Chapter 1: The Mandalorian

A Mandalorian bounty hunter tracks a target for a well-paying client.

The episode opens with the eponymous Mandalorian bounty hunter (identified later in the series as Din Djarin) using a tracking fob on an icy planet called Pagodon. Inside a public house, a bearded human trawler and a Quarren Trawler are manhandling a blue-skinned Mythrol man, who pleads for his life in Galactic Basic Standard, offering credits in exchange for his life. His pleas are ignored; the bearded trawler wants to kill him for his valuable musk. Before the two trawlers can do any more harm, the armored and masked Mandalorian steps into the bar.

Speaking in Huttese, the bearded trawler tells Djarin that he spilled his drink. Djarin ignores him and silently walks up to the counter. The bearded trawler reiterates his threat to Djarin. The human bartender tells Djarin that he says that he spilled his drink, translating into Basic. The Mythrol tries to break free but the Quarren holds him down.

The two trawlers accost Djarin, taking a sudden interest in his beskar armor. The bartender tries to defuse the situation by serving a drink but Djarin gets into a fight with the two trawlers. He knocks the bearded man to the ground, causing the Quarren to attempt to flee through the cantina doors, but Djarin trips him with a fibercord whip. The Quarren shoots Djarin with his blaster, but the bolt hits the Mandalorian's pauldron, leaving him unscathed. Djarin fires his blaster at the door controls, causing the door panels to shut and slice the Quarren in half, killing him.

The Mythrol thanks the Mandalorian and offers to buy him a drink. However, Djarin instead shows him a hologram which confirms that the Mythrol is a wanted fugitive. The Mythrol claims this is a misunderstanding and tries to bribe his way out of the mess. Djarin is unmoved and says he can bring him in either "warm" or "cold."

Djarin leads the chained Mythrol back to his ship. On the way, they encounter a Kubaz ferryman dressed in a parka. Djarin says that he needs passage back to the ice. The Kubaz summons a landspeeder that is piloted by an astromech droid with a flute. Djarin does not want to deal with droids but the Kubaz says the speeder is brand new. Keeping his stance, Djarin insists on an organic pilot, so the droid-piloted speeder leaves and the Kubaz summons a rundown landspeeder piloted by a bearded human pilot, who asks him "where to."

Djarin and his Mythrol quarry travel with the human pilot on the landspeeder. The driver scans the horizon with his macrobinoculars, with the Mythrol explaining that he is looking for ravinaks, large predators which live under the ice. The pilot explains that it is clear right now but warns Djarin that the ravinak tend to cluster around the spaceport because they think that the entire planet is their stink pit.

The speeder pilot delivers them to the Mandalorian's starship Razor Crest, which the Mythrol describes as junk and offers to hire a better ship. Djarin forces him out of the landspeeder. The driver says that it is time to go and warns Djarin to stay off the ice. The Mythrol asks if there is going to be something to worry about. While Djarin climbs aboard the Razor Crest, the Mythrol sees the speeder being devoured by a ravinak, which is lurking beneath the ice.

The Mythrol begs Djarin to open the hatch as the creature approaches him. Djarin pulls him to safety just in the nick of time. The ravinak throws itself against the starship's hull, so Djarin quickly leads his captive into the cockpit. The Mythrol remarks that it was a lucky escape and that staying off the ice was the "understatement of the millennium." The Razor Crest tries to take off but the ravinak latches onto to its landing strut.

Djarin exits the cockpit with a rifle and climbs out the docking ramp to confront the ravinak. He stings the creature in the head, causing it to let go of the landing strut. The Razor Crest flies off into the skies as Djarin returns to the cockpit. The Mythrol mumbles "let's go, let's go" as the ship ascends into space.

During the journey, the Mythrol tells Djarin that he likes the Razor Crest because "she's a classic." He asks whether the ship is pre-Galactic Empire and tells Djarin that he is wealthy and could afford to hail a cruiser. Enduring the Mythrol, Djarin remains silent and does not interact with his prisoner. The Mythrol asks how much they are paying him and if it is true that Mandalorians do not take off their helmet. Djarin continues to remain silent.

The Mythrol claims that he has to use the vacc tube, warning that he would not want to see a Mythrol "evacuate its thorax." Djarin allows him to leave the cockpit to find the vacc tube. The Mythrol finds the vacc tube and says that it will take a while because he is molting. He takes advantage of the toilet break to find a way off the ship and enters the ship's cargo hold only to find several other bounties frozen in carbonite. He realizes that he will not be able to celebrate Life Day, and Djarin agrees, yanking the startled Mythrol into a carbon freezing chamber and freezing him.

The Razor Crest travels to Nevarro and lands at a spaceport. Din Djarin walks through the streets into a cantina, which is frequented by various humanoids and other aliens. He meets with a dark skinned man named Greef Karga, an agent for the Bounty Hunters' Guild. Karga remarks that the job was done fast and pays Djarin in Imperial credits. Djarin refuses to accept payment, noting that the Empire does not exist anymore. Karga offers to pay him in Calamari Flan but adds that he can only pay half. Djarin reluctantly accepts his payment and begins off loading his cargo of bounties frozen in carbonite.

Back at the cantina, Karga tells Djarin that he has several bail jumps and a wanted smuggler. Djarin wants to take them all but Greef warns that are other bounty hunters. Greef also explains that many hunters do not want to be paid guild rates and do not mind if things get sloppy. Djarin asks what his highest bounty is, and Karga says it is 5,000 Calamari Flan. Upon hearing this, Djarin counters that it will not cover the fuel cost. The guild agent tells Djarin that there is an "off the books" job with no chain code.

Djarin accepts this offer and travels through the backstreets of the town. He arrives at a house with a green door and is greeted by a gatekeeper droid. Djarin displays a transponder and is admitted inside the building. A GNK power droid leads him down a corridor to a room where he is greeted by four Remnant Stormtroopers in dusty armor. Djarin finds that his client is an elderly man with white hair.

The Client says that Greef Karga told him that Djarin is the best in the guild. Just then, a door swings open abruptly and Djarin reaches for his blaster. A panicked human with glasses comes out. The stormtroopers order Djarin to drop his weapons, and the bespectacled man apologizes for alarming Djarin. The Client introduces Doctor Penn Pershing, apologizing for his lack of decorum and saying that his enthusiasm outweighs his discretion. He tells Djarin to lower his blaster.

Djarin insists that the stormtroopers lower their blasters first but one of the stormtroopers says that they outnumber him. Djarin defiantly replies that he likes those odds. The Client adds that Greef warned him that Djarin is expensive and tells him to sit. They are joined by Dr. Pershing. The Client unwraps a red cloth with beskar and tells him that it is a down payment. He promises him a treasure trove of beskar if he delivers the asset. Dr. Pershing insists that it be delivered alive. The client obliges but warns that "bounty hunting can be a difficult profession." He adds that proof of termination can by provided for a lower fee. Dr. Pershing disagrees and tries to counter the Client but was overruled.

Due to the sensitive nature of the job, the Client can only offer him a tracking fob. When Djarin asks about the chain code, the Client replies that he can only provide the last four digits. He mentions that the asset is 50 years old, but that they can give the last recorded position of the data. Flattering Djarin, he tells him that a man of his skill can make short work of it. The Client says that the beskar rightfully belongs to Djarin and that it is good to restore the "natural order" after a period of chaos, ominously asking the Mandalorian if he agrees, hinting at Mandalore's past.

Djarin walks through the streets, passing a Kowakian monkey-lizard being roasted over a spit while a despondent monkey-lizard watches from inside a cage. He continues on through the marketplace down a flight of stairs into an underground hall full of Mandalorians, including helmeted children. Djarin approaches the the Armorer and presents her with the Calamari Flan and beskar bar.

The Armorer says that the beskar bar was melted down during the Great Purge of Mandalore and that it is good that it is back with the Tribe. She says that a pauldron is in order and asks if his signet has been revealed. He says that it has not been yet, and she responds that it will be ready soon. The Armorer gets to work melting the beskar while Djarin watches. While working, the armorer says that beskar alloy is generous and will sponsor many foundlings. Djarin says that he was once a foundling and experiences a flashback of his parents being gunned down in the streets. Finally, the smith presents him with a metal pauldron.

Djarin flies the Razor Crest to the desert world of Arvala-7. He flies over several mountains before landing in a valley. He follows his tracking fob and scans the horizon. Djarin aims his rifle at a blurrg but is ambushed by one of the creatures, who grabs his right arm and hurls him to the ground. Djarin attempts to fight back using his flamethrower, but it is located on his right arm and Djarin's attempt fails. Djarin then punches the blurrg, who lets go of him, for a moment, but while Djarin is stablizing himself, the blurrg chages again, biting onto Djarin's arm. The blurrg is then hit by a tranquilizer dart. A second blurrg charges and Djarin brings his arm up to attempt to protect himself from the beast, but is also hit by a tranquilizer dart and drops before doing any harm.

A mounted Ugnaught named Kuiil approaches the Mandalorian on a blurrg and Djarin thanks the blurrg rider for helping him rid of the blurrgs. Kuiill recognizes the Mandalorian as a bounty hunter and announces that he will help him. He says that he has spoken and leads him to his moisture farm. Later, he tells Djarin that many have come seeking the same asset but that they have all perished. Djarin is reluctant to accept his help but Kuiil says he can show him the way to the encampment.

When Djarin asks what Kuiill's "cut" is, the Ugnaught responds, saying that he wants half of the blurrgs that he captured. Djarin wants to give him both of the blurrgs but Kuiil insists that he will need one because he claims the way is impossible without a blurrg mount. Djarin is reluctant to ride a blurrg but Kuiil says he has spoken, indicating he will not change his mind.

Djarin struggles to ride the blurrg. The Ugnaught Kuiil suggests that he take off his helmet but the Mandalorian refuses out of reverence to the Mandalorian code. Kuiil explains that the male is in heat during mating, and he watches as Djarin tries to ride the blurrg to no avail. Growing impatient, he asks if the Ugnaught has a speeder bike or landspeeder but Kuiil reminds him that he is a Mandalorian whose ancestors rode the great mythosaurs. He convinces Djarin to give it a second try.

This time, Djarin approaches the creature gently and strokes its head. He manages to tame the creature and together, he and Kuiil ride their blurrgs over the rocky terrain, littered with crevices and gorges. Kuiil tells Djarin that the encampment lies ahead. Djarin wants to pay him but Kuiil says that Djarin will be doing him a service by ridding the areas of mercenaries and crooks. Kuiil explains that the locals want peace from these offworlders. When Djarin asks why he wants his help, Kuiill replies that he has never met a Mandalorian but has only read the stories. If what the stories say is true, Kuiil says, he believes that there will be peace.

Continuing the journey, Djarin approaches the encampment which lies in a valley. He scans the site with a telescope and spots several armed figures and an IG-series droid. The IG droid, who is called IG-11, approaches the Nikto sentries and demands that they hand over the "asset" under Paragraph 16 of the Bondsman Guild Protocol. The Nikto reach for their blasters but IG-11 guns them down. Other gunmen join the fight but are gunned down by the droid.

The remaining gunmen retreat behind a blast door. IG-11 repeats his demands. Djarin approaches IG-11 and tells him to get down. IG-11 initially shoots at him but Djarin manages to convince him that he is a fellow Guild member. IG-11 claims that the bounty is his but Djarin convinces him to split the bounty so that the two join forces to eliminate the hostiles.

Armed gunmen appear on the roofs and the duo shoot them down. An assailant attacks Djarin from behind but he shoots him down as well. Djarin locates the asset inside the building. They shoot down more mercenaries and hostiles. As reinforcements approach, IG-11 wants to activate his self-destruct mechanism due to their situation, but Djarin convinces him to instead cover him while he finds a way to unlock the blast door. The two are pinned down by enemy fire.

Some of the Nikto mercenaries bring a laser cannon. IG-11, again, wants to self-destruct, but Djarin convinces the droid that they should shoot their way out. A Nikto manning the laser cannon peppers them with fire. Djarin convinces IG-11 to draw their fire while he uses the grappling cable to grab the laser cannon. He shoots the Nikto gunner and uses the cannon to take out the remaining hostiles on the roof, eliminating the opposition. IG-11 disengages his self-destruct mechanism.

Despite his antipathy towards droids, Djarin respects IG-11's fighting skills and expresses concern for the droid's blaster damage. IG-11 says he is okay and does a diagnostic, finding that the blaster bolt missed his central chassis. Djarin and IG-11 use the laser cannon to blast down the door. Djarin shoots the last remaining sentry.

IG-11 says that his tracking fob is still active and that his sensors indicate a lifeform is present. Djarin approaches a silver pram and finds that the asset is an infant belonging to the same species as Jedi Masters Yoda and Yaddle. IG-11 points out that different species age differently when Djarin expresses confusion about its age, and the droid informs Djarin that he received specific instructions to terminate the asset. Djarin disagrees and insists on bringing "the Child" back alive. When IG-11 raises his weapon to attempt to terminate the infant, Djarin shoots and destroys the droid before taking the infant.

The script of the episode was written by Jon Favreau over the holiday break in December 2017. The episode marked Dave Filoni's live-action debut as a director, and was filmed concurrently with Chapter 3: The Sin from October 1 to October 26, 2018, as the two episodes share much of the same cast and sets. George Lucas visited the set on October 19, which coincidentally was Jon Favreau's birthday.

The episode's musical score by Ludwig Göransson was released digitally the same day as the episode itself.

The episode currently holds a 93% Fresh rating on the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes. Chaim Gartenberg of The Verge said that the episode isn't only a great start for the series, but the best proof that the Star Wars universe can lead to compelling content that isn't geared toward children or needing to feature Luke Skywalker to attract the viewer's attention. Charlie Ridgely of ComicBook.com rated the episode 4 out of 5, praising the series' darker and grittier take of the galaxy and Pedro Pascal's performance.

• The Art of Star Wars: The Mandalorian Season One
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• Star Wars: The Mandalorian: Guide to Season One
• "The Star Wars Archive" — Star Wars Insider 215
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