REVIEW: ‘The Mandalorian,’ Season 2 Episode 4- “The Siege”

The Mandalorian takes another detour from its main quest with its latest episode, “The Siege.” However, this detour turns out to be rather critical for the story going forward. After the events of “The Heiress,” Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) returns to Navarro so that he can make repairs on the Razorcrest. He reunites with Greef Karga (Carl Weathers), who is now the Magistrate of Navarro, and Cara Dune (Gina Carano). Karga and Dune enlist Djarin’s help in taking out an Imperial outpost on the far side of Navarro, which leads to a shocking discovery.

By its design, “The Siege” is fairly similar in plot to “The Passenger,” as it features Djarin going on a side quest while his ship is out of commission. However, where this episode differs is the genre it tackles and its relevance to the actual plot. This episode returns to The Mandalorian’s western roots, tackling the classic trope of a sheriff trying to keep his town safe. In a neat twist, said sheriff happens to be the former leader of a bounty hunter guild. The audience will also get a glimpse into Moff Gideon’s (Giancarlo Esposito) plans for the Child and they are rather chilling. Not to mention the fact that his plans threaten to intersect with Djarin’s journey,

Weathers pulls double duty, directing the episode as well as turning in a charming performance as Karga. From beginning to end, the episode is packed full of action. Not only are there firefights between Djarin’s crew and Stormtroopers, but Karga and Dune outrace speeder bikes and TIE Fighters in a stolen Imperial craft. Even Djarin gets in on the dogfighting action toward the end. Weathers promised an action-packed episode and he delivered on that front. He also gets to play Karga as a peacemaker, and surprise surprise he’s good at it. I do hope we get to see more of Karga in future episodes as he is one of the best characters in the series. Carano also gets a rather emotional moment, as viewers are reminded of her time serving with the Rebel Alliance and what she has lost.

Another great aspect of the episode is the setting. The majority of the episode is set on the far side of Navarro, which is full of flowing lava rivers in addition to Imperial forces. Cinematographer Matthew Jensen strikes a visual balance between the Navarro and Imperial outposts; the former is bright and full of life while the latter is dark, foreboding, and has a hellish glow due to the constantly flowing lava.

Surprisingly, Djarin takes a bit of a backseat this episode. While he does play a part in taking down the Imperial outpost, the focus shifts to Navarro and its inhabitants. Favreau’s script also hints at events to come in the Star Wars universe, including the rise of the First Order. It feels a little weird not to have an episode revolving around the title character, but this is mitigated by reintroducing characters we know and love.

“The Siege” intertwines Din Djarin’s journey with Moff Gideon’s plans, reintroducing several supporting characters and setting the stage for the back half of the season. I’m eager to see how Favreau and crew tie everything together in the next four episodes.

The Mandalorian Season 2 will air new episodes Friday on Disney+.