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

The Mandalorian chapter 15 “The Believer”

“Chapter 15: The Believer”

I’ve been a huge fan of Rick Famuyiwa’s work ever since his 2015 film Dope first appeared on my radar. Famuyiwa is unique among his Mandalorian peers because of his background in independent film. He’s had a lot of success with small budget movies and TV shows that feature fun and realistic action sequences paired with lovable characters.

We know from last season’s “The Heist” that Famuyima directs action very well, combining grounded emotions with a video game-like quality that’s a lot of fun to watch. While there’s plenty of action here, “The Believer” focuses on the human elements of the story, perhaps more than any other episode of the show. We get the most in-depth look we’ve ever had at the Empire’s philosophies, coming to understand why so many soldiers fight for the wrong side: they are committed to building a more orderly world, a cause greater than themselves. Migs Mayfield (Bill Burr) once fought for the Empire but came to loathe it when he saw where that philosophy led, revealing a depth we wouldn’t have expected based on his minor appearance last season.

Din Djarin also challenges his own belief system, removing his helmet in public because he thinks it might help him get back Grogu. He decides that his creed is not as important as the Child he is sworn to protect.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: this show does a great job with fight choreography. The fights are always meaningful, with every movement telling a story about who the fighter is, why they’re fighting, and how they adapted to survive. Din has to fight without his beskar armor for the first time in the series. While he struggles, his fighting tells us just how determined he is to rescue his son and keep his face from being seen.

We’ve also never seen Boba Fett’s do this much damage before. Him dropping the seismic charges was a callback to a prequel technology that absolutely blew my mind. Meanwhile, Fennec and Cara Dune were sniping Stormtroopers with ease. The episode had the feel of a classic American War film, another thing that’s always been an influence on Star Wars.

Pedro Pascal makes a solid case for awards consideration in this episode. His physicality and silent acting when his helmet is removed are filled with subtleties that underline how complete his performance is. I only have one question: How does Din keep that mustache so perfectly trimmed beneath his mask?