The Mandalorian Season 3 Episode 5 Review: Between Great Strides Forward and Old Shortcomings
Cast: Pedro Pascal, Katee Sackhoff, Carl Weathers
Director: Peter Ramsey
Streaming Platform: Disney+
Filmyhype.com Ratings: 3.5/5 (three and a half stars) [yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]
It could have been much worse this week, here is the thought that overwhelmed us at the end of the new installment of The Mandalorian After all, it is the episode that we all feared a bit, or the return of the pirates and consequently yet another transitional plot that would have added little or nothing to the whole, in a season that was already suffering from a purely quantitative point of view. And instead, despite the now demeaning chronic structural problems, this is the chapter that carries Mando and company in the final rush and he succeeds with some success, introducing a purpose, a way to achieve it and an impending threat into the narrative, all in one fell swoop; yes, basically what has been sorely lacking so far, from direction to a sense of urgency. Then it’s hard not to underline the subtle irony of such an important achievement when facing the equivalent of a Power Rangers secondary villain, but those details are irrelevant.
So, is The Mandalorian safe now? Surely, we look at the latest episodes with much more optimism, which can hold surprises that are nothing short of sensational. However, we must not forget that, to reach this point, the Filoni-Favreau duo once again showed some not indifferent flaws in terms of management and structure. As we will see in our review of The Mandalorian Season 3 Episode 5, even the new episode seems to have nothing out of place: there is a long action scene, an excellent vision intent in entertaining its audience, some small but important steps forward in the general plot and an amused and spectacular staging by the hand of Peter Ramsey (director of that jewel that bears the name of Spider-Man: A New Universe). Yet as the 41-minute episode keeps ticking by, one can’t help but feel that something is missing. Genuine, perhaps. In what is told and in the way we approach the work.
The Mandalorian Season 3 Episode 5 Review: The Story Plot
But let’s proceed in order: Navarro is suddenly under siege by the pirate Gorian Shard (Nonso Anozie) and Karga (Carl Weathers) is forced against his will to send a distress call to the New Republic, effectively jeopardizing its independence. And the first half of the episode honestly made us fear for the worst, as it took the form of another integral deviation from the exploits of Din (Pedro Pascal) with a critical intent towards the weak New Republic. It seems superfluous to reiterate how harmful if not downright crazy it would have been to insert another chapter of this kind, however much we appreciated Dr. Pershing’s story (here you can recover ours The Mandalorian Season 3 Episode 3 review).
But luckily that’s not the case, The Mandalorians soon get involved and a tough counter-attack operation against the Gorian Shard gang is unleashed. Except for some minor forcing (why doesn’t Karga contact Mando directly? Why does Shard wait so long to attack Navarro when he was already in orbit several episodes ago?), we find ourselves in front of an enjoyable plot played with decorous attention and care, which looks to the point and not to who knows what trivia. In the classic and perfect style of The Mandalorian, in fact, we quickly and with minimal preparation arrive at a pack of angry Mandalorians to massacre pirates, with even some delightful surprises in between. What is missing is more the characterization of Shard, really a caricatured character lacking in personality and charisma – this aspect could and should have been worked on a little.
It is no mystery that the episodes of The Mandalorian have a very particular structure. As if they were portions of a larger story, but self-contained in themselves (and it is no coincidence that they are defined as “chapters”), they make the horizontal plot of The Mandalorian proceed in small steps, while focusing, week after week, on the single challenge that the protagonists will have to face. This Chapter 21: The Pirate is no exception which takes up the storyline that appeared in the first episode of the season and decides to give a conclusion to the threat of the Gorian Shard pirates, an aesthetically beautiful and interesting character who deserved more space within the series, ready to attack the planet Nevarro.
High Magistrate Greef Karga (Carl Weathers) is forced, therefore, to lead his people away from the city and ask for help from the New Republic, in the figure of Captain Teva. The latter, however, collides with the severe and rigid bureaucracy of the new government: Nevarro is a planet not yet recognized by the New Republic and the only way to protect it is to turn to The Mandalorians. A battle will follow on the planet Nevarro that will bring a new awareness to the group of Mandalorians. Maybe it’s time to take back the planet, whatever the cost. Meanwhile, returning from his voyage, Captain Teva finds the wreck of a Republic ship, discovering that the dangerous Moff Gideon has escaped before he comes to trial.
The Mandalorian Season 3 Episode 5 Review and Analysis
A question then arises: how does such an episode drastically advance the narrative of The Mandalorian? Without obviously making spoilers, we will limit ourselves to saying that in one way or another the simple military operation against the Shard plays an essential role in the future of The Mandalorians, it further strengthens the conviction of Bo-Katan (Katee Sackhoff) who already had had a profound turning point last week (and here we refer you to our review of The Mandalorian 3×04 ) and, thanks to a fantastic closing sequence, opens the door to a long-awaited return. These are by no means trivial results, especially considering how easily the plot could turn into a transitory episode and nothing more.
However, we feel compelled to carry out a healthy reflection: why was the third season of The Mandalorian structured in this way? It is divided into two sections, so to speak, that is, the events of Din and Bo-Katan concerning the future of Mandalore and The Mandalorians and the mystery that surrounds the weakness of the New Republic as well as the return of the imperial threat. Why treat them as two watertight compartments? They are bound to collide and when two storylines cross it is reasonable, in terms of suspense and pacing, to carry them forward together. There was no need to abruptly interrupt a narrative for an entire episode, they could easily be alternated in such a way as to reach their climax at the same time. Unlike Star Wars, this wasn’t science fiction.
It’s an episode that, after having carefully prepared the ground, focuses on action and fighting, finally offering a stellar battle that we’re not always used to finding in Star Wars. The direction of Peter Ramsey, who comes from animation cinema, is a plus for the success of the episode. Ramsey always takes into account the physics of live action but dares with some shots that will let viewers experience the thrill of flight. These are the most adrenaline-pumping sequences of the episode, which are between high-speed explosions and whizzing spaceships, recalling that characteristic of Star Wars attentive to movement and editing. On the other hand, the direction is more canonical when it has to follow the battles on the ground. The dynamics are seen and reviewed within not only the series but the entire saga.
The occasion proved to be perfect for reflecting on the state of the brand. Just up until a couple of years ago, The Mandalorian was considered the noblest example of how to approach Star Wars, becoming a real pop culture phenomenon. Today, the feeling is that much of the strength of the series has been lost. Let me be clear, the series by Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni does not present technical or structural defects (net of some risks, such as episode 3 of this season) and delivers to its passionate audience exactly the show that is expected but maybe that’s the problem. In this season so faithful to the canons of Star Wars, so reverent towards the work of George Lucas, there is a lack of that innovative spark, we dare say genuine in carrying on the story of Din Djarin with conviction.
However, some interesting elements tell a lot about the situation in which our Mando, Grogu, and Bo-Katan move. They are all elements related to the canon and mythology of the saga, which cast more than a few shadows on the establishment of the New Republic after the defeat of the Empire. The new government once again appears too rigid and closed in on itself, less active than expected to the detriment of its proclamations. It is interesting to note how a group of outcast warriors, who are based on a similarly rigid Creed, seem to have fewer shades of gray in comparison (something that has gradually been lost within the series and which made the character of The Mandalorian fascinating) than expected, resulting in more positive heroes than who really should be.
Just as the opening towards the group within the story is increasingly interesting. From the solitary Mandalorian of the first episodes, the series has become more choral, embracing the people of The Mandalorians and dedicating more and more space to the supporting actors. More than a stylistic choice (necessary given that Favreau has no intention of thinking of a conclusion close to the events of Din and Grogu) everything appears consistent with the change of the protagonist played by Pedro Pascal, less and less alone and more and more inserted in what we can only define family.
The fifth episode of the third season of The Mandalorian Season 3 Episode 5 confirms the strengths and weaknesses of a third season which seems to lack a strong identity. Peter Ramsey’s direction enhances some sequences, but a cumbersome sense of the already seen predominates, net of some steps forward both towards the plot and the characters. How much longer can we be content with these adventures without hoping for something more exciting?
The Mandalorian Season 3 Episode 5 Review: The Last Words
The new installment of The Mandalorian is not the panacea for all ills, but it finally allows us to look at the final rush of the season with optimism and high expectations. The decisive operation against the pirate Gorian Shard does not solve all the shortcomings, especially structural and narrative, highlighted up to now: it is not yet clear why to structure the two sections of the series are in watertight compartments instead of carrying them forward simultaneously and it does not solve the problem of not having, until now, a precise direction and a sense of urgency. Which, however, looking at the other side of the coin, have finally been found and can explode at any moment, from the pride of The Mandalorians increasingly at the center of everything until the resolution of Bo-Katan now back to the levels of the character we have always known and loved. And if there is also a final sequence that indirectly brings a well-known character back to the scene with a lot of intriguing mysteries attached, let the final rush begin and make us excited again.
