The seventh chapter of The Mandalorian season 3 is a game-changer for the series as a whole and teases the big menace to come in future seasons and other shows.
After last week’s disappointing and hasty Chapter 22, season 3 of The Mandalorian had a lot to figure out and deliver in the two remaining episodes. Fortunately, Chapter 23 is the show at its best, delivering spectacle, emotion, and surprises throughout a meatier runtime while looking stunning as well.
This is the second episode of season 3 directed by The Mandalorian veteran (now also executive producer) Rick Famuyiwa, but not his last, as he also captained next week’s season finale. He once again reminds viewers why he’s one of the best directors doing Star Wars television at the moment, adding depth to quiet scenes and a striking sense of scale to the bigger sequences. He already got to show off a bit this season in Chapter 17, but this time around, the script was up to par too.
The stark contrast between the previous episode and this one is evident from the get-go: the thick atmosphere of Coruscant’s lower streets is captured masterfully with smart shots that stay on Katy O’Brian’s Elia Kane and make good use of the artificial lighting. It’s the second week in a row we’re getting obvious Blade Runner vibes, but this is how it’s properly done.
To the surprise of no one at this point, Kane is indeed a double-agent working for Moff Gideon, who finally shows up, looking as confident as he was before Luke Skywalker shut down his party at the end of season 2. After his escape and the bombing of Lady Kryze’s castle on Kalevala, we suspected the Imperial remnants were more powerful and organized than anticipated, and we get confirmation in a rather lengthy prologue.
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