Warning: This post includes spoilers for The Mandalorian season 2 episode 2.
As ever, The Mandalorian's second episode of season 2 includes some stunning artwork over the credits. The follow-up to the incredible season 2 opener of Disney+'s flagship Star Wars was a change of pace but included the right balance of nostalgia and adventure and way more Baby Yoda.
After Boba Fett's return in the opener of second season of The Mandalorian the second episode saw Din Djarin engaged on a new mission to ferry precious cargo (an expectant mother) to her husband in exchange for information on Mandalorians. "The Passenger" strayed far more into comic waters - which shouldn't be surprising given the creative team-up of writer Jon Favreau and director Peyton Reed - leaned a lot more on Baby Yoda (while strangely forgetting that the Child has any sort of Force powers) and showed more of the post-Death Star universe make-up. Which all pales into insignificance in the face of giant knobby ice spiders, which themselves were a call-back to some original trilogy plans.
The episode might not have had the revelations of "The Marshal", but it was still good Star Wars television and the concept art offers a further look at some of the episode's biggest moments in the usual gorgeous fashion. And this week's batch even included an Easter egg callback to Han Solo's most notorious franchise moment. Here's all 1o concept art pieces featured at the end of The Mandalorian season 2, episode 2, "The Passenger."
The Knobby Ice Spider
Clearly based on Ralph McQuarrie's abandoned concept art for the knobby spiders in The Empire Strikes Back, these grim ice giants were a huge part of the episode and should probably have had a trigger warning.
X-Wings In Pursuit
The episode showed a little of the makeup of the new "post-Imperial" universe with X-Wing pilots patrolling and checking ships for Imperial hideouts. That sparked this excellent chase sequence, that gave fans more of a glimpse of what Mando's Razor Crest can do (despite being repeatedly criticized as a glorified rust bucket).
The Frog Lady Spa
The first rule of alien planets should be discouraging exploration of mysterious caves filled with eggs, no matter how cold it is. Frog Lady walked Mando and Baby Yoda into disaster.
Peli Motto Reimagines A Han Solo Moment
Seemingly, Peli Motto shot first. This call-back is great fun, particularly as it includes the scorch mark on the wall above Amy Sedaris' grifter from the infamously changed Cantina scene with Greedo.
The Mandalorian's Precious Cargo
The Frog Lady's final egg harvest was a strange thing to hang your comedy on, but it's hard to deny the impact of Baby Yoda stealing her offspring. Even if it paints the Child in a way darker light.
The Ice Planet X-Wing Pursuit
There is an unspoken rule in all aircraft pursuit movies that at least one canyon pursuit sequence must be included. The Mandalorian knows the rules.
The Ice Spider Chase
There's very much a Lord Of The Rings vibe to this piece of concept art: the tunnel and darkness and composition is very strongly reminiscent of concepts for Shelob's lair.
The Giant Ice Spider Attacks
This was not an episode for arachnophobes. This concept leans into this alien spider looking like one of Star Wars' more Lovecraftian inspired monsters.
The Razor Crest Spider Attack
The sequence showing the giant spider attacking the Razor Crest as Mando tried to take off revealed the creatures Lovecraft-inspired mouth (very much also like a mini Sarlacc mouth). Alien monsters attacking through glass also feels a lot like a sci-fi trope at this point.
The X-Wings Rescue The Mandalorian
The coolest moment of the entire episode revisited, finally, as the X-Wing pilots remain in their cockpits to blast the ice spiders to pieces and save Mando, Frog Lady and Baby Yoda. Without them, season 2 of The Mandalorian would be over before it began.