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SPOILER Ranking Each Episode of Mando

Discussion in 'The Mandalorian' started by cawatrooper, Dec 28, 2020.

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What are your Top 3 favorite episodes?

  1. The Mandalorian/The Sin/(The Bounty Arc)

    8 vote(s)
    42.1%
  2. The Child

    2 vote(s)
    10.5%
  3. The Sanctuary/The Gunslinger/The Prisoner (The "Journeys" Arc)

    1 vote(s)
    5.3%
  4. The Reckoning/The Redemption/ The Siege (The Nevarro Arc)

    3 vote(s)
    15.8%
  5. The Marshal

    4 vote(s)
    21.1%
  6. The Passenger/The Heiress (The Froglady Arc)

    3 vote(s)
    15.8%
  7. The Jedi

    7 vote(s)
    36.8%
  8. The Tragedy

    4 vote(s)
    21.1%
  9. The Believer

    7 vote(s)
    36.8%
  10. The Rescue

    14 vote(s)
    73.7%
Multiple votes are allowed.
  1. cawatrooper

    cawatrooper Dungeon Master

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    Now that we've been allowed to marinate in all of season 2 for over a week, how does each episode hold up to you?

    Here's how I'd stack mine:

    The Tragedy (Chapter 14)
    It's amazing to me that this is one of the show's shortest chapters, because it manages to be so full of action, story and emotion. There truly must be little fat to cut on these thirty minutes, and what we get is some of the best live action Star Wars we've ever seen. Definitely a bit of a bummer of an episode story-wise, but I think most of us knew that Mando would get his redemption eventually.

    The Rescue (Chapter 16)
    I considered putting this on the top, but I feel like it's just not quite as tight as The Tragedy. Still it's S Tier Star Wars, doing multiple things that fans thought they could only ever dream of seeing.

    The Mandalorian (Chapter 1)
    The one that started it all, this one does a lot for the series. We see who Din was before Grogu, we see IG-11 kicking butt, Mando making his way across the desert on the mounted alien things, a big shoot out in a monastary, an homage to the original Boba Fett animation... the episode sets up the series in big ways, but also manages to be a love letter both to Star Wars fans and the Westerns film genre.

    The Redemption (Chapter 8)
    Aside from some strange pacing, this episode mostly does everything right. I do think that while I appreciate how this represents a finale when Mando was still very much in its own universe, it does feel like it packs a little less of a punch these days.

    The Believer (Chapter 15)
    If you'd told me a year ago that I'd rate an episode with Bill Burr's character this high, and partly because of him, I wouldn't believe you. While The Believer manages to put solid Star Wars action into the show, where it really shines to me is when it slows down into a tense exchange with a suspicious Imperial officer. More of that, please.

    The Sin (Chapter 3)
    A roller coaster of emotions. I'm confident in how I've ranked things so far, but this still feels low to me- just a testament to how good the others are. That final scene with all the Mandalorians helping Din and Grogu is just the icing on the top of an incredible episode.

    The Jedi (Chapter 13)
    Ahsoka! While her appearance did pay off as more than a simple cameo by the end, I couldn't help but feel that she felt a bit shoehorned into this already cameo-heavy season. That being said, it was still an utter delight seeing her in live action, and the cinematography of this episode is probably the best in the entire series. Bonus points for teasing the Ahsoka show, as well as the mention of Thrawn. While I understand Rosario is a fan favorite for casting, I am apprehensive of supporting her much, though, given the accusations.

    The Marshall (Chapter 9)
    What a season opener! Cobb Vanth was a pretty deep pull for something as mainstream as The Mandalorian, but his armor (and a great performance by Olyphant) helped cement him as an integral part of this season. The krayt dragon fight brought this season to new levels of intensity (and scale that maybe hasn't been matched since) and that stinger in the end left fans wanting more.

    The Reckoning (Chapter 7)
    I definitely want more two-parter episodes in Mando, but this might not quite be the template for them. While The Reckoning did a good job of setting the stage for the following week, I do feel that it did so a bit at the expense of itself. Not to say this is a bad episode by any means, but it feels like it's constantly holding back in a way that feels a bit unnatural.

    The Prisoner (Chapter 6)
    Last year I'd have probably rated this a little lower, but I really like how this gives a view of the New Republic/Rebels that we haven't really seen before in live action. Also, that "hallway" scene is pretty great. Up until recently, though, I had wished that Burr's character had just been jettisoned into space instead of kept alive.

    The Siege (Chapter 12)
    The action in this is pretty great (cargo shorts guy and all) and the Baby Yoda stuff was cute but I have a hard time caring about Nevarro at this point and (for you gamers out there) it definitely felt more like Post Game Raid material rather than something related to the main narrative. I guess some Gideon stuff is teased, but this one just didn't click for me like maybe it should've.

    The Sanctuary (Chapter 4)
    I love when Star Wars is an homage to classic Samurai and Westerns, but it's done Seven Samurai a lot already. While the aesthetics are great and the combat is pretty focused (smart to make an AT-ST the center of it all), and I enjoyed Dune's character (though Caranno's irl behavior has soured her for me) this episode just somehow comes out to be less than the sum of its parts by the end. I don't really have a great explanation for or way to verbalize why that is, but hey... it's my ranking, and that's just how I feel ;)

    The Heiress (Chapter 11)
    It was cool seeing Bo Katan, and she's also a cameo that appears to have greater payoff in the future, but this episode just didn't quite work for me. Mando and Katan's chemistry just seemed off, and not in a way that was fun or rivalrous. The attack on the Imperial cruiser was cool, but even then I don't at all remember the context for it. I guess I just feel like the introduction of the Night Owls could've been more memorable. Also, I was really looking forward to an episode on that briny water planet, and I feel like it wasn't all that well utilized (they were in the air for half the runtime anyway).

    The Gunslinger (Chapter 5)
    There's a lot in this episode that works, but so much that doesn't. At the time, the return to Tatooine seemed so unwarranted- as a big Star Wars fan who's into the shows, video games, board games, comics, books, etc I've "been" to Tatooine far more than any other planet in Star Wars, and it eventually starts to feel less like a remote desert planet that the furthest thing from the "bright center of the universe" and more like the Times Square of the Outer Rim. WAY to much stuff takes place on Tatooine. That being said, I guess the Fett thing paid off (and Shand is so cool!) but I'm not 100% sure we needed to physically have Din on Tatooine for that. Especially since Slave I seemed functional enough this season anyway.

    The Child (Chapter 2)
    I know a lot of people really like this episode, but it just didn't quite stick to me. It was strange seeing our would be protagonist vaporizing jawas (though admittedly also kinda hilarious) and they really didn't make for all that compelling of villains anyway. What I think this episode does well, though, is making Mando feel at home in Star Wars. While the first chapter set Star Wars in a Western, this one set the Mandalorian in Star Wars. Stuff like the trandoshan fight (also seemingly comfortable in the Star Trek universe), the Jawas, the junked ship, and the use of the force all helped cement this show in Star Wars cinematic history right in the early days. So I can't complain too much- even near the bottom of my ranking, I don't consider these "bad" by any means.

    The Passenger (Chapter 10)
    But I might consider them boring. In what was effectively sort of a two-parter episode, the action almost exclusively revolves around Mando running from spiders. The horror is relatively well done, and there are some tense scenes, but... creature features just don't really interest me all that much, particularly something as relatively basic as spiders. I know that's just my personal opinion, and no shame if you enjoyed this one, though I have seen many other fans voice similar opinions. I guess it kinda reminds me of how much I hated how Jedi Fallen Order had us slaying entire ecosystems the entire game... there's just so much evil in the GFFA, that focusing this much on innocent creatures whose home you've invaded seems like a waste of time.


    Anyway... what are your rankings? Looking forward to seeing how mine stack up! I also have put a poll in which you can vote for your top 3 favorites, though some had to be combined to fit them all.
     
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  2. MandoChip

    MandoChip Hate me later. Work now.
    1030th General **** (Mod)

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    Quick FYI, There isn't a single episode that I don’t like and I love most of them very much. Cool idea btw, interesting to see how people rank the episodes.

    My ranking:
    1. The Jedi/The Rescue
    2. The Redemption
    3. The Sin
    4. The Marshal
    5. The Mandalorian
    6. The Heiress
    7. The Tragedy
    8. The Believer
    9. The Reckoning
    10. The Child
    11. The Prisoner
    12. The Siege
    13. The Gunslinger
    14. Sanctuary/The Passenger

    Damn that was hard.

    Edit: I've already edited/changed my list twice, lol
     
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  3. Choose Light

    Choose Light Mando Maven and Brown Eyes Backer

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    Like @MandoChip , there isn't one episode of The Mandalorian that I wouldn't gladly rewatch. This is just the order I would rewatch them in. (Please note this list is subject to change every five minutes.) ;)

    1. Redemption. Love the drama of the injury/helmet, Cara's loyalty, Baby Yoda saving the day, Din gets his signet, his clan, and his quest, Din downs Gideon's tie with a jetpack, a homemade bomb, and a life-threatening brain injury.

    2. The Child. I love this quiet episode getting to know just who this Mandalorian is and what he's made of.

    3. The Believer. Another episode that quietly tells us how far Din has come and who he is at his core.

    4. Sanctuary. Lots of female gaze in this one--feels like I'm invited to see Din and the baby from a different perspective.

    5. The Heiress. Frog Lady and Frog Man and Baby Tad are a happy Star Wars family, nuff said, OK? Also, Din is a mess when he thinks he's lost his kid.

    6. The Reckoning. Space Dragons and Cara Dune's loyalty again.

    7. The Passenger. Weird Star Wars at its best.

    8. The Jedi. Grogu's past and lots of Dad-baby snuggling.

    9. The Sin. Din is a bad@ss and Mandos come to the rescue.

    10. The Rescue. This one will probably go higher in the list once I get over my depression over the final shot. Future episodes will probably help temper it too.

    11. The Marshal. Cobb Vanth. :cool:

    12. The Mandalorian. I already have nostalgia over this. Too early?

    13. The Siege. Crest dogfight and Din wipes up sick with his cape. Who wouldn't like this, I ask you?

    14. The Tragedy. Too tragic, but at least Din laughs before it all goes down.

    15. The Prisoner. Din's old gang isn't something I can just jump into, but I enjoy Mando the horror star.

    16. The Gunslinger. Well, at least there's Fennec Shand.
     
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  4. Lock_S_Foils

    Lock_S_Foils Red Leader

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    LOL subject to change every 5 minutes....describes my movie list too!
     
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  5. cawatrooper

    cawatrooper Dungeon Master

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    I realize that the poll has some grouping issues (I'm skeptical that even though the "Nevarro Arc" is doing well that The Siege had much to do with that, for instance), but it's interesting to see that at this point there's only one category that hasn't been in someone's Top Three yet. Looks like just about every episode has something people love about it... and that's not a bad problem to have at all! :)
     
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  6. Embo and His Pet Anooba

    Embo and His Pet Anooba Jedi Commander

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    1. The Believer- good job bill
    2. The Rescue- good job gus
    3. The Mandalorian- good job taika
    4. The Jedi
    5. Redemption- good job gus

    i cant rank the rest they are alll good
     
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  7. Mando LXXXV

    Mando LXXXV Rebel Official

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    Had to think long and hard about it as I enjoy every episode but so I'd say..

    The Rescue
    The Redemption
    The Reckoning
    The Sin
    The Heiress
    The Trajedy
    The Marshall
    The Jedi
    The Believer
    The Child
    The Mandalorian
    The Believer
    The Prisoner
    The Gunslinger
    The Passanger
    The Sanctuary
     
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  8. steakfromjakefarm

    steakfromjakefarm Rebel Trooper

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    Okay, let's see... this is hard for me because honestly, all the episodes are wonderful. Here we go...
    1. The Rescue
    2. The Heiress
    3. The Sin
    4. The Prisoner
    5. The Believer
    6. Redemption
    7. The Reckoning
    8. The Gunslinger
    9. The Mandalorian
    10. The Jedi
    11. The Marshal
    12. The Siege
    13. Sanctuary
    14. The Passenger
    15. The child.

    Okay, I know I didn't put The Tragedy on my list. Honestly, I couldn't begin to rank it because I have strong feelings about that episode, both good and bad. I was SO EXCITED when I saw the Slave 1, and in the hint at the beginning when it showed Boba walking up to Fennec. I was also excited when I realized she was alive. The daarktroopers were cool, and I was also excited when I learned Mayfeld would be coming back. The problem is the Razorcrest. I almost cried when it blew up, especially because I wasn't expecting it. The idea that they would decide to blow up such an iconic ship is shocking to me. So I decided not to rank it because I don't know how I would.

    Otherwise, I ranked based on content of the episode. For The Marshal, I was almost sick to my stomach with excitement when it first came out after a long year of no Mando. I watched it at 5 a.m.
    I loved the beginning, but after that it got kind of boring. Din has to help someone! Again! It's becoming kind of a theme. If you look at all the episodes, almost every one of them is about him helping someone and getting little in return.

    As for my top ones, The Rescue, Heiress, and Sin are all very close. The Rescue had my heart pounding and me at the edge of my seat, especially at the post-credits scene when I almost screamed. The Heiress had amazing music, and I was so excited seeing Bo-Katan again. I love that the show is almost completely action, and not sitting around talking with sandpeople like The Marshal. The Prisoner also came in pretty close, but after watching it a few times it got a little old.

    As for my last place, The Child, that episode was just boring IMO. His ship is taken apart, so he fights a mudhorn. Just wasn't very exciting and I didn't want to watch it again.

    That said, all episodes of Mando are amazing. I wish we didn't have to wait a whole year for season #3. :(
     
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  9. Demsa Aztor

    Demsa Aztor Rebel General

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    1. The Rescue/The Jedi
    2. The Believer
    3. The Redemption
    4. The Reckoning
    5. The Sin
    6. The Heiress
    7. The Marshall
    8. The Tragedy
    9. The Mandalorian
    10. The Child
    11. The Seige
    12. The Passenger
    13. The Sanctuary
    14. The Prisoner
    15. The Gunslinger

    Even with the episodes ranked at the bottom there was still a scene or two in them that resonated with me. Never thought I'd like a show so much. Hopefully, 2021 will be a good year in general for everyone. At least we have a lot of look forward to even though it's a year down the road. Hopefully, we will start having some clues about the Boba Fett series and Mando 3 some time in the summer or fall.
     
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  10. The Hero With No Fear

    The Hero With No Fear Resident Sand Hater

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    My top three were pretty easy for me to discern:
    1. The Rescue
      1. An amazing piece of Star Wars storytelling. It balances fan service and carrying on the story in such a brilliant way. We finally got to see Moff Gideon fight with the darksaber, Din HOLDING the darksaber, Luke FREAKING Skywalker in his fighting prime, and one of the most emotional scenes in the entire GFFA with Din and Grogu saying goodbye.
    2. The Heiress
      1. Seeing Bo Katan in live action absolutely blew mind. The Gozanti heist was an awesome action sequence, Frog Lady AND Frog Guy, and the really adorable Grogu scenes made it even better.
    3. The Sin
      1. This is the episode that completely sold me on the show. I wasn’t sure after the first episode and I thought the second episode was fun, but this one really showed me what The Mandalorian was capable of and I appreciate it for that reason. We understand Din’s conflict in this episode based off of his body language alone. I wasn’t expecting that level of depth in this show. Plus that amazing scene of all those Mandalorians in action was something I always wanted for this show but wasn’t sure if we’d ever see.
    The order of the rest of the episodes go something like this:
    • The Jedi
    • The Tragedy
    • The Redemption
    • The Reckoning
    • The Marshal
    • The Siege
    • The Believer
    • The Child
    • The Mandalorian
    • The Passenger
    • The Sanctuary
    • The Gunslinger
    • The Prisoner
    I don’t hate any episodes, but I was initially pretty disappointed with The Passenger and I’m not the biggest fan of The Prisoner, mainly because of the crew Mando works with (though Chapter 15 redeemed Mayfeld in my eyes.)

    Also keep in mind that I haven’t watched any of Season One since like August and have yet to do a full marathon of all of Season 2, let alone a marathon of both seasons together. That may shift my perspective on some of these!
     
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  11. Darth Derringer

    Darth Derringer Rebel Official

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    IMHO, Mandalorian Season 2 was The Best Season of a TV series ever. In all seriousness, it made this disillusioned fan fall in love with Star Wars again.

    My ranking of Season 2 episodes:
    1. The Jedi.
    This episode was the best directed, had the best production design, had the best fight sequences, was the best acted, and featured the best story. And on top of all that, it featured the live-action introduction of Ohsoka Tano. An absolute Dave Filoni masterpiece.
    2. The Believer. This 'little prelude' leading up to the season's grand finale grows in stature with each viewing. Rick Famuyiwa penned one of the best scripts ever written for Star Wars and Bill Burr was sensational.
    3. The Rescue. The first 2/3rds of this episode was good but, frankly, failed to live up to the tremendous lead-up of excitement and anticipation surrounding it by its legions of fans. However, its conclusion - Luke's return and Mando and Grogu's tearful good-bye - was as stirring as anything we've ever seen in a Star Wars movie or TV episode. Ludwig's always-stellar soundtrack was particularly brilliant and stood out in this one.
    4. The Tragedy. Most fans went into this episode expecting a 'breather' following on the heels of The Jedi, but instead we were treated to back-to-back Classics with the triumphant return of Boba Fett. Director, Robert Rodriguez gave long-time SW fans the "Fastest Gun in the West" bounty hunter they'd always imagined existed 40 years ago but never saw on film.
    5. The Heiress. On its first airing, this Brice Dallas Howard episode set itself apart as one of the series' best. (Who knew back then how amazing the last half of the season would be?) The production design was particularly evocative given its unique water world setting and the Mandalorian fight sequences were riveting.
    6. The Passenger. This was designed to be a little 'new creature of the week' episode. But the comedic elements in this one -- plus the cute acting we got from the woman playing the frog lady -- made this one a lot of fun.
    7. The Marshal. On its first airing, this episode felt like a mini-Star Wars movie given its sweeping scope and monster villain. A well-done action episode. It would have been mind-boggling at the time to learn that I would later rank it seventh out of the season's eight episodes.
    8. The Siege. The hallmark of a great season is when my lowest ranked episode is still a damn good one. I liked the camaraderie among Mando's team, and particularly enjoyed the return of Mythrol, Mando's bounty from S1:E1.
     
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