Chapter 17: The Apostate

The Mandalorian begins an important journey.

On an unknown planet, the Armorer is making a blue Mandalorian helmet. She brings the helmet to a Mandalorian initiation ceremony by a riverbank. During the initiation ceremony, a youth named Ragnar swears the Creed before donning the helmet. Before they can complete the ceremony, a dinosaur turtle attacks their Mandalorian covert. The Armorer takes Ragnar to safety while Paz Vizsla leads the defense of the covert.

The creature eats a few of the Mandalorians. The Mandalorians attempt to plant grav charges on the creature but are unable to pierce through its thick hide. They attempt to pull it down with whipcords but are no match for the creature's vast size and strength. Ragnar attempts to charge at the creature's maw but Vizsla pushes him aside and fires blaster bolts at the creature. Din Djarin arrives in his N-1 Starfighter with Grogu and fires torpedoes into the creature's side, killing it.

After landing his ship, Djarin visits the Armorer in her cave and asks how he can redeem himself. The Armorer tells Djarin that he is no longer a Mandalorian since he willingly removed his helmet. Djarin reminds her that the Creed speaks about redemption. The Armorer believes that Djarin cannot be redeemed since she believes that the mines and Living Waters were destroyed during the Great Purge of Mandalore.

Djarin shows her a green Mandalorian inscription which he obtained from a Jawa, who acquired it from someone who visited Mandalore. The Armorer responds that the inscription proves that Mandalore's entire surface has been crystalized by . Djarin believes that the traveler managed to reach the mines of Mandalore. Djarin seeks to redeem himself by traveling to Mandalore and proving that the mines and Living Waters exist. The Armorer accepts his quest and says this is the way. Grogu coos and watches with interest.

While traveling through hyperspace, Grogu watches the hyperspace tunnel with interest and observes several large shapes (Purrgil) traveling alongside them. Djarin flies the N-1 starfighter to Nevarro where he is greeted by air traffic control. He tells them that he has come to visit an "old friend." Djarin walks through the streets of Nevarro City while Grogu rides in his repulsorlift cradle. Djarin notices that the streets are cleaner and safer. Droids and beings of different species roam through the streets. Kowakian monkey-lizards watch from trees.

As the two pass a statue of IG-11, Djarin reminds Grogu of his old droid friend. Djarin greets Greef Karga, who has become Nevarro's new High Magistrate. Inside his office, Karga tells Djarin that Nevarro has become an official trade spur of the Hydian Way. Karga also tells him that Nevarro has been undergoing a construction boom due to mining in the system's asteroid field. Karga offers Djarin and Grogu a parcel of land to settle in the outskirts of the city.

Djarin replies that he is not ready to settle down since his quest is not over and he has become an apostate. Karga tries to reassure Djarin he will fit in as landed aristocracy. A protocol droid informs Karga that several pirates led by the Nikto Vane have arrived in the town courtyard. Vane invites Karga for a drink but Karga tells them that the pub has now become a school run by a protocol droid teacher.

However, Vane insists on drinking at the school due to its history as a bar. Karga refuses to back down, prompting Vane to remind Karga that he paid them for murder and mayhem inside the former bar and accuses Karga of being soft. Karga challenges Vane to a gunfight. Before Vane can reach for his holster, Karga shoots the blaster out of his hand. Karga tells Vane to inform Captain Gorian Shard that Nevarro is no longer friendly to pirates. He warns Vane to leave. When Vane's fellow pirates reach for their weapons, Djarin shoots them down. Karga warns Vane to leave and the pirate flees. When Djarin questions his decision to spare Vane, Karga says that Vane will take home the message that Nevarro is a respectable place now.

While service droids remove the fallen pirates, Karga tells Djarin that he needs a new marshal. He explains that Cara Dune was recruited by New Republic Special Forces after she captured Moff Gideon, who was sent to a New Republic War Tribunal. Djarin is reluctant to become Karga's new marshal and suggests asking the New Republic to send one. Karga responds that he is unwilling to bow down to another far-off bureaucracy. Karga dreams of making Nevarro the first truly independent trade anchor in the sector. Djarin declines the offer since he has a pressing matter to attend to.

Karga asks what services he can provide. Djarin requests that he get back the late IG-11 since he needs a droid that he can trust to help him explore Mandalore. Karga responds that the statue is made out of the few parts of IG-11 that they salvaged following his self-destruction. Karga offers Djarin other droids but Djarin convinces Karga to let him try to rebuild IG-11.

In a workshop, Djarin connects IG-11's mechanical body to power and manages to revive the droid. However, Djarin manages to restore IG-11's memories to the time when he wanted to terminate Grogu. The legless IG-11 lunges at Djarin and Grogu. Djarin grabs Grogu and passes him to Karga before shooting at IG-11. A bust of Karga falls on IG-11's head. Later, Karga invites Djarin to bring the deactivated IG-11 to several Anzellan droidsmiths, whom he describes as some of the best in the galaxy.

However, the Anzellans are unable to repair IG-11's memory circuit due to its rarity. They recommend buying a new droid. Djarin offers to help the Anzellans find a new part, which they accept. Grogu hugs one of the diminutive Anzellan mechanics, promoting the Anzellan not to squeeze before Djarin took the mechanic away from Grogu. Disappointed Grogu tried again, to no avail. Djarin and Grogu prepare to leave on their N-1 starfighter to find a memory circuit for IG-11. Karga wishes them safe travels.

While traveling through the space above Nevarro, Djarin tells Grogu that there is more to being a Mandalorian than fighting. He adds that navigating is useful since one never knows where one is heading next. Djarin shows Grogu a hyperspace map and tells him he can determine his range by looking at the fuel gauge. The ship's proximity alert rings, warning Djarin about the presence of the pirates' starfighters.

Vane seeks to avenge the deaths of four of his brothers and reminds Djarin that they serve the Pirate King Gorian Shard. Djarin responds that Shard should stick to hijacking and ransoming before pulling the accelerator. Djarin leads the pirate starfighters on a chase through an asteroid field. One of the pirate ships crashes into an asteroid but the others continue their chase. Djarin gains the upper hand and runs circles around his pursuers, shooting several starfighters down. One of the pirate ships crashes into a mining platform on an asteroid.

Despite these losses, Vane manages to drive Djarin's starfighter towards Captain Shard's warship. Pirate gunners aim their weapons at Djarin's N-1 starfighter. Shard warns Djarin that he has guns trained on him. Djarin responds that he has no quarrel with him but Shard reminds Djarin that he has just destroyed four of his starfighters. Shard demands that Djarin surrender in return for sparing his life. Djarin tells Grogu to never trust a pirate before pushing the accelerator, causing the N-1 starfighter to shoot past the bridge of Shard's warship. Shard growls in rage.

Djarin takes Grogu to Kalevala, another planet within the Mandalore system. Djarin lands his N-1 starfighter at Kryze Castle. Upon disembarking, he and Grogu are greeted by a blue footman droid. The two walk through the castle hallway into a throne room where they are greeted by a forlorn Bo-Katan Kryze, who has abandoned her plans to retake Mandalore. Without the Darksaber, her forces melted away. Kryze mentions that her fleet have reverted to being mercenaries.

Kryze asks Djarin if he has the Darksaber. When Djarin confirms this is the case, she tells him to use it to lead the people. Djarin asks Kryze if she has given up her plan to retake Mandalore. Kryze responds that Djarin's Children of the Watch cult gave up on Mandalore before the Purge. She asks Djarin where he was during the Purge. Kryze says that the Children of the Watch and other factions divided their people. She tells Djarin to go home because there is nothing left.

Djarin tells Kryze that he intends to return to Mandalore in order to bathe in the Living Waters and be forgiven for his transgressions. Kryze thinks that Djarin is foolish and responds that there is nothing magical about the Mines of Mandalore. She says they supplied beskar ore to their ancestors and the rest is superstition. When Kryze says that Mandalore has been poisoned, plundered and polluted, Djarin reminds her that she said that curse was a lie and tells her to make up her mind. Kryze tells Djarin that the mines are located beneath the Civic Center in Sundari. Djarin vows to find out whether Mandalore has truly been poisoned. Kryze bids Djarin goodbye.

The exterior setting of Kryze Castle on the world Kalevala was filmed at Neist Point on the Isle of Skye in Scotland.