The Mandalorian Season 1 Episode 5: ‘The Gunslinger’

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WARNING: Spoilers for The Mandalorian Episode 5 follow

RECAP

We start off in space (surprise, surprise), but unlike other episodes Mandalorian is in a space shoot-out with another bounty hunter, looking for the child.  This forces Mando to make an unplanned stop on non-other than Tatooine.

Again, Mando finds himself in need of credits to get his ship fixed. On the lookout for a job in the Tatooine cantina, he runs into Toro Calican who happens to have a bounty puck for one of the best-known bounty hunters, Fennec Shand. He tells Mando he can have all the credits if he helps, as this job will get him into the Guild.

So Mando and Toro head out together to track down the bounty.  Along the way Mando and his speeder bike are sniped by Fennec, a fight ensues between Fennec and Toro, until Mando steps in and they cuff their bounty.

After Fennec tries to persuade Toro that she can help him take down Mando, as he has the most valuable bounty with him, the child.  Toro kills Fennec and decides he will take on Mando alone.  Mando finds Fennic dead and heads back to his ship.

Toro has taken the mechanic and the child hostage.  While the mechanic is supposed to be cuffing Mando he uses a flare to distract Toro and kills him.  Mando’s ship is repaired and he and the child head off again.

THOUGHTS

It was so cool to see Tatooine again!  Mando even mentions the Hutt’s getting taken down, and the mechanic talks about Beggar’s Canyon at the end of the episode, bringing in the nostalgia all the way back from the original Star Wars.

Seeing the cantina and the ship bays from a different point of view was awesome as well.  Having a bounty hunter hopeful sitting with his legs up on the table, just like when we first saw Han Solo all those years ago.

I’m not sure we ever thought in our wildest dreams that we would see locations from the original Star Wars in a TV show.  Especially a TV show 40+ some years later.

They brought all sorts of nostalgia back in this episode, even having some pit droids working for the mechanic in the hangar bay.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Tatooine is the home planet to both Luke and Anakin Skywalker, as well as being the planet we first see in 1977’s Star Wars. Read more @ Wookieepedia.
• The Hutts were galactic gangsters that looked like massive slugs.  Jabba the Hutt was one of the most famous.  Read more @ Wookieepedia.
• Fennec Shand was an elite, female assassin working for top crime syndicates including the Hutt Clan. More on Wookieepedia.
• Beggar’s Canyon was mentioned in the original Star Wars during preparation for attacking the Death Star, when Luke Skywalker says to Biggs Darklighter, “It’ll be just like Beggar’s Canyon back home!” Wookieepedia.

What did everyone think of episode 5?  Is it too much nostalgia, or does it fit in seamlessly?

You can catch new episodes of The Mandalorian on Disney+.