Using “Star Wars” lore, especially in “The Mandalorian”, is about defying expectation. What Favreau and company seem to be aware of which really makes the show worthy is that it is not rushing the story for a sense of where it needs to go but rather is about letting it be. While this might throw off some fans, needing something to happen, it allows for great re-viewing potential because every step means something and yet it doesn’t have to. Without giving too much away, after returning from the desert, Mando is still searching for more Mandalorians. The construct of the story involving a passenger (hence the name of the episode “The Passenger”) puts story restrictions on how travel can happen, what the themes are, and the problem solving that needs to occur. The true nature is that fixing problems is always messy, even in the “Star Wars” universe. Some of the more interesting textures involving the actions of The Child, which are both humorous but also telling, relate the paradox of the story. The episode also serves to widen the understanding of the galaxy Mando lives in after the destruction of the 2nd Death Star. And so the journey continues.
B+
By Tim Wassberg
The Inside Reel 