Every time an episode of The Mandalorian lands, Fantha Tracks will be giving their responses, and here are our initial gut feelings, deep dives and thoughts on the twenty-second episode – Chapter 22: Guns For Hire. Beware of spoilerific elements in here.
Eric Onkenhout
Chapter 22 of The Mandalorian, ‘Guns for Hire,’ has got to be one of the oddest episodes of the series thus far. It had aspects from The Clone Wars. It gave us a deeper look into Mandalorian culture, cool Quarren technology, and weirdly matched cameos. Guns for Hire isn’t exactly my cup of tea, and there is a common denominator in that as well.
In deep space, a Quarren ship is approached by a larger vessel, a former Imperial ship that is now run by Axe Woves, and his group of Mandos, Koska Reeves, is one among them. The captain, Shuggoth, is submerged in a bacta tank-like aquarium, but as the cruiser approaches, the water drains into the floor, and the tank also lowers into the floor. This was very cool. Woves was hired to return Shuggoth’s Calamari boyfriend to his parents. This intro exists to set up the status of the current group of Mandos.
Cut to Bo-Katan, flying her Gauntlet with Din Djarin, Grogu, and R5 as they are headed to Plazir-15. Plazir-15 appears to be a prosperous world in the Outer Rim run by elected royalty. The planet reminded me of pulp science fiction cities with high-speed tube trains in a sterile environment.
The pairing of Jack Black (Captain Bombardier) and Lizzo (the Duchess) seemed odd to me just because of the age difference between the two actors. But it’s okay, whatever. They seemed like another wealthy power couple in Star Wars living happily ever after. So, Bo and Din want to see the Mandos employed by them, but of course, they must complete a task first. The droids on Plazir-15 are malfunctioning for some reason, and it’s up to Din and Bo to find out why.
Guns for Hire didn’t offer anything for me story-wise other than Bo receiving the Darksaber from Din because she defeated a creature that defeated Din. I found that to be lame. It all seemed very Monty Python. “I hate the Romans!” “Okay, you’re in.”
The Mandalorians are willing to bend the rules to suit their story too much. In Rebels, Sabine hands Bo the Darksaber, and here it is again being given to her after it was said the only way to get it is by defeating the current possessor one-on-one.
Bo and Din visit the head of security, Commissioner Helgait (Christopher Lloyd), and he refers them to the Ugnaughts, who basically work in the facility’s basement. Din uses his experience with Kuill when speaking with the Ugnaughts, which was a nice callback. I loved Kuill, and his death still stings. It’s later determined that the droids have been a victim of contaminated lubricant that was reprogramming them, and Helgait was the culprit.
After Bo and Din discovered this, Helgait claimed he did it because he felt the Republic and the Empire failed democracy and that Count Dooku was a visionary. Helgait also recoiled at being called a Separatist, as he said it’s a pejorative term. I loved this remark as it all comes back to a certain point of view in Star Wars. So many ideas and beliefs in Star Wars are looked at from one POV until someone offers a different perspective.
Having said that, the final duel between Bo and Axe was great. The choreography and I loved the stunts with the jumps, falls, and using the ripcords. It was definitely the highlight of the entire episode. Also, I liked the good cop, bad cop dynamic with Bo and Din in the droid cantina. It was fascinating because it mirrors the cantina scene in A New Hope, only with the humans getting funny looks. The difference being the droids in the Resistor cantina are willing to help the humans. It’s a good thing, too, because they severely outnumbered Din and Bo and could’ve done a lot of damage if they chose to.
‘Guns for Hire’ had a weird vibe for me from the beginning, and after two phenomenal episodes, it definitely halted momentum. The common denominator I realized is the episodes directed by Bryce Dallas Howard have been my least favorites. Chapter 4 in Season One is another of hers that I wasn’t thrilled with, but there are two episodes left, and the rumor is that the last two are mind-blowing. It’s all good; they all can’t be gems, and I’m sure someone enjoyed it much more than I did.
Daniel Lo
What do great MotoGP racers have in common? To the uninitiated, the answer may sound counterintuitive: They tend to crash their brains out during their first season in the premier class of motorcycle racing. The reason for that is they are constantly testing the limits of how much they can get away with, which often involves tipping over the wrong side of the knife edge. It’s much easier to reel in a fast rider than it is to wring additional speed out of a slow one. While crashing is never ideal, the resulting knowledge of where the limits are has proven time and again to be a crucial building block towards greatness.
If I were to be completely honest, chapter 22 of The Mandalorian felt like a bit of a crash fest to me. One way I could summarize it is that too many new ideas and concepts were tried all at once, like drinking out of a confusing fire hydrant. It all added up to an episode that looked and felt well outside of the Star Wars style guide in my head despite plenty of familiar visuals. It also felt very different from the rest of the show so far as well, which inherently is neither good nor bad but the resulting unevenness did stick out like a sore thumb. Bo-Katan igniting the Darksaber at the end was a satisfying moment, but we had to jump through some odd hoops to get there.
I’m not sure where to begin. The bulk of this episode seemed like it was written specifically to accommodate guest appearances, which isn’t necessarily bad but probably also not ideal that it came across that way. The entire storyline involving malfunctioning droids felt like a disconnected side story that had no real bearing on the overall season, or even the ending. It reminded me more of I, Robot than Star Wars. We were first introduced to the concept of droid rights in Solo, which felt odd to me then and still does now. The runaway super battle droid moved a bit too much like a human. Was a motion capture suit used? The visuals of a pristine droid morgue may have made for interesting visuals, but didn’t make sense. The fight scene between Bo-Katan and Axe Woves probably could have benefitted by better editing and fight choreography as well, although it did contain some pretty cool moves. Or maybe I’m picky, having seen one too many Jackie Chan movies.
I accidentally saw a screenshot of Jack Black’s character before I had a chance to watch Guns for Hire. Now I don’t really have anything against him as an actor and I know he’s a fan of the show, but I was nervous that his appearance would pull me out of the Star Wars universe. I was pleasantly surprised. While Captain Bombardier of course looked exactly like Jack Black, his character was also different enough from his usual self to not be too much of a distraction. Not once did I think about a Sax-A-Boom. I had correctly guessed that the Duchess was a cameo as well, due to me not knowing who Lizzo was (and consequently, what she looked like) going into the episode. I need to get out more, I know. Back to the Future has been a childhood favorite of mine so I inevitably recognized Christopher Lloyd, whose performance felt the most in-universe of the three.
Some things I liked: I’m not sure if that was supposed to be a Bacta tank inside the Quarren ship, but it was a pretty cool concept to have something like that on the bridge. The hyperloop pod scenes were pretty well done. If they were shot in The Volume, kudos. Speaking of which, I don’t recall any scenes that looked oddly constrained by possible StageCraft use so they were doing something right. Nothing wrong with the visuals and aesthetics of Plazir-15 either. I mentioned earlier that the runaway super battle droid’s movements looked way too human, but prior to that they behaved convincingly. The way the first few responded from getting punted by Din Djarin was completely reminiscent of Boston Dynamics dogs getting kicked during balance tests. Very cool. And while I still maintain that most of the episode was unnecessary, seeing Bo-Katan marktake a giant step towards uniting the Mandalorians at the end opened up an intriguing world of possibilities.
Jen Sopchockchai
Many fans of The Mandalorian are up in arms about Din Djarin handing the Darksaber over to Bo-Katan Kryze just because he can explain away that she technically defeated an enemy who defeated him, thus making the case that she won the Darksaber by combat (as opposed to friendship and kindeness). I can see how handing over Mandalore’s most storied weapon on a technicality might bother some. Loopholes are inherently cheap and infuriating because they’re by design a circumvention of the rules based on the granularity rules themselves. I thought of this subtext once I realized that this episode contains two paralleled exploitations of a loophole, connecting the Palazir-15 good cop/bad cop storyline with the fight to win back the mercenary Mandos at the end of the episode. Lizzo and Jack Black use a loophole to hire Din and Bo. They need some muscle to take care of the pesky rogue droids, but The New Republic won’t allow any military forces to enter the city walls (that’s why Axe Woves & co. have a camp outside). To get around this rule, Captain Bombardier and The Duchess invite Din and Bo to their party because they can argue that weapons are a part of Mandalorian culture, and therefore, in order to respect that culture, Din and Bo must remain armed as they enter. Though the context and the tones of these two scenes could not be less similar, this skirting of New Republic law resembles Din’s convoluted interpretation of Mandalorian rules surrounding the Darksaber just so they can say she won the fabled blade, rather than receiving it as a gift.
Whether he means to or not, Din illustrates how silly the Darksaber rules and traditions are when he successfully finagles the Darksaber out of his hands and into Bo’s. These archaic expectations don’t make sense and don’t serve anyone, and the only way to defend against them is to be just as arbitrary back. To me, the broader arc of this season has been to chronicle the reunification and (hopefully) evolution of the Mandalorians as a people, and in order to move forward, they’re likely going to have to confront some of their cultural edicts as archaic. Maybe it’s a stretch, and I’m reading too much into this as usual, but when I hear a chorus of voices saying something doesn’t make sense, I always want to try to redeem it — to figure out in what way it does make sense.
There are others, of course, who are actually more mad that Bo now has the Darksaber instead of Din, and that Din was willing to give up the Darksaber so easily, rather than coming into his own with it and ascending to some grander destiny with it. I, however, really like that Din is so supportive of Bo-Katan in this pivotal moment. I think that Din stepping up to support Bo-Katan’s claim to the throne of Mandalore is just as heroic as if he had, in a more stereotypically alpha male hero fashion, tried to make a play for that throne himself. Bo needs Din and Din needs Bo. We see that Bo can’t talk to the Ugnaughts and needs Din, who is more familiar with their ways and values, to translate. Din, on the other hand, can’t talk to the droids because he’s biased by his past trauma. He needs her to smooth things over. It makes sense that in a pivotal moment like trying to win back the mercenary Mandos, Bo needs Din to support her. To give her that last assist to get there.
I find Bo-Katan’s redemption arc extremely compelling, and I suspect that this is what the creators behind the show have had their eyes on the entire time. Just look at the way they cut together the “previously on” montage at the top of the episode; it clearly shows what story they have been trying to tell the whole season, counter to many fans’ expectations, as I discussed last week. She’s failed as a leader of Mandalore’s past. That failure haunts her. She’s in her own head about not believing in herself. She feels like she can’t win her people back.
There are two scenes to show that Bo is not confident. As they approach the planet, Bo explains that she’s the one who commandeered all the Imperial ships for the fleet, but she very quickly says, “Axe Woves is their leader now.” Then later, when they’re in the space metro together, she says “I’m not their leader anymore. Axe Woves is.” Katee Sackoff’s expressions here fill in all kinds of subtext: she knows Woves will resist, but she’s also uneasy, like she thinks she doesn’t deserve to take back this group of Mandalorians and ships who were once under her banner. Considering all that, it’s hard to deny that this season has been about her working her way back to the throne of Mandalore, not just in the eyes of others but in her own.
I do want to acknowledge that this episode was weird. Not bad, just weird. Bo-Katan regains possession of the Darksaber in the same episode that Lizzo knights Grogu and gives Din and Bo a giant key to her kingdom. And that’s not even half the crazy stuff that happens in this episode. Admittedly, I didn’t know how seriously to take what was happening, but I had a lot of fun going along for the ride.
(This is condensed and edited – with permission – from Jen’s The Long Take review, which you can subscribe to here)
Ross Hollebon
I initially wrote this as a recap, cramming as much into a narrative as possible. It neglected many wonderful elements of the story. Instead, I’m going to list what I loved about the penultimate episode of Season 3.
Moff Gideon: He is brilliant, terrifying, and consumed by extreme Mandophilia as he justifies, in his mind, the appropriation of the warrior race’s ways. From his helmet reveal to his declarations, “Mandalore will live on in me,” and, related to his new beskar forged Dark trooper suits, “And the most impressive improvement is that it has me in it.” He is a focused, and powerful, madman.
The Shadow Council: From Gideon’s hidden lair (that we later learn is on Mandalore), we get introduced to eight new Imperial loyal characters. Along with Gideon, they form the Shadow Council, loosely tied so they can control their own regions but work together to continue the wishes of Palpatine. Captain Pellaeon (Legends) and Commandant Brendol Hux (Aftermath Trilogy, and also General Armitage Hux’s father) are called by name, bridging different eras of the overall Star Wars story. It also enables viewers to understand Gideon’s larger ambitions, as he sows doubt about the reality of Thrawn returning, suggesting, “Perhaps it’s time we look to new leadership.”
Paz Vizsla: The heavy Mandalorian’s heroic sacrifice enables the escape of his fellow Mandalorians. If they survive, the song written for him will be epic The merciless kill by the trio of Praetorian Guards is beautiful in its efficient violence but also provides a moment to remember and celebrate a critical character throughout the first three seasons of the series.
Elia Kane: I love seeing this character operate in the shadows, still serving Moff Gideon. Embedded in the New Republic’s government, she shows how easy it is to poison an institution from within. (Hello, America, are you paying attention?) And the excuse to have an Imperial Probe Droid as the communication link was so fulfilling and exciting.
Grogu: Equal parts empowerment and comic relief, the introduction of IG-11’s frame into a vehicle of sorts, as IG-12, was fun and serves a bigger purpose. The foundling is now more effective and efficient as a member of the clan—and he’s also able to easily procure snacks and squish meiloorun fruit. YES. YES. YES.
Din Djarin: Pure. Loyal. Captured and ready to be interrogated by Moff Gideon. How much more resilient can he be?
The Spies: The Armorer seems to be acting conveniently since anointing Bo-Katan Kryze the leader who can bring all Mandaorians back together. Mandalorian pirates seemingly appear out of nowhere. Do any members of the Shadow Council actually know where Thrawn is and are they currently his shadow puppets? Will the finale provide any answers here?
Sander de Lange looks at all the reveals and easter eggs in The Mandalorian – The Guide: Chapter 22: Guns For Hire
Mark Newbold and Mark Mulcaster discuss Guns For Hire on Making Tracks Reaction Chat: The Mandalorian S3 Eps 5, 6 & 7 – The Pirate, Guns For Hire, The Spies.
Coming to Fantha Tracks Radio soon
- Hardcover Book
- Scott, Cavan (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 448 Pages - 06/29/2021 (Publication Date) - Random House Worlds (Publisher)
