The Mandalorian season 2's "The Heiress" introduces an anticipated familiar face, among a whole host of other Star Wars Easter eggs, references and callbacks. Thus far in The Mandalorian season 2, Din Djarin has been tenaciously hunting for those who "look like him," hoping other Mandalorians might know more about the Jedi and the elusive home world of Baby Yoda. Finding no joy on Tatooine, Mando followed a second lead to Trask, but was forced to make an unexpected pit-stop in last week's episode after a close encounter with some X-Wing pilots.
"The Heiress" begins with the Razor Crest landing on Trask (barely) and Frog Lady is reunited with her Frog Man, much to Baby Yoda's disappointment. Led by rumors of a Mandalorian presence at the port, Din Djarin finally achieves his goal, but gets more than he bargained for when these new comrades make a shocking reveal about the history and culture of Mandalore. After antagonizing Moff Gideon and indulging in a little Stormtrooper target practice, Mando departs with a new destination and a hastily patched-up ship.
As usual, the latest installment of The Mandalorian season 2 drops various Easter eggs along the way. While Trask may be a new addition to Star Wars lore, the moon plays host to returning characters, reused props, and other fun nods to the franchise's history. Here are all the Star Wars Easter eggs in "The Heiress."
Millennium Falcon Cockpit Shot
The Millennium Falcon is easily the most iconic vehicle in Star Wars canon, and the movies make use of several repeated shots that have since become renowned. One is the outside-in shot, capturing the full scope of the Falcon's cockpit and its occupants. This is first used in 1977's original Star Wars movie, and later recycled with Rey and her pals in the sequel trilogy. The other famous Millennium Falcon shot is the inside-out angle, with the camera facing the glass and catching the crew members' silhouettes from behind, usually when jumping to lightspeed. "The Heiress" borrows the latter as the Razor Crest approaches Trask, with Din Djarin, Baby Yoda and Frog Lady framed against the glass screen of Mando's ship, echoing Millennium Falcon scenes from years past.
Death Star On The Razor Crest Display
The Razor Crest's landing on Trask yields a second nod to old-school Star Wars. When Din Djarin is planning his manual, unorthodox descent onto the moon, he glances at the ship's primary monitor, noting his lack of fuel. The Razor Crest's display is a Star Wars Easter egg in itself, deliberately resembling the chunky 1970s style of the original trilogy. However, the screen also shows a circular map of Trask with a hexagonal target marking Mando's entry point. The hexagon over the spherical map looks uncannily like a Death Star - a strong but subtle Star Wars Easter egg.
Mon Calamari
The Mon Calamari are one of the most famous species in the Star Wars universe, largely thanks to Admiral Ackbar of "it's a trap!" fame, although the amphibian-like race have featured widely in other canon works. The moon of Trask is apparently rife with Mon Calamari, with one looking on disapprovingly as Din Djarin crash-lands the Razor Crest, and another serving in the local cantina, while numerous others loiter in the background.
The AT-AT Crane
In one of several hilarious moments scattered throughout "The Heiress," the barely-intact Razor Crest topples into the waters of Trask's black market port, and has to be lifted out by a giant four-legged crane fixed into the bay like an oil rig. Although the top part of the machine resembles a regular, real life crane, the bottom is virtually identical to an AT-AT. Famous for pounding the mean snows of Hoth in The Empire Strikes Back, the AT-AT is closely associated with the Empire. However, The Last Jedi revealed how the galaxy's arms dealers don't sell exclusively to Imperial clients, and this explains why a private harbor would use machinery similar to the Empire.
Quarren
The Mon Calamari aren't the only alien species prevalent on the good moon of Trask - the locale is heavily populated by Quarren. Debuting in Return of the Jedi and continuing to appear throughout movies, TV shows, and beyond, the Quarren share the aquatic characteristics of the Mon Calamari and the two species live together on Mon Cala. Although it's not known how the Mon Calamari and Quarren came to be on Trask (which is in the Kol Iben system, rather than the Mon Calamari system), it's no surprise to see the two races working side-by side in The Mandalorian season 2. While some of the Quarren on Trask appear friendly enough, a group of them attempt to rob Mando of his Beskar steel armor and, even worse, kill Baby Yoda.
The Mamacore & Sarlacc Connection
Speaking of which, the moment a Quarren ferryman knocks Baby Yoda's pod into the mamacore pool might've evoked memories of Return of the Jedi. The closing chapter of the original Star Wars trilogy began with Han Solo's liberation from Jabba's palace, and during the ensuing melee, Boba Fett was knocked into the mouth of the sarlacc pit. The bounty hunter was previously revealed to have survived in the closing moments of The Mandalorian's season 2 premiere. The mouth of the mamacore, with its circular sets of spiraling teeth, is highly reminiscent of the sarlacc's famous orifice. There's a certain symmetry to Baby Yoda getting knocked into a mouth similar to the one that swallowed Boba Fett, the original "Mandalorian" of the Star Wars universe. Perhaps the sarlacc and mamacore are distant relatives.
Bo-Katan Kryze
The big headline coming out of "The Heiress" is the arrival of Bo-Katan Kryze in live-action. Appearing in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels, Bo-Katan was the last recognized leader of Mandalore and a former member of the Death Watch. Already a popular character due to her animated adventures, Katee Sackhoff was announced as playing Bo-Katan Kryze ahead of The Mandalorian's season 2 premiere, and her arrival was highly anticipated. Despite the lofty expectations, Sackhoff's authentic portrayal has received a rapturous response so far, and viewers will be hoping this isn't Bo-Katan's only live action credit. Last appearing in Star Wars Rebels, roughly a decade has passed in Bo-Katan Kryze's story since she accepted the Darksaber.
A Mandalorian Savior
The Mandalorian fans may feel a tingle of déjà vu when Bo-Katan Kryze arrives to drag Din Djarin from the mamacore pool. After swooping in and knocking out the Quarren thugs, Bo-Katan opens the pool's cage and extends her hand to the floundering Mando below. The direction and overall theme of this sequence directly parallel Din Djarin's backstory, when he was rescued by the Mandalorian Death Watch as a child. The upward camera angle and friendly Mandalorian savior connect these two vital scenes, and cement Bo-Katan as an important figure in Din Djarin's life. There's also an implied suggestion that Djarin just can't stop being rescued by Mandalorians.
The Helmet Plot Hole
The biggest plot hole from The Mandalorian season 1 was Din Djarin's refusal to remove his helmet. As made painfully clear by the Armorer, to remove the helmet under any circumstances was to betray the Way of the Mandalorian, and Djarin follows this rule religiously, even risking his life to do so. This left some Star Wars fans confused, as Bo-Katan Kryze would often remove her helmet in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and never faced scorn or backlash from her people. Naturally, Jon Favreau had a suitable explanation in the pipeline, and "The Heiress" fills this mythological gap perfectly. According to Bo-Katan, regular Mandalorians aren't required to hide their faces at all times, and can remove their helmets at will. Those who do are members of a separate extremist cult who long for the old, war-faring days of Mandalore to return.
The Watch
Stories of Mandalorian cults are far from new in Star Wars canon. The Death Watch was first formed in response to a pacifist leadership taking control of Mandalore, and the two sides engaged in civil war throughout the planet's history. The Death Watch took extreme measures attempting to revert the Mandalorians to being renowned warriors, and seized leadership on several occasions before Bo-Katan Kryze finally reclaimed her rightful position and restored a brief peace. Since Din Djarin was saved by the Death Watch, it's hardly surprising to discover he was indoctrinated into the ways of what Bo-Katan refers to as "the Watch." Interestingly, Djarin has no idea that other Mandalorians are allowed to remove their helmets, and evidently doesn't know his upbringing was unusual. This knowledge could shake the foundation of Mando's character moving forward.
Retaking Mandalore From The Empire
The Mandalorian season 1 revealed that the Empire had conquered Mandalore during an event known as the Great Purge, and a conversation between Din Djarin and Bo-Katan Kryze in "The Heiress" reveals further details about the fallout from that battle. The purge itself must have taken place sometime during or immediately before the original Star Wars trilogy, and Mando believes the planet to be near-inhabitable, explaining why the Watch live as nomads. According to Bo-Katan, however, this is more propaganda, and the retaking of Mandalore is not only possible, but sitting at the top of her to-do list.
Ahsoka Tano
When Din Djarin asks Bo-Katan Kryze whether she has any information about the Jedi, and where he might find them, Sackhoff's character reveals that she does know one of the fabled Force-users. After completing their mission, Kryze tells Mando to seek out Ahsoka Tano - the first mention of this character in The Mandalorian. Rosario Dawson was announced as playing Ahsoka in advance of The Mandalorian season 2, and her arrival now seems imminent, with Din Djarin and Baby Yoda on their way to her. Another star of Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels, Ahsoka Tano was the padawan of Anakin Skywalker, last seen searching for Ezra Bridger, another Jedi apprentice. Although Ahsoka was a member of the Jedi at one time, she left the order behind after they falsely accused her of bombing the Jedi temple.
The Gozanti-Class Cruiser
"The Heiress" brings another troublesome mission to Din Djarin before he can advance on his quest. Bo-Katan and her followers plan to seize the cargo of an Imperial ship docked on Trask - scores of weapons bought and sold thanks to Mandalorian plunder. The ship they plan on attacking belongs to Moff Gideon's fleet, and is a Gozanti-class cruiser - a ship seen previously in the Star Wars franchise. Debuting in Star Wars Rebels, the Gozanti-class has branched out into comics, novels and the Solo movie, but The Mandalorian reveals some of these ships are still in commission, despite the Empire's downfall.
Stormtrooper Aim Gag
It's no secret that the Empire's "elite" Stormtroopers aren't good shots. The soldiers infamously fail to hit anything through most of the original Star Wars trilogy, and The Mandalorian season 1 took full advantage of their reputation, mocking the trope on several occasions. The most famous example comes when Jason Sudeikis' scout trooper and his colleague are waiting with a kidnapped Baby Yoda, and fail embarrassingly to shoot an easy target from close range. The Mandalorian season 2 continues the Stormtrooper mocking, when Bo-Katan Kryze and her crew are discussing their Imperial cruiser heist. Mando asks about the amount of enemies they'll have to face, and Axe replies, "...and they couldn't hit the side of a bantha."
Imperial Design
For Star Wars fans of a certain vintage, the interior of the Imperial cruiser will feel very much like home. The black paneling with white and red square lights is ripped straight from the blueprints of an original trilogy Star Destroyer or the Death Star. Even better, the classic Imperial uniforms make a comeback, evoking images of Peter Cushing and that poor guy who was choked by Darth Vader for trying to do his job. As well as the totalitarian gray tunics, each of the Imperial officers is wearing the familiar silver attachment covered in blocky red and blue squares. Where other shows might modernize the aesthetic of 1970s source material, The Mandalorian stays faithful to the fashion of the era.
Comlink
Aside from the uniforms and ship interior, "The Heiress" also features the old comlink from A New Hope. Small, white, and dreadfully outdated, these communication devices have featured heavily throughout all eras of Star Wars, but will be remembered mostly for being used by Han Solo and Luke Skywalker while the duo were dressed as Stormtroopers on the Death Star. Given how rapidly cellphone technology changes in the real world, it's nice to see Bo-Katan sticking with a classic piece of gear.
Darksaber
The Darksaber was first glimpsed in The Mandalorian's season 1 finale when Moff Gideon emerged from the wreckage of his ship, ancient Mandalorian weapon in hand. Since the Darksaber was last seen in Bo-Katan Kryze's possession, fans wondered how Gideon might've obtained it, but the truth is now clear, and Bo-Katan is doggedly hunting the villain down to reclaim her birthright. This is the first occasion the Darksaber has been mentioned by name in The Mandalorian, and the first acknowledgement that Gideon's sword holds a special relevance for the people of Mandalore.
"Blast Them"
When Bo-Katan Kryze's team attack the Imperial cruiser, they face down wave after wave of Stormtroopers guarding each corridor. During one gunfight, a Stormtrooper can be heard uttering "blast them!" as the invaders emerge. This line is a common Star Wars trope, with fodder enemies using the same quote throughout the franchise. The first occasion comes in A New Hope, as a unit of Stormtroopers fire at Han Solo while he boards the Falcon, prompting one to growl "blast them" before missing his target spectacularly from mere yards away. In the prequel trilogy's The Phantom Menace, the Trade Federation's battle droids drop the same line when Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn emerge from their gas-filled hospitality room. It's good to see "blast them" is alive and well in the Star Wars world.
Repeating Blasters
The Mandalorian is often compared to a video game, and following that format, the Stormtroopers' guns gradually get bigger as Bo-Katan Kryze and Din Djarin advance through the Imperial ship. Finally, a pair of Stormtroopers emerge wielding what Axe calls "heavy repeating blasters." Repeaters have been featured in all corners of the Star Wars galaxy, and encompass a range of heavy assault weapons that pack more mustard than the usual handheld blaster.