The Mandalorian: Chapter 13: The Jedi – Review
The following article contains spoilers for Chapter 13: The Jedi.
After watching the newest episode of Disney+’s Star Wars spinoff series The Mandalorian, I was genuinely at a loss for words. Season one of this bounty-hunter drama series was an absolute revelation and struck a chord with virtually every viewer. Even if you aren’t a massive fan of the Star Wars saga, The Mandalorian truly offered something for everybody with its first eight episodes. If you were expecting a ton of exciting action sequences, you got that. If you wanted a world brimming with life and wonder, you got that. And if you wanted a compelling and thrilling storyline that was both easy to follow and interesting, you got that too.
But unfortunately, the second season of the show has been lacking in many ways. It feels like we get one episode that is genuinely great and then the one that follows next is a mindless filler episode that doesn’t do anything to progress the overall storyline of the series forward. Last week’s episode, subtitled “The Siege” was one of the weakest episodes of the season. Yes, it brought back familiar faces such as Cara Dune (Gina Carano) and Greef Karga (Carl Weathers), but it just felt like an action episode with no real story involved.
The episode prior to that one, however, “The Heiress” was the best of the season. Well, folks, we have a new best episode of the season. Not only that but Chapter 13, subtitled “The Jedi” may be the best episode of the entire series so far. Dave Filoni wrote and directed this episode, and it shows. He is notorious in the Star Wars community for creating some of the best pieces of Star Wars content out there, and “The Jedi” is certainly no exception.
Courtesy of Disney+
Back in the aforementioned episode “The Heiress”, we were teased with a potential appearance from the legendary Jedi Ahsoka Tano, and fans all around the world were eager to see how she would be introduced in the following episode. Sadly though, the episode that followed was “The Siege”, and therefore, we didn’t get much. Thankfully, “The Jedi” is essentially one-hundred-percent all about Ahsoka and how she crosses paths with both Din Djarin / The Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) as well as The Child, who now has an official name – Grogu. Interesting.
When it was announced a couple of months ago that Rosario Dawson would be portraying Ahsoka Tano, many people were curious as to how well she would portray the iconic Jedi. Put all your fears to rest, because she is absolutely marvelous in the role. She strikes the perfect balance of being an extremely epic warrior with hope, courage, and kindness beaming inside of her. That’s why she has become one of the most beloved characters in the entire saga, and “The Jedi” stays true to who she is as a character.
Throughout this episode, we get numerous action sequences sprinkled throughout that lead us into the next scene beautifully. It blends action and story wonderfully and paves the way for the rest of the season, which is shaping up to be just as riveting as the conclusion to the first season. I’m a little bit surprised that Giancarlo Esposito’s Moff Gideon has only appeared briefly in just a couple of episodes in season two thus far. In the first season, he was a major antagonist, but this time around, he seems to be taking a backseat which is definitely interesting.
The future of The Mandalorian looks brighter than ever. If the following episodes are as riveting and impactful as “The Jedi” is, then we should be in for one doozy of a season finale coming up.
Its wondrous action sequences, introduction to Ahsoka Tano, and excellent storytelling make “The Jedi” the best episode of The Mandalorian yet.
Series Information
Certificate: TV-14
Cast: Pedro Pascal, Rosario Dawson, Michael Biehn, Diana Lee Inosanto
Series: The Mandalorian
Network: Disney+
Directed by: Dave Filoni