REVIEW: ‘The Mandalorian’ Season 2 Episode 5 – “The Jedi”

Season 2 of The Mandalorian delivers on one of its biggest promises with its latest episode, “The Jedi.” Following the events of “The Siege,” Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) takes the Child to the forest moon of Corvus. There he encounters former Jedi Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) who is locked in a struggle with Corvus’ tyrannical magistrate. Djarin and Ahsoka join forces to defeat the magistrate, and in the process, Djarin learns the Child’s origins.

This episode sees Star Wars animation guru Dave Filoni return to the writer and director’s chairs. Unlike his previous Season 1 outing “The Gunslinger,” Filoni manages to mix in references to his previous projects Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels in an organic way. Fans who have watched both series will no doubt get a kick out of this episode, as well as a certain Star Wars villain being name-dropped. Given that Filoni helped create Ahsoka, it also feels fitting that he is the director to bring her into live-action.

Filoni also directs several intense action sequences utilizing a unique environment. Corvus is a world shrouded in fog, populated by dead trees and strange amphibious creatures that lumber in the distance. When Ahsoka engages in battle with the magistrate’s forces, she uses her Force abilities and the environment to her advantage. She darts in and out of the fog like a ghost and then emerges behind her enemy with her lightsabers fully ignited. There is also a shootout between Djarin and the magistrate’s hired gunslinger Lang (Michael Biehn) which has all the hallmarks of a classic Western showdown.

Dawson’s performance as Ahsoka is a bit of a mixed bag for me. While her live-action design is pulled straight from The Clone Wars (and looks AMAZING) her dialogue delivery is somewhat stilted at times. Given that I’ve seen Dawson deliver amazing performances before, I’m not sure what happened here. Ahsoka did fit into the “wise mentor” trope eventually during the course of Rebels, but her previous voice actress Ashley Eckstein managed to make her sound approachable. If Dawson returns for future episodes, I hope she loosens up a little.

This episode also reveals the Child’s true name and where he came from, and it’s a doozy. In one episode, Filoni further ties him into Star Wars lore in a rather ingenious way. Djarin’s fatherly bond with the Child is also touched upon, specifically in a scene where Djarin tries to help him with using the Force. It’s a heart-melting scene that proves that the reason this series has taken off with its audience is the fact that Din Djarin is a single dad trying his best.

Even though Ahsoka’s appearance is sure to please fans, Djarin still takes center stage. Pascal continues to peel back the layers of his Mandalorian warrior, as Djarin learns that not all Jedi were the enemies he was led to believe. He even manages to talk Ahsoka down after a brief fight, which is something that’s rarely been seen in this series! Similar to events in “The Heiress,” he slowly comes to terms with the fact that the things he was taught may not be what they seem. I fully expect future episodes to continue and challenge Djarin’s perceptions of the world-it’s what makes him a great character.

“The Jedi” is a must-see episode for fans of The Mandalorian, as well as Star Wars fans in general. It brings a fan-favorite character into live-action, it continues to weave in and out of established Star Wars lore, and it contains several jaw-dropping revelations. Filoni has delivered an excellent hour of television, once again proving that he’s a much-needed storyteller for a galaxy far far away.

The Mandalorian Season 2 will air new episodes Friday on .