The Mandalorian season 1 episode 2 review: “The Child” feels like a lull
The Mandalorian’s second episode feels like a lull in the eight-episode season, but it reveals important information about “the asset.”
The Mandalorian kicked off earlier this week with a premiere episode that was both reminiscent of previous Star Wars installments and unlike anything we’ve seen in this universe before. And the second episode of the series maintained that balance, though it did seem like a lull in the eight-episode first season — even with the important information Mando and the viewers receive at the end.
“The Child” opens with Mando still protecting baby Yoda-who-isn’t-actually Yoda, as the two run into a group of Trandoshans as soon as they exit the encampment where the child was hidden. Just as we’d expect from the best bounty hunter in the Parsec, Mando makes quick work of them. But that’s not the only obstacle preventing him from collecting his prize.
Mando’s bad luck continues when the two make it to Mando’s ship, only to find it in the hands of a group of Jawas, the same scavengers fans meet during A New Hope. Despite Mando’s best attempts at fighting the creatures, they make off with some crucial pieces of his ship — seemingly leaving Mando and the child abandoned in the middle of the desert.
A dejected Mando and his new capture make their way back to Kuiil, who advises Mando to trade the Jawa’s for whatever they took from the ship. Mando is initially appalled at the notion, but with no other choice, he agrees. And as luck would have it, Kuiil is able to take him to the raiders (and convince them not to shoot Mando on sight, as much as they’d like to).
The Jawas and Mando go back and forth about what he’s willing to give them in return for the parts, and Mando finally agrees to retrieve something referred to as “The Egg” for them. The catch? The item is in a cave guarded by a giant creature that looks a lot like a rhinoceros.
Things don’t look good for Mando as he fights the creature off, and it’s only with the help of his small new friend that he manages to make it out with “The Egg” in tow. Baby Yoda uses the small amount of The Force he currently seems to possess to hold the rhino at bay just long enough for Mando to stab it in the neck.
And once Mando gets his ship back, he says farewell to Kuill and heads off to collect his bounty. Whether he understands how dangerous this child could be in the hands of Werner Herzog’s characters — or cares — remains to be seen, but we hope he changes his mind about completing the mission somewhere down the line. It’d also be nice to see Kuill pop up again, even if he doesn’t want to be in Mando’s employ. (We, too, have spoken.)
As a whole, the second episode of The Mandalorian is equally as charming as the first, especially with all the adorable baby Yoda moments to carry it. But given that there are only six episodes left in the season, it’s surprising that so little of consequence really happened during this one. Yes, there were a few fun fight scenes, but apart from the somewhat predictable reveal that baby Yoda can use The Force, we haven’t seen anything that will truly influence the overall plot of the show. Of course, this episode could just be the calm before the storm…
Next. The Mandalorian premiere review: A unique but nostalgic start. dark