TV Recap & Review: The Mandalorian “Chapter 14: The Tragedy”

Spoilers ahead.

It seems impossible, but somehow this season of The Mandalorian is producing episodes that continue climbing the ladder of YES! Each chapter is better than the last. If I could give six stars to “Chapter 14,” I would. We wanted Boba Fett, we got him. We wanted Bo-Katan, got her. We wanted Ahsoka Tano, we got her. We wanted Boba Fett back in his armor. We wanted Ming-Na Wen to have a bigger role. We wanted to see Grogu show us what he can really do. We wanted Slave 1. Jon Favreau is doing his best impression of Oprah, and it’s raining gifts! We got all that! But wait! There’s more!

This season isn’t wasting time. Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu approach Tython after they do some Force exercises. It’s adorable how Din is getting used to Grogu’s name just the same as we are. He repeats it and chuckles. The name is growing on all of us. It sounds like Grogu is shortened from “Growing Guru.” That’s the mnemonic I’m using. It’s not long before they are at the top of a mountain inside the ruins of the ancient Jedi Temple. Din plops Grogu atop the Seeing Stone he likes to call the “magic rock.” Within moments, Grogu has activated the stone, and caused some fine Lord of the Rings effects.

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Is Grogu the chosen one? That’s a can of worms that can be looked at later. Right now, he’s in danger. Because, WHAT?! Slave 1 has arrived! Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison) has been tracking the Mandalorian, and he brought company. Fennec Shand (Ming-Na Wen) is alive with a brand new midsection. Something made from Stark Industries or the same mechanics who made Maul’s legs. Fett wants his armor. The three face off. They begin negotiations, but are quickly interrupted. A troop transport comes in from orbit, sending stormtroopers to gather The Child.

In the ensuing scenes, we get a glimpse of what Boba Fett’s been doing with his time. Apparently hanging with Tusken Raiders, because he doesn’t just happen to have a gaffe stick. He wields it like he’s been swinging it his whole life. Aged Boba Fett kicks ass like he never did on film. Another thanks to those at the helm. He shatters stormtrooper helmets like we’re reading Dark Horse comics from the ’90s. I found myself groaning in empathic reflex each time he took a trooper down. Temuera Morrison proves he’s going to rock the role of Boba Fett when he gets his own series.

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By the time a second carrier shows up with back up troopers, the threesome has come to an arrangement. Din gets zapped by the Seeing Stones Force field a few times while “protecting” Grogu. Meanwhile, Fennec does some ass kicking of her own. She doesn’t skip leg day, and it shows. Boba Fett snags his armor and weapons from the Razor Crest moments before it’s blown to Smithereens from above. That’s the tragedy from the title. Something scarier happens later, but it’s not tragic. Knowing the Razor Crest is gone means the Old Republic gunship we see in The Rise of Skywalker isn’t our guy, Mando.

Boba Fett makes us forget our problems as he shows off his armored skill set in his old outfit. It was Henry Winkler putting on the leather jacket again. Awkward at first, but he’s still cool. He’s Fonzie. Aaaaaay. The absolute laugh-out-loud, clap, and fall back in your seat moment was Boba Fett scoring the killer shot in the 7-10 split at Tython Lanes.

Shortly after the coast seems clear and Mando’s ride is destroyed, we get something else so many Star Wars fans have been asking for: Dark Troopers. Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) has arrived in his Imperial Cruiser and unleashed the Dark Troopers to retrieve “the donor.” The group is too late to rescue Grogu, but Fett and Shand have sworn an oath to rescue him. This might be the new team-up. Some fans saw it coming. It’s not what I expected, but I love it.

They’ll need more help, though, so Din Djarin calls in a favor from an old friend. He asks Cara Dune (Gina Carano) to help spring an even older friend, Migs Mayfeld (Bill Burr). You didn’t think Bill Burr wasn’t coming back, right? Though Dune is newly deputized by the New Republic, she’s willing to break some rules to save Grogu. The next episode will probably be the breakout for Migs. Penultimate episodes are usually big on action and big on reveals to lay out foundation for the climax. Expect the unexpected next week. My left field prediction is Zeb Orrelios. He’s got the accent Boba Fett has. Maybe they’re frenemies with a common goal. You heard it here first, and probably last, and never again. Another character from Rebels will join the team.

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I’m about to drop the biggest spoiler of the episode, so if you’re a real fanatic who gets into the debates on chat about Fett’s rights to the armor…who am I kidding? Those people watched at midnight Thursday. The Fetts’ right to the Mandalorian armor has been a hotly contested debate for years. Fett was a canon Mandalorian, then he wasn’t, then he was, and wasn’t again. Jango has never been canonized as a Mando. The final engraving has been set in stone. The Clone Troopers were clones of a Mandalorian: Boba’s father, Jango was a Foundling. Mic drop. No more arguing. This will be the most talked about reveal for the week amongst fans.

The most talked about moment will be what we see last. Though Grogu is captured, he’s tossing Stormtroopers around like rag dolls from his seat in the cell. Using his power weakens him, though. Gideon is a patient antagonist. He shows the Darksaber to Grogu (but really to us), as the tike goes nap-nap. Grogu isn’t in immediate danger. Unlike the Razor Crest, he’ll be in good hands in the next two chapters…hopefully.

Check out all of our coverage for ‘The Mandalorian’ here!