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-first episode – Chapter 21: The Pirate. Beware of spoilerific elements in here.
Jonathan Hipkiss
Well, this season of The Mandalorian has certainly taken some creative risks and this week it really paid off. Unlike last season that has the overarching story thread of Din finding a Jedi to whom he could deliver Grogu, this season has played out as a little vignettes that connect to the larger vision of saga.
We saw little of Grogu this week and who would have thought that he would ever take a back seat but the writing and delivery is so strong that we’ve now entered the realm of a beautiful ensemble cast. And let’s talk about that cameo! That’s how you deliver the goods. Zeb was masterfully done both in the design and of course Steve Blum’s voice work. He makes perfect sense that Zeb is here at this Rebellion hangout at this point in his journey and the bar was just wonderful. The Imperial helmets hanging overhead shows us the passage of time and through the next series of scenes on Coruscant we quickly learn that the New Republic is getting bogged down by paperwork essentially and Star Wars once again shows us it’s relatability by how governments actually work in real life.
Moving onto the ground battle and it was some of the best action we’ve ever seen on the small screen in Star Wars. The production design was simply amazing and the choreography of the action really delivered the goods. I think as we head towards the last part of this season we could be seeing the emergence of a new civil war within The Mandalorians because I, for one, simply don’t trust the Armorour in any way. I think she’s playing both sides and our father and son duo are caught right in the middle of it. The tease at the end with Moff Gideon could also signal the arrival of a war between Mandos and the remnants of the Empire.
This season has really picked up the pace now and I couldn’t be more excited to see what the team has on store for us.
Daniel Lo
I admit that when I first saw Blade in 1998, I had no idea it was based on a Marvel character. I thought I was just watching a cool vampire movie with great fight scenes, stylish sets, and a killer soundtrack. In the film adaptation, Blade was born half human and half vampire, and nicknamed “The Daywalker” due to having all the strengths of a vampire but none of the weaknesses. One could generally say that he walked both worlds.
Towards the end of chapter 21 of The Mandalorian, Bo-Katan Kryze was declared to have done exactly that. With the Mandalorians having just rescued Nevarro City from a pirate siege, the Armorer made a shocking request that Bo-Katan remove her helmet. This was to symbolize the latter’s ability to reunite all Mandalorian tribes in a bid to retake Mandalore. The Armorer also appeared to concede that the Mythosaur was real, despite being taught that it only existed in legends. How will this impact the rest of her beliefs, beyond the ways it already has? For a show that began with a single unknown Mandalorian, the stakes sure have escalated.
The previous two episodes could be superficially described as a side story and a side quest, respectively. In the latest installment, the story has well and truly clicked back into gear with a series of events that culminated in the hope of seeing Mandalore rising again. It began with a pirate attack, followed by Greef Karga sending a distress call to Carson Teva, who got snubbed in Coruscant but located the secret Mandalorian covert (with the help of R5-D4) to seek help, who in turn successfully answered the call.
Along the way, we got some more great action sequences and visual effects. In the previous review, I had mentioned the progress made in Mandalorian flight sequences. This week we once again saw Mandalorians descending into Nevarro City but it looked completely different from the first time. The shootout scenes seemed to have benefitted from superior choreography as well, and looked quite convincing even having just watched John Wick 4 less than a week ago. And Disney Star Wars continued to do what it does best: atmospheric dog fights. Gorian Shard’s starship looked incredible, and I liked how it could launch starfighters from a topside docking channel reminiscent of Venator-class Star Destroyers. I don’t know if that was actually Zeb or a different Lasat, but the creature effects were outstanding too.
On the other side of the coin, lightly peppered throughout the episode were also small reminders that we are still watching a TV show. While I remain a huge fan of both the concept and actual capabilities of StageCraft, its limitations seemed to have gotten increasingly more noticeable in outdoor shots. There were a few continuity issues between cuts, but not too big of a deal as those routinely happen in movies as well. What continues to bother me the most in general (TV show or not) are aliens speaking in easy-to-understand English that, for reasons I can’t quite put my finger on, still feels very un-Star Wars.
Of course, there was plenty more about chapter 21 that had Star Wars written all over it: “He shot first.” The spot-on hologram of Shard being a great visual callback to Vader and Palpatine’s correspondence in The Empire Strikes Back. Karga pulling a Princess Leia with his astromech droid. “Good luck. You’re gonna need it.” Basically anytime we see exterior shots of Coruscant. The sound of Shard’s ship crashing was extremely similar, if not identical, to the Executor crashing into the Death Star during the battle of Endor. Brilliant.
A quick sidenote: The opening shots teased IG-11 again, showing us the partially dismantled statue in case we had forgotten about him. I admit I sort of have, and now I’m wondering if he will be back in action before the end of the season. Could he be instrumental in retaking Mandalore?
Two episodes ago, Dr. Pershing witnessed a plethora of seemingly innocuous shortcomings of the New Republic, and this week we once again got another glimpse through Teva’s brief time on Coruscant. For those of us who wondered how the First Order rose to power and put the “good guys” on the back foot in such a short span of time, we are seeing the answer unfold. March of the Resistance showed up in the soundtrack again, and now we also know for sure that Gideon is on the loose. Is Elia Kane still working for him, or is Grand Admiral Thrawn behind all this? We also don’t know the whereabouts of Dr. Pershing after he got his mind wiped. Is he back to laying down the groundwork for creating Snoke, and ultimately Palpatine’s return?
Eric Onkenhout
Well, I can confidently say not everyone I spoke to since The Pirate aired liked it. Some even said it was the best episode of The Mandalorian yet. It really had everything. Lots of Mandalorians, pirates, X-wings, and Zeb! And it did it in a way that didn’t make it feel contrived.
High Magistrate Greef Karga gets a call from Gorian Shard, who seeks revenge for killing his men. Shard’s Corsair begins an aerial bombardment on Nevarro, so Karga evacuates his City and calls the New Republic for help. Carson Teva answers the call but needs to run it by Command first. Colonel Tuttle (Tim Meadows) basically blows him off, so Teva flies directly to the Mandalorian Covert and requests their help. After he leaves, they hold a meeting, and after Din and Paz’s speech, they decide to give it a go.
Din’s job is to distract the Corsair and its fighters while Bo-Katan flies her Gauntlet fighter to drop off the Mandalorians so they can confront the pirates on the ground. The action was great! The way the Corsair looked flying through the atmosphere was brilliant. So much improved over the shootout at the end of Season two.
Since the Rangers of the New Republic story got swallowed up by The Mandalorian, seeing more of the Republic, especially the ships, was really cool. Something about seeing an X-wing flying in new scenes gets the blood pumping. That’s the heart of Star Wars. Seeing classic ships in new scenarios. And seeing more of Carson Teva and the good part of the good guys. Unlike what we saw on Coruscant.
I’m not entirely sure what The Armorer was talking to Bo about. Something about uniting The Mandalorian from other tribes, but why did she allow her to take her helmet off? I was confused by that. Grogu didn’t have much to do in The Pirate, but R5 certainly played an important role. I was also confused by the end scene when Teva happened upon a derelict Lambda shuttle. It appeared Moff Gideon was onboard but was rescued by Mandalorians? All that remained were dead Republic soldiers and beskar implanted in the wall. It’s likely meant to mislead whoever found the ship. With three episodes left, Moff Gideon should be appearing soon.
As it stands, Teva is about to proceed down one path toward Gideon, and Bo-Katan will start reuniting Mandalore. Grogu will continue growing as a Force user, and Din will remain with the Covert. And then there’s Pershing and Kane. So much story potential!
Ross Hollebon
Captain Carson Teva, of the Adelphi Rangers, best sums up where season three of The Mandalorian is going in his sharp rebuttal to the inaction of the New Republic’s Colonel Tuttle (Geek note: so cool to see Tim Meadows of SNL fame in Star Wars):
“There’s something dangerous happening out there. All these events, it’s not a coincidence. And by the time it becomes big enough for you to act, it’ll be too late.”
Many important characters recognize this, and those taking action are best setting the board for what’s to come. Teva, “former” Imperial Elia Kane, and the Armorer are all strategizing and quickly enacting moves that may define the success of their respective groups.
Teva’s hands are tied but he still acts on his convictions. We meet up with the New Republic Ranger at a remote pilot bar that gives fans much more than story background. Teva receives a distress holo from Greef Karga, stating Nevarro is under attack by pirates. This scene also offers multiple fan bonuses, starting with the first live-action (gasp-worthy) appearance of Zeb Orrelios. The Lasat from the Ghost Crew of Star Wars Rebels—complete with original voice by Steve Blum—now seems merely a call away from joining other Ghost Crew heroes we’re eager to see in live-action. There is also a subtle gathering of cameos by Sash Ketter (Deborah Chow), Jib Dodger (Rick Famuyiwa), and Trapper Wolf (Dave Filoni) in the extreme foreground of Teva’s scene.
Teva, thanks to advice from Zeb that a remote message will not be given attention, then travels to Coruscant where he gets a face-to-face dismissal from Tuttle—reinforced by Kane, who does her best to ensure there are no New Republic resources going to Nevarro. We don’t yet know if she is acting on behalf of Moff Gideon, Thrawn, Grand Admiral Rae Sloane, or some other former Imperial leader. But Kane is activating against the New Republic, from within its ranks, and serving her cause brilliantly.
Thanks to Teva having his own embedded ally in R5-D4, Karga’s distress holo eventually reaches Din Djarin. With the support of Bo-Katan Kryze and Paz Vizsla, the covert agrees to help the people of Nevarro, also setting a path for a new, more permanent place for the roaming warrior tribe to live.
The Mandalorians liberate the city from the pirates—destroying pirate king Gorian Shard and all of his followers except the elusive Nikto pirate, Vane, who now appears to have a personal vendetta against Djarin.
There are two special moments in the midst of Karga celebrating the Mandalorians and their victory over the invaders. First, he cedes “all land from the western lava flats to Bulloch Canyon to the fine people of Mandalore.” This is notable because it recognizes the original Boba Fett, Jeremy Bulloch, who passed away in 2020. It also sets up the Armorer for the next major action in the series—and the biggest yet for the Mandalorian people.
After meeting with Kryze amongst the destroyed forge from season one, the gold-helmeted leader comes to terms with the fact that Bo-Katan, who has seen the Mythosaur, can bring all the tribes together. She tells her, “You have walked both worlds. You are the one who can unite us,” and demands the daughter of royal lineage removes her helmet. The Armorer then address the Covert, explaining to them in their shock of Kryze no longer wearing her helmet, that Bo-Katan has her endorsement to lead their Covert and that, “It is time to retake Mandalore.” This is the Way!
Paul Naylor
The dream team of Favreau and Filoni continue to be the gift that keeps on giving for us Star Wars fans. The seemingly effortless way they weave unexpected elements into an established galaxy never ceases to delight me – and all under-pinned with familiarity.
The episode starts with a return to Navarro, home to Mando’s ally High Magistrate Greef Kaga. Gorian Shard’s pirates position themselves above the city as the pirate crimelord makes contact with Kaga. The scenes that ensued hold a chilling parallel to real world events – with hostility raining down from an oppressor. Locals scatter as they desperately attempt to escape The Corsair lingering in the skies above. My only criticism of this would be that there didn’t seem to be anywhere near enough extras to portray a world under threat. The danger felt too localised.
The action then moves over to the New Republic base of the Adelphi Rangers, with the glorious appearance of a Y-wing landing at the bustling landing strip. A collection of pilots in the famous orange jumpsuits, blended with those in the blue seen in Rogue One, are enjoying some downtime – playing a version of pool and enjoying a drink or three. Among the initial pilots on view, we see three of the series’ key players – regular directors Dave Filoni, Deborah Chow and Rick Famuyiwa – and another returning character Captain Carson Teva. The show focuses heavily on Teva, played beautifully by Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, who has been contacted by Greef, desperately in need of help to purge Navarro of the pirates.
The highlight for many happened during this scene, with the appearance of a familiar ‘Rebels‘ character. Seeing Zeb Orrelios in live action was jaw-dropping. Not only was it brilliantly executed, but it also saw the welcome return of voice actor Steve Blum. Seeing Zeb in his blue flight suit was a wonder, and just in case you didn’t catch the aurebesh on his white vest, the upside down lettering reads ‘pull to inflate’ obviously a note to pilots who may have been downed over watery worlds! It appears on all pilots’ attire these days apparently.
Teva heads off to Coruscant to ask for help, but due to Navarro’s status in the galaxy, it is way down the list of priorities. So the captain hatches another plan – and it’s off to find Mando. But how? The Mandalorians are so secretive. Good ol’ R5-D4 saves the day by guiding Teva to the clan.
Collectively, the Mandalorians agree to stage a mission to save the planet and liberate Greef and his fellow citizens. Thankfully that should see an end to Gorian Shard. There was a lovely nod to the late Jeremy Bulloch, the most famous of the actors to portray Boba Fett in the original trilogy. His name was attached to the location of the parcel of land in Navarro given to the Mandalorians.
On the clan’s return to their hideout, The Armourer asks for a private audience with Bo Katan Kryze. The Armourer, now realising that the clan has grown in strength asks Bo to remove her helmet. Not normally the way. They walk out to the Mando crowd who, although faceless, are visibly shocked. The plan: to gather Mandalorians from all clans, with Bo Katan most likely to bridge them all. The reason being to retake Mandalore.
And that could have been an end to the show. But oh no. We return to Teva, scouting outer space, when he comes across a stricken Lambda Class Imperial Shuttle Tydirium. It transpires that this was the transport charged with taking Moff Gideon to trial. All onboard appear to be dead – with no sign of Gideon. However, there are signs of beskar in the ruins. What could this mean? Only time will tell.
A cracking episode that expanded the role of Captain Teva and the pilots of the Adelphi Rangers. Perhaps – just perhaps – the Rangers project could be back on.
Jen Sopchockchai
There have been murmurs. Whispers. Snide remarks. Din and Grogu have taken a back seat in their own show. Now, with the Armorer herself ordaining Bo-Katan of House Kryze as the “chosen one” who “walks both worlds” and will reunite all the tribes of Mandalore, it’s hard to deny: Bo-Katan is the central figure of this season’s story.
I’m not ready to compare the structure of The Mandalorian Season 3 to the structure of the now infamous The Book of Boba Fett, but I will say that the helpless townsfolk of Nevarro in this episode gave me The Book of Boba Fett vibes, and not in a good way. I recall that with TBoBF, the sparse background actors were largely a product of covid restrictions, but I’m assuming that wasn’t the case with this week’s episode? If I’m wrong about that, let me know. I just need to know if so many of them died that only a book club’s worth of people survived, or if the city itself, despite all its gentrified grandeur, only had a small group of actual residents?
At any rate, this “whose show is this?” anxiety may be more of a misunderstanding between viewer and creator; that what many thought this show was about does not perfectly align with the show Filoni and Favreau have been making this entire time. On Friday night, I attended a Paleyfest panel dedicated to The Mandalorian, featuring Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, Rick Famuyiwa, Pedro Pascal, and Katee Sackoff. A discussion point I didn’t cover in the review that applies to this question of “whose show is this?” is that Jon Favreau, at least, has always seen this series as about Mandalorians as a people rather than a single Mandalorian. He actually said that they came up with the series and the storylines for the series by trying to answer a simple question: Where are all the Mandalorians? Why aren’t they around in most of the Star Wars stories we know? In order to fill in this gap, Favreau said that they always knew that all roads would eventually lead to Mandalore.
I recap this part of the panel to show that it seems like the plan all along was to tell a story bigger than Din Djarin and Grogu. Rick Famuyiwa also said that “It feels like we’ve pushed it as far as we can without breaking it”; again, this demonstrates awareness that they have been building towards this capacious story in which many different Mandalorians may share the spotlight because the whole point is that they have to work together to, as The Armorer says, “retake Mandalore.” Furthermore, I would say that Din and Grogu’s story is one and the same with the broader Mandalorian story; they’re both foundlings in search of belonging, and as such are fully invested in bringing Mandalore back to its former glory so that they may have a place to call home.
I’ve been waiting for the conflict shoe to drop between Din and Bo all season long, and while there has been no evidence that this will happen, everyone seems to be conveniently forgetting about the Darksaber. If Bo does go and recruit more Mandalorians — let’s say the other Nite Owls — remember what she said they were all obsessed with? The Darksaber. And then we’re going to be back to where Bo-Katan was the last time she ascended to the throne; in the animated series, Star Wars: Rebels, Sabine gives the Darksaber to Bo-Katan because she doesn’t want it and thinks Bo should lead the people of Mandalore. We find out from The Armorer in The Book of Boba Fett that Bo-Katan’s last reign was seen as a cursed failure. Most lore nuts agree that Bo will likely think that this happened because she did not win the Darksaber in combat, “the right way.”
Please don’t mistake my agonizing over this issue as a distaste for this episode. It doesn’t take much to get my fists pumping in the air with this show, and Chapter 21 delivered on pure Mandalorian action — from the dog fights with the pirate ships to the Armorer just whaling on the pirates who think they have the high ground with her hammer. And it balanced all that toothsome action with the mystery and intrigue of Carson Teva’s investigation and the emotional stakes of The Children of the Watch finding a new home, in light rather than shadow. I’m tempted to say this is the best episode we’ve gotten all season.
And I haven’t even gotten to flipping out about Zeb! For those of you haven’t seen the animated series, Rebels, the lavender-colored alien speaking with a gravelly, surly voice to Carson Teva is Garazeb Orrelios or, to his friends, Zeb. I was so shocked to see him here that I at first rationalized him as another random Lasat. That was foolish in retrospect because we know that other members of Phoenix Squadron (the crew/family at the center of Rebels) have been confirmed to appear in Ahsoka, so his appearance here is likely an early seed that will branch out into that series.
The main thing you need to know about Zeb right now, I think, is that his entire people were nearly wiped out by the Empire. More specifically, they used a T-7 ion disruptor, which would slowly and painfully disintegrate victims at the molecular level. This means that it’s not going to take much to get Zeb to join a mission if it means exacting revenge on Moff Gideon, who raged similarly brutal death and destruction on Mandalore.
Star Wars is a big story, and there’s plenty of room for everyone.
(This is condensed and edited – with permission – from Jen’s The Long Take review, which you can subscribe to here)
Sander de Lange looks at all the reveals and easter eggs in The Mandalorian – The Guide: Chapter 21: The Pirate
Mark Newbold discusses The Pirate on Making Tracks Reaction Chat: The Mandalorian S3 Ep5 – The Pirate
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)
