The Mandalorian continues with “Chapter 19: The Convert,” the third episode of season 3. This episode mostly puts the Mandalorians in the backseat for a story surrounding other characters who have existed in the show in the past. The change of pace allows for a refreshing, fascinating episode that explores the bureaucracy the galaxy is under, similar to Andor. With its mature ideas and intriguing concepts, this is the season’s strongest episode so far.
The episode picks up right after the end of the preceding one, where Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) wakes up after bathing in the Living Waters of Mandalore. After the previous episode took a monster movie approach to Star Wars, this one brings things back to basics with its eye-catching opening action sequence. Djarin, Grogu, R5-D4, and Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) face off against a group of TIE interceptors in a standout set piece that showcases the series’s knack for thrilling battles. This episode is helmed by Lee Isaac Chung, best known as the Oscar-nominated director of Minari. He nails the exciting action in the cold open while setting the stage for the very different episode that is to come.
After the opening title card, the heroes we’ve been following vanish for most of the episode. Instead, we arrive on Coruscant, the capital of the galaxy, where Penn Pershing (Omid Abtahi) gives a speech. Penn previously appeared in episodes of The Mandalorian as a scientist working for Moff Gideon until his redemption. He speaks about the Amnesty Program, which allows people like him, who had no choice in working for the Empire, a second chance. This is a captivating idea explored marvelously as the episode introduces a concept that we have not seen before but makes a lot of sense.
Penn takes a trip to Amnesty Housing, where he meets a few other Amnesty Officers. One of them is Elia Kane (Katy O’Brian), an Imperial officer from the second season. The show has a phenomenal human moment where the characters talk about what they miss most about the time of the Empire. It is a moment of nostalgia for them, and it is directed to perfection as one of the more grounded, organic moments in a show that has been filled with campy monsters and explosions. The way this show expands to other parts of the galaxy is impressive, and the rest of the episode keeps up the pace.
It was an excellent idea not to have this episode be another “Mandalorian and Grogu go on a mission” storyline. The more the show continues down that route, the more it will have overstayed its welcome. This episode understands that sometimes, it’s good to change perspectives, and this episode manages to do that by focusing on these two characters who have had effects on the series in the past. The moments where Penn is being interviewed by a droid allow this series to feel a lot like the dystopia of Blade Runner, modeling that quiet sci-fi feel with a smaller emphasis on explosions.
As Penn’s quest to continue his cloning research continues, the episode features a nail-biting sequence on a train, and we have moments where Penn and Elia, two characters with similar backstories, come into their own. It’s a shame when at the end, we discover Elia has set up Penn, and he is placed under arrest where he is put under a Mind Flayer. Although I could see the twist coming, it made it no less heart-wrenching when she turned on him. After the conclusion of this storyline, I wanted to see more of what would happen between these two characters,
But alas, this show returns us to Djarin, who goes to Mandalore and reveals he has bathed in the Living Waters, earning his redemption. Bo-Latan is also redeemed by Creed, which is a fascinating ending, as this is where any may have expected the season to end. However, Djarin succeeds in his journey three episodes in, and we must now wait to see where else this series goes. Let’s just say if it meets the quality of this episode, The Mandalorian fans have a lot to look forward to.
SCORE: 8/10
As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 8 equates to “Great.” While there are a few minor issues, this score means that the art succeeds at its goal and leaves a memorable impact.
