Can we keep him?
The Mandalorian Season 2 Episode 1 introduced us to Timothy Olyphant’s take on Cobb Vanth, also known as The Marshal, and boy, he was a thrilling addition to the near-perfect season premiere.
Introducing him in Boba Fett’s armor made for a wild introduction, but the biggest surprise was Boba Fett himself, appearing in the distance at the close of the episode.
The 52-minute offering was satisfying from start-to-finish, featuring stunning cinematography, a creepy villain, and a whole lot of easter eggs.
Love them or hate them, many fans love the callouts to the various different parts of the Star Wars universe, but what hit me the most while watching the episode was that it was much more enjoyable than The Rise of the Skywalker.
The plot was coherent, and the overall series appears to be bigger and better than The Mandalorian Season 1.
With such high expectations going into the premiere, I did expect to feel let down, but I was actually left watching more, and am now counting down the hours until we get The Mandalorian Season 2 Episode 2.
Give it to me now or I will peel it off your corpse.
Gor Koresh
We’ll start with Cobb because he was vibing with Din when they first met in the bar.
I appreciated the way the episode built up the tension.
Taking the first moments of the meeting at face value, it seemed like Din had come across another Mandalorian, but it was inevitable there would be something to change things somewhat.
Cobb donning the armor was a choice he made after everything was being taken from him, so of course, he was going to try to keep wearing it for as long as he could.
Mos Pelgo was in a sorry state, and coming into contact with the crystals and walking for days in the desert was the reprieve Cobb needed to help restore some order to the city.
If this thing ever divides or buds, I will gladly pay for the offspring. Peli
Peli
The Jawas have been part of the Star Wars lore for as long as I can remember, but I didn’t expect them to be the ones to save Cobb in his time of need.
They are well-known for swindling you when you least expect it, as evidenced by what they did to Din on The Mandalorian Season 1, but they actually cut a deal with Cobb.
Getting the armor was a big get and a pivotal turning point in Cobb’s life and the lives of those in Mos Pelgo.
The imminent battle between Cobb and Din being scuppered by the krayt dragon made for good TV. The tension was there, and Cobb did not want to give up the armor without a fight.
I’ve never met a real Mandalorian. Heard stories, I know you’re good at killing. And probably none too happy to see me wearing this hardware.
Cobb
The battle against the krayt dragon could have been dragged across multiple episodes, but thanks to the impressive pace of the premiere, it pulled me in and didn’t let go until the end credits.
Cobb and Din should work again because, when they weren’t bickering, they were actually good at co-ordinating a fight between warring forces.
Cobb also held up his end of the deal and gave the armor back, so there is certainly scope for them to work together down the line.
Making an alliance between the people of Mos Pelgos and the Tuskens made for some nice tension, but it seemed like a genuinely impossible mission.
We’re going to do this in front of the kid?
Cobb
Had Din not been there to mediate between the two sides, they would have probably killed each other before even getting a chance to fight the dragon.
When it comes to battling with any powerful being, loss is expected, but what I didn’t expect was the krayt dragon to start hurling acidic liquid at everyone during the battle.
That came out of the left-field, but it successfully raised the stakes, forcing Cobb and Din to rely on each other like never before to take the villain down.
The battle was reminiscent of you would get in the cinema, which only further reiterates the fact that the series is unlike any other show on TV.
It started after we got news of the Death Star blowing up. The second one, that is.
Cobb
Given that many people are unable to go to a cinema right now due to restrictions, it’s nice to have something like The Mandalorian back on the air.
“The Marshal” proved that there was no sophomore slump in sight for this Disney+ series, and also hinted at the introduction of some other big names from the Star Wars lore.
There has to be a reason why Boba Fett is watching Din, and I’m sure we’re going to get the answers strewn across The Mandalorian Season 2.
Many characters established on the freshman season took a back seat on this season premiere, so it will be nice to check in with them as the season progresses.
Cobb: I’ve lived on Tatooine my whole life- there’s no such thing as an abandoned Sarlacc pit.
Mando: There is if you eat the Sarlacc.
What did you think of the battle with the krayt dragon? Were you surprised to see Boba Fett in the flesh? What is your theory for Boba’s arrival?
What are your thoughts on Cobb? Do you see him working with Din again in the future, or was that a one-time deal?
Hit the comments below, The Mandalorian Fanatics!
The Mandalorian Season 2 airs globally on Disney+. New episodes are available to stream every Friday.
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.