Movies…with a little bit of obscure culture and sports mixed in
The “previously on” portion of this episode was a massive rehashing of the entire season. We had the idea of retaking Mandalore, which is no longer polluted. We are reminded […]
The “previously on” portion of this episode was a massive rehashing of the entire season. We had the idea of retaking Mandalore, which is no longer polluted. We are reminded of Bo-Katan gathering back her fleet of stolen Empire ships. We are reminded that Moff Gideon was rescued and there was Beskar Alloy in the destroyed Republic ship. And one last reminder of Doctor Pershing, who Elia fried…literally…she fried his brain and made him a zombie.
So The Spies is going to attempt to bring all the storylines together. Will they all come together in a coherent way? Time will tell. Let’s delve into the heart of this nearly hour long episode.
We open up on Coruscant with a very Blade Runner-esq vibe. It is dower, gritty, sad, rainy, and dark. Elia is walking suspiciously through the alleyways till she meets up an Imperial Probe Droid, one that many will recognize from Hoth in Empire Strikes Back. A hologram conversation begins and there we have him, Moff Gideon. The big-bad is back. And thank god.
In this conversation between Gideon and Elia we learn a lot of important things. We learn that Gideon did not anticipate the different tribes of Mandalorians hooking up. He thought that they hated each other, so this is a development he is going to have to take care of. This realization comes to fruition because we learn that Gideon was working with the pirates on Navarro that Mando and Bo-Katan helped dispatch. And now on Navarro the Mandalorians are hanging on on Navarro while they plan their next move.
Elia and Gideon say goodbye to one another, and then we get an absolutely fantastic over-the-top Moff Gideon walk. He goes through some electric force fields and we see home walk by some tanks filed with something. It would appear that Moff Gideon is still exploring scientific realms.
All of a sudden Gideon is in a room filled with Holograms of disbanded Empire leaders. It is an awesome expansion of the Star Wars world, showing tat Gideon is not the only General-like presence of thought-eliminated bad guys. We get the sense that all of these leaders are different, and they have all have different point of views on how to approach certain areas.
During this conversation we get a mention of General Admiral Thrawn. The hologram personalities believe that Thrawn is going to come back and be the galvanizing source. Gideon, on the other hand, doesn’t think this angel of evil to comeback. (For the record, i do not know because I have not seen Star Wars Rebels). Gideon then shares to the group that Doctor Pershing’s research was lost…but was it really? He is a lying sone of a bitch. But he is a manipulative son of a bitch. Gideon convinces the group, probably rightfully, that the Mandalorians are a problem now that they have reunited. Gideon makes the case that if the banded tribes retake Mandalore, then it puts everything the group of shadow figures have done into jeopardy.
The empire remnants agree with Gideon. They agree to give him reinforcements.
THAT IS ALL BEFORE THE TITLE CARD. This was the best part of the show. The best part of this episode didn’t involve Din Djarin, Bo-Katan, or Grogu.
Kinda says something, doesn’t it?
Alright, now let’s get to the boring part. We are back on Navarro and citizens are seeing Imperials ships painted with Mandalorian seal. The citizens and members of Greeg Karga’s staff are freaking out because they didn’t expect to be covered in this shadow of fear. One could thing that Mando or Bo-Katan could have warned Karga that they were coming back?
The tensions are high when the two different tribes of Mandalorians meet on Navarro. This is going to end sloppily, isn’t it?
All of a sudden Greef is there with the Mandalorian’s with a gift of wine to Din Djarin, but then we are suddenly whisked back to Greef’s office. Why was the trip to the Mandalorian tribe necessary for Navarro’s overseer? I don’t know.
Alight, let’s get to the worst part of the episode. And yes it involves Grogu. Sorry.
IG-11 is dead, for he is named IG-12 now. The robot that Mando asked to have repaired (for some reason) has been retrofitted so that Grogu can now pilot him. It is a new mode of transportation for the little green alien. And now he can talk too. There are buttons which allow Grogu to dictate “yes” or “no”. It is interesting development in the sense is that now we get tangible proof that Grogu understands people and situations, but do we need to bring it down with childish comedy?
Grogu has turned into a child who has developed the ability to ask “why” to every possible situation.
I really, really, don’t enjoy this little tangent. Grogu running around in a robot and squeezing fruit to piss off vendors. Why are we trying to appease the children watching? Just awful. Terrible. Take away from the tension. You just wasted five minutes of episode time for no reason. It has nothing to do with the remainder of the plot for this episode. If it has something to do with the finale then maybe I will eat my words, but for now it just fucking stinks.
Bo-Katan starts to rally the troops for a scouting missing to Mandalore. She is trying to get everyone on the same page, which leads to a Spartacus moment with members of both tribes volunteering. It is the all the usual players you’d expect. No surprises about who is coming.
So let me get this straight. We had Bo-Katan go to that weird Jack Black planet and win back the respect of Axe’s crew and his ships. They return to Navarro, have a one night awkward pow-wow with everyone together, and then leave right away to go to Mandalore. This seems like and insane waste of time; why not say have some people meet us there? It just seems like a huge waste of gas too.
So what we have here is a good old fashioned western setup. Folks, we are getting back to our roots. We have a band of heroes that are going out to reclaim land, but these heroes do not all get along. We have some trauma bonding, followed by the discovery of residents who never left this land. These entrenched inhabitants know the land, and they naturally know the exact location where these returning Mandalorians want to get to. You know, the great forge.
All of this scene setting is intermingled with rather pretty landscape shots of the Mandalorians trekking in the tough conditions.
It is all incredibly western.
Bo-Katan gets a lot of time to give very profound speeches. She rallies the troops on Navarro, commands the Mandalorians on Mandalore, and then doles out the tale about how she had to give up Mandalore to Gideon in order to save the lives of everyone. The Night of a Thousand tears was the fateful battle and Gideon promised to spare lives if Bo-Katan surrendered the land, and the Dark Saber. As one could have predicted, Gideon betrays his promise and begins bombing the helpless Mandalorians. Thousands died.
So before the ending of The Spies begins transpiring, there is a monster attack. A giant sand worm beast attacks the ship of the natives where everyone was housed and destroys it. People get injured and people are forced into the great forge. It somewhat reminded me of The Mines Of Moria in Lord of the Rings when the fellowship is trapped into the trouble by the beast.
The reason Bo-Katan, Din Djarin, and others are trapped in the great forge is because The Armorer was taking back some of the wounded and weak inhabitants to the fleet that is hovered above the planet. She thinks that is going. to be a safe place. Little does she know it won’t be very safe for very long. Regardless, the ship that they all descended on is gone, meaning they are trapped.
Alright, we are now in the great forge, and it is completely destroyed. A sad day.
Wait, is that blaster fire? Wait, are those imperial troopers? They seem pretty supped up. Oh shit, they are wearing Beskar armor? What is happening?
We get to see Bo-Katan kick some ass. Din Djarin gets one too. But it begs the question…whose show is it again?
The Mandalorians are pushing back the Imperials, but it all seems far too easy. This is definitely a trap. Yup, it is 100% a trap. Bet me life on it. How do they not see the imperials tunnel impressions? Or the metal that is engrained into the mountain?
This was all a setup. But by whom?
Moff Gideon. Duh. We started the episode with him, and we are going to end it with him.
The most shocking development of this ending was not the trap itself, but it was the fact that Gideon and his fellow new-and-improved stormtroopers captured Din Djarin. They got him all tied up and dodged his attempts at escape. Gideon flutters down from the sky wearing a dark and cool-ass looking battle armor suit. He is wearing that dark trooper outfit with outstanding vile.
Now is time for the evil villain speech. But it is being given by Giancarlo Esposito, so I am okay with it. He begins taunting Bo-Katan and explains how he established his base on Mandalore. It is the home of all his futuristic endeavors. It is a very mad-scientist speech because he talks about how he is taking the best that every race and custom has to offer in order to create the perfect fighting machine. He takes a dig at the Mandalorians noting how he can even take something from their society. Gideon proclaims that he wants to bring balance and peace to the galaxy, but as long as it is under his terms.
Before Gideon flies off into an evil sunset, he needs to get a couple more digs in. He says that he is going to send the bombers to attack the Mandalorian fleet. Watch out armorer. He also demands that Bo-Katan gives him the Dark Saber.
Question. How does he know that Bo-Katan has the dark saber? Didn’t she just acquire it? Unless the information came from a spy we don’t know about yet. That would be a plausible explanation.
The ending of The Spies is not happy. Paz closes the door and names himself the martyr in order for the other Mandalorains to escape. It really does beg the question…how did Moff Gideon not have the back door covered? You telling me this man who planned the perfect ambush didn’t have a plan for if the Mandalorians escaped his initial foil? That is a plot hole in the character.
Any how, the episode ends with Paz kicking ass for a short time, but eventually he is defeated by three Beskar clad warriors wielding some sorts lightsaber-esq staffs. You remember the red clad guardians of Snoke in The Last Jedi? Those guys. They are the ones that killed Paz. It was honestly a satisfying ending in that we actually saw a character we know get killed in rather brutal fashion. This tank of a man didn’t stand a chance, and this proves that Gideon’s scientific advancements are indeed a thing to be reckoned with.
Other Random Thoughts
There is one episode of The Mandalorian left for me to watch. I will say it, I am glad this episode was pretty good because I am a bit amped for the finale (when I finale get to it).
The Mandalorian is available to watch on Disney+.
Stanko Excel Lists | Movies, Books, Podcasts. TV Shows
Stanko Letterdbox Account
There is a lot happening in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning. One could argue that there is too much going on.
Much maligned as the worst of the Mission: Impossible franchise, Mission: Impossible II doesn’t do itself any favors upon rewatch.
MaXXXine (2024) “In 1980s Hollywood, adult film star and aspiring actress Maxine Minx finally gets her big break. But as a mysterious killer stalks the starlets of Hollywood, a trail of blood threatens to reveal her sinister past.” Director: Ti WestWriter: Ti WestCast: Mia Goth, Elizabeth Debicki, Halsey, Lily Collins, Kevin Bacon, Bob Cannavale, Michelle…
Stanko's Stance 