The Mandalorian Recap (S01E04): Sanctuary

Roberto Vernezobre

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The Mandalorian episode 4 is written by Jon Favreau and directed by Bryce Dallas Howard. Spoilers incoming for the recap!

RELATED: Read our The Mandalorian Recaps here! 

The episode begins on an unknown planet with Krill farmers going about their normal day to day business. Suddenly large booms are heard in the distance and the tribe begins to flee as the are fired upon by an unknown enemy. They hide as a large group of alien raiders loot and ransack the camp taking what they need. After the group leaves the do emerge from their hiding spot glad that they survived.

The Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) and the Child are flying in the Razor Crest. The Child flips a switch but the Mandalorian asks him to stop touching things. The Child stares at him blankly before flipping another switch on the console. The Mandalorian decides to just pick him up placing him on his own lap. The two fly into the planet Sorgen, a low population planet that might allow them a place to hide.

The Child is stopped from pressing buttons

After landing the Mandalorian tells the Child to stay put on the ship. When the ships door opens, the Child is right behind him however, and Mando begrudgingly allows him to follow. The two enter a cantina and the Mandalorian orders a cup of broth for the Child. He asks the server about a particular patron of the cantina sitting on the other side. Wondering when she arrived and what her business is. After noticing the patron has left, he attempts to follow her.

Using his thermal scanner he follows a pair of footprints around the hut before they abruptly disappear. He looks around before she attacks him suddenly. After trading blows, she shows impressive strength by punching his helmet with enough force that he is sure to feel some pain. She blocks his attempt to use his flamethrower before he takes her to the ground and they simultaneously point blasters at each other. They look over and see the Child silently watching them and slurping it’s broth.

The womans name is Cara Dune (Gina Carano) a former shock trooper trooper for the Alliance who was now a mercenary in hiding. Cara knew that Mando is in the guild but only came at him like she did because she thought he was tracking her. She tells him that he’s going to have to move on as she was on this planet first.

Gina Carano as Cara Dune

Two men approach the Mandalorian as he is outfitting his ship to leave asking him for help with some raiders who are attacking their farm. They offer him money but he tells them that it’s not enough. They begin to head back to their farm complaining about having to go back empty handed to the middle for nowhere.  Mando overhears them and asks if they have lodging. They confirm and after helping him with his ship he takes the credits and gives them to Cara, hiring her.

The Mandalorian tells her that staying with them should provide them with hiding and there shouldn’t be anything that the two of them couldn’t handle. When they arrive a large group of children approach and are interested in the Child. The Mandalorian is shown his quarters by a villager, Omera (Julia Jones) and he gets startled by her daughter. A while later she brings the guests some food and the daughter asks if she can feed the Child, Mando agrees. The two kids then go to play outside, when Mando tried to intervene Omera tells him they will be fine.

She asks about his helmet and when the last time that he took it off in front of someone else. Mando tells her that he was a child the last time that someone saw his face. His parents were killed when he was young and the Mandalorians have taken care for him since. She leaves and we see him remove his helmet to eat as he watches the children play.

The Mandalorian Removes his helmet

Later he and Cara are out scouting the area to get an idea of what they are up against. The two end up finding the tracks of an AT-ST Imperial Walker. Cara comments that fighting a walker is more than she signed up for. The Mandalorian tells the village that they can no longer live there. Cara tries to explain better saying that they had no other options, the AT-ST changing things as they wouldn’t have accepted had they known about it.

The farmers tell her that they have lived there for generations and don’t want to leave. As Cara says they only have two people, they interrupt saying that they can also fight if trained. Cara has seen one of the walkers take out entire companies of trained soldiers in minutes telling them that they can’t fight it. The Mandalorian tells him that they can show them how.

Cara says since nothing on the planet can damage the vehicles legs they are going to need to build a trap. They are going to dig a water trench to try and lure the walker to fall in and damage itself. They are going to build barricades high enough and strong enough that it can’t break through. When the villagers are asked who knows how to shoot only Omera raises her hand. They train them with blasters and handmade spears. Omera is a crack shot with a blaster rifle much to everyone’s surprise.

Mando and Cara find the raiders encampment and silently infiltrate it to search one of the tents. Mando lays down a bomb before they lure in some raiders and take them both out before another two rush in. Now with the attention of the whole camp they take cover before escaping through the back narrowly missing the explosion. Their relief is short lived however as the glowing eye of the AT-ST appear in front of them. They frantically begin to run back to the farm leading it to the trap.

The AT-ST advances

They dodge its blaster shots as they run through the trees, the farmers hear these shots back at camp and ready themselves. The two mercenaries arrive and get into the formation and they all wait as the AT-ST approaches. It appears breaking through the trees slowly advancing on the farm. Just as it’s about to step into the trap however the AT-ST stops and shines a spotlight on the farm before firing it’s blaster cannons as the raiders attack.

A full on battle takes place between the raiders and the farmers as Cara begins work on a new plan. With an idea she takes Mando’s sniper rife and he covers her advancement with his blaster pistol. Cara runs through the battlefield before jumping into the trench taking cover just below the AT-ST. She raises up and starts shooting it’s cockpit, and the vehicle moves forward in an attempt to shoot her inching closer to the trap.

The farmers and raiders continue to do battle while the AT-ST shoots at Cara who has good cover . As it searches for her she reveals herself and plants a shot right into the cockpit window staggering it. It steps forward into the trench and collapses in a heap. The Mandalorain wastes no time and pulls out a bomb while running towards the wreckage. He slips it into the window before sliding into the pond with Cara and when the raiders see this they flee. The farmers have won!

Later the Mandalorian is watching as the Child is playing with the other children of the village. Cara asks him what will happen if he removes his helmet. The Mandolorian reveals that he would never be allowed to wear it again. He also tells Cara that she might want to leave as they made a lot of noise in that battle and someone might come looking. He also reveals his intentions to leave the Child at the farm as the bounty hunting life is no life for a kid.

We then see someone with a tracker fob walking through the woods. The Mandalorain speaks to Omera and tells her it’s clear that the Child is happy there. She asks if he is and tells her that they want him to stay as well. He agrees that it would be nice and she attempts to remove his helmet. We then see a mercenary aiming a rifle at the Mandalorian. After he refuses Omera the bounty hunter takes aim at the Child and a blaster shot is heard.

The Mandalorian runs into the woods to see Cara standing over a dead body with the smoking hole of a blaster shot. The fob was tracking the Child and the Mandalorian destroys it. Because they know his location now the Child is unable to stay. Cara and Mando say their goodbyes and he and the Child head off to their next location.

Man was that a fun episode! It was very interesting to see how hard non Jedi have to work to take down even a smaller Imperial Walker in the AT-ST. Cara’s comment about “nothing on this planet” can damage its legs made me instantly think about how lightsabers carve them up with little resistance. Seeing the more human side of The Mandalorian was interesting as well, so much emotion in his voice there at the end. Great installment so let’s bring on Chapter 5!

The Mandalorian is streaming now on Disney+

Roberto Vernezobre
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