TV REVIEW: The Mandalorian S2E8: “The Rescue”

Like perhaps most people, I was eagerly looking forward to the second season finale of The Mandalorian. Season 2 has generally been an entertaining ride, though the focus this year revolved more around the mystery of Baby Yoda and less on Mando’s internal conflict. That changed towards the end of this season, when Din Djarin was forced to choose between the safety of his adopted son and the Mandalorian Creed. Towards the end of the season, we see a much different Mando than even towards the start of the season, having learned more about himself and faced more dangerous trials.

Be warned, this will be a spoiler review, as it’s impossible to discuss the implications of the finale without talking about this episode’s spoilers. These spoilers not only reveal how Season 2 operates structurally for Disney Star Wars, but also about how Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni see the ethos of Star Wars. While there are many fascinating components to “The Rescue”, this episode’s key guest star and even the title of the episode indicate where The Mandalorian comes from as a show. In short, this episode serves as a tribute to George Lucas and his vision in a way we haven’t seen in a very long time, and longtime fans of Star Wars should be pleased with the outcome.

The basic story structure by Jon Favreau is quite solid and holds up effectively. To save the kidnapped Grogu, Din Djarin and a group of unlikely allies (Boba Fett, Cara Dune, Fennec Shand, and Bo-Katan Kryze) stage a rescue mission aboard Moff Gideon’s Imperial light cruiser. However, Moff Gideon has planned ahead of them, positioning his upgraded dark troopers to intercept the heroes. “The Rescue” becomes a double meaning, referring mainly to The Child but also to Mando and his allies. More fittingly, it refers back to the crew’s own rescuer, who turns out to be none other than Luke Skywalker, now a highly skilled Jedi Master. Luke is perhaps best known for his own rescue of Princess Leia in the original Star Wars, so the idea of rescue circles back again as he comes to the rescue of Mando and Grogu. Luke’s rescue also echoes Rogue One, where his epic fight scene against the death troopers is reminiscent of Darth Vader’s ending in that film. Favreau pays tribute to Lucas and to the saga both structurally and thematically, and it’s satisfying when Luke finally arrives.

Normally, I would have a problem with resolving a story in this manner. I generally prefer the heroes to find their own way out of a predicament, and outside resolution tends to weaken the narrative in most cases. In this instance, it succeeds for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the arrival of Luke was foreshadowed several episodes ago when Grogu reached out to the Jedi on Tython, before his abduction by Moff Gideon. There needed to be a Jedi towards the end, and his arrival needed to be satisfying, which this scene achieves. The fact that the Child’s Jedi savior is Luke makes it even more satisfying on an emotional level. However, Luke’s rescue of Mando and his allies also works because victory is not truly the objective for the heroes. This is a case where Mando is trying to fight off a powerful, implacable enemy in the dark troopers, and the victory is buying enough time for Luke to finish off the Imperial threat. Moreover, Mando gains a victory of his own with his defeat of Gideon in combat, as well as claiming the darksaber.

Beyond that, the story manages to give Gideon a victory even in defeat, as he gains something regardless of whether he wins or loses. If Gideon had won the battle with Mando, he’s no worse off and he’s defeated a dangerous enemy. Even in defeat, Gideon remains a deadly strategist, having planned for his enemies thoroughly, and he denies Bo-Katan the prize she craves by manipulating Mando into defeating him. Gideon’s plan does not truly fail him, and he is only undone by an unexpected element he cannot account for, the presence of Luke Skywalker. It’s possible that Gideon may still pose a threat even in Season 3, since he undoubtedly has loyal followers that may attempt to rescue him. Moreover, previous episodes hinted at the presence of Grand Admiral Thrawn, so even Gideon’s defeat doesn’t end the Imperial threat. We may well see Thrawn again in Season 3, or perhaps some other greater Imperial threat beyond even Gideon.

In terms of the acting and direction, they are handled more than capably. Peyton Reed is not a director who has stuck out in my mind, as I’ve had issues with the Ant-Man films although I generally regard them well. Still, he does a capable job here, bringing a sense of epic drama to the battles while keeping the space western tone of the show. The greatest accomplishment lies in bringing Mark Hamill to life as a post-Endor Luke Skywalker, especially given how long it’s been since Return of the Jedi. (I’ll also add that bringing back Hamill is an impressive feat, given how disenchanted he seemed to be with Star Wars after the sequel trilogy.) The digital de-aging process in this episode is far better than it was in Rogue One, as Luke looks every inch the person he was in Jedi. The lightsaber stunts likely were reserved for a stunt double, with Hamill only being directly involved in the final scene. Even so, the Luke scenes are awesomely delivered, and it’s still a joy to watch even after having seen them several times. Mark Hamill has not lost his touch with the character in the slightest. Moreover, Luke feels like the same character everyone loved from the original trilogy, rather than the depressed failure he played in the sequels. Favreau, Filoni, and Reed show clear respect for the character of Luke throughout the episode, making him a character of great power and wisdom, and his fans should be delighted with the results here.

Beyond that, the performances by the main cast are quite good, even if Luke’s presence dominates the show during his appearances. Pedro Pascal manages to work both as an action hero and as a concerned father, getting both epic fight scenes and strong emotional moments. Though Pascal plays the role well even in the helmet, it’s nice to see his face and watch him emote when the story calls for it. His touching goodbye to Grogu is convincingly played, all with Pascal’s excellent physical acting. As always, Giancarlo Esposito is the consummate villain actor, playing the tactical-minded schemer as well as the ruthless fascist with equal measure. Gina Carano has settled in nicely into the cast as Cara Dune, and I hope we see more of her character; Carano lends real strength and integrity to her role, in addition to sheer physical presence. Ming-Na Wen is an actress I’ve always liked in a number of roles, and she does solid work here as Fennec even if she doesn’t get that many standout moments. I would have liked to have seen more of Temuera Morrison as Boba Fett in this episode, but that’s understandable; his presence on the cruiser would have presented problems with Luke Skywalker involved as well. Fortunately, Morrison’s Boba gets some very good moments early in the episode, and his post-credit scene in Jabba’s Palace is so well done that it forgives his earlier neglect.

I’m generally reluctant to give perfect scores because I think they should mean something. With this episode, though, it’s no question that everything works on all cylinders and there are very few real issues. “The Rescue” is technically and emotionally satisfying, the action and character pieces work, and they managed to bring back a classic hero while also paying respect to him and to George Lucas. Any concerns I have with this episode amount to small nitpicks, mainly regret that certain characters weren’t used more than they were. However, that’s not enough to overlook the numerous positives about this episode. “The Rescue” is required viewing for fans of this show, providing an entertaining space western adventure, the return of an old favorite, and setup for promising future Star Wars shows. If Star Wars continues along this path, the series may be able to overcome its previous lapses and then some.

Score: 5/5

Writer: Jon Favreau
Director: Peyton Reed
Cast: Pedro Pascal, Giancarlo Esposito, Katee Sackhoff, Gina Carano, Ming Na Wen, Temuera Morrison, Mark Hamill, Omid Obtahi, Mercedes Varnado

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Steve Sellers

Steve Sellers had been a fan of superheroes ever since Superman: The Movie. But it took the JSA, the Legion of Super-Heroes, Dragonlance, Lord of the Rings, Twilight Zone, and Chris Claremont's legendary run on the X-Men to make him a writer and a longtime fan of comics, fantasy, and science fiction. Steve is the co-creator of WHITE DRUID & MICHAEL NERO and GUARDIANS OF ELAYIM for Omen Comics, and he is also the creator of BLITZ and SHOCKWAVE for Revelation Comics (an imprint of Omen Comics).