The Mandalorian S2E7 - Chapter 15: The Believer

DIN’S SHOWN HIS FACE TO OTHER PEOPLE AND I’M STILL IN SHOCK!!!

Also, loved that ending of him throwing Gideon’s words right back in his face. One of the most satisfying moments of the show so far!

 

A great episode. Mad Max mania!. Fun, fast action,. Mando's good buddy, Mayfield, is quietly sliding off into the sunset; a permanent asset for Mando and Company. Mando revealing his face for part of the show, a real treat.

 

I don't know...wouldn't it be useful to have, like, the element of surprise? If I'm attacking an Imperial cruiser I'll not announce myself. Interested to see how they work around it. Liked the episode but can't wrap my head around that he announced himself.

 

Well, you'd have to be insane to announce your exact intentions, right? Which means, the baddies would have to be insane to believe it and take the announcement on face value... A double bluff, perhaps?

 

Then perhaps the New Republic will help them and the Imperials will be met by more force than they expect.

 

This was a really fun episode and not what I expected. Nice change of scenery/habitat and its always interesting to get an imperial perspective on things.

I'm glad they didn't turn it into the Boba show, him being there as a sorta taxi driver felt natural, oh and it's good to see that old armour with a much deserved respray.

Big character progression for Din and it was extremely jarring but kinda awesome seeing him disguise as a trooper, and it was great actually seeing Pedro's handsome face, plus I love that Mayfeld had respect for Din in the end.

The whole heist thing felt like a Rebels episode and I dig it. Some neat little references and lore sprinkled throughout this episode too.

The hologram message at the end was extremely badass and surprising.

Well played again Rick Famuyiwa, well played.

 

Seismic charges!

 

Wasn't expecting a filler side quest episode even though it was for Gideon's coordinates but was still fun!

Not sure how I feel about Din showing his face that way. Mixed feelings!

Pilot Boba!

Mayfield redeemed himself!

Din saying the "he means more to me that you will ever know" line about Grogu..the feels!!

 

Initial thoughts

• Jetpack is back! Did they return to fetch it? I'm imagining a car ride scene like with my own kids in the backseat: "Dad, we need to go back. Hurry! I can't find XYZ. And I am not going anywhere without it."
  
• Slave is looking much bigger from the inside. I like the mechanics in the background, the wheel as the ship uprights itself.
• I love Bill Burr and how annoying he is.
• Ok, who wears it better: Boba's matte or Mando's shiny armor? Did Boba carry around some armor paint in his ship?
• Mad Maxian chase. Very well done!
• Valin Hess is (was) a great character. Reminded of Landa from Inglourious Basterds. Would have loved to hear more war stories.
• Hologram: What does Moff Gideon keep from getting his blood sample and killing Grogu before Mando even gets there? While great to hear Mando throwing Moff Gideon's words right back at him, the threat seems not to have been the wisest of choices...

 

I forgot to mention that Cara Dune and Fennec teaming are a force! Gina Carano is so beautiful!

 

Ming Na & Gina are both wonderful, absolutely perfect casting for both characters.

 

Wow, Rick Famuyiwa wrote as well as directed this one. Count me as a Rick fan!

So yes, the helmet came off. Not with the high drama I was expecting. I'm not sure how I feel about it but I guess that is often the way compromises happen...incrementally. I really liked Mayfeld's commentary on it all. I can't believe they made me almost like Mayfeld. But combined with Mando's speech at the end throwing Gideon's words back at him, you realize that Mando will do anything for that child at this point. And I kind of can't argue with that.

I love how Din was just sort of in shock during that whole interaction with the Imperial officer. Obviously he was trying to keep his mouth shut since he didn't know anything about Imperial protocol or chitchat, but I imagine after not having shown your face to another human for like twenty-some years you would feel pretty shocked, exposed, and vulnerable to have to sit there with people looking at you constantly. Not to mention that you would be used to never having to fake your facial expressions, so keeping a straight face would take a lot of concentration!

That Imp officer was great. I love how they showed the reflections in his eyes to give them a fanatical gleam!

Also, that was definitely not Pedro doing the stunts on top of the transport--not that we expect Pedro to do most of his own stunts, but that dude was way too skinny and had narrow shoulders, unlike Pedro. Brendan Wayne is still a stunt double this season so maybe it was him, although I'm not sure what the Barry Levin guy looks like (and Lateef Crowder is beefier!).

So anyway, I am wondering how all these changes to Din's beliefs are affecting his psyche. I suppose the last chapter will tell us... THEY BETTER NOT LEAVE US ON A MAJOR CLIFFHANGER for the end of the season. I want Baby Grogu back for Christmas! We can't have crying at Christmas!

--- Double Post Merged, Dec 11, 2020, Original Post Date: Dec 11, 2020 ---

And seismic charges! I couldn't believe how quickly they just served them up on a platter for us.

 

Honestly I never knew Bill Burr was such a capable actor, he's great in this.

 

Just realized that this was the first episode in the series to not have Grogu at all although referenced a lot and I didn't miss him much because I was distracted by everything going on in the episode.

It shows that Grogu doesn't always need to be a focal point. He took a backseat in the first episode of this season and again here. I'll be glad to see him in the next episode of course and hopefully Din gets him back but just saying that Grogu less episodes wouldn't be such a bad thing once in a while!

 

IMHO, this was both another great episode and yet my least favourite of the season, at least on first viewing.

Don’t get me wrong though, it had some wonderful stuff in it.

The return of the seismic charge, and more specifically the sound it makes, made me cheer.

Boba’s armour looked nicely spruced-up. Honestly I like Din’s shiny beskar look a little better though. But Jango had my fave look, if I’m comparing... I liked seeing more inside the Slave I too.

Cara and Fennec was a cool team up, hey Disney you need any more new SW shows right now? Lol...

The fact Din removed his helmet was a really emotionally significant moment. When the title came up, I joke-sang ‘Will we see his face? Now I’m The Believer!’, ... and so it proved!

I enjoyed Mayfeld with his philosphical ramblings. I was slightly disturbed (and maybe that was the point) by the ‘pirates’ being dispatched like they were. I don’t think they were pirates. I could be wrong, but I feel like they were freedom fighters trying to strike a blow against the invading Empire - (why would pirates just blow up the valuable cargo? that makes no sense to me).

And that introduces an interesting dimension to go alongside the discussion Mayfeld and Din had - was Din blind to what he did to the ‘pirates’ because he was so focused on his mission to track down Grogu. I think the show is asking us the interesting old moral question that crops up in Star Wars quite often - do the ends justify the means? And what ‘code’ or rules do you live by? Thoughts / a theme already highlighted by what we learned when Din met both Bo-Katan and Ahsoka.

The tension in the scene sat down with the Imp was great. You knew what was coming, and there’s something really interesting about getting scenes with ‘true believer’ imps, and how repugnant their worldview is. Imagree Burr’s acting was great in this, and in this scene in particular, for me.

As others have said, Din’s message to Gideon was amusing and cool but maybe discretion at this point would have been a better idea...? But, I guess it announces Din’s belief that he will recover Grogu.

 

Yes, the title seems to have multiple meanings as always... Still trying to figure them all out! You have some good ideas here.

Yes, I'm puzzled about the pirates. They didn't look like the villagers we saw but I guess there are multiple species on this planet. So I guess they were the freedom fighters that Mayfeld alludes to? Sort of Enfys Nest types.

So yeah, I guess Din is just trying to get what he needs to free Grogu and he didn't care about much else. To be fair, they were trying to kill him so I guess he had a right to fight back, but still. What code do you BELIEVE in?

Well, Din left his calling card for Gideon all right...but Gideon did look...well, if not scared then certainly concerned.