WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Star Wars: The Mandalorian, Season 2, Episode 1, "Chapter Nine: The Marshal," available now on Disney+.
While The Mandalorian pulls viewers in with exciting action, new characters and a return to some of the places that make the Star Wars franchise so special, its emotional depth is the biggest draw. And as much as the Child is the beloved heart-stealer of the show, Din Djarin's journey remains the centerpiece. This point is evident when it becomes clear that IG-11's sacrifice to save the titular bounty hunter and his allies in Season 1 has a lasting impact in "Chapter Nine: The Marshal."
Returning to Tatooine on the chance that another Mandalorian may be hidden in the deep desert, Djarin parks the Razor Crest on familiar turf. Peli Motto, played by Amy Sedaris, hurries out to welcome him and the Child back. Her trio of daffy but reliable pit droids make a beeline to Djarin's ship, and Motto, remembering Djarin's reticence about droids, calls them away. Then, in a surprising and heartwarming moment, the Mandalorian sheepishly admits they can go about their work.
This was a quiet but vitally important moment for the show. The first season made no secret of Mando's loathing for droids, making it an integral part of his character as the show built towards the reveal of why he hated them so much. As a small child, watching what had been everything and everyone in his life snuffed out by a Separatist droid attack left a permanent scar. Djarin's grudging acceptance of IG-11's help as protector and caretaker of the Child in the season finale was a major step forward for him, and it would have been enough for most stories to close the arc there.
However, The Mandalorian seems to want to be about changes that endure. The acceptance that Motto's cute and harmless pit droids are exactly that and the fact that Djarin can trust them to work on his ship makes IG-11's arc more than just important. It's now a permanent and indelible change that's crucial to the show's greater scope. The Mandalorian could have been what was advertised, but its creators chose to make it about more than that.
Characters are rarely throwaways in The Mandalorian, although it does what it can to keep fans off the right trail when guessing their futures. IG-11's shift from hilariously violent assassin droid to a reliable friend shouldn't have been the surprise it was, yet it worked beautifully. Taika Waititi's performance as the droid helps to seal the deal, as his career to date makes him no stranger to turning laughter into heartfelt melancholy.
IG-11's sacrifice is a crucial part of The Mandalorian's greater arc, not only as its own story but also as an emotional foundation that will continue to change how the titular bounty hunter interacts with characters in the future. That's something real, a truth that fiction is often unwilling to risk investing in despite how much it matters to human lives. The experiences of a given lifetime matter and will always matter, and it's refreshing to discover that in a Star Wars property.
With Djarin eventually having to face the mysterious Jedi culture he's been taught to fear and distrust by his second family, IG-11's lesson is the one he's going to need to fall back on. The Child he's adopted as his own will go a long way towards ensuring that Djarin will do his best, already introducing the bounty hunter to the mysterious world of the Force. But it's likely to come down to which Jedi Djarin meets first, and history so far proves out that first impressions aren't always the best ones. Fortunately, in the world of The Mandalorian, things can always change for the better.
Created by Jon Favreau, Star Wars: The Mandalorian stars Pedro Pascal, with guest stars Gina Carano, Carl Weathers and Giancarlo Esposito. Directors for the new season include Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rick Famuyiwa, Carl Weathers, Peyton Reed and Robert Rodriguez.