Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you:
No adverts like this in the forums anymore.
Times and dates in your local timezone.
Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance.
Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely.
Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net.
If you are already a member then feel free to login now.
This was different. I enjoyed the season, and I don’t hate the finale.
It’s just….stuff is clearly missing. I can only think the ran out of budget for the space Battle. Which is a shame, as new Star Wars, beyond Rogue One, is yet to truly satisfy that craving. Indeed them nailing and producing the best space battle in Rogue One just makes it all the more annoying.
In summary? What’s there is good. But thanks to odd missing scenes, it’s not Great.
Fed up of Scalpers? But still want your Exclusives? Why not join us?
AduroT wrote: Those little jet packs can break atmo?! Apparently fuel is only a concern when chasing pterodactyls…
Or more likely they weren’t fully fuelled as they weren’t planning for a combat op. Also, Axe Wolves isn’t the same flavour of Mando, so may have a different model of jet pack.
Fed up of Scalpers? But still want your Exclusives? Why not join us?
Monday - Don’t like them, luckily I’m Dead
Tuesday - Take girl for a drink. Dead
Wednesday - Dead
Thursday - Dead
Friday - I’m in love, but Dead
Saturday - night I feel the air is getting hot. But still Dead
Sunday - lazy afternoon, being Dead.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2023/04/19 09:30:22
Fed up of Scalpers? But still want your Exclusives? Why not join us?
I don't think it's a question of budget. The intention is clearly for the season to be about the reclamation of Mandalore. Which is all good and well, but then they go and take up an inordinate amount of time with things that have nothing to do with it. And not just side quests. I appreciate the Imperial and New Republic parts in isolation, but:
- Pershing's fate is immaterial to the reclamation of Mandalore.
- New Republic reintegration program and Imperial infiltration of it is immaterial.
- Nevarro's piracy problem that gives the Mandalorians a new home for all of five minutes is mooted right after with the quest for Mandalore.
- Imperials as adversaries with a base on Mandalore are not necessary, if an understandable choice.
- Gideon being the season's bad guy adds nothing even if we accept that Imperials should be involved. I know, I know, he oversaw the purge of Mandalore which makes it personal and gratifying, but we already got that last season. The same people fought him, beat him, and he did nothing in the meantime that has any specific bearing on the retaking of Mandalore.
If I were to give the benefit of the doubt, I'd say all of that is cool to have because we are now in MCU territory and the show has to set up and reference other shows for a greater whole. That's not a problem per se, but it's clearly distracting from the actual point of the season and does it in a pretty jarring manner because the side parts lack relevance to the main plot. Notice how I'm not including the side quest on Planet Droid. There's nothing wrong with the occasional cute breather for the main characters. But exposition on the New Republic, which again is actually something I want to see, adds nothing to the reclamation of Mandalore and just eats up runtime that could have been spent on something more relevant. Similarly, recycling Gideon adds a personal conflict that was already resolved and detracts from the planet as a valuable source of raw materials for the Imperials. Any old commander could have been put in charge of mining and research there. But with Gideon it's right back to dismantling his cloning program (again) and getting into a drawn out boss fight between the same people that were there last season.
It's an issue with the hero driven action Star Wars has had from the beginning, if you will. Because the big bad leveled up between seasons the heroes need another shot at beating him. At that point it becomes all about that confrontation while all that boring military campaign thing necessary to actually win takes place in the background. And with no focal character to shine a light on any particular part, the respective part takes a backseat to the character showdown. Want a good space battle? Then you need an ace pilot in your main cast and a villain to fight in space. If you don't have that, and Mando doesn't, no space battles for you.
This is not a question of budget. It's the writers'/director's choice what to include in the story. Stuff is missing because of questionable choices or focus on the wrong things. That's not a problem that can be solved by throwing money at it.
Monday - Don’t like them, luckily I’m Dead
Tuesday - Take girl for a drink. Dead
Wednesday - Dead
Thursday - Dead
Friday - I’m in love, but Dead
Saturday - night I feel the air is getting hot. But still Dead
Sunday - lazy afternoon, being Dead.
Spoiler:
The issue with ramming a cruiser up his ass is that we don't see the body. So, you know...
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2023/04/19 09:33:22
Nehekhara lives! Sort of!
Why is the rum always gone?
Just years after being set up, we see it’s still quite fragile. Easily infiltrated by former Imperials. Limited resources to police.
This is what is giving the Imperial Remnant a chance to fester and grow. Bo Katan’s fleet was pretty modest. But by direct comparison to the Pirates, clearly quite powerful. Whilst they didn’t do a great job of it, that does show us something of the wider background.
Specifically, whilst nobody seems particularly willing to pick a fight with the New Republic directly, it’s relative fragility and thin spread forces can’t protect people as the Grand Army once did - and for many planets, that’s possibly all their population knows.
It’s definitely ham fisted, and I dare say opinions may improve once we see Ahsoka and Skeleton Crew, which seem set to expand this time period’s picture. Also one does wonder if the cancelling/shelving of Rangers of the New Republic caused some scripting difficulties. Not presenting that as an excuse, just a reason.
Fed up of Scalpers? But still want your Exclusives? Why not join us?
You know, I’m gonna say there really Wasn’t a full season plot. The season may have ended with the retaking of Mandalore, but it wasn’t About the retaking of Mandalore. It’s just a series of events that show the greater world the story is taking place in and how things have grown and changed. New Navaro, New Republic, New Imperials, New Mandalore, etc. A kind of episodic/serialized hybrid, where each episode leaves a hook for the next, but they’re each largely telling their own story (barring the obvious two part finale).
Also Gideon totally isn’t dead. We didn’t see no body! Not even a scorch mark where they were standing! Plus there’s the bit where they had a mustache in the first two seasons, but no mustache in this season, just like the clones.
Just years after being set up, we see it’s still quite fragile. Easily infiltrated by former Imperials. Limited resources to police.
This is what is giving the Imperial Remnant a chance to fester and grow. Bo Katan’s fleet was pretty modest. But by direct comparison to the Pirates, clearly quite powerful. Whilst they didn’t do a great job of it, that does show us something of the wider background.
Specifically, whilst nobody seems particularly willing to pick a fight with the New Republic directly, it’s relative fragility and thin spread forces can’t protect people as the Grand Army once did - and for many planets, that’s possibly all their population knows.
It’s definitely ham fisted, and I dare say opinions may improve once we see Ahsoka and Skeleton Crew, which seem set to expand this time period’s picture. Also one does wonder if the cancelling/shelving of Rangers of the New Republic caused some scripting difficulties. Not presenting that as an excuse, just a reason.
That doesn't sound like you're actually disagreeing, to be honest.
I will ask though, how is it that we had perfectly functional Imperials in the first two seasons without much of a clue how screwed up the New Republic is but in the third season a look at the state of the New Republic becomes relevant even though all of the factions still don't interact with it?
Yes, it's cool to see, just in case I haven't been clear about it the last two times. But it's not functionally necessary for the story told in this season.
AduroT wrote: You know, I’m gonna say there really Wasn’t a full season plot. The season may have ended with the retaking of Mandalore, but it wasn’t About the retaking of Mandalore. It’s just a series of events that show the greater world the story is taking place in and how things have grown and changed. New Navaro, New Republic, New Imperials, New Mandalore, etc. A kind of episodic/serialized hybrid, where each episode leaves a hook for the next, but they’re each largely telling their own story (barring the obvious two part finale).
I have a hard time separating the progression of Din overcoming exile, reintegrating into his cult, helping Bo-Katan unite disparate Mando groups and the final battle to retake their planet and heritage. That's a pretty strong story thread, even if it gradually developed instead of starting out with the final outcome as the predefined goal.
In my opinion it's a question of balance. Throwing in state of the union vistas is great, but not when it comes at the expense of the main draw that makes you come back. But this season had little in the way of nuggets on the side and opted for extensive info dumps instead. Just like Boba and the sand people. It feels like this could have been done more elegantly.
Doc might be right, though. Having a grand plan spanning several intertwined shows and then scrapping one of them could lead to a need to cram information in elsewhere just so the necessary stuff is covered and later shows can progress as intended.
Nehekhara lives! Sort of!
Why is the rum always gone?
Opinion has softened, as it was mostly me disappointed that we didn’t get to see the Space Battle. I feel justifiably cheated by that, but on second watch there’s still plenty to enjoy here.
Fed up of Scalpers? But still want your Exclusives? Why not join us?
I did really like how Gideon is essentially a huge nerd that got really far into the Imperial power structure.
He just makes his own OC version of himself and wants to insert that into reality which I find hilarious in a good way.
AduroT wrote: Those little jet packs can break atmo?! Apparently fuel is only a concern when chasing pterodactyls…
Or more likely they weren’t fully fuelled as they weren’t planning for a combat op. Also, Axe Wolves isn’t the same flavour of Mando, so may have a different model of jet pack.
Except they're professional warriors and the crap with bird stealing children had happened multiple times before. That they'd get caught with their pants down so many times would be embarrassing, especially since the ones who can wear those things 24/7.
The 'different model of jetpack' just deserves an eyeroll.
Geifer wrote:Want a good space battle? Then you need an ace pilot in your main cast and a villain to fight in space. If you don't have that, and Mando doesn't, no space battles for you.
Good thing no one gave the main character an overtuned space fighter...
which they left behind, I guess? I was confused when the second half of the season just had him as a passenger on Bo's personal dropship. (Except it dealt with the obvious problem that a one-man fighter didn't work for him)
More setup with no payoff for the show.
This message was edited 4 times. Last update was at 2023/04/19 19:55:05
That card has been soo villainously and maliciously abused that it has no meaning.
I half expect it'll continue to be abused until the actors are fired in full view of everyone and told to never come back in front of hundreds of cameras.
And even then they might just 'Young Indiana Jones' the character and have Jaden Smith play him as the boardroom desperately scrambles to refind the movie magic it murdered without really thinking about it until it was too late.
It's getting kind of obvious from S3 than Mandalorian was originally intended as a 2 or 3 season show but has been forcibly prolonged because every other Star Wars show has been less than smashing for one reason or another.
The writers room had no idea where S3 was going except that it had to go 'somewhere.' Which is ultimately the same problem a lot of Disney related franchise shows and movies are suffering from.
After watching the last episode I have to say it was pretty good. It wasn't mind blowing from technical point of view or rich in surprise unlike the ending of season 2 which was really good, but it had great moments. I like the idea that Gideon is basically a massive Star Wars nerd and from within his universe is grand plan was both ambitious and probably one of the smartest. He had a very Disney death. I'm also glad they didn't pull a "this big name character comes to the rescue". I was bummed by the fact we didn't get a space or rather high atmosphere battle. I do get that it's mostly because of budget reasons. The special effect were generally good in this season with the fight against the Shriek Hawk and the fighter battle with Bo, Din and the Tie Interceptors being a particularly notable moment. But, there were so more oof moments like Gideon death's or the Mandalorian jetpack assault (though I do like the idea of the Armorer hammering people on jetpack). The concluding scenes were great. I hope they will make a 4th and final season. While this one is about as good as the first one and significantly worst than the second, it was still a good show overall though it did had its weaker episodes (3 and 6 in my opinion with 2, 5 and 7 being my favorite ones).
Gideon's clone farm goes into explaining all the way back in season 1 why he was so interested in the kid. He needed force sensitive samples so he could make force sensitive clones.
In particular I enjoyed the fight in the hallway with doors. Dinn just upgrading weapons as he went.
These are my opinions. This is how I feel. Others may feel differently. This needs to be stated for some reason.
Gideon's clone farm goes into explaining all the way back in season 1 why he was so interested in the kid. He needed force sensitive samples so he could make force sensitive clones.
In particular I enjoyed the fight in the hallway with doors. Dinn just upgrading weapons as he went.
That would have to be the Worst assignment in the base. Standing there, locked in your little box, no chair, no bathroom, death pits to either side with no handrails, and apparently really easy to weaponize your own shields against you.
Gideon's clone farm goes into explaining all the way back in season 1 why he was so interested in the kid. He needed force sensitive samples so he could make force sensitive clones.
In particular I enjoyed the fight in the hallway with doors. Dinn just upgrading weapons as he went.
That would have to be the Worst assignment in the base. Standing there, locked in your little box, no chair, no bathroom, death pits to either side with no handrails, and apparently really easy to weaponize your own shields against you.
Oh 100%. But it's the normal Star Wars is built by insane people thing. Why did you place a port for a astromech at astromech height (on the invaders side) right in front of your super secure, super secret, bases series of energy doors to the super secret project? How come nobody filled it with concrete (plastcrete?) to stop this from happening to them all the time?
It's the same question about why the Endor super secret shield generator base had a astromech port at knee height to get into it?
Making someone stand there in front of the death pits at that point is just icing on the dumb design cake.
SW is dumb. Always has been. Always will be.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2023/04/20 10:52:10
These are my opinions. This is how I feel. Others may feel differently. This needs to be stated for some reason.
Hm. Do you think the death pits are connected? One big death pit below a bridge with multiple openings? Or are they each a separate death pit chute? Could Mando have just hopped into the first death pit and jetpacked over and out the death pit at the end while all the guards inside their energy shield boxes just look on like Wait no not like that?
AduroT wrote: Hm. Do you think the death pits are connected? One big death pit below a bridge with multiple openings? Or are they each a separate death pit chute? Could Mando have just hopped into the first death pit and jetpacked over and out the death pit at the end while all the guards inside their energy shield boxes just look on like Wait no not like that?
More questions. This is a base designed to produce and be manned by troopers with Jet Packs. ARE those death pits? Or is that how the guards get in and out of there energy door cubicles? And if so, why didn't any of the jet pack troopers use their jet packs when they fell in the death pits? And why is there a lock for the energy doors at all? And why were they energy doors and not like... just a big thick wall? (To access to the super secret clone farm you need to use use a Jet Pack to go bellow the base, over to a secret hatch, and up into the clone farm type of deal).
Thanks Star Wars!
These are my opinions. This is how I feel. Others may feel differently. This needs to be stated for some reason.
I did absolutely love how stupidly video game logic that whole scene was along with how on brand the total lack of safety railing turned out. It was my kind of dumb.
Space battle was better than I expected. It obviously wasn't the focus of the episode anywhere and largely just did a good job of setting up the final setpiece.
There's some excellent choreography throughout the episode. Special note to the bit where Bo slides off the ledge to right herself and fire back behind.
Really, the episode was a pretty excellent series finale. It ties up ideas left from the first episode and gives us a nice big showdown with the villain over some stakes that actually matter. I was pretty happy with the episode, but thoughts on the season as a whole to follow.
You got 3 seconds of space battle! Don't be greedy! And don't wonder what happens to all the TIEs and why the interceptors were doing strafing runs rather than suppressing defences for the bombers.
It's only a Light Cruiser and they have the numbers that suppression is a given regardless. The Tie Bombers weren't even needed in that situation as the Light Cruisers can be taken out quite handily with starfighter-level weaponry.
Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote: I really feel like there’s a story behind the lack of space/lower atmos battle.
Yep. Its goes something like this: 'they are not willing to spend a couple million out of their billion dollar profits, despite this being the de facto flagship series that's currently carrying the franchise.'
I just don't think a real space battle made sense to the story. It didn't really involve any of the characters we were focused on. We see to the point where its clear he's outmatched and then cut away for the reveal to the end. Any real space battle would have essentially been filler in an episode that was already video game levels of action sequences strung together over any real plot.
Well, at the time of production, I suppose you could make a case for animation companies telling Disney to go feth themselves, but I don't see why there would be a narrative push for 'more to the story' than Disney Corp wanting to have more money.
