'The Mandalorian' Chapter 4's AT-ST Walker: Everything you need to know about the devastating Imperial war machine
'The Mandalorian' may not have much to do with the whole Sith vs Jedi narrative of the films but that doesn't mean the Disney+ show hasn't been sneaking in a lot of elements from the greater world of 'Star Wars'.
Chapter 4 'Sanctuary', for example, brought back a very iconic weapon from the Original Trilogy: the AT-ST Walker. Also known as the Scout Walker, Scout Transport, or more derisively as the Chicken Walker, the All Terrain Scout Transport was first seen in 'Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back' during the Battle of Hoth.
This lightweight two-legged walker may not be as impressive as it's larger, more widely-known cousin the AT-AT Walker, but it still packs quite a punch, as we saw in the episode.
AT-STs were usually deployed alongside AT-ATs to pick off any enemy soldiers missed by the larger, slower vehicle. Their speed and maneuverability are what make the AT-ST so deadly, along with the blaster cannons, lasers, and grenade launchers that a standard model is usually equipped with.
Behind the scenes, the AT-STs were designed by members of the Industrial Light & Magic team, who were responsible for most of the visual effects used in the movies. Except for a few cosmetic changes, the original design has more or less been preserved from the early days.
The AT-ST we saw on 'The Mandalorian' was clearly a wild version, probably a relic from the Galactic Civil War that was fixed up by bandits to provide additional firepower.
Without a full Imperial army fighting alongside it, the AT-ST isn't nearly as effective as it could be, which is probably the only reason Mando (Pedro Pascal) and Cara Dune (Gina Carano) were able to bring it down.
Despite how fast they are, the AT-STs aren't nearly as dangerous as the AT-ATs and in 'Star Wars: Episode VI - The Return of the Jedi', the Ewoks of Endor, a very primal race without complex weaponry, were able to figure out a way to bring them down using elaborate traps.
That just goes to show, you should never underestimate a tribe of angry teddy bears (or territorial krill farmers, as we learned in the episode). 'The Mandalorian' Chapter 5 will arrive on Disney+ on December 6.
