DrThurmThurm’s The Mandalorian Chapter 13 Review
Let’s get this out of the way. Chapter 13 of The Mandalorian is unquestionably the best episode in the series. I’ve had high expectations of this series since the beginning, but never did I think we’d get something this good. I can’t go back after this. It puts most other Star Wars material to shame. I’m looking at you, sequel trilogy. For the hardcore Star Wars fan, I can think of no greater payoff than this episode though it would be just as thrilling for the casual viewer. I muttered “it’s so good” to myself over and over again as I happy cried watching this episode. And the crazy thing is the best is seemingly yet to come. Chapter 13 of the The Mandalorian represents the very best Star Wars has to offer and I am absolutely starving for more.
This week’s episode marks the debut of a character fans have been waiting for a long time in Ahsoka Tano. For those who don’t know she is one of the main characters in the animated Star Wars tv series The Clone Wars where she is a young padawan under Anakin Skywalker the man who would become Darth Vader. To see her come to life as a full-grown adult like this is truly astounding. I had high hopes for actress Rosario Dawson, but I didn’t think she’d be THIS perfect. Credit goes to her performance as well as the makeup department for giving us such a fantastic representation of the character. I had some worries that she would look a bit odd in live action and I couldn’t be happier to have been so wrong. She looks perfect. Shot’s where we get to see her, Mando, and baby Yoda all in the same frame is a glorious sight to behold. Speaking of baby Yoda, the reveal we’ve been waiting for finally arrived and his name is Grogu. I initially thought it was pronounced Grogo, but either way I think it’s cute as hell. Seeing him respond so enthusiastically to his name is absolutely adorable.
As for the plot we get some nice advancement this week as well as some major teases for the future. Mando finds Ahsoka on a seemingly dying planet run by former Imperial’s, hoping she’ll take Grogu off his hands and train him properly. But of course, before they do that they need to deal with the bad guys, which gives us a proper spaghetti western showdown for the ages. This is the first time we get to see a jedi on this show and it somehow manages to be way cooler than anything the sequel trilogy ever gave us. These action sequences are stunning and unlike anything I’ve seen in live action Star Wars. My jaw was agape as Ahsoka methodically stalks and tears down a hoard of bad guys with her duel white light sabers. So effortless, so graceful, and yet so dangerous. And to top it all off we get a brilliant samurai duel at the end with a stunning backdrop. These are the sort of sequences I dreamed about as a kid. It’s every bit the western with laser swords and blasters that it should be.
If The Mandalorian season 2 continues on this pace and delivers on the ideas they are hinting at we could be entering the golden age of Star Wars material. Or perhaps we’re already there. I know I praise this show a lot but I simply can’t imagine anyone waking away from this episode unimpressed. It’s just too good. It’s going to be hard not seeing Ahsoka in every episode from now on but I imagine she’ll be back soon. The Mandalorian Chapter 13 permanently raises the bar for everything Star Wars in the future. Highest of high recommendations. Now excuse me while I go re-watch this episode for the tenth time.
Check back next week for my review of Chapter 14 of The Mandalorian. For more content follow me on Twitter @DrThurmThurm, as well as Twitch and TikTok @drthurmthurm. Thanks for reading.
