Every week, StarWars.com is tracking our favorite moments from the Disney+ series The Mandalorian with “Bounty Hunting Highlights.” Get your jetpacks and helmets on and join us for the ride!
Spoiler warning: This article contains plot details from The Mandalorian “Chapter 20: The Foundling.”
To quote Din Djarin, “Playtime’s over.”
Since the moment we laid eyes on Grogu in Chapter 1, we’ve been wondering how he escaped Order 66, the purge of the Jedi Order that marked the fall of the Republic in Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. Under the direction of Carl Weathers, the youngling’s rescue from the Temple snaps into focus, revealing the epic return of Ahmed Best in Jedi robes amid a heartfelt story that explores the power of family, clan, and duty. It turns out Bo-Katan has big mom energy, Paz Vizsla is a doting father, and the Armorer is a pretty great teacher. Here are five highlights.
1. The return of the Jedi Kelleran Beq.
As the Armorer tries to teach Grogu about Mandalorian culture, his mind wanders elsewhere and we finally get a glimpse at his life as a Jedi of the Galactic Republic. Clutching his blankets, Grogu is all alone in an elevator at the Jedi Temple after narrowly escaping the blaster fire of the clone army. But then the doors open, and before him stands Kelleran Beq, played by Star Wars legend Ahmed Best who also portrayed Jar Jar Binks in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. First created for the Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge game show, Beq’s entry into canonical storytelling is marked by a fierce double-lightsaber defense and a tense speeder escape from the burning Jedi Temple that takes the duo across the city, through the train tunnels, and past Umate peak, for a spectacular crash landing.
2. The Naboo guard’s sacrifice.
They couldn’t save Padmé Amidala from Darth Vader or stop former-Senator Sheev Palpatine from the violent power grab that gave birth to the Empire, but here we find the Naboo guard continuing their duty to the Republic to the last, swooping in to help Kelleran save little Grogu. With one sentence — “Take the ship, it’s fueled and ready to go.” — the security detail makes the ultimate sacrifice, sending Beq and Grogu to safety in what appears to be gleaming Naboo yacht while leaving themselves exposed to the clone onslaught in a most noble end.
3. Grogu’s new armor.
When we return to the present day, the Armorer has finished her work at the forge and Grogu has a new rondel complete with the Mudhorn signet, a shield of beskar so he can begin to learn how to protect himself.
4. The rescue of Paz Vizsla’s son.
With Bo-Katan leading the war party, members of the covert come together to mount a daring rescue at the nest of the massive winged beast that snatched Paz’s son, Ragnar, from the beach. Paz’s attachment to the child clouds his judgment and despite a stealthy climb up the rockface, in the last moment he goes charging into the situation, forcing the rest of the team to take their rescue to the skies. Luckily, there’s always a bigger fish.
5. Bo-Katan’s change of heart.
She once thought the Children of the Watch were a cult, but after accidentally falling in with Din Djarin’s clan, Lady Kryze is having a change of heart and becoming accepted by those who walk “the way of the Mand’alor.” Although she wears her helmet to honor their Creed, Bo lets down her guard with the Armorer, revealing the secret of what she saw beneath the Living Waters as she is gifted a new pauldron with the signet of the Mythosaur.
