The flagship series onDisney+,The Mandalorian(and especially one little green alien), has captured our hearts. Following an eventful five episodes, the latest chapter of the series has its bounty hunter hero (played byGame of Thronesactor Pedro Pascal) team up with a group of deadly mercenaries for a dangerous mission.
There’s a lot to absorb in each episode ofTheMandalorian, so here’s a recap of what happened in episode 6, as well as a breakdown of some noteworthy elements. (Note: There will be discussion of plot points from the episode, so consider this aspoiler warning. You can also go back and read our recaps ofEpisode 1,Episode 2,Episode 3,Episode 4, andEpisode 5.)
Episode 6 ofThe Mandalorianhas an old associate from Mando’s early years recruit him for a dangerous rescue mission — a mission that turns out to be a prison break from a New Republic transport ship. Teamed up with a group of deadly mercenaries who seem intent on testing his reputation, The Mandalorian assists in extracting the prisoner, then must defeat the mercenaries and reclaim his ship after they double-cross him.
He manages to dispatch each of them before Rebel reinforcements arrive, then reluctantly returns the prisoner to collect his bounty, only to be double-crossed once again. This time around, he’s prepared for the betrayal, and escapes into hyperspace (along with The Child, a.k.a. Baby Yoda) just before Rebel ships destroy the mercenaries’ space station.
Alien roll call
Titled “The Prisoner,” Episode 6 didn’t feature a large cast, but it did get up close and personal with a diverse array of alien species that will likely be familiar to Star Wars fans.
The massive, horned mercenary Burg played by Clancy Brown (best known for playing Captain Hadley inThe Shawshank Redemption) is aDevaronian, a species that made its first appearance in the originalStar Wars: Episode IV – A New Hopeas one of the patrons of the Mos Eisley Cantina (the same cantina The Mandalorian visited in Episode 5, in fact).
Also joining The Mandalorian in the mission is Xi’an, a member of the Twi’lek species played by franchise actress Natalia Tena (she played Nymphadora Tonks in the Harry Potter franchise). The Twi’leks are known for the large appendages that grow out of their heads, and they first appeared inStar Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi.
Xi’an is eventually joined by her brother, Qin, the prisoner they rescue. Also among the prisoners on the ship is an Ardennian (see above), one of the four-armed aliens introduced inSolo: A Star Wars Story.
Cameo crazy
Although the episode was light on call-backs and references to the Star Wars mythology, it did feature a long list of noteworthy cameos.
The New Republic officer the mercenaries discover in the ship might not be a familiar face, but his voice might ring a bell or two for fans ofStar Wars: The Clone Wars. The officer is played by Matt Lanter, who voiced Anakin Skywalker throughout the long-running animated series. This episode marks the first time in the Star Wars saga that Lanter has appeared on screen, despite voicing one of the most important figures in the entire franchise for almost a decade.
Lanter wasn’t alone in finally getting an on-screen role after years behind the camera, as longtime Star Wars writer and director Dave Filoni — who wrote and directed episode 5 and directedThe Mandalorian‘s series premiere episode — plays one of the three X-Wing pilots who destroy the mercenaries’ ship. Filoni is best known as one of the primary writers and directors forThe Clone Warsand the creator and writer onStar Wars: Rebelsand various other Star Wars animated projects.
Filoni, whose character is identified as “Trapper Wolf” (you have to love Star Wars names!), is joined by fellowMandalorianepisode directors Rick Famuyiwa and Deborah Chow (see above) as the other two X-Wing pilots. Famuyiwa, who directs this episode and is best known as the director of 2015’sDope, plays a character named “Jib Dodger.”
Chow directed one of the series’ most epic episodes to date, the Mandalorian-filled third episode, and plays a character in this episode named “Sash Ketter.” Chow is also attached to direct the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series for Disney+.
Disney’sThe Mandalorianisavailable to stream on Disney+. The next episode premieres Wednesday, December 18.
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