'The Mandalorian' Season 2, Episode 7 Review: What made Din Djarin give up on 'the Way' and remove his helmet?
Spoilers for 'The Mandalorian' Season 3 Episode 7 'The Believer'
Last season established Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) as a man who followed a strict code no matter what. This is the way. This season, however, has slowly been eroding the Mandalorian's faith to make way for something new and while we don't know exactly where the show is leading Din Djarin, the journey there continues to be a thrilling ride. While it's not the heist episode we were expecting, Mayfeld's (Bill Burr) return brings just as much excitement, high-stakes infiltration, and explosive action to the screen.
Comedian Bill Burr brings a little something to the screen we rarely get to see -- complete sentences. Okay, we joke, but still, in a series filled with stoic characters who let their actions speak louder than words, it's refreshing, every once in a while, to have a character who's allowed to actually just let loose and talk for a bit. On many other actors, this could easily have been boring or annoying, but Burr's natural charisma makes this episode a lot of fun, as he pokes the bear, questioning Din's belief systems. It's a much softer Mayfeld than his last appearance than we get to see -- less ruthless thief, and more of a man who's willing to bend the rules but not his morality.
As far as the plot goes, it's another relatively straightforward story - the Mandalorian springs Mayfeld from prison (legally, which is a bit disappointing), and infiltrates an Empire stronghold to get the coordinates of Moff Gideon's (Giancarlo Esposito) ship. The twist is that Din Djarin's Beskar steel isn't really built for infiltration -- and he's going to have to bend the rules when it comes to retrieving the data. This leads to him first finding a loophole in The Way by switching his Mandalorian helmet for a Stormtrooper's and then abandoning the Way entirely by removing his helmet.
It's a shock to see Din Djarin's (surprisingly well-groomed) face once again. Though we all know what Pedro Pascal looks like, seeing his face in this context is surreal given how dedicated the show has been to keeping the Mandalorian's helmet on. It's underscored by how dazed and uncomfortable Din looks with his helmet off, as if the experience of so much clean air directly on his face is actively dizzying him. This is the first time we get to see Din as a character and not just because we see his face. We've talked about how Din Djarin is a bid of a blank slate adventurer for fans to project themselves onto, but this is the first time he's making a choice that is in direct violation of his established code. We may still not know much about who Din is as a person, but one thing we know for sure. He would anything for Grogu.
Another great location leads for more amazing action scenes atop a truck filled with explosives that somehow make the appearance of Stormtroopers feel hopeful. The series' two toughest women hanging out and sniping bad guys is also a delight. There's a lot of heart in this episode, amidst the explosions, and for the first time, we're starting to get a proper look at what makes Grogu tick.
The next episode of 'The Mandalorian' airs on December 17 on Disney+.
