Top 10 Best Moments from The Mandalorian

"Chapter 1”

Stop us if you’ve heard this one before. Just kidding, “The Mandalorian” is one-of-a-kind. “Chapter 1” opens with our titular character making his way into a bar on an unknown icy planet, where a customer finds himself in a spot of trouble. Our laconic antihero quickly breaks up the conflict, but while the fight itself is short, it gives Mando ample opportunity to establish himself as a total badass. Unfortunately for the musky alien Mythrol, this helpful stranger isn’t the hero he initially appears. It’s all business to the bounty hunter. And just like that, a legend of the small screen is born. Can we see that move with the cable one more time? What. A. Star.

"Chapter 4: Sanctuary"

With the entire Bounty Hunter’s Guild gunning for him and his ward, Mando is in need of a place to lay low. Unfortunately, wherever our protagonist goes, he finds trouble. On this seemingly backwater planet, Mando and Cara Dune are soon charged with training local krill farmers to combat the neighboring Klatooinian raiders. “The Mandalorian” may be a smaller and more intimate Star Wars story than those told on the big screen, but this battle is nonetheless thrilling - and comes complete with an AT-ST! It’s a thrilling and emotionally-driven skirmish. Of course, this episode was an emotionally-charged one for multiple reasons.

"Chapter 7: The Reckoning"

Despite its modest episode count, season 1 of “The Mandalorian” did the franchise proud by introducing a number of memorable characters. Kuiil, the eccentric Ugnaught moisture farmer might not be able to compete with Baby Yoda, but his odd mannerisms made him a minor fan-favorite, and he will be sorely missed. We hardly knew Kuiil, but his death still hit like a punch to the gut, especially since he lost his life protecting the Child. Of course, “Chapter 7” was such an intense episode that viewers didn’t have much time to dwell, as we had also just witnessed the dramatic arrival of Moff Gideon. Needless to say… “The Reckoning” seriously upped the stakes.

"Chapter 4: Sanctuary"

Our perpetually masked hero might have made short work of the thugs who were threatening Mythrol, but as this exchange reminded us… he’s not the only warrior in the galaxy. Mando intends to hide out on Sorgan, but the presence of a mercenary naturally concerns him. When he attempts to track her, she gets the jump on him and a bone-crunching brawl ensues. In ex-Shock Trooper Cara Dune, he’s seemingly found his match, and they wrestle to a stalemate. Thankfully, Baby Yoda is there to cut the tension with a razor-sharp slurp of bone broth.

"Chapter 6: The Prisoner"

They say there’s no honor among thieves… and despite our protagonist’s code, his crew proves the old idiom to be true. In Chapter 6, Mando finds work with a former partner, Ran Malk. The job is a prison break, and it forces Mando to work alongside a crew of clear cut-throats - including Xi'an, a Twi’lek with whom he has bad blood. Expertly dismantling a few security droids, Mando lives up to his reputation, but it’s not enough to make his crew abandon their plans to betray him. BIG mistake. He teaches them a painful lesson in messing with Mandalorians, gets to once again reaffirm his hatred for droids and gets the last laugh on the duplicitous Ran.

"Chapter 8: Redemption"



In Chapter 3, the Mandalorians who come to our protagonist’s assistance make an especially grand entrance thanks to a piece of equipment that Mando notably lacks - a jetpack. Well, sure enough, in the season finale, Mando earns his wings (so to speak) from the Armorer. His first flight isn’t exactly graceful, but, however clumsy it was in execution, this nearly impossible feat of aerial acrobatics felt truly inspired! Moff Gideon had our ragtag group pinned down and seemingly doomed, but with this daring maneuver, Mando managed to take down the villain’s TIE Fighter in a way few could even imagine. And now that the jetpack is part of his arsenal, we can’t wait to see what else he can do with it.

"Chapter 2: The Child"

After the Jawas strip his ship, our protagonist is left with no choice but to take on a dangerous job from them in order to get the parts back. It’s a brutal battle, one that completely wrecks Mando’s armor and pushes him to the point of exhaustion. Between this and the butt-kicking he receives earlier at the hands of the Jawas, “Chapter 2” made it clear that, for all his weaponry and incredible skills, Mando is far from indestructible. Seriously, had Baby Yoda not intervened, we think this would’ve been the Mandalorian’s last ride. But hey, at least it would have been a thrilling one! We imagine that few have faced a mudhorn and lived to tell about it.

"Chapter 3: The Sin"

After everything that Mando and the Child went through in Chapter 2, it was absolutely heartbreaking to see Mando hand off Baby Yoda to the Client. Then again, considering what an impression Werner Herzog’s character made in “Chapter 1”, we can understand why Mando might have hesitated to cross him. Regardless, Mando’s heart ultimately wins out over his code, and he ultimately returns to save the Child from the Client’s nefarious clutches. Decked out in his new beskar armor, Mando cuts through the stormtroopers with ruthless efficiency. The scene is simultaneously brutal and heartwarming. And just like that, Mando officially joins the small but illustrious club of protagonists who can look awesome while holding a baby.

"Chapter 3: The Sin"

Though Mando makes quick work of the Client’s personal guards, he’s no match for a small army of bounty hunters — and that’s exactly what he finds waiting for him between the Client’s base of operations and his ship. Mando tries every trick he has and proves yet again that he’s among the very best bounty hunters around. Unfortunately, he finds himself hopelessly outgunned and winds up pinned down with little hope of escape. Facing certain death, Mando and the Child exchange a look that, although fleeting, is absolutely heartbreaking. And then… our hero’s fellow Mandalorians come to the rescue. Taken altogether, this sequence is one of the most intense, action-packed, emotional rollercoasters of the season.



Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions



Mando Removes His Helmet

"Chapter 8: Redemption"



Mando Freezes His Bounty

“Chapter 1”



Mando vs. the Jawas

"Chapter 2: The Child"



The Dogfight

"Chapter 5: The Gunslinger"



Mando Gets His New Armor

"Chapter 3: The Sin"

"Chapter 1"

From the very first episode, “The Mandalorian” distinguished itself as being an incredibly cinematic series. It’s this climactic shootout that established “The Mandalorian” as must-watch television right out of the gate. The sequence strikes a perfect balance of nostalgia and modern aesthetics. It shows a deep reverence for westerns, while simultaneously making it clear that the cinematography and quality of the fight coordination is totally top-notch. Not to mention, hey— the scene is just a whole lot of fun, and, of course, ended with one of the biggest, most unexpected reveals of 2019. Now THAT’s how you craft a debut episode. Thankfully, this scene wasn’t a one-off; the shootout in “Chapter 8” boasted some similarly thrilling gunplay.