This episode was the perfect set-up for the entire series.
At first we get introduced to the eponymous Mandalorian, a yet-unnamed bounty hunter (who goes by the nickname "Mando") on the search for his current target. He is played by GOT star Pedro Pascal, who does so much but talks so little. We get an impressive show of his fighting skills, gadgets and badass reflexes in the opening bar scene (he's basically a cross between Batman and John Wick).
Soon enough we meet Greef Karga (played by Carl Weathers), the leader of the Guild. Yet another perfectly-cast role. He sets Mando on a one-off mission to recover a valuable living asset for a man simply known as The Client. This anonymous client (played to perfection by Werner Herzog) gives Mando the necessary instructions and down-payment for the mission.
Mando then goes to The Armorer, the leader of the planet's Mandalorian tribe, and we get a better understanding of Beskar Steel along with a flashback to Mando's childhood.
The rest of the episode is spent with Mando trying to reach his bounty, meeting a helpful alien named Kuiil, who teaches him to ride a Blurrg and points him in the direction of the valuable asset.
When he finally gets there, he teams up with a fellow bounty droid (IG-11) to engage in a shootout with the area's inhabitants. There is some incredible sound design and editing during this action sequence, and Taika Waititi gives an underrated voice-over as the blunt IG-11 unit. Mando and IG-11 finally reach the anonymous "asset" only to discover that it is an infant of unknown alien origin (Yoda's species!).
This yet-unnamed infant (which fans have come to call "Baby Yoda"), melts the heart of both the audience and our titular Mandalorian, who destroys the IG-11 unit in an attempt to keep the baby alive.
This Pilot does an incredible job of having enough callbacks to other Star Wars movies to excite super-fans, while staying wholly original at the same time. The world-building is flawlessly done, and the storytelling and lore is riveting.
Ludwig Göransson does a remarkable job of scoring this episode, with a musical aesthetic that is unique and intriguing. We also have some brilliant technical achievements regarding visual effects, art direction, costume design and cinematography most of all. Another thing I really enjoyed was the stunning illustrated end-credits sequence, which enhanced the episode's unique feel.
This has to be like the Game of Thrones of sci-fi shows. The producers of The Mandalorian had a clear objective of giving fans something new without derailing the franchise, and I'd say they've succeeded. Never has Star Wars material felt so fresh and yet so familiar since Rogue One.
Kudos to Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, Kathleen Kennedy, Colin Wilson and everyone who worked in front of or behind the camera. They may yet make Star Wars great again.
5 out of 5 found this helpful