Star Wars Obi-Wan KenobiSERIES: Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi
EPISODE: “Part III”
STARRING: Ewan McGregor, Vivien Lyra Blair, Moses Ingram, Hayden Christensen, James Earl Jones (Voice)
WRITERS: Joby Harold, Hannah Friedman, Hossein Amini, Stuart Beattie
DIRECTOR: Deborah Chow
PREMIERE DATE: June 1, 2022
SYNOPSIS: Obi-Wan and Leia are hunted on the mining world of Mapuzo.

***New around here? Check out our Star Wars review archive!***

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

I mentioned previously that, going forward, Star Wars needs to take a break from setting shows in the desert. Going forward, the franchise also needs to work on avoiding what I’ll call “the Baby Yoda effect.” That is, sticking the hero or heroes with a child over the course of their journey. Specifically one that’s strong in the Force. The Mandalorian obviously did that with Grogu. The Bad Batch did it with Omega. Now this show is doing it with Leia.

To be clear, I’m not saying children shouldn’t be used in Star Wars stories. I just want to avoid Star Wars telling the same kinds of stories over and over again.

James Earl Jones is the voice of Darth Vader. He’s always been the voice of Darth Vader, and as long as he’s alive and wants to do it, he should be the voice of Darth Vader.

That being said, I had some slight issues with his performances in Rogue One and what I’ve seen of Rebels. My contention has been that he doesn’t sound as mean or as evil as Darth Vader should. Not like Darth Vader, but rather, Mufasa saying Darth Vader’s lines. Am I imagining it? Am I expecting too much? Maybe and maybe. But that’s my argument and I’m sticking to it.

However, I’m pleased to say that thus far, that problem hasn’t been present in Obi-Wan Kenobi. This is the best James Earl Jones has sounded as Vader since Disney purchased the franchise. I’m not sure whether to attribute that to good direction, Mr. Jones simply having a good day in the recording booth, or something else. Either way, I’m grateful for it.

Obi-Wan’s hallucination of Anakin from a distance, dark cloak and all, was a brilliant touch. Great shot too.

When Hayden Christensen was announced for this series, I figured they’d use him for flashback sequences. I’m sure those are still coming. But that’s another, clever way to use him without the Darth Vader suit.

Fifth Brother, played by Sung Kang, doesn’t have a conventional name the way Reva, the Third Sister, has one. But might I suggest…Hat Guy. Because that’s a variation on what most people, especially those of us who haven’t seen him in Rebels, are calling him.

Zach Braff provides the voice for Freck the transport pilot. Is that how they got him to star in that Cheaper By the Dozen remake for Disney+?

“Hey man, do this and we’ll throw in a part in Star Wars.”

“I am what you made me.” That line, delivered by Vader to Obi-Wan, is great. The entire presentation of Darth Vader in this episode is fantastic. The sense of terror and dread in his scenes is palpable. He truly comes off like the monster he is.

That’s especially true when he drags Obi-Wan through the flames. He wants to torture, maim, and disfigure his old master. But he also wants to savor the moment. Those shots of the Darth Vader suit in the light from the flames looked great too.

Leia offering to go forward on your own so Tala can go back for Obi-Wan is a nice little character moment for her. One of numerous character moments the show has given her thus far.

Well, so much for Obi-Wan’s first use of a lightsaber in a decade being a memorable moment. Still, I appreciate that he was largely helpless against Vader, and that we didn’t jump right into a super-choreographed sword fight. The man hasn’t been a Jedi in 10 years. To say his skills would be rusty is an understatement…

So…why did Vader let Obi-Wan go? The camera stayed on him for awhile, which seems to imply that he was pondering his next move. My only guess is that he figures he can follow Obi-Wan’s trail, and perhaps sniff out dissenters. That would seem to be the only thing that makes sense.

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

Primary Ignition‘s Star Wars Review Archive

Rob Siebert 39 Comments

The following represents the full archive of our Star Wars reviews, separated by season.

Star Wars The Clone Wars, Ambush, YodaThe Essential Star Wars: The Clone Wars
S1:E1 – “Ambush”
S1:E5 – “Rookies”
S2:E5 – “Landing at Point Rain”
S2:E6 – “Weapons Factory”
S2:E7 – “Legacy of Terror”
S2:E8 – “Brain Invaders”
S2:E12 – “The Mandalore Plot”
S2:E13 – “Voyage of Temptation”
S3:E2 – “ARC Troopers”
S3:E12 – “Nightsisters”
S3:E13 – “Monsters” Star Wars The Clone Wars, Brain Invaders, Ahsoka
S3:E14 – “Witches of the Mist”
S4:E21 – “Brothers”
S4:E22 – “Revenge
S5:E14 – “Eminence”
S5:E15 – “Shades of Reason”
S5:E16 – “The Lawless”
S5:E17 – “Sabotage”
S5:E18 – “The Jedi Who Knew Too Much”

The Mandalorian Season 1, archive imageThe Mandalorian, Season One
“Chapter 1: The Mandalorian”
“Chapter 2: The Child”
“Chapter 3: The Sin”
“Chapter 4: Sanctuary”
“Chapter 5: The Gunslinger”
“Chapter 6: The Prisoner”
“Chapter 7: The Reckoning”
“Chapter 8: Redemption”

Grogu, The Mandalorian S2, archive imageThe Mandalorian, Season Two
“Chapter 9: The Marshal”
“Chapter 10: The Passenger”
“Chapter 11: The Heiress”
“Chapter 12: The Siege”
“Chapter 13: The Jedi”
“Chapter 14: The Tragedy”
“Chapter 15: The Believer”
“Chapter 16: The Rescue”

Boba Fett, Fennec Shand, The Book of Boba Fett S1, archive imageThe Book of Boba Fett
“Chapter 1: Stranger in a Strange Land”
“Chapter 2: The Tribes of Tatooine”
“Chapter 3: The Streets of Mos Espa”
“Chapter 4: The Gathering Storm”
“Chapter 5: Return of the Mandalorian”
“Chapter 6: From the Desert Comes a Stranger”
“Chapter 7: “In the Name of Honor”

Obi-Wan Kenobi, Part I, Ewan McGregorObi-Wan Kenobi
“Part I”
“Part II”
“Part III”
“Part IV”
“Part V”
“Part VI”

Andor, Season One
“Kassa”
“That Would Be Me”
“Reckoning”

The Mandalorian, Season Three
Chapter 17: “The Apostate”
Chapter 18: “The Mines of Mandalore”

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

Rob Watches The Mandalorian: Return to Tatooine

Rob Siebert 1 Comment

SERIES: The Mandalorian
EPISODE: S1:E5. “Chapter 5, The Gunslinger”
STARRING: Pedro Pascal, Amy Sedaris, Jake Cannavale, Ming-Na Wen
WRITER/DIRECTOR: Dave Filoni
PREMIERE DATE: December 6, 2019
SYNOPSIS: After stopping on Tatooine for repairs, Mando takes a job alongside a young bounty hunter.

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

So did we need to come back to Tatooine? No, not really. But I’m glad we did. Going to a classic Star Wars setting reinforces that this is, in fact, the universe we know and love. And yes, nostalgia is a factor. It’s nice to see Mos Eisley again.

I’m a little surprised they used pit droids, i.e. the “hit the nose” robots from The Phantom Menace. I don’t mind Episode I as much as some people do. But you’d think in this, the first live action Star Wars television show, you’d want to avoid allusions to what’s often considered the franchise’s worst film. (It’s not. But that’s another story.)

Question: Aren’t most rifles in Star Wars blaster rifles? If so, Peli Motto asking the droids to get her blaster rifle doesn’t really make sense. It should probably just be, “Get my rifle!”

Yeah. I’m nitpicking at that level, folks. But it’s because I care, damn it!

So he just left the child on the ship? That’s uncharacteristically stupid for Mando.

Dr. Mandible, the giant bug in the cantina, is also stupid. He makes his debut in this episode.

Fun fact: The Mos Eisley Cantina has a name. Chalmun’s Spaceport Cantina.

Another fun fact: They squeezed Mark Hamill into this episode. He’s the voice of the droid at the bar (shown below). Apparently that’s the very same droid that spoke to Threepio in Jabba’s palace in Return of the Jedi. What a remarkable coincidence…

I wonder if Mando would have taken Toro Calican under his wing before he picked up the child. Perhaps being a father figure softened him in short order.

That’s a recurring theme in the original Star Wars trilogy. The “scoundrel” who becomes a good man. The big one is Han Solo. But it applies to Lando Calrissian as well.

I must confess, I’ve never seen Agents of Shield, or much of anything else with Ming-Na Wen. But she makes a pretty good bounty hunter. And Fennec Shand is yet another powerful female character added to the Star Wars universe.

I don’t recommend watching this episode in a room with a lot of sunlight. I did so, and could barely make anything out during the nighttime scenes.

So the general consensus was that the person who comes to Fennec’s aid at the very end of the episode is Boba Fett. In the end, that obviously turns out to be true. That speaks to the amount of foresight the showrunners hopefully have.

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

Rob Watches The Mandalorian: An Icon Returns

Rob Siebert 6 Comments

SERIES: The Mandalorian
EPISODE: S2:E6. “Chapter 14: The Tragedy”
STARRING: Pedro Pascal, Temuera Morrison, Ming-Na Wen, Giancarlo Esposito
WRITER: Jon Favreau
DIRECTOR: Robert Rodriguez
PREMIERE DATE: December 4, 2019
SYNOPSIS: Mando takes Grogu to the planet Tython, where he’s intercepted by Boba Fett and Fennec Shand.

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

I wonder who came up with the name Grogu, and how long they’ve had it. You think they had that in mind from the get-go?

Slave I gets an awesome entrance in this episode. Not overstated. Just a simple fly-by. The ship is so iconic to Star Wars fans that a simple appearance, even from a distance, does all the work.

So what is that energy field that comes up around Grogu? Are we to believe it’s Force energy? That seems like the most likely explanation. Especially since Grogu passes out afterward.

“I’m a simple man making his way through the galaxy. Like my father before me.” Nice little callback to two different lines there. The first from Jango in Attack of the Clones. The second from Luke at the end of Return of the Jedi.

This stormtrooper ineptitude is becoming a problem for me. The fact that Mando, Boba Fett and Fennec Shand were able to fend off more than a dozen of them is pathetic.

Also, when a giant boulder is rolling toward you…MOVE OUT OF THE WAY, IDIOTS!

The sequences with Boba Fett and the gaffi stick were a sight to behold. Aside from the few swings we saw in the original Star Wars, I believe this is the first time we’ve seen one in action. Certainly to this degree.

The fight between the newly re-armored Fett and the stormtroopers is obviously some great fan-service. It did bring to mind memories of the Darth Vader slaughter from the end of Rogue One. The difference? In Rogue One, that sequence was there to bolster up the end of the film because it had so little in the way of character and story. In contrast, this Boba Fett stuff has been set up since the beginning of the season. And to say the least, The Mandalorian isn’t lacking in depth.

Moff Gideon wants to be Darth Vader. Bad. Real bad. To the point that he carries around a lightsaber. It’s kinda cute, actually.

They blew up the Razor Crest! I didn’t see that coming…

I’ve never liked Temuera Morrison as the voice for the helmeted Boba Fett, especially the way they swapped out Jason Wingreen’s voice for his in The Empire Strikes Back. I have no issue with Morrison playing the role at large. But when he’s got the helmet on? Give him a voice like Wingreen’s. If Darth Vader can have a voice modulator, so can Boba Fett.

Some questions that still haven’t been answered: How did Fett survive the Sarlaac Pit? I think the general consensus is that he climbed out. But did somebody rescue him? When was he rescued?

If they do end up doing a Boba Fett series, this is some of the ground the first season should cover.

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

Rob Watches The Mandalorian: The Samurai

Rob Siebert 1 Comment

SERIES: The Mandalorian
EPISODE: S1:E4. “Chapter 4, Sanctuary”
STARRING: Pedro Pascal (Voice), Gina Carano, Julia Jones
WRITER: Jon Favreau
DIRECTOR: Bryce Dallas Howard
PREMIERE DATE: November 29, 2019
SYNOPSIS: Mando and the child seek sanctuary on the planet Sorgon, but are drawn into aiding a village against vicious raiders.

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

Oddly enough, Pedro Pascal wasn’t there for the filming of this episode. He was apparently on broadway doing King Lear at the time. Apparently the performance we see in this episode comes from a combination of stunt doubles Brendan Wayne and Lateef Crowder. Apparently Pascal and Wayne worked closely together in developing the title character. What’s more, Wayne is the grandson of screen legend John Wayne. Ironic, considering what Mando has in common with a lot of the characters John Wayne played…

When Mando looks at the child and says, “Stop touching things,” he briefly becomes the personification of every parent who’s ever had a toddler.

Here we have Cara Dune, played by Gina Carano. Mrs. Primary Ignition isn’t sold on Carano as an actor. Me? I think she’s perfectly adequate for the role she’s in. The one aspect of the character I’m not completely sold on? The tiny Rebel Alliance/New Republic tattoo she has on her cheek. She’s supposed to be making her living as a mercenary, right? Isn’t that an odd thing for a mercenary to keep tattooed on her face? You’d think she’d want the thing removed.

The samurai film influences on The Mandalorian are quite evident in this episode. And that’s even if you discount the fact that this village on Sorgan matches many depictions of such places in feudal Japan. You’ve got the nomad warrior sought out by a community of innocents to help them overcome an invasive evil. Thus, he trains the villagers to fight alongside him. It’s essentially the same plot as the classic film Seven Samurai, by Akira Kurosawa. Kurosawa was famously one of the filmmakers who inspired George Lucas during the conception of Star Wars.

On the subject of connections to Lucas, our director for this episode is Bryce Dallas Howard. She’s, of course, the daughter of Ron Howard, who starred in Lucas’ first big hit, American Graffiti. She’s gotten quite a bit of praise for her work on The Mandalorian, and rightfully so. Carano credits Howard with helping her figure out how to best translate the Cara Dune character from script to screen.

The combination puppeteering/CGI work with Baby Yoda is at its strongest yet in this episode. It blends so seamlessly. It’s not a fair comparison, given the near 20-year gap, but it’s a far cry from how fake CGI Yoda looks in Attack of the Clones.

I give a lot of credit to Julia Jones, who plays Omera, Mando’s kinda/sorta love interest in this episode. She performs the hell out of her scenes here, playing off someone who essentially has a bucket on their head. Now that’s acting.

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

Rob Watches The Mandalorian: Ahsoka Arrives

Rob Siebert 1 Comment

SERIES: The Mandalorian
EPISODE: S2:E5. “Chapter 13: The Jedi”
STARRING: Pedro Pascal, Rosario Dawson, Diana Lee Inosanto, Michael Biehn
WRITER/DIRECTOR: Dave Filoni
PREMIERE DATE: November 27, 2020
SYNOPSIS: Mando journeys to the planet Corvus and meets Ahsoka Tano.

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

This is the first episode of the season not written by Jon Favreau. Dave Filoni, who was integral in the creation and development of Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars: Rebels, serves as both the writer and director. That’s fitting, of course, given who makes her live-action debut here.

I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: There’s a certain amount of injustice in the fact that Ashley Eckstein isn’t playing Ahsoka. Nothing against Rosario Dawson. She does a fine job here. But Eckstein deserved to take a crack at the role.

A question that’s been asked, but bears repeating: Why doesn’t Mando know more about the Jedi? Not just because his people were at war with them at one point, but because at this point in the timeline the Jedi haven’t been gone that long. The Empire

So beskar armor can block lightsabers. That’s convenient. Not necessarily a bad thing, though.

So Baby Yoda has a name: Grogu. Not that it makes much difference in terms of the “Baby Yoda” nickname. That thing is sticking.

The affection shown between Grogu and Mando in this episode is heart-warming. Obviously, we knew they had become close. But things like Mando cheering Grogu on during the Force exercise with Ahsoka reinforce that in a really impactful way. In that moment they literally feel like father and son.

We pretty much knew Filoni would throw in some fan-service lines, right? That’s really all those references to Yoda and Anakin were.

Once again the eastern, samurai-esque influence on The Mandalorian is quite evident here. Perhaps most notably in the look of the village on Corvus. Much like “Sanctuary,” it feels a lot like something you’d see from Akira Kurosawa

I can’t say I was incredibly surprised to hear Grand Admiral Thrawn’s name mentioned near the end of the show. He’s a loose end in the franchise, and a character they continue to use via Timothy Zahn’s Thrawn novels. So it makes all the sense in the world to bring him in as a villain for Mando. I’d love to see him as early as next season.

So Ahsoka sends them to an old Jedi temple, with the idea that maybe a Jedi will sense Grogu. Naturally, this brings up questions about Ahsoka and Luke Skywalker, and what they know about each other. Canon buffs know that at some point, Luke knew about Ahsoka. And given his strength in the Force, one would think Ahsoka knew about Luke (and possibly Leia). But to my knowledge, there’s never been a story in which they meet. That seems like a book, or even an animated movie that’s just begging to be written.

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.