After the pulse-pounding prison break episode in Chapter 6 and another terrific installment in The Reckoning, the series seems to have turned a major corner. Under Deborah Chow’s strong direction, Chapter 7 is a terrific episode that brings together characters we’ve seen in other episodes while introducing new ones that will be major players in the upcoming 2nd season.
Penultimate episodes usually fall into one of two categories.
- Catch your breath before the finale or set up the season finale in grand fashion (Justified)
- An epic episode that leaves the season finale to pick up the pieces from the fallout (Game of Thrones)
The Mandalorian takes both approaches leading to a thrilling episode on its own merits while setting the stage for an eventful season finale.
Time to return to the world of bounty hunters, Baby Yoda’s and more.
Joining Forces
The Reckoning brings together several characters from the 1st season. Greef Karga (Carl Weathers) returns after his near-death experience in The Sin. Kuiil (voiced by Nick Nolte) lends a hand to Mando and Baby Yoda after helping the duo in the first two episodes. Finally, Cara Dune (Gina Carano) returns to the Fray after her previous appearance in The Sanctuary.
The story begins with Karga offering a parlay of sorts to Mando on Navarro. Recognizing the offer as a trap, Mando contacts Dune to help with the mission.
The combination of Mando, Karga, Dune, Kuiil and Baby Yoda is such a successful formula that it begs the question whether the series is better off using team-oriented narrative vs the one-off approach used up to this point.
Weathers and Carano turn in their best episodes of the season.
The Reckoning gives some added backstory to Dune and features the best performance of Carano’s career. Most impressively, while there are some solid action sequences, it’s Carano’s acting that stands out. Carano can show signs of fear, deliver comedic value and demonstrate intelligence throughout the episode.
Karga plays a larger role in this episode than in any previous episode. Weathers is great in this episode. Karga is the scheming anti-hero The Mandalorian has missed over the last few episodes.
Baby Yoda
In chapters 5 and 6, the cutest addition to the Star Wars universe since BB-8 is a stowaway. He’s either hidden away or in mortal danger and spends the bulk of those episodes separates from Mando.
Baby Yoda plays a larger role in The Reckoning than in the previous two episodes. For the first time in the series, Baby Yoda shows signs of good and anger under duress.
After Dune and Mando reunite on the Razor Crest (Mando’s ship), the warriors take some time to relax over a friendly arm-wrestling match. As the tide in the match begins to shift towards Dune, Baby Yoda believes that Mando is in danger and begins force choking Dune. The horrific sequence is executed by Chow and sold by Carano to perfection.
When Dune, Mando, Baby Yoda, Kuiil and a reconstructed IG-11 meet with Karga in the middle of nowhere on Navarro, they are attacked by dragon-like creatures. The CGI is helped exponentially by executing the scenes at night. Karga is injured in the skirmish. Then in a scene that’s familiar to anyone who watched The Rise of Skywalker, Baby Yoda heals Karga’s wounds, serving as a turning point in the episode.
After this scene, Karga turns on the villains and comes clean to Mando about the original plan. Turn Baby Yoda and Mando over to The Client (Werner Herzog). The trio of Karga, Mando and Dune come up with a plan to turn the tables, which leads to a thrilling conclusion and a long-awaited reveal.
The Big Bad Revealed in The Reckoning
The plan involves Karga, Mando and Dune meeting with The Client with an empty Star Wars-approved stroller. Meanwhile, Kuiil will take Baby Yoda back to the Razor Crest. The plan appears to work on The Client, until an expected arrival enters the scene in the form of Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito).
Esposito’s much-publicized casting in The Mandalorian was warranted. He has a different air authority compared to The Client. He uncovers Mando, Karga and Dune’s plan without having to ask a single question and proceeds to take out The Client in the process. While The Client speaks in reverence of The Empire, Gideon embodies the spirit of elite Empire officers such as Grand Moff Tarkin and Grand Admiral Thrawn.
With The Client, you understand from the beginning that he is evil. The scenes involving the character leaves you feeling cold. Esposito is cast to perfection. Gideon is ruthless, intelligent and unlike The Client… charming. You hang on every syllable and each word that comes out of Gideon’s mouth.
Final Thoughts on The Reckoning
Simply put, this is the best episode of the series so far. Chow crushed this episode. What did you think of The Reckoning?
The Review
The Mandalorian Chapter 7
PROS
- The returns of Cara Dune, Greef Karga, Kuiil, IG-11 and The Client is a winning combination
- Deborah Chow's 2nd stint in the director's chair is even better than her first foray in Chapter 3.
- The debut of Giancarlo Esposito as Moff Gideon is terrific.
CONS
- Wish this episode didn't have to end.
