The Mandalorian #8
CHAPTER 8: REDEMPTION
Upon receiving a transmission from Greef Karga proposing a new plan, Mando reconnected with Cara Dune and the Ugnaught Kuiil to assist with the mission: Clear Mando’s name with the Bounty Hunters Guild and kill the Client to protect the child.
During their long journey across Nevarro, they are attacked by reptivians that greatly injure Greef. After Mando saves him, Greef guiltily reveals he had been planning to kill Mando.
Mando then sent Kuiil back to the ship with the child, but the Ugnaught was struck down by stormtroopers. Now Moff Gideon has cornered Mando and the team, demanding they hand over the child….
Writer: Rodney Barnes
Penciller: Georges Jeanty
Inker: Dexter Vines, Karl Story, Wayne Faucher
Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Colorist: Rachelle Rosenberg
Cover artist: Sara Pichelli
Editor: Mark Paniccia
Publication date: March 1, 2023
As we hit the midway point of the third season of The Mandalorian, it’s almost quaint to look back to the finale of the first season, made in a vacuum when the makers of the show had no idea what a monster hit they were about to have on their hands, or how much of a zeitgeist-gobbling monster Baby Yoda was going to be. Putting aside the fact that we’re WAY further down the story and timeline than we were back in 2019, we can only review what we have in hand, and as the previous seven issues have been, we’re looking at a solid, crisp and slick presentation of that action-packed finale, as Moff Gideon finally caught up with the asset and our heroes barely made it out with their lives.
Of course, no one could foresee what was to come in season 2, or The Book of Boba Fett and a global pandemic, and one of the most impressive elements of the show is its willingness to not subvert expectation, but to swing so far from it you never know what’s coming. Here, we open with two Biker Scouts holding the Child (bit early to call him Grogu, that’s a season 2 thing) until IG-11 arrives to reclaim him after the heartbreaking death of noble Ugnaught Kuiil. Cut to Mando, Cara Dune, Greef Karga and the Client in the Nerarro bar as Gideon arrives to take what he believes is his, revealing his knowledge of the groups names and motives as an E-Web is assembled. Shocked, we see a flashback of Mando as he’s rescued by Mandalorians as a child and as they call in to Kuiil, learning of his death, we watch IG-11 blast back into town on the speeder bike with the Child.
The distraction made by IG-11 gives the crew the chance to escape, but Gideon gets the upper hand and Mando is critically injured as they quickly regroup back in the bar as the Imperials light it up, a Flametrooper pouring fire into the bar as the Child uses the Force to arc the fire right back. They find an escape route into the tunnels below as IG-11 uses bacta spray to give an unmasked Mando some time and in the tunnels we see discarded Mandalorian helmets as the Armorer appears, explaining to Mando how the Child is a foundling, that they are a clan of two and how he needs to return the child to its own people. Giving Mando a jetpack, she gives them time by lacing into the incoming Stormtroopers as they find a vehicle capable of skimming the lava. With little hope of escape, IG-11 sacrifices himself as per his programming, giving them the opening to get past the troopers, but not Gideon who roars in his Outland TIE Fighter as Djarin uses his jetpack to hook onto the TIE and clamp on a detonator, bringing the fighter down.
With Gideon believed gone, our heroes regroup, with Greef and Cara opting to remain on Nevarro while Mando and the Child leave in the Razor Crest, and we end with Gideon standing on the wrecked hull of his Outland TIE holding the legendary Darksaber. The final page reveals that we’ll soon be tucking into season 2 almost immediately, which gives hope to the third season not following too far behind. Yes, it’s understood that a close yoke is being held on the Mandoverse, but for stories that are out there – and have been out there for years – it’s odd that such a gap has been allowed to develop.
That said, for what this is – a Marvel adaptation of a Star Wars project, something many of us literally grew up on in the 70’s and 80’s – it’s been a successful series.
- Barnes, Rodney (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 136 Pages - 11/08/2022 (Publication Date) - Licensed Publishing (Publisher)
