Since the beginning, Jon Favreau has used The Mandalorian to hark back to classic adventure-of-the-week western shows like Gunsmoke and The Virginian. Unlike most modern TV dramas, which play like big movies cut up into episode-sized chunks, The Mandalorian often tells a story from beginning to end within a single episode. These episodes can be enjoyed on their own outside a full rewatch of the series.
From season 1’s “Chapter 3: The Sin” to season 2’s “Chapter 16: The Rescue,” there are plenty of Mandalorian episodes that contribute to the larger ongoing storylines, but the standalone installments have a lot to offer, too.
Chapter 10: The Passenger
In the second episode of The Mandalorian’s second season, “Chapter 10: The Passenger,” Mando reluctantly offers to give a ride to the unnamed Frog Lady so she’ll take him to some fellow Mandalorians. She wants to get back to her home planet with her jar of unfertilized eggs so she and her husband can have kids.
Throughout the episode, Grogu compulsively eats the Frog Lady’s eggs and Mando desperately tries to stop him. When Mando runs afoul of the New Republic and crash-lands on an ice planet, Grogu unwittingly awakens a hive of knobby white ice spiders, leading to one of the season’s most thrilling set pieces.
Chapter 2: The Child
After “Chapter 1: The Mandalorian” introduced arguably the cutest character in the whole Star Wars canon, little Grogu joined Mando’s adventures in “Chapter 2: The Child.” While Mando’s protection of Grogu would become the series’ main storyline in the following episode, “The Child” tells a standalone story about the Razor Crest.
Mando returns to his ship to find that it’s been stripped for parts by some Jawas. He cuts a deal with the Jawas to bring them a furry mudhorn egg in exchange for his own parts. The scene at the mudhorn cave culminates in the awe-inspiring moment that introduced Grogu’s immense Force sensitivity and cemented he and Din Djarin as a clan of two.
Chapter 13: The Jedi
After getting the name of Ahsoka Tano from Bo-Katan, Mando tracks her down and tries to get her to train Grogu in the ways of the Force in “Chapter 13: The Jedi.”
Since Ahsoka ends up refusing to train Grogu and sending Mando on yet another wild goose chase, this episode primarily acts as a backdoor pilot for the recently announced Ahsoka spin-off. It was written and directed by Dave Filoni, who co-created the Ahsoka character with George Lucas and is set to spearhead her new spin-off series. Though there are aspects that tie into the greater lore of the show, it can still be enjoyed on its own due to the great action.
Chapter 9: The Marshal
Series creator Jon Favreau didn’t have time in his schedule to direct any episodes of The Mandalorian’s first season, so he didn’t helm an installment of the show until the season 2 premiere “Chapter 9: The Marshal.” The episode introduces Timothy Olyphant as Cobb Vanth, who teams up with Mando to save a Tatooine village from the krayt dragon that’s been terrorizing townspeople and Sandpeople alike.
The use of a traditional “slay the dragon” narrative – one of the most common tropes in the fantasy genre – in the Star Wars universe was a delight. Vanth got an exciting introduction, and hopefully, he’ll be back in season 3.
Chapter 14: The Tragedy
When Mando takes Grogu to reach out to other Jedi in season 2’s “Chapter 14: The Tragedy,” Boba Fett shows up to demand his armor back. He ends up teaming up with Mando to fend off legions of Stormtroopers. Thanks to the work of perfectly cast Temuera Morrison and director Robert Rodriguez, Boba’s return to action in “The Tragedy” was worth the four-decade wait.
The episode ends with a shocking twist that significantly raised the stakes of the overarching narrative – Grogu being abducted by the Imperial Remnants – but for the most part, the spotlight is on Boba’s reprisal, which can be enjoyed by anyone.
Chapter 4: Sanctuary
After “Chapter 3: The Sin” paid homage to Yojimbo, “Chapter 4: Sanctuary” paid homage to a different Akira Kurosawa classic. It essentially remakes the well-worn story of Seven Samurai, but instead of seven warriors defending a helpless village from bandits, there’s just two: Mando and Cara Dune. This is the episode that first introduced fans to Cara, and her arc got off to an intriguing start.
Director Bryce Dallas Howard brought tangible emotions to Mando and Cara’s connections with the villagers – particularly the local widow that Mando falls for – without sacrificing any of the spectacle. The final battle makes an AT-ST walker scarier than ever before with ominous, red, glowing eyes.
Chapter 6: The Prisoner
After helming one great episode of The Mandalorian’s first season with “Chapter 2: The Child,” Rick Famuyiwa topped himself with “Chapter 6: The Prisoner,” in which Mando is recruited by an old friend to join a crew that’s springing an inmate from a New Republic prison ship.
This episode is an action-packed gem with plenty of suspenseful sequences and the introduction of Bill Burr’s wisecracking ex-Imperial marksman Migs Mayfeld. It also steps up the stakes with a sudden twist when the crew turns on Mando and locks him in a prison cell.