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jessiebanethedragon · 3 years

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I Just Have to Get This Off My Chest

Din x Reader (SPOILERS FOR CHAPTER 15)

is the title the title of the fic or is it the explanation as to way i wrote this instead of the three essay’s i have due soon. Who knows? certainly not me.

You had not felt well for some time. Every moment that was not distracted by something else allowed you to feel the pooling sickness in your stomach. Grogu was gone.

You had cried only in private, hidden away in the forest of Tython, covering your tears with your hands and sobbing into the ground. Din had never felt so powerless, when you finally re-emerged from the wooded area, he said nothing of the invasion of privacy he’d committed via the sensors on his helmet. Instead he walked up the ramp of Slave I with you to leave the cursed planet. Maybe, you were thankful for Mayfeld’s incessant chatter. It gave you something to focus on other than the missing warmth in your heart that was occupied by the little green creature.

“You still with us?” he asked, turning around and waving a hand over your face. It snaps you back to the moment, but the guilty feeling does not fade completely.

“Yeah,” You breathe. And finally relent, pulling off the helmet for fresh air. Din turns his head ever so slightly to catch the way your hair becomes messy. “Focus.” he reprimands Mayfeld, you almost feel bad for the guy, you're both so on edge he’s driving with ticking time bombs, and that’s without the Rhydonium.

“Where.” Din demands, roughly pressing his hands into the gaps between the baggy fitting armor. One of the pirates landed a solid blow to your side and the mandalorian wont let it go.

“Mando i’m fine.” You tell him, huffing when his hands get rougher trying to feel underneath the crappy empire issues durasteel.

“Where did you get hit.” He demands again, hands landing on your shoulders and shaking you slightly. Mayfeld is right, Din is desperate.

“Din…” You whisper side glancing to make sure prying ears are out of reach. “I’m okay, I promise.” You wonder for a second if you should put your forehead against his, something he’d done after the fight with Moff Gideon, after you thought you’d never see him again. You remember seeing him limp down with IG-11, barely alive in the darkness. You remember running to him without thinking twice, the stupid, stupid, mandalorian who would rather die than break his creed. The stupid mandalorian you know now you cannot live without.

“Hey, you two might want to stop acting like a couple of DUM - Pit Droids because we’ve got a problem.” Mayfeld says jogging over to you both.

“What.” Din snaps the unfamiliar hemet turning to the man at hand. You hate how it looks on him, it is strange, unfamiliar, so un-him that you’re longing for him to get the Beskar back on.

“I can’t go in there.” He says gesturing behind him. “That’s Valin Hess, I served under him, I'll be recognized.” You lean over to look at the officer, and then behind you into the open area.

“The officers' quarters are close enough.” You think aloud. “Stay here, I'll drop a detonator. Distract them.”

“No way you can make the trip without being caught.” Mayfeld argues.

“Hey, I used to do this professionally. Let me handle it.” You tell him with a small smile, this is herding Bantha’s compared to your old job.

“Kriffing spy’s” Mayfeld murmurs.

“As far as the empire is concerned I’m still an official agent.” You correct him, and you turn to leave but a gloved hand wraps around your wrist, his iron grapes holding you back. You look at the unfamiliar mask, and slowly, Din loosens his hold and watches you go.

The hallways are always the same, no matter how many planets, or ships you were stationed on, the empire always looked the same, your boots always made the same sounds, and an uncaught rebel-spy always knew where she was going. Order, Mayfelds voice echoes in your mind, yes there is order here. But Grogu isn’t. And that’s what matters to you right now, nothing else but the poor child that you’d had the fortune stumbling upon on a Navaro recon mission. You praise your own inability to let go of the past, for without it you never would’ve been investigating the imperial outpost, never would have met a cold mandalorian and never learnt that he, in fact, burned brighter than any kyber crystal in the galaxy.

The detonator rolls smoothly from your hand as you turn away from the barracks. Jogging back to the control center a soft smile on your face as the hiss and pop sends the familiar signals blaring. When the coast is clear you don’t stop running until you slide into the mess hall, and stop dead in your tracks.

Din is gone.

Mayfeld is standing over at least half a dozen bodies, save for one man who’s back is to you. Your blood freezes when you make the realization as the helmetless man turns towards you. He has brown hair, and you can see where the helmet has ruffled his curls. The slight scruff highlights his face, and draws you in towards his eyes. His wonderful brown eyes.

It’s the mandalorian. It’s your Mandalorian.

You know you should close your eyes, but they can’t move from his, so many nights on the razor crest were spent wondering about the colour of his eyes.

“You ever seen his face?” The memory of Mayfeld in a different place at a different time floods you. The way he teased about how close you and the mandalorian couldn’t be, because you didn’t know what he looked like. Pressing you against the bars of the prison they’d trapped him in, laughing when you couldn’t even give them a name. Taunting your own life in front of you at the end of a blaster. “She doesn’t know!” Xi’an sneered as you fought against Qin pinning you into the bars, using you as a tool in his revenge. It is as if you are meeting him for the first time again, the man in shiny beskar who had whispered his name to you after the incident involving Mayfeld himself. The mandalorian who ran his fingers over the marks the bars had indented into your skin. “Din. my name is Din.”

“I’ll go look… actually i’ll secure the roof.” Mayfeld stumbles through his words watching as you tear up at seeing, really seeing him for the first time. You choke on your word when he crosses the room stopping when he hears the small noise. Noticing how you finally seem to come back into yourself and squeeze your eyes shut.

“Cyare.” He says, sounding so different without the helmet on.

“Put it back on.” You rush out. “I didn’t see, we’ll kill Mayfeld, keep your creed.” you know it’s a lie, but you say the words in a jumble anyways.

“We were running out of time, this was my choice. Open your eyes, it’ll be okay.” Din reassures you. So you take a deep breath and listen to him.

“You’re so handsome.” You say without thinking, because he’s stunning up close, where you can see every detail in full. Standing mouth slightly agape as you memorize your mandalorian’s face. Your hand goes to touch him but you stop yourself, Din notices of course, and guides your hand to his face. You were right. He does burn brighter than any kyber crystal in the galaxy. Heated honey to your touch.

“I’m in love with you.” You’re learning many things about the man under the mask today, maybe it’s time he learns something about you. So you thread your hands into his hair and pour your love into a kiss. Din gasps, shocked, and part of you wonders if this is his first. But he reciprocates by moving his arms around your middle to bring you as close as possible to him.

When you part because of shots outside, he puts the helmet back on. And you immediately wish you had had a chance to kiss him again before he did.

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twoidiotwriters1 · 3 years

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The believer (Din Djarin x Fem! Reader)

Resquest by: Me, lol. -Val

Words: 3, 343

A/N: Based on episode 15

"I mean it, Cara. You said you needed my help for important things. Being the commissioner of the new republic must be something better than just moving boxes” I complain leaving some on the ground. I walk to her desk.

“We are only relocating some files. Thanks for your help." She mocks. I roll my eyes. "We’re almost done. Besides, you've already helped me enough by catching the bad guys. Who imprisoned all those thieves? " She tries to try fix it.

"I did" I say through my teeth. "Whatever. But do you promise this is the last one? "

"I promise. You'll see. Soon you’ll be with your Mandalorian. Although ” she frowns and gets up from her chair. “I just got a message from him. He says he will come today "

"What?"

She shrugs her shoulders.

“Maybe he can't wait any longer to see you. But I really need you to finish this "

I sigh. Why would Din come early? We agreed that I would return until Cara no longer needed me or… in case of emergencies.

"Well, where do I put this?" I try to lift another box, but it is heavier.

"Hey! No, we said only light things and you know it " she says, taking the box from me

"Whatever," I go back inside the office to look for more boxes.

After a couple of hours, I close the store’s door. I stretch my body and walk back to Cara's office.

Upon arrival, my heart races to see the armor that I already missed too much.

"Din!" I run up to him and throw myself into his arms. I put my arms around his neck and he holds me by my waist.

“I'll leave you alone. I'll prepare everything," says Cara leaving.

I frown and pull away from him.

"Prepare?” I look straight into the visor of the Mandalorian. “What's going on? I thought you would come later "

"I'm also happy to see you," he jokes

I smile.

"I'm sorry I didn't have a better welcome, but you didn't give me time," I say sarcastically.

"I don't think that matters now," he says changing his tone.

"Din, what is the problem?"

Din sighs and shifts uncomfortably.

"Something happened, I uh- sorry"

"Are you okay? Where’s the child? "

"They have the kid"

"What? Who?"

"Sorry, cyar'ika. It all happened so fast, I couldn't - I couldn't protect him enough ” says Mando, moving away a bit.

"Hey" I took his hand stopping him. "Listen. I'm sure that whatever happened, it wasn't your fault "

"You don’t know"

"Then, tell me"

"Moff Gideon. He kidnapped the child"

My body tenses remembering very well that monster. I clench my teeth.

"Where is he?"

"That's why I came, I need Cara's help." He sighs. "And from Mayfeld"

"Mayfeld? The idiot who tried to catch us in prison? "

"The same"

"Why the-? No, forget it. You'll tell me at the Razor Crest ”I walk towards the exit, but he stops me by taking my arm.

"The Crest no longer exists," he whispers. I frown and sigh at his tone of defeat. I take his hand and force him to follow the path.

“C’mon, we must not waste any more time. Nobody messes with my family "

"I don't like your new friend," I complain, sitting next to Din. "He's grumpier than you when we first met"

Din laughs at my pout.

"He's not that bad. He has been a great help"

"That doesn't take away the grumpiness"

"I don't find the charm in you either, princess," says Boba Fett. passing in front of us to open the cargo door. I grunt at the sight. Din puts a hand on my leg.

"Hold on, Cyar’ika."

We both got up to follow Boba along with his partner Fennec Shand. The four of us go out when Cara returns with Mayfeld.

Din steps forward while the others guard him closely and confronts the prisoner.

"Mayfeld"

"Hello, Mando. How long ” he answers, nervous. He looks behind Din and smiles slightly. "Hi gorgeous. It's nice to see you again "

I roll my eyes.

After explaining a bit about his value in knowing the Imperial protocols. We all went back to Boba's ship.

Mayfeld indicates the new course to Morak, where he must infiltrate an imperial database to find out the location of Gideon.

The new mission is to infiltrate to a secret mine, get to the refinery and get the information. A good plan, but after several years of being with the Mandalorian, I know it didn’t always turn out the way we expect. And the fact that they refine rhydonium, an explosive material, is not a good sign.

"I don't understand how he can be in a suit like this all the time," I complain, fixing the my stormtrooper uniform.

"This one really sucks," Mayfeld continues, adjusting his boot.

Two guards to drive the truck with rhydonium and one to check the levels of the material, we replaced them as soon as they crossed a tunnel, it sounded like a good idea. But I can already smell the perspiration of whoever wore my suit.

Din walks towards us also wearing his black suit and helmet. He leaves his armor to Cara.

"Are you okay?" he asks me.

"The faster we do this, soon I will take this off"

"That interests me," I raise my eyebrow and smile. He tilts his helmet making me laugh.

The three of us get on the truck and the mission begins. We pass the tunnel and continue along the path in the middle of the forest.

Mayfeld tries to make conversation with us, but his attempts are in vain. Everything is going well, until an intercepted conversation warns us of certain complications with another truck ahead, and then we hear an explosion not far from us.

"You must continue" says Din "As long as you drive carefully and slowly, the Rhydonium will not explode"

"Good to know" answers Mayfeld.

"It's stable" I announce.

A knock to the side of the truck breaks the silence.

"Pirates. They are trying to destroy the Rhydonium ”says Mando.

We both go out on the roof of the truck and try to get rid of the pirates, but it gets harder and harder when more arrive. While we fight, Mayfeld makes sure the material levels don't overheat.

Every movement I make, makes my heart race, maybe I already have some experience fighting and Din has always helped me to defend myself, but this time it's different and I have to be more careful.

Our only salvation comes when we approach the empire mine. The whole army helps us against pirates.

I sigh in relief.

"Are you okay?" Mando asks. I nod. We both went back inside the truck.

Upon arriving safely at the mine, many people congratulate us on a great job. Of course, being the only ones who could pass an explosive for several kilometers with some pirates as an obstacle, should be cause for celebration.

We walked among the people, some soldiers, stormtroopers and other workers. Mayfeld tells us that a database may be in the dining room, so we keep pretending to know where we are.

When we get to one, Mayfeld steps forward.

"Good luck," Din tells him.

"Ugh, I can't take it anymore" I complain taking off my helmet. I straighten my hair as best I can and sigh. "Surely your beskar helmet is better than this, but I couldn't wear one all the time."

"You get used to it" says Mando.

"I can't go in," says Mayfeld, turning back.

"Why not?"

"There is Valin Hess"

"Who?" I ask.

"He was my boss" Oh no.

"Would he recognize you?"

"I do not know. I was just a field agent, but I won't risk it ” he says trying to leave, but Mando stops him.

"Make it quick so we can go"

Mayfeld denies.

"I can’t do it, I’m sorry"

"No, I can’t. If we don't get those coordinates, we will lose the child "

"I’ll do it. Give me the data stick ”I tell them.

"Yeah, I don't think it's a good idea either," Mayfeld answers. "You have already attracted attention being a participant in the truck mission, if they see a woman in the database it will be more suspicious"

"That makes no sense"

“Maybe, but look around you. Any boss is a man, imagine what they would do without seeing you trying to enter the system "

“Give me the data stick,” Din interrupts. Mayfeld and I watch it.

"It won't work," says the bald man. "In order to access the network, the terminal has to scan your face"

I shake my head.

"There must be another way"

"Give it to me" Din repeats, taking away his memory

"No, wait" I try to take his arm, but he takes off and walks towards the terminal. "This will end badly"

"Since when has something gone well?" Mayfeld answers next to me.

My body trembles from nerves. Din must be desperate to even think about showing his face.

Mayfeld and I watch him from the entrance. Din walks to the terminal, presses some buttons, waits a second and as soon as I see his hands go to his helmet, I turn suddenly.

"Have you ever seen him without the helmet?" He asks.

"No, I haven't"

He nods.

“And how do you…? You know. ” I frown at him. "What? Haven't you had sex yet? "

"That is none of your business"

"Hey, it was just a question" he defends himself. "Oh no" he says looking towards the dining room

"What?"

"We have a problem. Hess is talking to him

"Shit"

"I'll take care of it," he says nervously.

Mayfeld comes in to help Din, while my back is still turn on him. What am I supposed to do? I look around for an answer. Which comes when I see a crew member talking with other soldiers. She holds a datapad and the others sign on it.

It could work.

“We just call him Brown Eyes. Isn't that right, officer? " is what I hear when I get closer. Completely avoiding Din's face.

"Sir" I interrupt them. Hess turns to see me. "I need you to sign some documents regarding the delivery of the Rhydonium." Hess raises an eyebrow looking me up and down. I extend the datapad to him.

"Are you also part of that delivery, Lieutenant?" points to my uniform.

"Yes sir. They asked me to file the delivery, given the circumstances. Lack of staff ”I know the other two men are staring at me, but there is one look that makes me more nervous.

Hess nods.

"You are the only transport that delivered cargo today" he announces. “Let's have a drink. You too, Miss. We can celebrate," He smiles. " Brown eyes."

I sigh. The three of us follow Hess without saying anything. My eyes are fixed on the floor, but the problem widens when I get to the small table, Mayfeld and Hess are at my sides, leaving Din in front.

I use all my willpower not to look at his face, but I know he is watching me and it only makes it harder. I want to hit him, but that would force me to see his face. Dammit.

“You don't have to be so tense, Lieutenant. You can relax, we are in confidence ”says Hess offering a glass of alcohol. I smile taking the glass. "It’s really surprising to see a woman on such a dangerous mission"

"It's part of the job, Sir"

“A good soldier, we need more troopers like that. Although, the women here are not as pretty as you. ” I clench my teeth. "Surely your companions agree with me" out of the corner of my eye I notice Din's hand clenched into a fist. "We can celebrate that too, can't we, boys?"

Din lowers his hand whipping his glass in a quick movement, causing the three of us to freak out and… it was just a reflection. My eyes connect with his. That alone was enough to make me lose focus.

Hess wants to ask about Din's behavior, but Mayfeld cuts him off.

"Shall we toast Operation Cinder?" He starts, but I can't hear the rest.

I observe every detail of Din's face. His facial hair, more than a shadow, his brown hair disheveled by the helmet, his profile, jaw, nose, lips and his brown eyes. I can't look away.

Ever since I've known him, I've imagined what he might look like. He had only told me the color of his eyes and hair. I had touched his face with my hands, but I had never thought he to be… like this. Stars, he’s gorgeous. My cheeks are flushing like they never have before and he tries not to smile. Son of a bitch. He knows my anxiety is about him. I feel like a silly teenager and the worst part is that I can't help it. To think that this handsome man is… mine. Stupid hormones.

After a few minutes, I shake my head and finally return to the conversation, which has become somewhat more tense. Mayfeld seems to argue and claim something about a past mission and Hess only apologizes for the flaws in that.

From one moment to the next, Mayfeld shoots Hess with his blaster. I turn to him and he seems surprised too, but it doesn't take long for those in the dining room to try something. I pull my blaster out of my stolen uniform and fire in self-defense.

The three of us were silent for a few minutes. Mayfeld has the helmet on Din.

“You did what you had to. We never saw your face ” he says looking at the wall. I follow suit until Mando hides his face again.

"Sorry" I whisper loud enough for him to hear me.

"Security in the common area" say some soldiers approaching. We shoot at them while looking for another way out.

Mayfeld climbs on the fence behind us, under the vents.

"Over here" He tells us.

Din follows him. I keep shooting until I see an opportunity to turn. Din extends his arm to me and helps me up. Both men manage to kick a vent. We leave the building to walk on the ledge until we reach a staircase that leads to the roof.

Thanks to Fennec and Cara who helped us by observing everything from a distance, we were able to return to Boba's ship safely.

"We should talk about what happened," says Din, sitting next to me. It feels better to see him in beskar armor again.

After Mayfeld destroyed mine and we set him free, the ship ride has a new direction. Fennec and Cara help Boba, although maybe they just want to leave us alone.

‘You must tell him. You're lucky I couldn't do anything to prevent you from going in the truck without suspicion.'

Cara's words echo in my head. But I ignore them, this is not the time. Din must focus on getting the baby back.

“We don't have to. Mayfeld said so. We never saw your face "

"Cyar’ika" takes my hand. "I don't regret doing it" I raise my head looking at his visor.

“It was necessary, I know. Everything is for the child, I understand it ” I grimace. “I know how much your creed means. I don't want you to feel bad about something that wasn't your fault. you had no choice "

"Listen to me" his hands go to my cheeks. “I could make any excuse for what happened, but I don't care that you saw my face. I could tell that you tried to look away and you don't know how much that meant to me ” he sighs.

"It was inevitable" I blush

He laughs. “You and the child are the most important thing and I would do anything to protect you. Regardless of my belief "

He leaves my face and now his hands travel to his helmet.

"Wow, wait, Din-"

"I want to do it"

He slowly takes it off and again I’m surprised to find his brown eyes. I settle in to see him. I touch his cheek and he closes his eyes, bowing to my touch.

“You’re part of my clan, my family. No more secrets, Cyar’ika "

"How could I be so lucky to have found you?"

“The lucky one is me. You never knew what my face was like and still you stayed by my side "

“It wasn't easy” I joke “But I know when a man is worth it. I don't regret staying by your side. And now less when seeing how incredibly hot you are, Brown Eyes "we both laughed

I move closer and press his forehead against mine, closing my eyes.

"I could see how you were blushing, Cyar’ika."

"Don't get too cocky"

‘He wants the permission of both’

'All right, pal. It’s time to go. Don’t be afraid ’

‘I love you too, my Little bean. We will see each other again, I promise. '

‘May de force be with you’

I stand in front of the door. After the emotional goodbyes, Din wanted to be alone for a few minutes. That happened two hours ago. I know my time is running out. This may not improve the situation, but I can't keep putting it off.

I push the button and the door opens. I enter the room and it closes again.

Din is sitting in his cot, his back to me, without his helmet.

“I know you don't want to talk and I don't know what to tell you that can help” I sigh “But you must know something. I have to tell you, Din "

I sit on the shore.

"It's not a good time"

"I can't keep waiting for that moment" he sighs and turns.

I lick my lips and fidget. He notices my movements, frowns.

"Are you okay? You're hurt?"

"No, I, uh. I'm good"

"What do you want to talk about?"

“Something happened when I was in Nevarro with Cara. Well, it happened a lot before, but I found out when I was there "He comes over and takes my hand" I know it's not the best scenario to tell you, but maybe I can take away your pain about the child- "

"Grogu"

"What?"

"His real name is Grogu" I smile nodding.

“Grogu will always be important to both of us, I am not trying to replace him in any way, it was never my intention. Although” I grimace “ I don't think I thought about this until it happened, but ”

"Cyar’ika"

"Yeah, right. I- uh. Din, I'm pregnant "

You never know what your partner's reaction to this news would be like and I, without a doubt never imagined being able to see this.

"We're going to have a baby?" He whispers. "Yours and mine?"

"Yes" I answer, unsure.

He shakes his head and frowns.

“But, you were in danger, the truck, with Gideon. Is the baby okay? Are you both? " he says quickly making me laugh.

"We are fine, Din"

"But-"

I take his face.

"We are both fine" that seems to reassure him. He's silent for a few seconds.

"Are you sure?" I nod. Little by little he assimilates the news again, now he smiles. He lets out a little laugh. "A clan of four"

My eyes water, I laugh too.

"A family"

"Allit"

We get closer at the same time. My lips collide with his in a tender kiss. Tears run down my cheeks. Din grabs me by the waist to get me closer to him, causing me to end up in his lap.

"Aliit ori'shya tal'din" he whispers near my lips. Family is more than a bloodline. "I love you, Cyar’ika"

"I love you too"

#The Mandalorian #Episode 15 #Star Wars #The mandalorian season 2 #Baby Yoda #Grogu #Din Djarin #Din Djarin x reader #twoidiots writing

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azoresangel · 3 years

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The Mandalorian Season 2 Chapter 15 : The Believer

Major Spoilers Ahead

You have been warned!

Where to even begin with this episode!?!?

Not only the talk that Mayfield had with Din about the whole wearing the helmet thing but then him taking it off?!?!?!

I both love and hate how he kept having to take it a step farther each time something came up. From deciding he will go with Mayfield, to taking off his armor in secret, to deciding to take off his helmet completely. It could be argued that when he was standing in front of the control panel he wasn’t showing his face to anyone. No one was looking at him, no one cared. It was the moment that Valin Hess came over he lost all of whatever hope he had of putting his helmet back on without anyone ‘seeing’ him.

This almost 100% the first time that Din has seen anybody's face without the helmet since he was a child. The man is probably overwhelmed by all of the bright colors and lights from the second he takes it off! Not to mention without all of the tech that is no doubt running around the visor of the helmet, though we have only seen Boba’s helmet screen so it’s unclear if that’s how Din sees the world. But if it is, no doubt its an even bigger sensory overload.

Secondly it is incredible how much emotion he hides behind his helmet. His body language is stiff, always. He hides his emotions with that helmet but the second it comes off he is that scared little boy from his past. He’s so nervous he cant even come up with any good excuses for anything. Even going along with Mayfield seems to be hard he’s so overstimulated!

This man went from having to make the hardest decision of his life to talking and acting like everything is just fine, when he is having an existential crisis in the middle of the mess hall!

One thing I did notice was that even though his facial expressions go mainly unchecked, (Obviously because he’s never had to hide them before) his movements are still very subtle. His head shake to Mayfield was a big one, BUT the one that stood out the most was when Mayfield shot the Imp. Normal people jump and start expressing with wild movements or words. Din turned his head very stiffly and very carefully with no big expression on his face. I could literally see the helmet still on his head as he did it. Even when he turned to look at the trooper behind him, he used his whole body to turn around instead of just looking over his shoulder.

THEN!! When he puts the helmet back on his attitude instantly changes! It goes from timid to back in charge! One could argue he was just trying to survive but when Mayfield was shooting up the place it still felt like Din was smaller than normal, still trying to hide away as he defended himself instead of just standing out right in the middle of the room like he usually does.

Oh I just love Pedro Pascal! He kept so true to the inner workings of Din that it was so beautiful to watch! I’m so glad that they put this in!

On a last side note I do have a very big understanding for the struggle of Din and his faith. I have known people who cover and while I do not, I have had my own struggles with the rights and wrongs of my faith. The idea of having to go against what you have been taught to believe is hard. It tears you up inside to think that maybe you’ve done something wrong, and even though it is an extreme with Din that he wont be able to put his helmet back on according to the creed, I get it it. It made my heart ache for him that he was forced to make the decision so rapidly and without allowing him to do it on his own time. I do believe that if this hadn’t happened he would have taken it off eventually, but it would have been on his terms and probably only with Grogu.

Blessed to the creators of the show for making this so realistic of a struggle!

And blessed to everyone who read my whole rant!

#the mandolorian spoilers #the mandolarian #the mandalorian season 2 #din djarin

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perfectirishgifts · 3 years

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‘The Mandalorian’ Season 2, Episode 7 Review: ‘The Believer’

New Post has been published on https://perfectirishgifts.com/the-mandalorian-season-2-episode-7-review-the-believer/

‘The Mandalorian’ Season 2, Episode 7 Review: ‘The Believer’

‘The Mandalorian’

“Then I saw her face, now I’m a believer.” ~ The Monkees

Friday’s episode of The Mandalorian is, unfortunately, the second-to-last of the season. It sets up the finale with a nice touch: Mando delivering Moff Gideon’s speech from last season’s penultimate episode to Mando and his companions, but in reverse.

“You have no idea how much he means to me,” Mando tells the Imperial bigwig, echoing exactly the former’s sentiments last season. Only now it’s Mando coming after Gideon rather than the other way around.

This was a pretty fun episode of Disney Plus’s Star Wars live-action adventure, but we certainly felt the absence of one character rather painfully: Grogu aka The Child aka Baby Yoda was taken by Moff Gideon’s Dark Troopers. That meant we spent the entirety of ‘The Believer’ without a single cute or adorable moment.

We did get quite a lot of Mayfeld, with stand-up comic Bill Burr reprising his role as Imperial sharpshooter turned freelance criminal from last season. This time, Mando and Cara Dune break him out of his prison camp and bring him along to try and get the coordinates to Moff Gideon’s ship. To do this, they need to make their way to a hidden Imperial mining facility on the planet Morak.

Once there, they need to infiltrate the base so that Mayfeld can download Gideon’s coordinates. And to do that they need to hijack a transport truck carrying highly explosive materials and drive it into the facility, after which Boba Fett can fly down in his Slave 1 ship and swoop them back up. Mando has to go with Mayfeld since everybody else would be immediately registered by scanners as an imposter.

This means a change of armor for Mando. There’s no way he’ll make it into the base as a Mandalorian, at least not quietly—not that things stay quiet long once inside.

Shydopp Pirates

So they hijack the truck, take the drivers’ armor, and head out. Not long into the drive they’re attacked by alien—Shydopp—pirates whose piracy seems less about stealing stuff and more about blowing these transport trucks sky high. I’m not sure what the motivation is here. Just to cause mischief for the Imperials? Surely there’s nothing left to salvage after things go boom.

Thus follows a big action sequence. It’s kind of a fun one, too, because it shows off Mando’s fighting skills minus his armor and usual arsenal. The transport trooper’s armor breaks when struck. The blaster misfires and ends up being more useful as a lobbed object than a gun. Mando is fighting against a lot of pirates and it’s definitely not his easiest fight, especially since the goal of said pirates isn’t capturing the transport, but rather blowing it to smithereens.

Mando holds his own as Mayfeld does his best to guide the transport without blowing it up. Drive too fast? Boom. Go over too many bumps? Boom. Drive too slow and let the hordes of pirates catch you? Boom. They’re badly outnumbered, and no matter how many of the attackers is smashed, blown up or otherwise defeated, more just keep coming.

All seems lost until the Tie-Fighters arrive to save the day. It’s a pretty great moment. Tie-Fighters come diving in from the sky, shooting awfully close to the transport for comfort, but making short work of the pirates. The remaining attackers are taken down by a troop of Stormtroopers and other Imperial troops.

Unlikely bedfellows.

The transport truck crosses the bridge and into the facility as lines of Imperial troops clap and salute. Mando and Mayfeld are hailed as heroes as they disembark, in a scene straight out of so many Star Wars movies when the rebels return after a stirring victory over the Empire to cheering and camaraderie. It’s a nice little glimpse at the other side’s humanity, however brief.

Now it’s time to get to the terminal so that Mayfeld can download the coordinates. Only they hit a snag. An Imp officer inside the mess hall is one of his old commanding officer’s, and he’s worried he could be recognized (having removed his helmet long ago because he “can’t see a damn thing” in it).

Before we go further, we should note that Mayfeld really presses as many of Mando’s buttons as possible prior to all this. He tells him that they’re really all the same. When push comes to shove, people are willing to lay down their noblest values, cross whatever arbitrary moral lines they’ve drawn in the sand, in order to get out of trouble or get what they want. “Everybody’s got their lines they don’t cross until things get messy.”

We see this play out when Mando takes over for Mayfeld. In order to access the terminal, a facial scan is required. He tries to access it with his helmet still on, but it doesn’t work and a warning message tells him that the terminal will shut down if a facial scan isn’t achieved. So he pulls off his helmet.

This is the first time we’ve seen Pedro Pascal’s face in The Mandalorian since the Season 1 finale, when IG-11 removes his helmet in order to save him (and begins the process of changing Mando’s mind about droids). It’s also the first time that Mando has removed his own helmet.

He starts downloading the data. But between Mayfeld’s sudden exit from the mess hall, and Mando’s awkward entrance, they’ve drawn the notice of the Imperial officer, Valin Hess (Richard Brake—aka The Night King from Game Of Thrones).

He calls out, “Hey trooper!” When Mando doesn’t respond, he calls out again, and then approaches. He wants to know Mando’s designation, but Mando doesn’t know the answer. He wants his ID number. Mando stammers.

Then Mayfeld pops up. He has all the answers. He was Imperial before, after all. He says that Mando’s hard-0f-hearing after an accident. The Imperial officer speaks very loudly and asks what his name is. “We call him Brown Eyes,” Mayfeld says with a smirk.

The officer is skeptical, but he soon warms to the pair. He asks if they’re the ones who brought in the transport truck. It was the only one that survived. He’ll buy them both a drink. Mayfeld demurs—they need to go fill out TPS reports (hello Office Space)—but Hess insists.

What follows is a super awkward conversation in which we see just how jaded Mayfeld actually is with the Empire. Hess asks what they should toast to. Where is “Brown Eyes” from? Again, a deeply uncomfortable helmet-less Mando, fumbles for a proper response. Again, Mayfeld steps in to save the day. He wants to toast to “Operation Cinder.”

He served under the officer in an old Imperial operation called “Operation Cinder” in which Hess sacrificed the lives of countless thousands of soldiers and civilians. He suggests toasting that. “It was a glorious day for the Empire,” Hess sneers. Was it a glorious day for all the people who died? Mayfeld counters.

(Note: Operation Cinder was Emperor Palpatine’s contingency plan that was carried out after his defeat in the Battle of Endor. Empire loyalists placed Satellite Arrays around various Imperial worlds designed to essentially destroy the Empire after Palpatine’s death. It seems the Emperor did not want the Empire to live on without him, but paradoxically also wanted it to be later rebuilt in the Unknown Regions. Little wonder Mayfeld felt betrayed.)

It was for the greater good, Hess drawls back. People say they want freedom, he tells them, but what they really want is order.

Recall earlier, Mayfeld tried to argue with Mando that the Empire and the New Republic are just two sides of the same coin—very much the same argument DJ made in The Last Jedi. “If you were born on Mandalore you believe one thing,” he tells Mando. “If you were born on Alderaan you believe something else.” Now they’re both gone.

This attempt at moral relativism—which, sure, has plenty of truth behind it—falls apart as Mayfeld faces his former commanding officer, and his blithe dismissal of the dead. Hess even notes that with the explosives produced at this very facility, the Empire will be able to make Operation Cinder pale by comparison.

So he shoots him, point blank, and everything goes to hell. They take out the few Imperial troops at nearby tables, but more will come.

Mayfeld tosses Mando his borrowed helmet. “I didn’t see your face,” he says, in a startling moment of compassion. Then the shooting begins in earnest.

Good thing Stormtroopers are such terrible shots or they might actually be in dire straits.

If I were to put forth one ongoing critique of this show—and perhaps of the entire Star Wars franchise—it’s that we could probably afford a little more tension in these shoot-outs. Stormtroopers simply don’t make very interesting bad guys after the tenth or fiftieth confrontation.

What made the Dark Troopers from last week’s episode so interesting is just how menacing they were. One could see Mando actually hard-pressed in a fight with these guys. In a fight with a whole battalion of Stormtroopers it never feels particularly exciting. It’s one reason why, in last season’s finale, I found IG-11’s sacrifice a little . . . unnecessary. Given all the baddies he’d taken out earlier in the same episode, the squadron he blew up when he self-destructed didn’t seem that threatening, though mostly that’s because they were all useless Stormtroopers.

I get it. They’re just mooks. They’re not supposed to be too tough to take down. Maybe we just need more daunting enemies for our high level heroes.

In any case, Cara Dune and Fennec are positioned as snipers. Boba Fett is flying Slave 1 in for extraction. The Stormtroopers don’t stand a chance.

Boba Fett flies in and off they go. As they rise up above the facility, Mayfeld asks Mando for his rifle. He lines up a shot, aiming directly for one of the explosive-laden transport trucks.

BOOM.

The boom to end all booms.

“Nice shot,” Cara Dune remarks.

The plan all along was for Mayfeld to help them out and then go back to prison with “a nicer view.” But his newfound compassion and obvious anti-Imperial sentiment changes her mind. She and Mando agree to report Mayfeld as DOA and let him go. He’s a little incredulous, but grateful in the end. Where he’ll end up is anybody’s guess.

Moff Gideon

The episode closes with Mando’s holographic message to Moff Gideon, echoing almost word-for-word Gideon’s own speech to Mando, Dune and Carga last season.

“Soon,” Mando says of Grogu, “he will be back with me.”

Moff Gideon seems more than a little unnerved.

The facial scan thing was weird. I get that this was one way to get Mando’s helmet off and show Pascal’s handsome, mustachioed face. But would the scanner work with Mando’s face? Is Imperial security this terrible? It doesn’t really make sense, even if it led to a great scene.

Bill Burr, throughout all of this, is very much Bill Burr. I very much enjoy Burr’s comedy, but it is a little odd that he’s so much more like Burr in this episode than he was in “The Prisoner” last season, where he was more hostile and antagonistic and less the wise-cracker.

Is Mando’s jetpack gone? I didn’t see him wearing it. I think him not picking it up last week was something of a convoluted plot device (or plot hole, really). He could have gone after the Dark Troopers had he merely picked it back up and put it on. Instead, he ran off and ultimately let them get away with Grogu. I’d rather he flew after them and got smacked down. Its absence this week is confusing, though perhaps it’s just a coincidence and he had it on the ship. Surely it wasn’t also destroyed as that was never shown.

Director Rick Famuyiwa was behind the camera on two of the first season’s episodes, including “The Prisoner” which introduced Mayfeld. That episode, much like this one, paired Mando with shadier, underworld characters. This time around that relationship was much less adversarial—and Mayfeld much less unlikable without his group of scum and villainy.

I’m told this episode paid homage to Henri-Georges Clouzot’s 1953 French Western The Wages of Fear, in which four men must transport nitroglycerine to an oil field, facing a series of obstacles along their path. I haven’t seen this, but I’ll add it to the list. So many Mandalorian episodes include homages to classic Westerns, maybe a list of all these old films would be helpful. I’ll add it to my list of Things To Write.

If I’m not mistaken, this was the first and only episode of The Mandalorian that didn’t have Baby Yoda in it. Even the series premiere had that one brief moment at the end when Mando first finds The Child.

Verdict

All told, this was a fun episode with a lot of exciting action but it definitely wasn’t in the top half of the season for me. Burr’s comedic relief only works half the time (and I’m a big fan of his comedy). Baby Yoda’s absence was strongly, painfully felt, showing just how much The Mandalorian really does rely on the Mando/Grogu duo (though this is less a complain than an observation; I enjoy the idea of Mando having to rescue his baby from Moff Gideon).

The new planet was very cool, and I love how each episode really digs into a new world or setting and gives us a lot of time in that world. This is a problem with the new movies—even Rogue One. Unlike the OG trilogy, we move between locations so quickly we never really get to inhabit or explore any one of them very much. The Mandalorian let’s us do exactly that every week.

I do hope we can get some tougher bad guys for our high level heroes to take on as this show evolves. Stormtroopers are just too humdrum to keep throwing at Mando and Friends.

Oh, and finallhy getting to see the inside of Slave 1, Boba Fett’s ship, was pretty cool.

What did you think of “The Believer?” Let me know on on Twitter or Facebook.

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