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 AduroT wrote:
It wasn’t like, a bad episode, but I’m just going to be annoyed because what predator travels that far for food, doesn’t kill it, and stores it alive for that long, especially when it’s got kids to feed. Not to mention how long they apparently lived inside that things gullet.

Is birb. Does weird.

Slipspace wrote:
Definitely feeling that Mando has lost its way this season. After the first two episodes wrapped up the redemption quest after a bizarre set of pointless sidequests, we're now left with 2 plodding episodes that seem to just be spinning their wheels. The writing has taken a nosedive with the clunky exposition, as pointed out by HBMC, and I feel that the forward motion the show was always pretty good at maintaining has simply drained away.

This gives me the idea that The Book of Boba Fett But Also His Pal Din screwed with what they originally had in mind for The Mandalorian. Which is to say I could see getting kicked out of the covert and doing the redemption quest as one season and Bo-Katan versus more Imperials to restore Mandalore being another season. Then something happened and the former got partially folded into Book of Boba, then wrapped up quickly so as to have the rest of season three cover what would have otherwise been season four.

Slipspace wrote:
Also, minor niggle, could the Mandolorians not set up base camp somewhere a little less dangerous? Like, the middle of a minefield, maybe? In the space of 4 episodes (or 3, really) they've been attacked by a giant crocodile/turtle thing and had a Foundling snatched by some giant flying dinosaur. Apparently this happens often enough that they know all about its feeding patterns and hunting behaviour.

I mean, that was basically what I thought after the first two minutes of the season...

It’s….it’s exploring Mandalorian Culture.

One might also call it World Building, and character building.

Not everyone is a nerd. Many will be casual watchers. Who is Bo Katan? They’re not gonna watch Clone Wars or Rebels to find out. So Mando is giving us a crash course in culture and character.

It’s clearly building toward something. Possibly even Bo Katan winning over the Covert, challenging Din for the Dark Saber and becoming The Mandalore.

Very good albeit very short Mandalorian episode this week. I expected we would get a "life in the covert" episode that would showcase the Mandalorian traditional lifestyle. I did not expect to have the backstory of Grogu too and it was a nice bonus. I was wondering to whom Bo-Katan would speak about the Mythosaur first and what would be their reaction to it. I was amazed at the quality of the aerial battle for it was technically very challenging. The special effects were great.

As for the few points that were raised. Yes, birds and the like do store food sometimes for entire weeks and some do carry live or injured food to feed their young. The behavior of the beast is thus not exactly surprising. The only surprising thing is how dry Ragnar was when he was spitted out. As to why the Mandalorians would have installed themselves in such a dangerous place, well I suppose this has to do with the fact they are a crazy warrior society who basically require danger and combat to function properly. I wonder how they got there though as they don't seem to have ships on hand beside that of Bo and Din. Some might have been there all along while others might have hitch a ride, but I'm curious to see if they have other ships.

Meh. It was an okay episode. The best part honestly was seeing Mando be a proud dad and the Armorer's interactions with Grogu.

The weakness is that it's a filler episode behind a filler episode with still no sense of what the show is really doing anymore. The entire kidnapped kid plot felt like little more than an excuse to get some stuff taken care of on the side because they had ground to cover but it wasn't enough for a full episode so they just threw something lazy together to pad out the time.

I'm not as hard on it as some I guess, but especially after rewatching Season 1, I miss what the show was like when it was newer and a bit bolder, and everything wasn't some reference/connection to some other thing.

EDIT: And I'd note that while I love how this show doesn't have everyone take off their helmet at every opportunity like some things Disney makes, the absolute insanity of how they never ever ever take it off where others can see is kind of being highlighted in its absurdity. Don't show your face to an enemy? Okay. Don't let an enemy take your helmet off? Okay. Be a faceless badass who is known more for what you are than who you are? Yeah I can see that.

"Okay guys time to eat, everyone spread out in a dozen different directions all alone and we'll meet back in 20!" kind of shows how utterly ridiculous this tradition is from a practical standpoint and really highlights the irrational part of being religious zealots :/ Like, no wonder more modern Mandalorians dumped this cultural concrete. It's just silly and the show doesn't do itself huge favors highlighting it in this way.

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
It’s….it’s exploring Mandalorian Culture.

Is it? Some exposition from the Armourer an repetitive exposition combined with nonsensical action and half a flashback?

We're halfway through the season and it still hasn't found a plot. We spent 40+ minutes last week focusing on a character who has had maybe 6 lines in 2 seasons up until that point.

Mando Culture is the plot?

That's not a story.

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Mando Culture is the plot?

This, just spending time with the mandalorians is welcome, learning their ways, or as they would put it THE WAY.

The show looks amazing, and its obviously building towards Bo Katan taking over as their leader, she is going to ride the mythosaur. We don't need to rush there, sometimes its about the journey.

Bad batch on the other hand reminds me of the worst of the clone wars, theres been so much of the plot / side characters that I just don't care about.

 H.B.M.C. wrote:
We're halfway through the season and it still hasn't found a plot. We spent 40+ minutes last week focusing on a character who has had maybe 6 lines in 2 seasons up until that point.

The plot seems to me very clear. It's the story of re-unification of the Mandalorian in a period of crisis spurred by the return of their old nemesis and, potentially, his boss. To get there though, since we are following those events through the involvement of Grogu and Din, we have to get through the redeeming of Din with his tribe which is is own personal re-unification, Bo-Katan had hers at the same time and all the while, in each episode so far, we had a little of Grogu learning to be Mandalorian from learning how to chart stars and navigate the galaxy in episode 1, getting to Bo-Katan and travelling through the Mandalorian mines in episode 2, passing by his almost first words in episode 3 (which was mainly about foreshadowing the villains and showing how weak and suspicious the New Repubic is thus setting the scene for it being completely unable and unwilling to help the Outer Rim worlds from danger though frankly I think that specific part could have been kept for later in the season and it would not have changed much). I suspect episode 5 or maybe 6 will drag back our heroes to Navarro due to the pirates causing problems and from there the remnants of the Empire show up in force with the last two episodes will be about dealing with them, probably with the final battle on Mandalore itself.

It's not because there hasn't been a clear and very well defined continuous quest that was defined that there is no plot. There definitely is a story there with a bunch of character growing and encountering challenges that confronts them to their weaknesses and reinforce what they have learned (especially of the later so far though it seems to me we are setting up Grogu to face his trauma of the destruction of the Jedi so I expect the covert to suffer heavy casualties again when the villains show up). Each episode flows to the next rather naturally. My main critique so far is that while Grogu and Bo-Katan are passing through a lot of stuff right now, Din has it pretty easy. His main personal goals were rather easily achieved and he is good in his new role as official dad in a galaxy where fathers and father figures have a bad tendency to be terrible. I think he will face bigger issues in the second half of the season as he will be thrown or expected to be a leader since there is problems and he is the wielder of the darksaber.

No that's what we assuming the plot is, based on inference. But that's not what's been presented. Most of what you've described is set up for a plot, but not the plot that's actually happening.

Having re-looked at the trailer, what it appears to really be about is the Mandos going back to Novaro to free it from pirate control.

Y'know, the pirates they introduced in episode 1 and then did nothing with since?

 H.B.M.C. wrote:
No that's what we assuming the plot is, based on inference. But that's not what's been presented.

I disagree. We have clearly been presented with very clear themes and character development. I mean in four episodes so far we have seen Din searching to and then succeeding in re-integrating the Children of the Watch. We have seen Bo-Katan doing the same and we have seen Grogu learning to be a Mandalorian. This is what is happening the show so far. Of course there has been an episode dedicated to villains filled with foreshadowing and the main characters all lamenting in their own ways the fate of the Mandalorian people as "scattered and lost". Yeah, that's what's been presented to us and I would be greatly surprised if suddenly the show pivoted to a different theme like the New Republic issues with independent Outer Rim worlds like Navarro and the Mandalorian territory.

Bad Batch seems to finally be moving on to the plot, and yet still didn't get there.

15-16 episodes of filler for 5-4 of actual plot progression.

Truly, the best season... Good thing I was never that attached to this series to begin with.

 Tamereth wrote:

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Mando Culture is the plot?

This, just spending time with the mandalorians is welcome, learning their ways, or as they would put it THE WAY.

The show looks amazing, and its obviously building towards Bo Katan taking over as their leader, she is going to ride the mythosaur. We don't need to rush there, sometimes its about the journey.

Bad batch on the other hand reminds me of the worst of the clone wars, theres been so much of the plot / side characters that I just don't care about.

Bad Batch has been super frustrating this season. As said a lot of side guff of basically no consequence. Now a bad show is a bad show and I can just move myself on.

But when it’s been good it’s been excellent. That is what I find frustrating. That’s what gets on my pip. Because it shows it’s sheer potential.

 Tamereth wrote:

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Mando Culture is the plot?

This, just spending time with the mandalorians is welcome, learning their ways, or as they would put it THE WAY.

The show looks amazing, and its obviously building towards Bo Katan taking over as their leader, she is going to ride the mythosaur. We don't need to rush there, sometimes its about the journey.

Reading this, now I'm curious if you feel the same about the Tusken part of Book of Boba.

That does not seem to have been well received (I liked it for what it's worth), but it's in effect the exact thing we're seeing in Mando. A lot of front-loaded culture exposition that takes up an inordinate amount of time which is not used to set up the main conflict of the show/season as narrative convention would suggest.

The difference there is the title of the show.

Book of Boba Fett wasn’t Book of Tusken. The Madalorian started out as the tale of a single Mando, and has now expanded to his overall culture.

And hey, I liked The Book of Boba Fett. I understand the criticism, and to some extent agree on certain areas, but I feel some criticism has been thoroughly overly egged into a vile internet custard where Not Liking It has become the Hip Thing for some.

But The Mandalorian? We’re still exploring Din’s world. We’re starting to see the first glimmers of a once great culture getting itself back together. Reforged. Reunified. Possibly.

As for Bo Katan’s plan in the latest chapter? If they didn’t offer exposition, people would moan “the thing they didn’t need to explain” wasn’t explained an am therefore the polt hole. Not the same people like. But just keep in mind they can’t please everyone.

I wouldn’t really say they’re reunifying the Mandolorians yet. They’ve got one possible convert. Bo hasn’t even taken their creed yet, merely declined to remove her helmet.

Yeah, it has gobbled a few children. Don't worry, recruitment isn't a problem, we can always get more orphans.

And that rare metal? It can just fall off, or be left in birds nests, or be left in underground caves.

True, but the glimmer is there.

Bo Katan is a proven leader. She followed Dinosaur Thing. Sussed out its nest. Suggested a plan. All without grandstanding or “everyone am listen to me, I are important”.

It could all go horribly, hideously wrong. Particularly if she decides to just usurp command rather than be, well I dunno, do they vote? Promote? Time will tell.

But the teaser has shown her ship being used to drop in the other Mandalorians, so more cooperation to come.

Perhaps she’s just using them for her own ends, having been abandoned by her followers. Maybe she’s being genuinely altruistic, having found Community and support.

 AduroT wrote:
I wouldn’t really say they’re reunifying the Mandolorians yet. They’ve got one possible convert. Bo hasn’t even taken their creed yet, merely declined to remove her helmet.

Technically, in episode 2, she mentions she did took the creed when she was a child in an elaborated ceremonial since she was a princess. Of course, at that point, this was mostly for show and they didn't took the creed to the letter a bit like most people do with their religion these days. She even hints that her sister Satine might have made a big show of not taking the creed or at the very least embarassing their father in the process since she explicitly mention that she acquitted herself of that duty in a way that made her father proud (and we already know her sister was basically as anti-creed as one can be). Bo-Katan doesn't need to take the creed again, she already did. She needed to be redeemed by bathing in the living waters and she did and since she did not remove her helmet since and decided to join the covert, she's now a Mandalorian in good standing in the eyes of the Children of the Watch.

As for reunifying the Mandalorians, I bet that before the end of this season and certainly in the penultimate one (I think there is supposed to be a fourth and last season of the show). They will require or meet other Mandalorians. I would not be surprised if amongst the pirates there will be a Mandalorian or two as they already mentionned two or three times that Mandalorians have scattered and work as mercenaries a bit everywhere.

I feel like we wouldn't have to argue about where Mandalorian Season 3 is going, or if it's going anywhere at all, if the plot was a bit more logically crafted.

Fix IG-88... but nope.
Deal with pirates... but nope.
Redeem self, that was easy!
Mysterious warlord mystery... but nope
Big city planet big city life... Maybe? (this easily could have been a B-plot spanning the season and probably would have come off better... If there's a point to it at all)
We must save that guy's family!

Yeah, I just don't see it. I mean, it'll probably be more clear after but right now the show feels pretty rudderless. Like it's just doggy paddling in a mellow stream.

Really it's the same issue Bad Batch season 2 started having around this same time in its release. I've never been that invested in Bad Batch. It's a thing to watch, but I liked Mandalorian so I'm disappointed.

Yeah good point: If we knew where the story was going or what it was about we wouldn't need to argue about where the story was going or what it was about.

I'm going to go and watch Picard. Now that's a show in its 3rd season turning it around completely from crap to great. Seems Trek and Wars swapped this year.

 Guardling wrote:

Now she's a member of his new clan and probably going to be on equal footing to him from the go.
Yeah, he's going to be a problem later, unless he can work past his family issues and grow as a person (haha)

Happy to be proved wrong about Visla (so far).
He's getting a bit of depth other than moody big guy, we can add some critical thinking and loving father to the list.

On the bright side if there's one thing Mandalorians are good at, it's finding a reason to fight each other.

I like to imagine Bo-Katan sees her ambitions through and has a ritual fight with Din for the Darksaber, actually winning it legitimately only for Viszla to doubt her character based on the last time she ruled and stir up trouble over it.

I think it would tie in nicely with his losing the duel with Din if he didn't outright challenge Bo-Katan for leadership but tried something underhanded instead to nudge things in his favor and make absolutely sure this time the Darksaber ends up in the right hands (his, that is).

Quite liked the latest episode. The side quest was side questy, but the meat of the episode was strong and humanized the Watch a bit which was nice. Mostly what it made me realize was that the worst part of the last episode was its hour runtime. 30 minutes is a lot more tolerable for side quests.

Bad Batch was pretty solid too now that it seems to be getting somewhere.

 Geifer wrote:
On the bright side if there's one thing Mandalorians are good at, it's finding a reason to fight each other.

I like to imagine Bo-Katan sees her ambitions through and has a ritual fight with Din for the Darksaber, actually winning it legitimately only for Viszla to doubt her character based on the last time she ruled and stir up trouble over it.

I think it would tie in nicely with his losing the duel with Din if he didn't outright challenge Bo-Katan for leadership but tried something underhanded instead to nudge things in his favor and make absolutely sure this time the Darksaber ends up in the right hands (his, that is).

It could be that Din becomes The Mandalore, and everyone accepts that.

Unlike Bo Katan and Paz, he’s Mandalorian through and through, but not from a Noble House type thing. He doesn’t have the personal or lineage baggage the other two do. And not only did he claim the Dark Saber in honourable combat? But he did so without the reason for the combat being possession of the Dark Saber and all that entails. Neither Bo Katan or Paz can say the same.

He’s also shown to be a determined and resourceful individual, but not too proud to call on help when it’s required. That I feel is something any Mandalorian worth their salt can genuinely respect and admire, if not actively aspire to become.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Guardling wrote:

 Guardling wrote:

Now she's a member of his new clan and probably going to be on equal footing to him from the go.
Yeah, he's going to be a problem later, unless he can work past his family issues and grow as a person (haha)

Happy to be proved wrong about Visla (so far).
He's getting a bit of depth other than moody big guy, we can add some critical thinking and loving father to the list.

He’s also seeing his preconceived notions challenged, by both Din and Bo Katan, as the pair of them came to his aid without being asked. That can be a compelling reason to swallow pride and reassess your opinions.

I don't know. Bo-Katan has had it rough. She loses Deathwatch, she loses Satine, she loses the uprising against the Empire and gets Mandalore nuked, and she loses her shot at redemption along with her followers because of Din. I'm not saying it wouldn't be interesting (read: hilarious) to see him snatch away the Mythosaur ride and become Mandalore while she gets a load of nothing out of it, but maybe the Force could side with Bo-Katan for a change and throw her a bone.

Additionally I'm thinking what you highlight as a virtue Din could make work for himself is also something that might work against him. He hasn't had any ambition to become Mandalore before, and both in his own show and in Book of Boba he's perfectly content to help out fellow Mandalorians because that's what he thinks the creed demands of him. It really depends on whether he is given a good enough reason to completely change his mind on the subject.

All true. Certainly whilst outwardly altruistic, I do kind of suspect Bo Katan is feathering her own nest here.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
I guess I’m kind of seeing Din as the “Grey Jedi” here. Of the Creed, but only guided, not blinded by it. And open to other takes on being Mandalorian. The True Believer that isn’t a fanatic type thing.

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
All true. Certainly whilst outwardly altruistic, I do kind of suspect Bo Katan is feathering her own nest here.

The last scene perhaps, but that seemed rather frustrated by the cult's tenuous grasp on reality, where it doesn't make a difference if something is real or not (except actually getting wet, apparently).

The rest just seemed like a practical leader just taking charge with a real solution while the cultists mindlessly repeated their failures.


Wasn't expecting her ship to be a Tardis, though. Wouldn't want to clean it up, either.

Just found out who played Grogu’s Jedi saviour,

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Just found out who played Grogu’s Jedi saviour,

yhea, too me a while to understand the "jedi jar jar" comments as well