Chapter 14 of The Mandalorian WAS NOT a “filler episode!” In fact, there’s too much that happened for us to limit it to 3 Hot Takes. So we’re altering the deal, this week...

After that, we’ll look at the incomparable AP-5, and why his age and experience helped save the Rebellion!

It’s TIME for Tatooine Sons!

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t’s just too hard. We can’t distill everything that happened in Chapter 14 of The Mandalorian into only three Hot Takes. So this week, we’re expanding to 10 questions that we’re going to answer in rapid succession. Let’s call it Hot Takes: Hyperdrive!

Boba Fett is back! And his return saw more screen time and dialogue than he had in the ENTIRE Original Trilogy films, combined. Has the green bounty hunter who was unceremoniously dumped into the Sarlacc pit in Return of the Jedi finally earned the overwhelming fan obsession he’s received for 40+ years?

Boba Fett is played by Temeura Morrison - who played Jango Fett in Attack of the Clones and was the template for the Clones in the prequel era. The first half of his appearance in Chapter 14 was without the armor. Let’s just say it - he kicked butt! What was it like seeing Boba Fett battle without his Mandalorian armor?

It probably shouldn’t have been a surprise, but it was confirmed that the caped figure who approached the lifeless body of Fennec Shand in Chapter 5 “The Gunslinger” was Boba Fett, who not only rescued Shand, but restored her to health using robotics. Shand is one of the most dangerous assassins in the galaxy at this time. Can Mando and Boba trust her?

While Boba Fett is clearly alive and well, we don’t know how he survived the Sarlacc pit. We do know he’s been hanging out on Tatooine. But that presents another question: he flew the Slave I all the way to Tython to get his armor back, when he could have just taken it from Cobb Vanth. Why?

It didn’t take long for Grogu to take on the classic Jedi meditation pose and reach out through the Force when Mando placed him on the seeing stone on Tython. He was locked in for a very long time. Do you think he finished because he was exhausted, or because he made a connection? And if he made a connection, is anyone coming to find Grogu before the end of this season?

We knew they were coming. What did you think about our first exposure to the Dark Troopers?

Moff Gideon not only seemed pleased to have reacquired “The Asset” he lost in Chapter 3 - he reveled in Grogu’s use of some very Dark Side abilities to defend himself against the Storm Troopers in his prison cell. We know Gideon wants Grogu for his high M-Count. But is there more going on here than just blood harvesting?

We never really thought of Boba Fett as someone with a “creed.” But his commitment to help Mando rescue Grogu changes that. He still describes himself as “...a simple man, trying to make my way in the universe,” but the revelations about Jango Fett being a foundling indicates that Boba’s father may have taught him “The Way” of the Mandalorian. Do you like the new info revealed about Jango Fett?

One thing that survived the obliteration of The Razorcrest was the Beskar staff given to Mando by Ahsoka in the previous episode. It’s almost inevitable that we see that come into use by Mando in a battle against Moff Gideon and his Dark Saber. Do you think Mando will be able to hold his own against Gideon? Or is this leading to a very “dark” conclusion to Season 2?

The episode ends with Mando asking Cara Dune - Marshall of the New Republic - if she can help him nust Mayfield out of a New Republic prison so Mando can get to Grogu on Gideon’s Destroyer. Is that the trajectory of the next two episodes? Or are we in for more surprises?