‘The Mandalorian’ Season 3 Episode 5 Review - Where is Moff Gideon?

Warning: Contains Heavy Spoilers for The Mandalorian Chapter 21

In episode 4 of "The Mandalorian," we finally understood how Grogu escaped Order 66 and witnessed a touching rescue of a foundling. In this episode, it seems we will travel to various places, breaking away from the confines of the covert. Evidently, we are back in Navarro, but things are far from peaceful.

The city is attacked by the notorious Pirate King Gorian Shard. It appears that the high magistrate gunning down Shard's men in episode 1 has finally caught up with him. Unwilling to abandon his city, High Magistrate Greef Karga rushes to ensure his people's safety just as the opening titles roll.

Chapter 21 of The Mandalorian, "The Pirate," follows up with psychedelic rock music playing at a bar in the Adelphi Base. The perfect setting for a drink or two, right? However, the tranquility is quickly interrupted when we see Captain Carson Teva receiving a desperate plea for help from Karga. Determined to get the aid Navarro needs, Teva sets out to Coruscant to talk to the New Republic himself.

In Coruscant, Teva tells the Colonel about the dire situation on Navarro. However, G68, who suspiciously shows up, nonchalantly informs the Colonel that Navarro is not a member planet of the New Republic. The Colonel doesn't seem the least bit interested in helping and G68 is only urging him to isolate Navarro even further. That just doesn't sit right with me.

Despite this, Teva believes that all these events happening together cannot be a coincidence and that only leaves me both nervous and excited at the same time. What could happen? Who exactly is pulling the strings here? I can't wait to find out.

Back in Navarro, Karga assures his surviving citizens that help is on the way, it's not from the New Republic because, as we know, Coruscant doesn't care. Enter Teva, who lands in the Mandalorian covert. It turns out that the Empire is growing again, and the pirate king is involved. This episode is just moving the plot forward, isn’t it? I love this.

It's clear that Mando can't ignore his friend's plight in Navarro. In a moving speech, Mando tries to persuade his allies to lend a helping hand, but not everyone is on board. But just as we think Paz Vizsla will rally against Mando, he surprises us by saying that they will help if it brings a brighter future because "this is the way."

 

With Bo-Katan in command, plans are made. Navarro is in ruins, but just in time, Mando and Grogu arrive in a starfighter. Mando takes on the Corsair and the snub fighters, while the rest of the Mandalorians land in the city to take down the remaining pirates.

The battle is intense, happening both in the air and on the ground, and it's a joy to see the Mandalorians working together in such a seamless manner. Bo-Katan surprises the Corsair with an attack from behind, and the Armorer wields her hammers to clear the path for the others. Vane decides to abandon the Pirate King, realizing that the battle is lost. And in the end, the pirate king and his corsair go down in a blaze of fire, quite literally.

The townspeople celebrate all the Mandalorians as heroes and High Magistrate Karga grants them land as a symbol of his gratitude. Moreover, we witness the growth of traditions when the Armorer tells Bo-Katan to remove her helmet and tasks her with uniting all of Mandalore. The other Mandalorians are gobsmacked, and Bo-Katan leaves to bring all the Mandalorians in exile together.

But that is not the end of the episode folks. Teva discovers a Lambda shuttle that has been attacked, and it turns out to be a New Republic prison transport carrying Moff Gideon. Unfortunately, his body is missing, and the discovery of Beskar alloy in the shuttle hints that he was taken by the Mandalorians in exile. And that’s the end of the episode.

"The Mandalorian'' never ceases to surprise us with its twists and turns, and this episode was no exception. I was left with so many questions - What did the exiled Mandalorians have to do with Gideon? Is the Empire really returning? If so, how powerful would it really be?

While the last episode was a little too short for my liking, this one was perfect. Even if there wasn’t a lot of Grogu in it apart from the occasional coos. It was refreshing to see Bo-Katan finally gain a purpose and the Armorer acknowledging her worth in the quest to unite all people of Mandalore. Overall, this episode has me eagerly awaiting the next one and the answers it may bring.

Final Score - [8.5/10]