{"id":13062,"date":"2023-03-23T23:50:13","date_gmt":"2023-03-24T06:50:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bobafettfanclub.com\/news\/?p=13062"},"modified":"2024-03-25T12:31:06","modified_gmt":"2024-03-25T19:31:06","slug":"review-chapter-20-of-the-mandalorian","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bobafettfanclub.com\/news\/film-tv\/review-chapter-20-of-the-mandalorian\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Chapter 20 of \"The Mandalorian\""},"content":{"rendered":"

“The Foundling” unexpectedly drew upon foundational Mandalorian lore into the importance of family to their culture.<\/h3>\n

When I first saw the title of \u201cThe Mandalorian\u201d Chapter 20, \u201cThe Foundling,\u201d I assumed it was going to be all about Grogu. And it partially was. But in all actuality, the episode revolved around three foundlings, two of whom fit the literal definition of the term as a child who is in training to become a Mandalorian (Grogu and Ragnar Viszla) and one who is more of a metaphorical foundling in a new Mandalorian tribe, Bo-Katan Kryze.<\/p>\n

Writer Karen Traviss first established the importance of family and foundlings to the Mandalorian people in the February 2006 article \u201cThe Mandalorians: People and Culture\u201d<\/a> from Star Wars Insider #86<\/a>. In it, she writes, \u201cWhatever drove the first humans to adopt Mandalorian customs and language, they remain a people who will accept anyone willing to follow their code, and non-human species are welcomed into the community. Mandalorians believe that you are what you do, not what an accident of birth dictates.\u201d<\/p>\n

The events of Chapter 20 embody that sentiment perfectly. The episode begins with a wide shot of the Mandalorians of the Covert in a rainbow of colorful armor sparring together. The Mandalorian culture prizes strong warriors, and in Traviss\u2019 article, there is a huge emphasis on beginning foundling training early so they can protect themselves and their families. It still tickles me seeing the elements originally from Boba Fett\u2019s armor being used by other Mandalorians, and the fight choreography of the scene was beautiful.<\/p>\n

Grogu, in the meantime, is having fun controlling<\/strike> playing with crabs on the beach when Mando Dad Extraordinaire Din Djarin strolls up to tell him it\u2019s time for him to learn with the other foundlings. Grogu doesn\u2019t seem too interested in training, but his Dad\u2019s insistence that he learn is all-too-familar for many of us whose parents did the same.<\/p>\n

Din brings Grogu to the rest of the training Mandalorians, boldly proclaiming, \u201cNext challenger!\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite his judgment in letting a tiny baby go up against a much bigger opponent being questioned by no less than three other Mandalorians, Din makes sure his foundling is included. It was incredibly cute watching Din defend his son\u2019s honor, even against a smart-ass little kid like Ragnar who doesn\u2019t know better when he questions why Grogu doesn\u2019t wear a helmet.<\/p>\n

It was even cuter watching Bo-Katan\u2019s pep talk as she arms Grogu with the training darts. \u201cDon\u2019t worry. My Dad was the same way. He\u2019s just proud of you,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Katee Sackoff delivered those lines perfectly. It\u2019s hard not to get emotional thinking about your own parental figures as you watch. A final, \u201cYou take it easy on him, kid,\u201d makes me hope beyond all hopes that Bo-Katan will continue to grow her relationship with Grogu and even become a maternal figure to him as he grows up.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Grogu doesn\u2019t do too well during the first two rounds, and Pedro Pascal\u2019s line delivery as the hard-ass Dad who steps back to let his kid fight his own battle is perfect, too. Din encourages Grogu to show everyone what he can do, and with some Jedi flips, the young green foundling takes down Ragnar with three precise dart strikes to the chest. The Covert\u2019s acceptance of Grogu\u2019s skills, despite them being the tools of their culture\u2019s once-enemies the Jedi, again emphasizes that Mandalorians will accept anyone willing to follow their code, even those who are much different.<\/p>\n

Ragnar\u2019s Dad, Paz Viszla, repeats Din\u2019s \u201cOne doesn\u2019t speak unless one knows,\u201d which gets an exasperated sigh (and probably an eye roll under that helmet) from his foundling.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, that is when the shriek-hawk, a creature we\u2019ve never before seen in live action, but is significant in both Legends and Canon, swoops down to steal away poor Ragnar.<\/p>\n

My first thought was that the Covert should consider moving to a place that\u2019s not constantly trying to kill them. My second was that it was very cool that the shriek-hawk was included in an episode of \u201cThe Mandalorian.\u201d<\/p>\n

The shriek-hawk is specifically mentioned in Traviss\u2019 article because the creature\u2019s eyes (\u201cjai\u2019galaar\u2019la sur\u2019haii\u2019se<\/em>\u201d in Mando\u2019a) are an important sigil given to Mandalorians who show courage in battle. You may have heard them referred to as \u201cJaig eyes,\u201d and they originate from an early rendition of Boba Fett\u2019s helmet by Joe Johnston<\/a>. You\u2019ve seen them on Clone Captain Rex\u2019s helmet, too.<\/p>\n

Despite a noble effort from the Covert at large and Bo-Katan in her Gauntlet fighter specifically, the shriek-hawk escapes, leading Paz to say mournfully, \u201cIt always gets away.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Bo-Katan finds the shriek-hawk\u2019s nest and suggests getting a hunting party together to rescue the foundling. As Bo-Katan, Din and the others leave, the Armorer takes over Grogu\u2019s care, telling him to come with her and that, \u201cIf you wish to become a Mandalorian, there is much work to attend to.\u201d It\u2019s all business when it comes to foundling training! The Grogu puppeteers work their magic to show him shuffling along way behind the Armorer as she disappears into the Forge. His little legs can\u2019t keep up!<\/p>\n

The Armorer begins making a new piece of armor for Grogu after his earlier training win, and delivers a beautiful monologue on Mandalorian culture.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust as we shape the Mandalorian steel, we shape ourselves,\u201d she says. \u201cWe all begin as raw ore. We refine ourselves through trials and adversity. The Forge can reveal weaknesses.\u201d<\/p>\n

This again echoes Traviss\u2019 foundational work on Mandalorian culture: \u201cMandalorians believe that you are what you do, not what an accident of birth dictates.\u201d<\/p>\n

That message and the sparks of her tools as they forge the metal triggers a flashback for Grogu of his own trials that he faced as a youngling during Order 66.<\/p>\n

As a prequels superfan, I can only describe the scene that follows as *chef\u2019s kiss*. We finally see the second half of the flashback we originally saw in \u201cThe Book of Boba Fett,\u201d in which Jedi are cut down while trying to protect Grogu from the clone troopers trying to kill them.<\/p>\n

The Jedi manage to throw his hoverpram into the elevator just in time.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

And who do we see as the elevator arrives at its destination but Jedi Master Kelleran Beq, portrayed by Ahmed Best, the actor who also played Jar Jar Binks in the prequels. I am so glad Best finally got his triumphant return to Star Wars live action after he faced so much criticism, hate and racism from fans during the prequels era. He deserves all of the love from Star Wars fans that he was denied back then, and being the Jedi who saved the beloved Grogu from Order 66 was the perfect way to set him up for that success. As an aside, Best first developed the Kelleran Beq character when he hosted the game show \u201cStar Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge<\/a>\u201d on the Star Wars Kids YouTube channel.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything\u2019s gonna be alright, kid,\u201d Beq confidently tells the frightened youngling, and even if it was unintentional, it was the perfect line for an actor who faced so much adversity in his debut, but still came out on the other side of it.<\/p>\n

The Coruscant chase scene had everything: Beq and Grogu ride a BARC speeder, Temuera Morrison voices the clones, the Jedi temple is set ablaze in an homage to a pivotal Padm\u00e9 Amidala scene in \u201cRevenge of the Sith,\u201d Republic gunships full of Coruscant Guard troopers fly into live action for the first time AND Royal Naboo Security Forces help Grogu escape in a shiny silver H-type Nubian yacht.<\/p>\n

As a fan, I am being serviced, and I don\u2019t mind it one bit.<\/p>\n

The flashback ends, and the Armorer gives Grogu the finished Beskar rondel that she assures him he will grow into as he grows into his station.<\/p>\n

As one foundling\u2019s journey in the episode ends, another continues as we return to the Covert search party led by Children of the Watch \u201cfoundling\u201d Bo-Katan. Like a young foundling, she is learning the customs of this sect of Mandalorians, like how they eat when they\u2019re not allowed to take their helmets off in front of anyone else. She even gets a place of honor by the fire as the leader of the war party.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

A montage of Mandalorians rock climbing to the shriek-hawk\u2019s nest leads to the rescue itself, when the foreshadowed father-son relationship between the lost foundling and Paz is confirmed, along with the child\u2019s name, Ragnar. \u201cRagnar\u201d is also significant in Star Wars, originating from the West End Games\u2019 \u201cStar Wars: The Roleplaying Game\u201d sourcebook Galaxy Guide 10: Bounty Hunters<\/a>, as a celestial object called Ragnar VIII in the Outer Rim. A Bounty Hunters\u2019 Guild syndicate of the same name calls that object home.<\/p>\n

The Mandalorians find three baby shriek-hawks in the nest, and as the Mom shriek-hawk comes back to defend her family (more parallels to Mandalorian culture!), she regurgitates Ragnar whole, who is then caught by Din.<\/p>\n

And in yet another prequels reference, the Mom shriek-hawk is eaten by the \u201cgiant dinosaur turtle\u201d of Chapter 17<\/a>, because there\u2019s always a bigger fish.<\/p>\n

The war party returns home to celebratory cheers, one rescued human foundling and three now-orphaned shriek-hawk foundlings in tow.<\/p>\n

The Armorer gives special recognition to Bo-Katan for her role as the mission\u2019s leader, saying, \u201cYou have honored your house and all of Mand\u2019alor. You have done the highest honor of the Creed, saving a foundling.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bo-Katan finally says, \u201cThis is the way,\u201d and her initiation into the Children of the Watch is complete.<\/p>\n

It all goes back to Traviss: \u201cMandalorians believe that you are what you do, not what an accident of birth dictates.\u201d While Bo-Katan had inborn status as a leader of Mandalore as part of the royal family, her heightened status in the Children of the Watch was not just given to her automatically. It was her courageous actions that saved a foundling that did.<\/p>\n

During the rescue, Bo-Katan lost one of her signature Nite Owl shoulder pauldrons, and in another gesture of honor, the Armorer makes her a new one. Bo-Katan wants to wear a mythosaur sigil, but not just because the creature \u201cbelongs to all Mandalorians.\u201d<\/p>\n

She tells the Armorer about her encounter with a real mythosaur beneath the Living Waters on Mandalore, but isn\u2019t believed at first. She emphasizes that what she saw was real, and the episode ends with the Armorer repeating the Children of the Watch\u2019s mantra: \u201cThis is the way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I loved how much of the lore from Karen Traviss\u2019 \u201cMandalorians: People and Culture\u201d was woven throughout the episode, and the prequels nostalgia fest didn\u2019t hurt either. And while the first three episodes of \u201cThe Mandalorian\u201d season 3 were uneven for me, I thoroughly enjoyed Chapter 20 from beginning to end.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m looking forward to seeing how the Mandalorian cultural dynamic plays out during the rest of the season, as well as the growth of all of this episode\u2019s foundlings, as the season continues. I have no clue what\u2019s coming next, and that\u2019s making this season\u2019s turn away from what everyone had predicted so exciting.<\/p>\n

Rating<\/h4>\n
\n\t\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/span>\n\t\n\t\t5<\/strong> \/ 5<\/span>\n\t<\/span>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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