Just watched the finale again. Dude it is freaking perfect Star Wars. Now of course nothing will ever touch the magic of watching ANH and ESB cold in the theaters but this 100% fulfilled the dream of seeing the Clone Wars play out and pouring through the pages of Joe Johnston's 1980 ESB sketchbook and imagining what Boba Fett's "Mandalorian" organization must have been like in its prime. I can't believe we finally saw it.
This is absolutely what the ST (not that I suddenly hate them or anything) could have and should have been. Bo-Katan dueling with Gideon at the end could have easily been the Rey/Kylo Ren of a theatrical trilogy with Din Djarin being the Han Solo character that everyone loves more than the main hero, lol.
They stuck the landing on everything for this episode, including the emotional beats with Grogu saving Mando and Mando saving Grogu. Even the little bits of comedy delivered. And even though I'm sure he learned the move from his dad I still laughed when Grogu did that little "Koska slide" when he rushed to help Mando and Bo-Katan against Gideon, lol.
Man just a couple short weeks ago I was basically ready to walk away from all new Star Wars "content" after the Mandalorian picnic, Lizzo, and announcement of gender activist Rey movie and then they turn around and deliver some of the coolest stuff EVER. I suddenly want to collect everything from these last two episodes, lol. Gideon, all three Praetorians, I want to army build High Table Stormtroopers, all the Mandos, lol.
It's probably a pipe dream to hope for a HT figure of the black guy from Maverick but he looked badass with his crazy hair and scratched up armor. And Sasha Banks might be the coolest actor currently working in all of SW. Not only did she refuse to bend the knee to Disney's woke overlords but she came through and got to deliver some of the most badass moments on the show.
I also loved the little "family" moment there with Din, Bo-Katan, and Grogu inside his little Force bubble with the fire all around. Not a true family obviously but more of a Ripley, Newt, Hicks type family. And then at the end with Grogu going from foundling to apprentice to son. That's the type of heart that Lucas was always trying to give to the Saga and it was punctuated masterfully here. Just great stuff all around.
Jesus H he is perfect.
Someone else may have already mentioned this but I found it reminiscent of Groot's protecting his new GoTG family when The Dark Aster crash landed on Xandar.
And can I just take a moment to praise Moff Gideon's upgrade? Someone seriously went "let's merge Darth Vader, Boba Fett, and Maul into one character."
What a top-tier villain design. Ugh, I'm salivating at the inevitable Hot Toy reveal of this.
I was with you all the way until you mentioned Phasma. This is why you can't have nice things Jye!Jesus H he is perfect.
Vader, Arena Shiny Fett, Gar Saxon, Darktrooper, Deathtrooper and Phasma all combined into one bad *** design!