The second-to-last episode of The Mandalorian Season 3 has arrived on Disney+. “Chapter 23: The Spies” follows our group of Mandalorians as they take on a new enemy. Season 3 has been disappointing from a story perspective so far, and while “Chapter 23” sets things back on the right track, there is still a long way to go. At this point, the odds are low for the season to wrap up satisfyingly, but this individual episode brings the series to a course correction that makes everything that came before it just a little bit more meaningful.
Our episode begins with visuals that look right out of Blade Runner 2049. The cinematography rivals that of Andor as we follow Elia Kane (Katy O’Brian) talking to a hologram of Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito). This episode finally marks the return of the show’s main antagonist. Season 3 has lacked a villainous presence, and even though Gideon has become somewhat stale, it is delightful to see an adversary come back to threaten the heroes personally. Gideon speaks to Imperial officers in a scene that ties into a lot of other Star Wars media. The episode hints at the return of Grand Admiral Thrawn, a villain from Star Wars Rebels who will play a role in the upcoming Ahsoka TV series.
“Chapter 23” also features General Brendol Hux (Brian Gleeson), the father of Armitage Hux from the Star Wars sequel trilogy. Brendol Hux advocates for a clone army, which ties into what his son wanted for the First Order. It’s fascinating to see the seeds of the next era of Star Wars planted in this show. This ties naturally into Gideon’s plan to wipe out the remaining Mandalorians, as the officers chant, “Long live the Empire!” The episode ties together a few threads from previous ones, like Greef Karga (Carl Weathers) turning the IG-11 into IG-12, which Grogu can manually operate.
Given this is a show called The Mandalorian, it’s nice to see it focus on the Mandalorians. While they don’t stand out enough to be memorable beyond our main players, they are fun to watch — especially during the action sequences. The episode also explains how Moff Gideon claimed the Darksaber in the first place while giving an excellent scene where Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) vows to serve Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) until her song is written. Although Djarin has become one of the less exciting parts of the season, this moment stands out.
The final action set piece is fantastic. Although the emotional stakes are lacking, it’s well-crafted, and seeing Imperials in jetpacks and beskar armor battling the Mandalorians is fun. Gideon arrives in a Dark Trooper suit, but it feels like it’s a little too late to bring in this villain. Season 3 feels like a bridge to the more exciting Season 4, but everything happening now should be stronger. We have Gideon quite literally doing an evil monologue when he comes face-to-face with Djarin, though it’s nice to see the stakes build as Djarin is taken captive.
“Chapter 23” ends with Paz Vizsla (Tait Fletcher) sacrificing himself to save the Mandalorians. He is stabbed by Praetorian guards, who appear to be a predecessor to the Elite Praetorian guards from Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Unfortunately, his death does not have the emotional weight it could have, as the show doesn’t lean enough into the fact that Vizsla is a father whose son will grow up without him. Ultimately, the episode is a step up from the previous one, but it still features the same issues the rest of the season has. All I can say is that I sincerely hope this season offers one hell of a finale.
SCORE: 6/10
As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 6 equates to “Decent.” It fails to reach its full potential and is a run-of-the-mill experience.
