Chapter 16: The Rescue

A high-stakes rescue mission is undertaken by the Mandalorian and his assembled team.

While being pursued by Slave I, a Lambda-class shuttle attempts to outmaneuver heavy laser weaponry in the vastness of space. Doctor Penn Pershing, aboard the shuttle, questions the pilots regarding the unfolding events and the identity of their pursuer. However, the shuttle co-pilot curtly silences him, asserting that the current situation is not a laboratory setting. Aboard Slave I, Boba Fett locks onto the shuttle's engines and unleashes an ion cannon blast, effectively crippling its avionics and communications systems. Fett issues an order for the shuttle to deactivate its shields and transponders, and to prepare for boarding. Pershing suggests resisting the pirates, but the co-pilot firmly declines, expressing no desire for a suicidal confrontation.

Slave I completes its docking maneuver with the shuttle, and the Mandalorian Din Djarin makes his entrance into the cockpit. The co-pilot rises to his feet, cautioning Djarin that the passenger is Dr. Pershing, before he makes a mistake. Djarin acknowledges their prior acquaintance, then turns his attention to Pershing, inquiring about Grogu's well-being. Pershing confirms that Grogu is alive and currently held aboard Gideon's light cruiser. Suddenly, the co-pilot seizes Pershing, pressing a blaster against his head. Cara Dune enters the cockpit, her blaster also drawn. The pilot attempts to negotiate his freedom, asserting his lack of affiliation with the co-pilot and proposing a potential arrangement.

The co-pilot promptly executes the pilot with a blaster shot, then proceeds to inform Dune and Djarin that Pershing is a high-priority target for the New Republic, identified as a clone engineer. He warns that if Pershing dies because of them, Dune will regret ever leaving Alderaan. He identifies her by her tear tattoo, and then taunts her by claiming to have witnessed the destruction of her planet from aboard the Death Star. Dune responds with sarcasm, asking him which one he was on, and he angrily tells her that millions died on those bases, and that the destruction of Alderaan was "a small price to pay to rid the galaxy of terrorism." Having reached her limit, Dune shoots the co-pilot in the face, narrowly missing Pershing, who screams and clutches his ear, part of which has been singed off by the shot. Djarin watches as Dune turns and walks out.

Slave I touches down on a planet dotted with large refineries, settling among several parked starships, one of which is a Gauntlet fighter. A tense silence descends upon a nearby diner as Djarin and Boba Fett enter, making their way to Bo-Katan Kryze and Koska Reeves. Djarin requests their assistance, to which Kryze responds by stating that not all Mandalorians are bounty hunters, and that some serve a greater cause. Djarin reveals that Moff Gideon has captured the Child, but Kryze expresses doubt in their ability to locate him. Fett dismisses the need for their help, suggesting they leave. Kryze challenges Fett's Mandalorian status, prompting his response that he never claimed to be one. Fett and Reeves begin to argue, but Kryze tells them to "save it for the Imps."

Djarin informs them of Gideon's coordinates and the presence of a light cruiser that could aid her in reclaiming Mandalore. Fett scoffs, reminding them that the Empire had reduced Mandalore to glass, and Bo-Katan retorts that he is a disgrace to the armor. Fett says the armor belonged to his father, but Kryze mocks him, saying "Don't you mean your donor?" She identifies him as a clone, stating that she has heard his voice thousands of times before. Fett threatens that it may be the last voice she hears, and Reeves leaps up, swinging at him, and the pair fight before Bo-Katan orders them to stop. She agrees to assist in taking Gideon's ship and the Darksaber, which she intends to use to retake Mandalore, and asks Djarin to reconsider joining their efforts.

Aboard Slave I, Bo-Katan briefs the team on Gideon's cruiser, noting that while such a ship would have carried hundreds of troopers at the height of the Empire, it now holds only a fraction of that number. Pershing adds that Gideon also has a platoon of dark troopers aboard his vessel. Djarin initially believes them to be human, but Pershing clarifies that they are a third-generation all-droid model. He indicates the location of the dark troopers in a cargo bay adjacent to the brig where Grogu is being held.

Bo-Katan outlines her plan: they will transmit a distress signal from the shuttle and execute an emergency landing into the cruiser's launch tube, preventing any potential interceptors from launching. Kryze, Reeves, and Fennec Shand will then assault the bridge, diverting Gideon's forces away from Djarin, who will proceed to the brig to rescue Grogu. As both ships jump to hyperspace, Bo-Katan asserts her claim on Gideon, but Dune insists on keeping him alive, as his ISB knowledge will be invaluable to the New Republic. Kryze expresses indifference, provided Gideon surrenders to her.

As both ships exit hyperspace near Gideon's cruiser, Slave I initiates an attack on the shuttle. Bo-Katan sends a distress call, requesting emergency docking. The comms officer acknowledges the request, instructing them to stay clear of the cruiser's launch tube while she launches a TIE fighter squadron. Two TIEs launch from the cruiser, but the shuttle continues towards the bay, claiming they are under attack and must dock immediately. The hangar control officer aborts the launch procedure as the incoming shuttle enters the launch tube and crashes in the bay. Fett destroys the two TIEs pursuing him and jumps into hyperspace.

On the bridge, Gideon listens to the screams of the troopers and officers on the docking bay as they are shot down by the attackers, and orders the dark troopers to be powered up. With the bay clear, Djarin exits the shuttle and makes his way towards the brig, avoiding stormtroopers along the way. Dune, Shand, Kryze, and Reeves fight their way through a cargo bay, but Dune's gun jams, forcing her to use it as a club. They enter a turbolift to the bridge.

As Djarin reaches the dark troopers' cargo bay, the door opens as the droids complete their power-up sequence. He dashes forward, using Pershing's code cylinder to close the door, but one of the droids holds the door open and manages to get through. Djarin tries fighting the droid despite its superior strength and size, but his flamethrower has no effect, and his whistling birds do nothing more than stagger the droid. Eventually, he is able to destroy it with his beskar spear and depressurizes the cargo bay, sending the troopers out into space.

In the turbolift, Dune fixes her gun and she and the others enter the bridge, mowing down all the stormtroopers here. Bo-Katan realizes Gideon is not there.

Djarin reaches the cell, dispatching the two troopers guarding it with his staff. He enters to find Grogu in shackles and Gideon holding the Darksaber over him. Gideon orders him to drop his blaster, and tells him the Darksaber gives whoever holds it the right to the Mandalorian throne. Djarin says he can keep the sword, as he just wants Grogu. Gideon agrees, saying he has gotten all he wanted from him, to study his blood which has the potential to bring order back to the galaxy. As Djarin reaches for Grogu, Gideon activates the Darksaber and attacks him, and the two duel in the corridor. Djarin eventually subdues Gideon and keeps him alive per Dune's request.

Djarin enters the bridge, holding the Darksaber and Grogu, and pushing Gideon who is now in shackles. Bo-Katan turns and looks at him in surprise, asking what happened. Dune says that he has brought Gideon in alive, and that the New Republic will have to double the payment. Gideon laughs and says that was not what she meant: Bo-Katan wants the Darksaber, but it can only be taken by defeating the wielder in battle. As Djarin defeated Gideon, the Darksaber now belongs to him, and he can neither give her the Darksaber or yield to her, as the power of the Darksaber lies not in the weapon itself, but the story around it.

An alarm sounds, and Shand reports that the ship's ray shields have been breached by the dark troopers. Gideon then questions Djarin's ability to fight the platoon, since he had trouble with one droid. As the droids march towards the bridge, Gideon covers a dropped blaster with his cape. Djarin and his allies prepare to fight, as the dark troopers begin to pound through the blast doors.

Another alarm sounds, and a lone X-wing fighter flies past the cruiser. As the ship lands in the docking bay, Bo-Katan asks them to identify themselves, but Grogu looks up, sensing something. At the same time, the droids stop attacking, much to everyone's confusion. The group then watches the monitor as a hooded figure disembarks and walks through the ship, destroying the dark troopers with a green bladed lightsaber. Gideon is only able to see part of the monitor, but realizes that he has lost his only advantage. He takes his blaster and fires at Bo-Katan, knocking her to the ground. He then tries to shoot Grogu, but Djarin jumps in the way to take the shots. As Dune, Shand and Reeves order him to drop the blaster, Gideon stands up and points the blaster towards his chin in an attempt to kill himself, but Dune knocks the blaster out of his hand and then smacks him with the butt of her rifle, knocking him unconscious.

Grogu reaches for the monitor, watching as the Jedi destroys the last of the dark troopers. Djarin tells them to open the blast doors, but Shand thinks he is crazy so he does it himself. The Jedi enters, and pulls back his hood to reveal he is Luke Skywalker. Djarin asks if he is a Jedi, which Skywalker confirms. He then holds out his hand to Grogu, who hesitates and turns to Djarin. Djarin says Grogu does not want to go with him, but Skywalker says he just wants Djarin's permission. Skywalker pledges to give his life to protect Grogu, telling the group that despite Grogu's powers, he has yet to master them, and until he does, he will always be in danger.

Djarin picks up Grogu, telling him to go with Luke and that they will meet again. Grogu reaches for his helmet, which Djarin removes, showing his face to his young charge for the first time. He tells Grogu not to be afraid and places him on the ground. Luke Skywalker's astromech droid, R2-D2 enters, and Grogu walks towards the droid. Skywalker nods and picks him up, then turns and walks away, as Djarin watches them go with tears in his eyes.

At Jabba's Palace on Tatooine, Jabba's former majordomo Bib Fortuna speaks to his henchmen in Huttese, when shouting and blaster fire is heard in the halls above. Shand enters, killing two Gamorrean guards, firing at the other fleeing gangsters and freeing a Twi'lek slave girl. Boba Fett walks in behind Fennec, and Fortuna laughs, saying he thought Boba was dead and he is pleased to see him. Fett shoots Fortuna dead, and throws his body to the floor, taking the throne as Shand swigs from a bottle of spotchka and takes her place at his side.