The Mandalorian season 1 episode 4 review: Nowhere is safe
This week’s episode of The Mandalorian shows Mando and Baby Yoda finding sanctuary on a farm. Unfortunately, their safety is shortlived.
Mando concluced the most recent episode of The Mandalorian by committing the gravest sin a bounty hunter can think of: heading back to his client’s headquarters, stealing back his target, and taking down the other bounty hunters in the guild so that he could make off with the asset. And sure, we get it — we are talking about Baby Yoda, after all. But it doesn’t seem as though Mando gave much thought to what he’d do next.
That’s why Chapter 4 of the series, “Sanctuary,” finds Mando and Baby Yoda on the planet Sorgan. The two land there after a raid has taken place in a nearby village, though they’re unaware of it at the time. Mando enters a tavern with Baby Yoda in tow — the child really doesn’t understand the meaning of “stay” — and he attempts to scope out the planet.
This is when we finally meet Gina Carano’s character, Cara Dune, who immediately sparks Mando’s interest. Her flight when he begins asking questions about her only makes the warning signals in his head go off more, and the two engage in a quick spat outside of the tavern. She reveals that she was once a Shock Trooper and mercenary, but that she’s also trying to stay hidden on Sorgan. She ran from Mando, assuming he was a bounty hunter who had come to claim her.
Because Cara was there first, Mando agrees to find somewhere else to go, understanding that two mysterious loners might attract too much attention in a place like this. But before Mando and Baby Yoda can leave and find another planet to hide on, they’re approached by farmers who, conveniently, live in “the middle of nowhere.” Mando immediately seizes the opportunity to remain well hidden by offering his protection from raiders in exchange for a place to stay.
However, Mando’s confidence wavers when he and Cara discover that the raiders have an AT-ST, one of the huge walkers used by Imperial forces throughout the Star Wars films. Given that it’s nearly impossible for a human to take down such a threat, the two suggest the villagers find a new place to live. They’re quickly told that the villagers would rather fight, though, and so they all begin training to take on the AT-ST.
Miraculously, the group manages to defeat the farm’s attackers by luring the AT-ST into a pit. It’s a well done battle sequence that allows Cara and Mando to shine, but one has to question whether the series is hinging its success on such action scenes (and Baby Yoda, of course).
Unfortunately, any safety Mando hoped to find on the farm is shortlived. After their victory against the AT-ST, Sorgan becomes a topic of discussion on other planets — and soon, a bounty hunter looking for Mando and Baby Yoda arrives and nearly takes them both out. It’s only thanks to Cara that the two remain unharmed.
And so, Mando and Baby Yoda are forced to take off once again. Although Mando was considering leaving Baby Yoda behind, it doesn’t seem like that’ll be an option anymore. It’s becoming increasingly clear that nowhere is safe for the two of them. And it seems The Mandalorian will spend more of its episodes highlighting just how true that fact is.
Judging by this episode, The Mandalorian also may take a more episodic approach to unraveling the story at hand. While the first three installments certainly had an episodic feel to them, one could see how they all added to the overarching plot. And, yes, “Sanctuary” still has moments that contribute to that overall storyline. But if the future episodes carry on this way, it seems viewers will be falling into subplot after subplot over the course of the season.
That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it does make you wonder how quickly we’ll get answers about Baby Yoda and what Mando’s client wants with him. It also suggests that fans may not see many recurring characters in the series — an unfortunate realization, given how much we’d love to see Cara or Kuiil become regular faces on the show.
While “Sanctuary” had plenty of action sequences, a badass female character, and some adorable Baby Yoda moments, it did feel like it was missing something. Such ingredients should make for a stellar episode, but this one felt like another lull in the first season’s plot — one that makes you wonder where the story is actually going given that we’re already halfway through the first round of episodes.
The Mandalorian season 1 episode 3 review: Change of plans. dark. Next