Every episode of The Mandalorian season 2, ranked worst to best

“Chapter 10: The Passenger”

One of the reasons The Mandalorian has been so successful is because each episode is directed by someone different who brings their own unique style to the show. “The Passenger” was helmed by Ant-Man director Peyton Reed, whose gift for heartfelt action-comedy is on full display.

“The Passenger” has a unique feel that’s equal parts slapstick comedy (see Grogu consuming everything in sight) and skin-crawling horror (giant spiders). It has the makings of a classic Star Wars story: A group of downtrodden outcasts traveling through space facing nearly insurmountable odds.

This season of The Mandalorian did a lot to expand the Star Wars universe. Rewatching it, it’s clear that some of the episodes were meant to set up spinoff series announced the other week by Disney. “The Passenger” sets up Rangers of the New Republic, which is set at the same as The Mandalorian. I wouldn’t be surprised if the two pilots who grill Mando showed up in that series. At first, the episode paints them as bureaucrats to be wary of, but by the end of the episode they pull Mando’s bacon out of the fire and prove that their hearts are in the right place.

The spider creatures that Mando and friends go up against were based on designs originally made for The Empire Strikes Back. To see them brought to life here in all their creepy, crawly, gooey glory was wonderful.

Star Wars thrives on stories that take place in extreme environments, and “The Passenger” fits the bill. I only wish there had been a little more focus on the horror elements, which were strong but underutilized.