Chapter 16: The Rescue (The Mandalorian, S2, E8)

 

The Mandalorian Chapter 16: The Rescue (directed by Peyton Reed, written by Jon Favreau, original air date December 18, 2020) was the best episode of the series so far.

I'll admit I was nervous ever since Ahsoka said a Jedi might hear Grogu reaching out at the seeing stone on Tython and come find him. Who would they send? Who could be good enough for this series?

Mando knows the location of Moff Gideon (and Grogu). Now he needs to assemble a dream team to assault the ship. Bo-Katan Kryze and Koska Reeves join with Fennec Shand and Carasynthia Dune to form the main (all female, I might add) strike team. Mando will use their well-provided distraction to find and free Grogu.

Along the way many stormtroopers meet their ends, the dark troopers are activated and start to kick some, Mando accidentally wins the darksaber in combat (defeating Moff Gideon). The heroes are holed up on the bridge and the dark troopers are closing in for the kill. Then a proximity alarm goes off.

[as the dark troopers are try to break down the doors to the bridge, the Mandalorian and his allies prepare for a fight. All of a sudden, an alarm goes off. They turn to see a lone X-wing fighter fly past the cruiser]

Bo-Katan Kryze: An X-wing.

Cara Dune: [sarcastically] One X-wing? Great. We're saved.

Bo-Katan Kryze: [activates the comm system] Incoming craft, identify yourself.

[the X-wing lands inside the docking bay. Grogu then looks up, as if sensing something. The dark troopers continue to pound at the door, then suddenly stop and turn around]

Fennec Shand: Why did they stop?

[Bo-Katan watches a monitor screen, where a mysterious hooded figure is walking down the hall. The figure is then shown to wield a lightsaber, which they use to dispatch the dark troopers]

Bo-Katan Kryze: A Jedi?

We've been through so much. Please let this be who I hope it is.

It is.