As a premiere, The Apostate succeeds in setting up Din Djarin and Grogu’s mission to come in season three.
The Apostate doesn’t stay in one place for too long. Over the course of the premiere, Din reunites with the Armorer, helps out Greef Karga (Carl Weathers) and squares off against space pirates.
Djarin’s connection with Grogu continues to be a source of warmth for the series. The Apostate features two terrific action setpieces. Like the Krayt dragon in season 2, Djarin slays a beast ravaging a bunch of Mandalorians who are indoctrinating a foundling into “The Way” cult. Later, Din uses an asteroid field to evade a bevy of space pirates. These action sequences set the stage for an epic season.
The episode length and abrupt ending stand in the way of The Apostate being one of the best episodes of The Mandalorian. Outside of the action sequences, which are perfectly paced and a gorgeous hyperspace scene, every dramatic scene could use another minute or two to soak in. The ending features a fantastic scene between Djarin and Bo-Katan (Katee Sackhoff), but once the scene ends, the episode ends.
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In spite of those few issues, Ludwig Göransson‘s excellent score, Rick Famuyiwa‘s sense of scope as director and Jon Favreau‘s handle on the story make The Mandalorian‘s long-awaited return worth it.
With the overview out of the way, let’s dive deeper into the season three premiere. There may be some minor spoilers. The Mandalorian is streaming on Disney Plus.
Reunions
The biggest reunion of course is the return of Grogu and Djarin. The dynamic is more father-son-like and Djarin is no longer resisting showing his attachment to Grogu. When they return to Nevarro, Djarin recounts their previous adventure on the planet. Later in the episode, Djarin explains what it means to be a proper Mandalorian.
Djarin reconnects first with The Armorer. He wants to rejoin “The Way.” Djarin offers to complete an impossible task. He will find Mandalore and bathe in the waters under the mines which will cleanse him of his sins. The Armorer accepts his terms.
Djarin also reunites with another friend in Karga. Since the events in season two, Karga has become the leader of the planet. He’s changed the planet into one that resembles a small, but thriving civilization. The Apostate does a great job of showing Karga’s progress as a leader while debating whether a man with a shady past can break free of their past. Karga wants to establish Navarro as an independent trading post. However, a showdown with pirates is a reflection of who he was and who he might still be at his core.
The final reunion is between Djarin and Bo-Katan. She’s pretty much given up, but reveals the location Djarin is looking for. Sackhoff is terrific in the scene. However, as the climactic scene of the episode, it does fall a little flat. Bo-Katan gives Djarin the information he wants too easily.
The Apostate’s Journey
The season premiere is a great stage-setting episode for one reason. Throughout the episode, it presents Djarin with multiple paths to go down.
At this point, Din is still set to rejoin “The Way,” which is a cult and belief system he’s familiar with. On Nevarro, Karga offers Djarin a job and a place to call home. Nevarro has a school where Grogu can learn and grow without the pressure of being a Jedi or a Mandalorian. He can actually be a child.
After leaving Nevarro, Djarin and Grogu are alone in space, which once again offers a different path. Djarin and Grogu don’t have to pledge their allegiance to any faction. They can fight off pirates while exploring different planets and systems.
Finally, the meeting with Bo-Katan presents another path. Since Djarin carries the dark saber, he can unite Mandalore as a leader. Bo-Katan and Djarin could be allies or on opposing sides of an upcoming struggle for power.
All of these potential paths are set up effectively by Favreau.
Final Thoughts on The Apostate
The episode’s abrupt ending could have worked fine if Disney Plus released the first two episodes instead of one episode. Unfortunately, the petered-out ending left me wanting more. However, The Apostate does succeed in showing how The Mandalorian is the most balanced Star Wars series.
Andor is a terrific, impeccably written, and deep character-driven story with politics and scheming at the forefront. The Mandalorian has plenty of depth, but also adds ample action sequences, cool worlds, warmth and long-term character development. The Apostate features all of these great characteristics and sets a positive trajectory for season three.
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The Review
The Mandalorian: Chapter 17 - The Apostate
PROS
- Thrilling action setpieces
- The father-son dynamic between Grogu and Din Djarin continues to shine.
- Effectively sets up multiple paths for Din Djarin.
- The philosophical and physical battle between the space pirates works as an examination of Greef Karga's past, present and future plans.
CONS
- Abrupt ending.
- Short episode length.
