REVIEW: ‘The Mandalorian,’ Episode 1 – “Chapter 1: The Mandalorian”

With the launch of the Disney+ streaming service comes the first live-action television series set in the Star Wars universe, The Mandalorian. Created by Jon Favreau, The Mandalorian Episode 1 is set five years after the events of Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi and follows a Mandalorian bounty hunter (Pedro Pascal) as he hunts down any and all targets, earning a notorious reputation. When a mysterious client (Werner Herzog) tasks him with tracking down a remote target, the Mandalorian fights strange beasts, rival bounty hunters, and unforgiving terrain, all the while haunted by ghosts of the pasts.

Part of The Mandalorian’s appeal comes from the fact that while it is set in the Star Wars universe, it’s exploring unknown territory. We know very little about what happened in the years between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens, so to finally see that period of time being fleshed out is wonderful. The Empire falling didn’t automatically guarantee a measure of peace, and the shockwaves can be felt in even the furthest parts of the galaxy. Not only that, this is a new story with a new hero in a new setting. No Jedi, no lightsabers, and no Skywalkers. This series is truly expanding the canon in a bold new way and I welcome it.

The series’ appeal comes from the Western influences it proudly wears on its sleeve. The Mandalorian’s armor makes a soft jingling sound as he walks, like the spurs of a gunslinger’s boots. In  The Mandalorian Episode 1, a shootout happens in a dusty town, paying homage to The Magnificent Seven and Ludwig Goransson’s score pays homage to the compositions of Ennio Morricone while still retaining the sci-fi flavor associated with Star Wars.

The director of “Chapter 1,” Dave Filoni, is no stranger to the Star Wars universe, having developed The Clone Wars and Rebels for animation, and he peppers the pilot with familiar imagery. The Client has bodyguards in old school Stormtrooper armor and Jawas haggle in the marketplace; the audience will still feel like they’re in the Star Wars universe and that’s a good thing.

Pascal turns in a subtle, yet stellar performance as the Mandalorian. The Mando’s face is utterly obscured by his trademark silver helmet, so instead of relying on facial expressions, Pascal makes sure to give weight to every movement he makes. When the Mando’s hand hovers over or rests on his blaster, you can tell that trouble is brewing. Similarly, a rather chatty target slowly grows quiet as the Mandalorian stalks toward him, staring impassively at his target. It’s a testament to Pascal’s talent as an actor that he can invest so much personality into this character who utters very little words, and it is great to see a Chilean American actor take the lead in a Star Wars story.

The rest of the cast is great as well. Herzog’s measured, chilly tones infuse the Client with mystery and menace, Taika Waititi is a delight as the bounty hunting droid IG-11, and Carl Weathers delivers a charming performance as Greef Carga, the leader of the Mandalorian’s bounty hunter guild. Even Nick Nolte threatens to walk away with the episode as an elderly Ugnaut.

The end of the episode is a legitimate surprise. A new character with surprising ties to the original Star Wars trilogy is introduced and is better seen than explained. How the Mandalorian will react to this character, and what role they have to play in this chaotic new era should help to serve as the thrust for this series.

The Mandalorian manages to keep the aesthetic that Star Wars fans have fallen in love with while forging a brand new path in the universe’s canon. I can’t wait to see the rest of the episodes and I definitely feel like Pascal’s Mandalorian will stand shoulder to shoulder with the more iconic Star Wars characters.

The first three seasons of The Mandalorian are available to stream on Disney+.