The Mandalorian Half-Hour - Chapter 16: The Rescue
Added 2020-12-21 15:11:11 +0000 UTCCAUTION: SPOILERS BELOW (OBVIOUSLY)
On the season finale of The Mandalorian Half-Hour, the gang straps in for a lengthy (well over half-hour) discussion on the polarizing season 2 finale, "Chapter 16: The Rescue." With this episode making so much from the last episode feel less special, why couldn't the finale just be a two-parter? How rad was the Mando v. Dark Trooper one-on-one? And will Tarkin Toons every not look completely soulless and inhuman? PLUS: Did Bib Fortuna pull a The Santa Clause with Jabba?
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The Mandalorian Half-Hour is a WHM show where the guys recap every episode of the Disney+ series, The Mandalorian! Thank you for continuing to be a loyal Patreon subscriber. We couldn't do it without you!
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Comments
Finally getting around to listen these episodes and oh boy. It is so sad remembering how much faith we had in Disney. None of us had any idea how bad things were going to get. They really should have ended this show after two seasons.
John Locke
2024-01-25 13:00:31 +0000 UTCWhere is episode 15
Dolphi
2021-08-12 16:26:38 +0000 UTCI'm glad they like The Boys.
FiddlersGreenDay
2021-01-07 17:21:06 +0000 UTCWatching the new making of Mando episode, it occured to me is the robe/skirt of Boba supposed to be a kama of sorts? https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Kama/Legends
Jake Kroker
2020-12-27 00:40:59 +0000 UTCSteve on Luke, "I didn't see him train! When did Luke learn all of this stuff in those 5 years!? I didn't see him train!" I'm with you on that shuttle though Steve, awesome vehicle and a great Lego kit
Smaug
2020-12-26 05:33:30 +0000 UTCWatching 'The Rescue' was the greatest moment of my life.
Joshua Gray
2020-12-25 01:23:46 +0000 UTCI googled “Grogu becomes Snoke”, and yep, Internet already thought of that.
Andrew Dean
2020-12-24 08:40:09 +0000 UTCQuick thought on Bo-Katan’s reluctance to take the saber. I know motivations are fluid what with slight retconning and adjustments series to series, but Bo-Katan had a shot in the animated series to rule Mandalore and she was hesitant to keep trying for fear of not living up to her sister’s leadership. I think the last time she got the dark saber it was given to her by Sabine, and obviously that didn’t end well. So if there is indeed some kind of importance to it being won in battle it makes sense that she isn’t just accepting it being given to her again.
Deck
2020-12-24 06:12:58 +0000 UTCI literally say all of this in the episode—ES
We Hate Movies
2020-12-23 13:55:55 +0000 UTCJon Hamm as Thrawn?
Josh Perrigo
2020-12-23 12:54:24 +0000 UTCIf Tony Soprano falls into the Sarlacc, make it 2000 years.
Josh Perrigo
2020-12-23 12:53:33 +0000 UTCAlso The Darksaber was constructed by the first and only Mandalorian Jedi. That's why it has a bunch of goofy shit surrounding it. The myth of owning the weapon through battle and becoming the Mandalorian leader is cannon.
Christian Gavey
2020-12-23 01:05:59 +0000 UTCYou(Eric) said people give a fuck about baby Yoda but not the Mandalorian. Which I 100% disagree with that statement.
Christian Gavey
2020-12-23 00:41:11 +0000 UTCEric, I love you, but I think you read this whole episode wrong. I do agree that the heroes shouldn't be untouched. At the very least wounded if not dead. The fact that they have just rolled through a bunch of Empire controled bases with no casualties kinda bugged me.
Christian Gavey
2020-12-23 00:36:22 +0000 UTCPissed that no one came to rescue him
Boston Roberts
2020-12-22 12:01:14 +0000 UTCLoved it. First 20mins were great and then it kept going. The CG did undercut the face reveal though. Any one else feel the composite had slightly Seb Stan features? It looked a little like a mash up both him and Hamill
Nomad Paintworks
2020-12-22 11:52:16 +0000 UTCGreat episode as always, but really have to say how surprised I am that Luke's CGI didn't get a louder response. It initially ruined the episode for me to end on that note, but you guys have sold me on so many tvs and movies I'd originally disliked, even just on moments and episodes from this series, that I will have to give it another chance. Also, I have no idea how this information is just reaching me, but I would have had absolutely no idea there was a teaser scene after credits if it weren't for you guys, so big thank you on that one!
Kevin C. Frodahl
2020-12-22 10:23:37 +0000 UTCI really hope they use this Fett show to explore the crime syndicates and the underworld of Star Wars that we got hints about in Solo. Definitely don’t wanna see Boba Fett as a hero.
Justin Robinson
2020-12-22 02:44:21 +0000 UTCI have so many takeaways and theories about what comes next but I'm going to save those so when I'm completely wrong I can pretend I knew what was going to happen all along. I will say that I think this season had a lot of fun ideas and teased a lot of intriguing possibilities for potential storylines in the future. And to me, that actually seems right for a season two of a show with a large universe attached to it. If they keep using the show as backdoor pilots for other shows then all of this will age very poorly and largely be forgotten. I like that there's more to discuss this season and at its core it's still a fun action adventure show set in Star Wars. Also wanted to do a quick shout out to the guys who are putting out a master class on how to be a healthy fan of something. There's love, there's critical thought, there's laughter at its more absurd elements, but no needless ownership entitlement or thoughts on how things should be. This could so easily slip into toxic ranting but even when someone is more unforgiving than I am I can still see their perspective without getting defensive. It's one of the reasons I can still die laughing from the all-time-all-time best episode of A New Hope on WLM. Now if only Picard could get it's s*** together.
Alexander Farr
2020-12-22 01:41:48 +0000 UTCTo call back to one of Anakin’s many eloquent lines - I wish that I could just wish away my feelings ... about gross ass cgi faces.
Jules O'D
2020-12-21 23:28:37 +0000 UTCTarkinToon is here to stay. Let’s face it, we’re getting too old for this shit.
Paul
2020-12-21 22:49:28 +0000 UTCNot sure why Boba is so pissed off. He was accidentally knocked in the sarlacc, right?
J HEASLEY
2020-12-21 22:40:43 +0000 UTCI think Din taking the helmet off in the last episode still meant something. In that episode, it’s all about determining someone’s values, how when shit hits the fan, you reveal what you really believe. And while you can say that was the case in this episode, it was more simply about a father saying goodbye to his son, and a nice mirror of Luke taking Vader’s helmet off in ROTJ. I’m definitely with Eric and Andrew on this episode, yeah TarkinToon is regrettable, but it’s the way of things and we shouldn’t let it ruin a very thematic and story-satisfying appearance by Luke Skywalker. Overall, this was a good show, guys. And with Chris back in his role as The Most Contrarian Manba - I mean, Critic, in someway, balance feels restored. Can’t wait for more Star Wars shows and more WHM talk about them.
Scott Farmer
2020-12-21 21:54:30 +0000 UTCOh darn, I even think of Boba Fett’s bounty hunting friends showing ups. Now I’m even more excited about this thing But I agree, don’t make him a good guy.
Stacy
2020-12-21 21:41:06 +0000 UTCAnd while we all love Grogu we also love Din.
Sandy Kocke
2020-12-21 21:38:12 +0000 UTCI think the next season is all about retaking Mandalor and the tension between Din and Bo-Katan
Sandy Kocke
2020-12-21 21:37:06 +0000 UTCGood news, I just found out that time runs different on Mandalor. 30 minutes there equals 60 minutes here on Earth. So, the Mandalorian half hour is actually accurate.
Randy Record
2020-12-21 21:19:04 +0000 UTCSince Leia strangled Jabba with the chain, I guess ol' Bib just kinda slid right in there & took over.
Voss451
2020-12-21 21:17:24 +0000 UTCYou have to examine the Luke idea from a story perspective as Andrew says. Five years after Return of the Jedi, of course it makes sense that he would be the one coming to Grogu’s rescue. Sebastian Stan would’ve been (and may still be) a really solid choice for a Luke recasting, but the way Reed directed that entrance, the x-wing/gloved hand/lightsaber/etc., after all that, if the hood comes off and it’s Stan basically cosplaying Mark Hamill, that would’ve totally cheapened the moment. You just have to deal with the Tarkin-town because it’s the best technology can do at the moment.
MW
2020-12-21 21:15:41 +0000 UTCI find the mandalorian show boring. I think I've aged myself out of Star wars. Love the podcast, though. Chris is always hilarious.
James
2020-12-21 21:03:51 +0000 UTCWhy did no one say "Hey, isn't that Luke Skywalker?" When he walked in at the end. Loved the episode though, kinda gutted that the X Wing Traffic Cop didn't save the day though.
Tim Kelly
2020-12-21 19:29:40 +0000 UTCCompletely agree here. Once you deviate from the standard formula (The Last Jedi) "fans" start to complain though. So retreading the same story beads is kinda what Star Wars has always been doing since Episode VI. Not necessarily bad but limits stories to become mere fanservice fests eventually. This is what made the first season so unique while I felt like watching Clone Wars/Rebels during the second one. Just a constant nudging elbow by Filoni
Jibby Swiffer
2020-12-21 19:25:06 +0000 UTCThe "Missing Mandolorian" dude is a problem that's been recurrent with this season: people just forgetting shit. There was one or two other examples but one that sticks out in my mind as well is when Mando just kinda forgot about his jetpack in The Tragedy.
Michael Daniels
2020-12-21 19:03:07 +0000 UTCCan we pay extra to get Chris to shut the fuck up?
Brokho
2020-12-21 18:50:48 +0000 UTCFrom a story perspective, I was very satisfied with the way the season ended. What's going to happen to Grogu, what about the Darksaber and the power struggle for ownership, will Boba Fett come into contention with Mando now that he's taken over Tatooine's underworld, will Mayfield come back as an ally or foe, what will they learn from Gideon as a prisoner of the Republic...many possibilities for great stories. But oh no, Luke's face wasn't great, in fact i threw up when i saw it, it was so bad. Right. How about in Favreau we trust? Or do you want to hand it over to Kathleen Kennedy and see how that goes? After recent years of mediocre to bad Star Wars, appreciate what we've got here - which is awesome.
Minty Snipes
2020-12-21 18:40:12 +0000 UTCCan I be your assistant? And thanks, really appreciate the listening! —Eric
We Hate Movies
2020-12-21 18:37:48 +0000 UTCSince I’ve stated working on Star Wars I stopped listening to pretty much every Star Wars related podcast except this one. I really appreciate the honest discussion among friends/fans that doesn’t operate on the preconceived notion that everything is either amazing or terrible. I’m very happy that part of my Star Wars paycheck goes to We Hate Movies. Thanks guys, and happy holidays.
Matt Skuta
2020-12-21 18:36:12 +0000 UTCMy problem with the Deus X-Wing Machina isn’t that a Jedi showed up to save the day or that Luke looked like a 90s screensaver, it’s that you can’t have anything new in this universe. The gravity of nostalgia pulls everything back to center and makes the whole story so small. Do something new for once! Moff Gideon is a terrific villain and he perfectly set up a dark saber fight in the cockpit that could have shown us some great tests of these characters we now know and care about! But no, here’s Luke wrecking robots without breaking a sweat so fans can forget about him being a weird sourpuss in The Last Jedi. This is why shows like BSG and especially the Expanse (which y’all would love) excel where this retread Star Wars stuff fails: the stories and scope get bigger instead of smaller.
Oliver Crown Williams
2020-12-21 18:28:33 +0000 UTCRecast Luke, or usr another jedi. When i first saw the green saber, i was expecting Ezra, or mby a new pupil of Lukes or something.
Jonathan
2020-12-21 17:36:58 +0000 UTCThey should have just recast Luke. And they should have kept Herzog, if only to tell the showrunners when they were being cowards.
Andrew Burt
2020-12-21 17:32:25 +0000 UTCI understand all the criticisms about this episode, I think they’re all super valid, and I personally hate that they had to TarkinToon yet again, proving they haven’t learned a damn thing... but I’m not gonna lie and say I wasn’t marking out most of the time. I’m a simple man, and if this is the worst the show gets? I’m very comfortable with that. I’ll happily watch their new dumb Boba Fett show and the next season of Mando and be happy about it, even as I acknowledge that the Luke thing was a Deus ex machina and they’re having him take the helmet off a lot and the Darksaber plot line isn’t super interesting and they’re putting the focus too much on bigger, established characters... I guess it’s just nice that those things are my complaints and not “this thing is a narrative mess from top to bottom and poorly executed besides,” y’know? I haven’t been this positive about Star Wars since The Last Jedi, and that’s something, at least!
Bob Goodrich
2020-12-21 17:31:57 +0000 UTCCan’t believe anyone would talk shit about that episode! You wanna talk about getting weepy, man...
Bob Goodrich
2020-12-21 17:27:09 +0000 UTCThis episode was on track to be a solid B+, but that whole ending drove it straight down to D+ for me. Not just the Tarkin-Town of it, but the fan wanking of it, the Deus Ex Machina of getting them out of the situation, I hated it all. And "Maclunky" is just as stupid as the TPS reports from last week. The season on a whole I would probably give a C, maybe C-. There are some outstanding episodes (the opener, the Carl Weathers ep, and I really enjoyed the Bill Burr ep), but the rest of it felt like a string of backdoor pilots, which turned out to be true. After season 1, I was all in. Now, even though I will probably still watch, I no longer really care.
Brendan Gilbert
2020-12-21 17:07:11 +0000 UTCI'm looking forward to seeing what The Bad Batch does to the overall canon and with Fennec.
Nathan
2020-12-21 16:55:06 +0000 UTCYou mean, "Possible Sabine Wren?"
Nathan
2020-12-21 16:53:46 +0000 UTCI saw it in Dolby Vision and thought it looked pretty badass, myself
Nathan
2020-12-21 16:53:16 +0000 UTCRemember when Clone Wars started and everyone said Ahsoka was going to die in the Jedi Purge?
Nathan
2020-12-21 16:52:49 +0000 UTCI don't understand why they aren't saying the blasters are overheated, it would make more sense. Don't all of Luke's student get slaughtered by Ren?
Zack Hansen
2020-12-21 16:48:50 +0000 UTCHey! Hey! Bite your lip, Andrew! That TNG episode where Picard plays the flute is one of the best TNG episodes. You’re talking about “The Inner Light,” right? That is top tier Picard episode. You guys should do it for The Nexus!
Paul
2020-12-21 16:33:03 +0000 UTCI liked the episode overall. I though the Luke CGI was fine, it wasn't fantastic but I don't think it was as bad as some have stated.
Chris M.
2020-12-21 16:28:30 +0000 UTCI can't believe we didn't see Cara Dune vs Gideon's right-hand woman in the finale.
Bill Williams
2020-12-21 16:02:35 +0000 UTCOk Disney did tweet out this morning that The Book Of Boba Fett is a new original series that is separate from The Mandalorian
KMR
2020-12-21 15:55:11 +0000 UTCWasn’t in love with Luke showing up to save the day and take Grogu (to presumably be slaughtered by a teenage Kylo Ren at some point 15 or so years later), but it’s also the only logical thing that was gonna happen from the whole “a Jedi will show up” scenario they set up. The face definitely looked worse than any of the de-aging CGI I’ve seen before but it’s not a total deal breaker. Overall I liked the finale and that final moment with Mando and Baby Yoda was great.
Justin Robinson
2020-12-21 15:50:58 +0000 UTCI get the complaint, but the whole whoever wields the Dark Saber thing was already established on the cartoons
Justin Robinson
2020-12-21 15:44:55 +0000 UTCLoved hearing that empire guy mentioning the millions that died on the death stars and calling the rebels terrorists. Luke's face is the absolute worst Tarkin Toon yet. It looked like a JPEG floating on a body and took me right out of the episode though. But the episode overall was pretty great. Not digging the "you have to win this sword in battle" thing that will make up the next season though.
Kevin Poole
2020-12-21 15:40:00 +0000 UTC
