CHAPTER 4
Sanctuary: The Mandalorian teams up with an ex-soldier to protect a village from raiders.
Written by: Jon Favreau | Directed by: Bryce Dallas Howard
The first three episodes of The Mandalorian all felt like they were part of a cohesive storyline while the beginning of this episode felt out of place to me. However, as the episode progressed, I was able to feel more engaged with what was taking place and like it was a continuation from where we previously left off.
Chapter 4 opens on the planet Sorgan which is very green and peaceful looking, much like Naboo. We're introduced to a village of farmers including Omera (Julia Jones). They are attacked by Klatooinian raiders whom we have seen before in previous Star Wars stories. To me, this entire set-up had a very The Lord of the Rings meets Dances With Wolves vibe and I don't think I would have believed I was watching a Star Wars show had there not been blasts from a hidden AT-ST or one visible droid owned by the villagers. At this point I felt worried about how the rest of the episode would play out.
As I theorized in my review of Chapter 3, the Mando and Tiny needed to lay low since there are are a plethora of bounty hunters after them. The Mando chooses the planet Sorgan. He originally intends to leave the child behind but, you know, Tiny is constantly being adorable so he ends up letting the little guy come along with him to find somewhere safe to lodge. I was about to yell at the screen when he was planning to leave Tiny in the Razor Crest alone!
Finally, we get to meet Gina Carano's character, Cara Dune, and she's just as cool as I expected her to be. The Mando and Dune cross paths at a casual saloon and end up kicking each other around as they are both under the impression that the other is out to get them. Cara, an ex-Shock Trooper, is there on Sorgan looking for a place to retire while the Mando is just trying to keep Tiny safe. The two end up working together after taking a job from the villagers that were attacked earlier on. They are offered shelter in exchange for protection but after the Mando and Dune discover the Klatooinaians have an ex-Imperial AT-ST, the Mando realizes what needs to be done. They train the villagers to fight and come up with a plan to destroy the AT-ST which is essentially the worst of the problems the villagers have. It was exciting to see some night-time AT-ST action and although the battle was rather underwhelming, I felt satisfied that they were successful in defeating the Klatooinians.
The episode ends with the Mando planning to leave Tiny behind on Sorgan for his safety. Tiny enjoyed his time playing with the children of the village and Omera offered to take care of him as one of her own (she has a daughter named Winta). But no sooner did they make these plans that a Bounty Hunter tracked them down with a fob and almost shot Tiny (HOW DARE HE!) had Cara Dune not taken him out just in time. The Mando realizes that Tiny isn't safe without his protection. The two depart together on their next adventure but not before saying goodbye to their new friends. Which, by the way, I'm super jealous because one of the kids got to hug Tiny!
Overall, this was my least favorite chapter of the series. Besides character and relationship development, I don't feel like much happened. I'm grateful for this element but I think there needs to be more going on seeing as how we're halfway through the series already. If you're curious, I would currently rank the chapters: 3, 2, 1, and 4. But even so, there were elements of the episode that I did appreciate. Obviously, Tiny is a given. I will take all of the cute I can get! It was heartwarming to continue to see just how much he loves the Mando and always wants to be by his side. I was also quite taken by the relationship between Omera and the Mandalorian. It was really sweet to see them interact and how respectful they were towards each other. We also learned more about the Mando from Omera's inquiries about who he was. We discovered that the Mandalorians took him in when his parents died and that, if he did take his mask off in front of anyone (and he totally wanted to for her), he wouldn't be allowed to put it back on. One thing's for sure, he is extremely committed!
In Chapter 5 I expect that we'll see more individuals go after Tiny again. Perhaps, if things begin to get hectic, we'll see the Mandalorian call to Cara Dune for assistance? It's hard to say with only four episodes left but I truly don't believe that's the last we've seen of her. I also hope that the Mandalorian and Omera get to see each other again. I thought Julia Jones did a great job with her role and that she had great chemistry with Pedro Pascal (the Mando).
What did you think of the episode? Let me know in a comment below or send me a DM on Twitter or Instagram! I am NOT openly discussing spoilers about The Mandalorian on social media.
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