By George & Josh Bate
The Mandalorian and Grogu will hit theaters before we know it, making now the perfect time to look back at the six-year long journey of Din Djarin and his adorable apprentice. Check out our ranking of every single episode of The Mandalorian (+ the three episodes of The Book of Boba Fett featuring Mando and Grogu) from worst to best below….
27. Chapter 5: The Gunslinger
We should begin this list with a qualification, which is that we don’t think there’s necessarily a truly bad episode of The Mandalorian. But if there’s one episode that hits the bottom of this list, it has to be The Gunslinger. Although delightfully welcoming Star Wars fans back to live-action Tatooine for the first time in 14 years, the episode features one of the most annoying side characters in the form of Jake Cannavalle’s Toro Calican and finds a way to make arguably Star Wars’ most iconic planet look dull and uninspired. The tease of Boba Fett at the end and the debut of Ming-Na Wen’s Fennec Shand are all the sole saving graces of an otherwise forgettable entry.
25. Chapter 21: The Pirate
Chapter 21 is one of the series’ most forgettable entries. If you recall, its primary focus is on a clash between pirates, led by Gorian Shard, and the Mandalorians, who are trying to protect Nevarro on behalf of Greef Karga. There’s some decent action and the episode concludes on an intriguing note in the form of Carson Teva uncovering the wreckage of Gideon’s prison transport, but there’s little else to admire about this episode. Hey, at least we got Zeb in live-action finally.
24. Chapter 22: Guns for Hire
For many, this episode will sink to the bottom of any The Mandalorian ranking, but there’s a few redeeming qualities about the episode. While their stardom is certainly distracting, Jack Black and Lizzo featuring in a galaxy far, far away was certainly not something anyone expected. The legendary Christopher Lloyd popping up as the bad guy of the episode’s whodunnit was fun, and hearing Doc Brown utter the words “Count Dooku” put a smile on our faces.
23. Chapter 17: The Apostate
Chapter 17 feels like a catch-up episode, rather than the start to a new season. After the Mandalorians fight off a massive Dinosaur Turtle, Din Djarin and Grogu travel to Nevarro to rebuild IG-11 as Djarin aims to bathe in the waters of Mandalore and become a Mandalorian once more. This plot never sat right with us, primarily because it undermines the finale of Season 2. That ending proved so effective as it depicted Din Djarin straying from the rigid rules of The Armorer and the Children of the Watch to forge a family of his own. To see the series backtrack from this point by reevaluating Mando’s decision to remove his helmet as a mistake always felt like a misstep from the creative team.
22. Chapter 18: The Mines of Mandalore
Chapter 18 encapsulates most of the issues with the series’ meandering third season. Seeing Mandalore in live-action for the first time, while interesting, is underwhelming due to the mundanity of the green/gray visuals. The episode is salvaged, however, by an ending that sees Bo-Katan come face-to-face with an actual Mythosaur.
21. Chapter 12: The Siege
Carl Weathers engineers some of Season 2’s best action in a light, entertaining episode of the series. The standout moment comes in the form of Pershing’s hologram and the mysterious Snoke-esque clone body that, six years later, we still don’t really have an explanation for.
20. Chapter 4: Sanctuary
Cara Dune made her first appearance in Bryce Dallas Howard’s directorial debut. The episode pays homage to the classic Akira Kurosawa film Seven Samurai, which Dave Filoni previously paralleled with The Clone Wars episode “Bounty Hunters.” There’s effective tension in the episode and we get to see Grogu and Mando grow closer, but the episode is let down by stiff acting from Carano and a story that strays too greatly from the central narrative.
20. Chapter 10: The Passenger
Chapter 10 is all about Frog Lady. And rightfully so. The character who has perplexingly still not received a name all these years later is the highlight of a routine, yet thoroughly entertaining installment of The Mandalorian. Grogu committing frog egg genocide, Ralph McQuarrie’s concept art of white spiders brought to life, and the first appearance of Paul Sun-Hyung Lee as Carson Teva all make this more standalone episode stand apart (mostly) from your average Mando mission.
19. Chapter 2: The Child
The second episode of The Mandalorian plays very much like a side quest in a video game, albeit a rather entertaining one. There’s some fun to be had with Din Djarin and Kuiil trying to negotiate with Jawas, and the moment Grogu uses the Force for the first time was one of the season’s most memorable moments. The episode also sees Mando and Baby Yoda team up to defeat the Mudhorn, a creature that becomes the symbol of their clan.
18. Chapter 20: The Foundling
Carl Weathers directed a rather uneventful episode of the series that is salvaged by Grogu’s visions of Order 66. No one could have predicted that Ahmed Best’s Kelleran Beq would make an appearance and be revealed as the person who helped Grogu escape from the burning Jedi Temple. It was great to Best wield a lightsaber on screen for the first time, after playing the character in Jedi Temple Challenge, but there are some shots featuring iffy visual effects that take one of the awesomeness of the moment. Beyond that, not much happens in an episode that sees Grogu win a training match, the Armorer forge a new piece of armor for Grogu, and everyone team up to save Paz Viszla’s child from a deadly raptor.
17. Chapter 19: The Convert
Chapter 19 is one of the more unusual episodes of The Mandalorian in that it sidelines its titular character in favor of two side players we had, up until this point, spent very little time with. Lee Isaac Chung takes this narrative shift in his stride, however, in directing an episode full of intrigue and espionage. The episode affords our first look at Coruscant on the ground level during the New Republic era and we get to learn a bit more about Doctor Pershing’s cloning technology, although not enough to justify an entire episode detouring away from Mando and Grogu.
16. Chapter 6: The Prisoner
Chapter 6 saw The Mandalorian trade the Western genre for the prison break genre in a fun one-off episode. While not advancing the central narrative in any meaningful way, the episode entertains with its ragtag group of reluctant allies and all the eventual and inevitable betrayals.
15. Chapter 24: The Return
The finale of Season 3 is as action-packed as The Mandalorian gets. The siege of Moff Gideon’s base features blasters firing off, Praetorian guards in action, and Bo-Katan with the darksaber dueling Moff Gideon. While there are certainly complaints to be made about Season 3’s pivot away from the Din Djarin/Grogu bond and toward the reclaiming of Mandalore, this finale does an effective job wrapping things up, especially as it culminates in Djarin formally adopting Grogu. The end of the episode tees up The Mandalorian and Grogu in showing that Djarin is now taking up honest work with the New Republic. And it all wraps up with Djarin and Grogu making a home for themselves on Nevarro. This could easily have been the end of The Mandalorian story if the creative team wanted to conclude things for good, such is how definitive of an ending it is.
14. Chapter 3: The Sin
Deborah Chow’s first foray into a galaxy far, far away is one of the series’ most important installments. The dramatic episode shows better than ever before that a completely masked protagonist can be someone we root for, get behind, and understand. Din Djarin’s reluctant handing over of Grogu is devastating, but we all knew what was to come. The subsequent rescue of the adorable Baby Yoda was epic, especially as we got to see a group of Mandalorians in battle for the first time in live-action. The ending note of the episode was the first time that the series really began to tug on our heartstrings and showed us that Jon Favreau and company had landed on something special with the series.
13. Chapter 23: The Spies
Perhaps colored by the fact that we saw this on the big screen at Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023, Chapter 23: The Spies is certainly the high-point of an otherwise subpar Season 3. After such a meandering plot for much of the season, things finally kick into gear here. We get an ominous, revealing meeting of the Imperial Shadow Council and the live-action debut of Captain Pellaeon from Heir to the Empire. The mention of Grand Admiral Thrawn sent chills down our spines and teased a big confrontation to come. We also get a better sense of the division among the Imperial remnant and what motivates Gideon compared to the likes of Brendol Hux. Beyond the Shadow Council, the episode also features some cool action, the return of the Praetorian Guards from The Last Jedi, and Gideon decked out in Darth Vader-esque armor.
12. Chapter 11: The Heiress
After playing Bo-Katan for so long in animation, Katee Sackhoff made her long-awaited live-action debut in a galaxy far, far away in Season 2. And what an episode it was. The water planet in which it is set felt different than any world we’ve seen in the franchise to date. Bo-Katan herself was brilliantly realized in live-action, with costume design that perfectly captured the character’s look from The Clone Wars. Ludwig Göransson’s theme for Bo-Katan and her Mandalorians is arguably the most underrated piece of music the Academy Award winning musician has composed for The Mandalorian. And it all concludes with the confirmation that Ahsoka Tano, one of the franchise’s most beloved characters, would soon make her live-action debut.
11. Chapter 7: The Reckoning
RIP Kuiil. This episode should probably rank at the bottom of this list for killing off our beloved Ugnaught, but we simply couldn’t do that to an installment so tense and expertly handled. Deborah Chow follows up Chapter 3 with an episode that could effectively be a direct sequel to The Sin, such is the one-off nature of Chapters 4-6. It’s touching to see Cara Dune, Kuiil, and IG-11 all come together to support Grogu, and we get to see Giancarlo Esposito’s intimidating Moff Gideon for the first time.
10. The Book of Boba Fett – Chapter 5: Return of the Mandalorian
Certainly unusual in its inclusion in the middle of a Boba Fett show, Chapter 5: Return of the Mandalorian harkened back to the brilliance of the first episode of The Mandalorian in the best possible ways. Bryce Dallas Howard directs the hell out of an episode featuring a really cool, vertically-oriented planet, Din Djarin wielding the darksaber and facing off against bad guys in a meat locker, and our first glimpse at the destruction of Mandalore at the hands of the Empire. It can definitely be argued that this episode should not have been shoehorned into The Book of Boba Fett, but, as an isolated episode, it’s a remarkable encapsulation of what makes Din Djarin such a special character.
9. The Book of Boba Fett – Chapter 6: From the Desert Comes a Stranger
Perhaps a controversial inclusion as one of the top 10 episodes featuring Din Djarin and Grogu, but the penultimate episode of The Book of Boba Fett had to make it on this list. It can certainly be argued that this episode has too much going on and strays far too away from the show’s titular character, and yet there’s something undeniably delightful about From the Desert Comes a Stranger. Luke Skywalker is realized in live-action with far greater visual effects than he was in Chapter 16. Some shots of the Jedi look nearly indistinguishable from practical live-action. Seeing Grogu train under Luke felt surreal, as did Ahsoka speaking with Luke and saying that she is a “friend of the family.” Cad Bane made his live-action debut and faced off against everyone’s favorite marshal Cobb Vanth. Four years later and it’s still remarkable to think that so many incredible characters featured in a single episode of Star Wars television.
8. Chapter 8: Redemption
The finale of Season 1 finally gave us Mando’s real name, let Baby Yoda save the day, and featured a jaw-dropper of a final note with the live-action debut of the darksaber. In between all that, director Taika Waititi delivered an intense episode that saw our heroes put in a literal and figurative corner. Giancarlo Esposito’s Moff Gideon made for an intimidating foe, as did his range of Death Troopers. IG-11’s sacrifice had us tearing up over the fate of a droid, and Pedro Pascal was finally unmasked after seven episodes.
7. The Book of Boba Fett – Chapter 7: In the Name of Honor
The Book of Boba Fett was a mixed bag, but the finale gave Star Wars fans just about everything you’d want from a Star Wars story. Although it can be argued to the end of time whether Din Djarin and Grogu should have reunited in this show as opposed to The Mandalorian or even The Mandalorian and Grogu, the two coming together again was exceedingly heartwarming and succinctly captured why the world has fallen so deeply in love with these two. The episode also features a fair share of cool action, including Boba riding atop of a rancor. And it teases the possible return of Cobb Vanth, although it’s been four years now and still no sign of the Marshal.
6. Chapter 15: The Believer
The penultimate episode of Season 2 is arguably more tense than any installment on this list. The infiltration of the Imperial facility proved nail-biting, especially as the stakes were so high following Grogu’s capture at the end of Chapter 14. The episode features one of the best jokes in Star Wars history (“Let’s just say they may recognize my face”) and blessed our ears with the sound of the seismic charge again, but it’s with the more emotional, intimate material that Chapter 15 truly excels. Bill Burr delivers a stellar performance as a man who comes face-to-face with the same apathetic, unfeeling Empire that led to the deaths of so many of his fellow soldiers on the battlefield. Pedro Pascal, meanwhile, conveys such emotion when he takes off his helmet, capturing Din Djarin’s desperation to be reunited with his adoptive son with tremendous emotional resonance.
5. Chapter 14: The Tragedy
If this was a list of the most bad ass episodes of The Mandalorian, Chapter 14 would probably sit at the top. The episode directed by Robert Rodriguez re-introduced Boba Fett to the world in resounding fashion. Tons of hero shots, great action set-pieces, and a killer score from Ludwig Göransson make this an endlessly entertaining installment of the series. Rodriguez shows that there’s a time and place for Star Wars to be more intimate and emotional, and that this was neither the time nor the place. The director of Spy Kids and From Dusk Til Dawn pulled no punches in giving Boba Fett the return he deserved.
4. Chapter 13: The Jedi
Ahsoka Tano made her live-action debut in one of the series’ most visually striking installments. Shrouded in green hues and shadows, Dave Filoni approached Chapter 13 at the intersection of the samurai and Western genres, crafting an episode memorable for a number of reasons. Of course, this is the episode in which we learn Baby Yoda’s real name (and could finally stop calling him Baby Yoda). It’s also the episode in which Rosario Dawson played Ahsoka for the first time, a role she has now become synonymous with. The reception to her performance in this episode effectively rendered Chapter 13 a backdoor pilot for the Ahsoka series. There’s some great action and tension in the episode, namely in the form of Dawson dueling with the Beskar spear-wielding Morgan Elsbeth, played by Diana Lee Inosanto. The episode also intrigues as it converges on Ahsoka telling Din Djarin that she cannot train Grogu, but that they should journey to Tython to potentially get in touch with other Jedi. This little tease already had fans all over the world theorizing as to who may show up in The Mandalorian. Statements like “Surely it can’t be Luke Skywalker” were obviously eventually dispelled upon the brilliant Chapter 16, but the intrigue that Chapter 13 fostered was incredible in the weeks we waited for the finale. Finally, Chapter 13 is perhaps the best showcase for Dave Filoni’s ability as a live-action director. While helming several episodes in Season 1 and in Ahsoka, Chapter 13 features gorgeous shot composition and framing that made us certain a Dave Filoni-directed Star Wars movie would be a spectacle to behold.
3. Chapter 1: The Mandalorian
What an experience it was watching the premiere episode of The Mandalorian back in November 2019. Never had Star Wars unfolded in live-action on the small screen before, despite George Lucas’ best attempts to get an Underworld series off the ground nearly 20 years prior. But Chapter 1 kicked off with a gang. The episode introduces Din Djarin in the most bad ass fashion, clearly inspired by classic Westerns of the past. It’s shrouded in intrigue as we are unsure who his mysterious 50-year-old client is. We get the one and only Werner Herzog in Star Wars (a fact we still have trouble wrapping our heads around). Ludwig Göransson’s now-iconic music superbly sets the tone. And, to top it all off, the episode culminates in a literal jaw-dropper of a twist with the introduction of a Baby Yoda, something no one saw coming. The imagery that concludes the episode, with Djarin and Grogu touching fingers, has become iconic unto itself. Chapter 1: The Mandalorian should be template for all television shows, not just Star Wars ones, as to how to perfectly craft an introductory episode.
2. Chapter 9: The Marshal
The sole episode of The Mandalorian directed by Jon Favreau, by no coincidence, is one of the series’ best installments. The director of Iron Man and Elf delivered arguably the most cinematic episode of the Disney+ series, capped off by that incredible change in aspect ratio when the krayt dragon bursts through the cave and onto our screens. The episode harkens back to George Lucas’ love for Westerns and, with the exception of some blasters and the occasional alien or massive creature, would not be out of place as an episode of an old Western series from the 1950s or 1960s. Chapter 9 also introduces audiences to one of the series’ coolest characters – Timothy Olyphant’s Cobb Vanth. And it caps off with an ominous teaser for Boba Fett’s involvement in the series to come. While not ultimately integral to the overarching narrative of the series, Chapter 9: The Marshal makes the gap between Star Wars movies and television narrower than ever.
1. Chapter 16: The Rescue
The episode of The Mandalorian that shocked the world, Chapter 16: The Rescue was a stunning conclusion to a magnificent sophomore season of the Disney+ series. While the visual effects to bring Luke Skywalker may be a bit dated six years later, the return of the Jedi was otherwise perfectly executed by director Peyton Reed and colleagues. Ludwig Göransson’s score gave the entire episode such a cinematic feel, while Reed’s directing virtually confirmed Luke’s appearance but withheld showing his face until after he kicked plenty of ass. But it’s the powerful end of the episode that elevates Chapter 16 to the top of this list. The emotional moment between an unmasked Pedro Pascal and Grogu brings tears to our eyes even to this day and represents the perfect contemporary translation of the Lone Wolf and Cub tale. Pascal has arguably never been better in a scene in which his screen partner is a puppet, albeit a puppet we’ve all come to adore by this point. For all the lightsabers, space battles, and mystical Force abilities the franchise has to offer, Star Wars has always found its greatest triumphs through its emotional resonance – when it’s able to couch its space opera story in character moments and scenes that tug so strongly at the heart strings. Chapter 16: The Rescue is up there with the very best of Star Wars in this regard. Also the Boba Fett post-credits scene? Icing atop a very delicious cake.