We recall and discuss what we saw in Episode 4 of Season 2 of the series "The Mandalorian."

We could, of course, hope that at least two episodes in a row of The Mandalorian would follow the main storyline, but that would be overkill, as showrunner Jon Favreau apparently decided. Instead, Mando and the Child meet old friends in a new filler episode titled "The Siege," and viewers also learn something about the protagonist's old enemies. However, the fourth episode is not so straightforward. So, from this review, you will find out how The Mandalorian surprised, delighted, and engaged us this week.

Previous recaps:

Episode 1

Episode 2

Episode 3

Warning: spoilers for the fourth episode of The Mandalorian Season 2 follow

A Bit of Nostalgia

Exhausted by previous adventures, Mando's ship, the Razor Crest, proves unable to take the heroes to the desired planet Corvus. The hero decides to make a brief stop at his old friends Greef Karga (Carl Weathers) and Cara Dune (Gina Carano) to repair the ship and continue the journey.

The reunion of old acquaintances is quite touching and warm. Greef Karga and Cara, now a marshal who has impressively dealt with local criminals, show how they have transformed the planet Nevarro. A school has even appeared here, where the Child is temporarily placed.

The Siege of the Secret Base

However, not everything is as smooth as it seems. Greef Karga tells Mando that they have discovered an Imperial military base on Nevarro. According to some reports, the place is barely guarded but contains a lot of weapons, attracting many unsavory characters. Because of this, Greef and Cara want to reach the base first, but they don't want to do it without the Mandalorian's help.

Since the Mandalorian doesn't refuse strangers, why should he deny himself the opportunity to help friends? Especially since the Razor Crest is still being repaired.

Connection to the Film Saga?

The heroes set off to "storm" the Imperial base, which turns out not to be a weapons depot at all, but a scientific laboratory. And, naturally, there are far more stormtroopers guarding it than just a few people.

Perhaps the most interesting part of this segment is the contents of the peculiar hyperbaric chambers. On Western forums, it is already speculated that one of these vessels contained the leader of the First Order, Snoke, himself, as well as clones from Palpatine's laboratory in the film Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. What do you think? Write in the comments.

Furthermore, from a holographic message to Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito), we learn that the Child is needed by the Empire because of the presence of midi-chlorians in his blood, which grant access to the Force. According to the message, similar experiments (blood transfusions to growing specimens) yield results, but Imperial scientists need a sample with a higher number of midi-chlorians. Indeed, such a "sample" is obviously the Child, who in this very episode inadvertently reminded us of his abilities by pulling a space analogue of a macaron toward himself.

Incidentally, it is interesting to ponder whether Gideon is doing all this of his own free will or whether he himself, without realizing it, is acting on the orders of Palpatine himself.

Thrilling Action

Let's set aside the small plot setup, albeit very important for the further narrative, because the new episode of The Mandalorian once again prioritized action. Viewers were treated to dynamic, thrilling, and dangerous chases on the ground and in the air. The former seemed like a tribute to Return of the Jedi, and the latter to A New Hope.

Gideon on Mando's Tail

Concluding another recap, we return to one of the first scenes of the episode: the Mandalorian leaves the Razor Crest for repairs. At the end, it turns out that one of the repairmen secretly serves the Empire and plants a tracking beacon on the ship. Now Gideon again knows where Mando and the Child are, as well as where they are heading. The chase continues...

Personal Impressions:

Carl Weathers, who not only played Greef Karga but also directed the reviewed episode, created an episode with magnificent action in the spirit of the classic trilogy, endowed the episode with a number of meme-worthy scenes (the Child and the wires on the ship, the Child and the macaron, the Child and... well, if you've seen it, you understand) and Easter eggs for fans, and also gave reason for new theories about the series' connection to the film saga and further developments. Yes, it is more of a filler than a full-fledged plot driver, but a number of interesting moments still make "The Siege" quite engaging.

However, there is a lingering feeling that this episode was a preparation for something more grandiose and important. We await the next episode titled "The Jedi" and Ahsoka Tano in it. It should be spectacular.