Review: The Fangs Come Out In "Cobra Kai" Season 3

SPOILERS AHEAD 

#Hashbrown #SendItToTheInternet

The last time I reviewed a season of “Cobra Kai” was May 9, 2019. Those were my thoughts of the show’s second season. For a while there, I wasn’t sure the series was going to return (despite being renewed for a third season by YouTube). 

My reviews of Season 1 and Season 2 of “Cobra Kai” sit among my top 10 blog posts of all time (out of 336 total posts since 2016). 

Fans were left waiting with bated breath as the future of the “Karate Kid” sequel/reboot series stood in the balance. YouTube had decided to shift away from cultivating Netflix-like scripted series, and parent studio Sony had to find a new “streaming dojo” to host the show. 

Thankfully, Netflix swooped in and saved the series. The long-awaited third season of “Cobra Kai” just dropped on the streaming service, and I’m ready to share my thoughts. 

Remember, “Cobra Kai Never Dies.” 

“Cobra Kai's” second season ended with a big cliffhanger. 

An in-school “karate brawl” between students from the Cobra Kai dojo and Miyagi-Do Karate left the fate of fan favorite Miguel Diaz (Xolo Maridueña) in doubt after his body hit a stair railing when he plummeted off a balcony in West Valley High School. 

(I can still hear my wife Bridget uttering “Oh my gosh...” in stunned disbelief as Miguel fell during the finale.) 

While the brawl was sparked by teen romance and angst sizzling to the surface, the revival of the Cobra Kai dojo had already turned dark when original honcho John Kreese (Martin Kove) came back in the picture.  

As the second season closes, the Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) redemption arc — and his unorthodox ability to bring confidence to a group of geeks, nerds, and outcasts — is in limbo.  

“It’s just an insane karate cult that’s brainwashing half the school,” Samantha LaRusso (Mary Mouser) told her father Daniel (Ralph Macchio) during the course of Season 2. 

Die-hard fans of the series (the OG fans who watched the series before it landed on Netflix) were left waiting an awfully long time to find out what happened to Miguel. 

I don’t think any of us thought he’d die, but we all wanted to know where he (and the rest of the cast) would go in the future. 

With all 10 episodes of Season 3 now available on Netflix, fans have answers. The first three episodes deal with the lingering aftermath. 

Because of the dark ending to Season 2, there were fewer moments of “levity” as the third season began. 

Johnny is suffering emotionally after Miguel’s fall. He’s also having an identity crisis without the structure provided by Cobra Kai. 

At the same time, Daniel is dealing with a PR nightmare for his auto dealership business in the aftermath of the fight at the high school — he’s about to lose his contract with Doyona International (the fictional fill-in for Toyota). 

Lawrence’s son Robby Keene (Tanner Buchanan) is on the run from the law after his duel in the school with Miguel. 

Tough girl Tory Nichols (Peyton List) has been expelled from West Valley after the brawl (since her actions instigated it). She is trying to obtain her GED, works two jobs to care for her ailing mother, and has left Cobra Kai behind. 

Samantha LaRusso is dealing with PTSD after her fight with Tory. 

John Kreese is still an @sshole, but they try to explain the underpinnings of his cruelty via a series of Vietnam War flashbacks. 

(By the way, the bully who terrorizes young John Kreese in the flashback scenes is played by Kove’s son, Jesse.)

Add in the fact that ex-geek Eli “Hawk” Moskowitz (Jacob Bertrand) has twisted down a darker path, and things aren’t looking too bright in the karate universe. 

I want to commend series creators Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg (and their team of writers) for capably navigating a dicey setup for the third season. 

Part of what makes “Cobra Kai” so enjoyable is the chord it strikes between cheeseball comedy (the creators are the brains behind comedic franchises like “Hot Tub Time Machine” and “Harold & Kumar”) and poignant dramatic moments. 

The writers had to untie a lot of narrative knots as the season began. As a result, the first couple of episodes didn’t quite have the charm of earlier seasons. I was a tad bit worried since the “comedy/drama balance” is what makes the series special. 

The good news is that my concerns subsided during the season’s fourth episode. I’ve had a number of friends (including my brother-in-law) who found that episode to be the season’s best. 

Titled “The Right Path,” the episode gets the season (and series) back on track. The narrative centers on Daniel traveling to Japan as he attempts to salvage his business relationship with car company Doyona.

“I’m coming home with a yes, don’t worry,” Daniel tells his wife Amanda (Courtney Henggeler) after getting rebuffed by Doyona executives early in the episode. 

In order to salve his negotiating wounds, LaRusso decides to visit Okinawa — the setting for 1986’s “The Karate Kid Part II.”

He visits Tomi Village, a place that has shed many of its old-school trappings in favor of modern amenities such as a shopping mall with western staples like Red Lobster and Forever 21. 

The entire sequence in Okinawa was enjoyable, and took me back to 1986.

I have a few fond memories from the summer when that movie was released. 

Prior to the theatrical release of “The Karate Kid Part II,” my mom purchased the novelization to read out loud to me and my dad during a two-day car trip to Texas (to visit my brother). 

I recall having a great time listening as she read aloud about Daniel LaRusso’s continuing adventures (I guess we were less concerned about “movie spoilers” during that era). 

Fast forward 34 years... It was fun watching as Daniel reunited with “Part II” love interest Kumiko (Tamlyn Tomita) and former enemy Chozen (Yuji Okumoto). 

The fourth episode — along with the fifth (titled “Miyago-Do”) — brought things back into balance. It was nice to see Daniel get some closure on the events in “Karate Kid Part II” and also gain some new insights into Mr. Miyagi (I also enjoyed the writers’ clever solution to LaRusso’s Doyona problem). 

From the Okinawa trip forward, Season 3 started to gain momentum — and recapture the spark we saw during the first two seasons. 

Not only was it nice to see Daniel achieve a sense of renewal, it was also nice to see Johnny’s relationship with Miguel rekindled. 

The engaging aspect of the first “Karate Kid” movie was the sensei/student dynamic between Miyagi (Pat Morita) and Daniel. 

By the same token, the dynamic between Johnny and Miguel was what made the first two seasons of “Cobra Kai” so special. 

There’s something inherently interesting about the juxtaposition between Johnny’s Reagan-era sensibility and Miguel’s Millennial mindset — and how the two influence one another. 

The second half of Season 3 finds our protagonists reorienting themselves as they begin to focus on foe John Kreese and his cult-like Cobra Kai dojo. 

There were a number of fun moments in the final five episodes. 

The sequence where Lawrence starts a new dojo called “Eagle Fang Karate” (for students who had become disenchanted with Cobra Kai) was pretty entertaining. The unveiling of the dojo name featured a funny exchange between Johnny and one of his students:

Johnny: “There’s only one animal that can kill a snake.”

Bert: “A mongoose?”

Johnny: “A real animal, Bert.”

Heading into this season, there was considerable speculation as to whether there would be a guest appearance by Elisabeth Shue, who played Ali Mills in “The Karate Kid” (the source of contention between Johnny and Daniel in that movie). 

Shue had a bit part in the recent Tom Hanks movie “Greyhound” (read my review), but hasn’t appeared in much recently. 

Shue did indeed make her first “Cobra Kai” appearance this season. “Ali Mills Schwarber” (recently separated from her husband) is featured in the final two episodes. 

It was nice to see her reconnect with Johnny via Facebook. I enjoyed it when they got together for dinner, and thought it was fun to see them hang out afterward. The banter between the two characters seemed fairly natural and relaxed. 

“I love, after all these years, you can still make me laugh,” Ali says to Johnny as they catch up on life after high school. 

I also liked the dynamic between Ali, Johnny, Daniel, and Amanda at the Christmas party at Encino Oaks Country Club during the final episode of the season. 

The only downside is that it appears Ali won’t be back next season (the writers didn’t make any obvious overtures in that direction). If this was a “one-off,” it was still nice to have her back. 

The tenth and final episode (titled “December 19”) is certainly not your typical Christmas episode, but it set up things nicely for Season 4. 

I continue to enjoy the show’s instrumental music stylings from Leo Birenberg and Zach Robinson. There are little moments when the vibe feels like a synth-heavy score from the 1980s (which is on-brand for this series). 

I did miss teen Cobra Kai member Aisha (Nichole Brown) this season (the character apparently transferred to a private school). 

I was also surprised that Raymond/Stingray (Paul Walter Hauser) wasn’t back for another go-round. That said, the character’s sophomoric humor likely would have felt out of place this season. 

With the Miyago-Do Karate and Eagle Fang Karate students teaming up to take on Cobra Kai at the All Valley Karate Championship in Season 4, there should be some entertaining moments ahead. 

It was also interesting to see Eli “Hawk” Moskowitz join the “good guys” in their mission against Cobra Kai. I’ll be fascinated to see where his character goes next season, and what sort of redemption arc the writers have in store for him. 

Near the end of the episode, we see Kreese calling what appears to be one of his former Vietnam compatriots. I can only assume it’s the Terry Silver character from “The Karate Kid Part III” (and that he’ll team up with Kreese to get Cobra Kai ready for the tournament). 

Overall, I had a good time watching the third season of “Cobra Kai.” I'm just bummed we’ll have to wait another year to visit these characters again. 

The closing moments of the finale make that wait all the more difficult. Seeing Johnny and Daniel unite to train the students — as The Protomen’s cover of “In The Air Tonight” plays — felt pretty darn epic. 

As the scene ends, Daniel says, “You ready?”

Yes... yes, I am! 

Related posts on “Cobra Kai”: 

> TV Review: “Cobra Kai” Season 1

> Review: “Cobra Kai” Season 2 is an Emotional Kick in the Gut 

> Review: “Cobra Kai” Season 4 Faces its Moment of Truth 

Previous post: Movie Review: Saw “Wonder Woman 1984” at the Theater... My Thoughts

Movie Review: I Saw “Wonder Woman 1984” at the Theater... My Thoughts

The last time I saw a movie in a theater was Harrison Ford’s “Call of the Wild”... all the way back in February (read my review). 

A few days after I saw it, life as we know it turned on a dime and I haven’t been in a movie theater since. 

I intended to see a lot of movies in the theater last year. I started that effort off right on my blog a year ago. 

I published a blog post on Jan. 28, 2020 titled “The 5 Movies I’m Most Excited About in 2020” (it's entirely possible that post jinxed the whole year for all of us — I’ll never make that mistake again). Three of those movies haven’t even been released. 

Best laid plans and all, the year went to hell in a handbasket. 

I wasn’t sure when I’d get back to a movie theater. I’m sure many of you have felt the same way. 

As I’m writing this post, I should be getting ready to go to Baxter Arena to watch the UNO Hockey team take on North Dakota in front of a limited number of “socially distanced” fans. 

Unfortunately, the hockey series was postponed because of positive COVID-19 tests involving the Omaha Hockey team. 

I’d told my buddy Scott a few weeks ago that if the hockey series was called off I would go with him to Aksarben Cinema to see “Wonder Woman 1984.” 

Well, the series was called off and I just finished watching “Wonder Woman 1984” with him at Aksarben Cinema. 

“Wonder Woman 1984” was included in "The Five Movies I'm Most Excited About in 2020" blog post. 

And for good reason. 

When the first “Wonder Woman” outing dropped in theaters back in 2017, fans instantly embraced the fresh take on one pop cultures’ most enduring superheroes.  

“Wonder Woman” was a critical and financial success. Director Patty Jenkins’ superhero opus left many believing Warner Bros. had finally crafted a superhero movie that imbued the fun and excitement epitomized by Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

I really had a good time watching “Wonder Woman” at the theater in 2017. 

Jenkins is once again at the helm for “Wonder Woman 1984” (dubbed “WW84” in marketing materials). Jenkins also gets a writing credit on the sequel (her first since 2003’s “Monster”). 

In addition to her superhero credentials, Jenkins is slated to helm the next “Star Wars” theatrical film titled “Star Wars: Rogue Squadron” (which I’m very excited about). 

Considering all the career accomplishments and positive buzz a filmmaker like Jenkins has achieved the past few years, I was excited going into “WW84.” 

What could go wrong, right?

Unfortunately, some things went very wrong with “Wonder Woman 1984.” 

The film starts off well enough. The opening prologue sequence finds a young Diana Prince (Emily Carey) competing in a multi-pronged athletic competition on Themyscira against much older Amazon women. 

It is an entertaining sequence, and seemingly has nothing to do with the movie’s overall story arc. Prince learns a lesson about taking short cuts in life, and (depending on your interpretation) that lesson may or may not have anything to do with the rest of the movie’s narrative. 

(The only thing specifically referenced again from this opening sequence is a “golden warrior” that is the basis for a suit of armor Prince wears later in the movie.) 

The movie then jumps to 1984, and we find an older Diana Prince (the terrific Gal Gadot) leaping and lassoing her way around a 1980s shopping mall (as alter-ego Wonder Woman) in an effort to stop a robbery. 

Some of the opening 1980s references were a tad cheesy and cliche for my taste. However, the movie started off with a pace and energy that worked for me. 

(I was in 6th grade in 1984. Honestly, most of the nostalgia presented didn’t feel quite right.)

Unfortunately, after the first 20 minutes of “Wonder Woman 1984,” things slowed down dramatically, and the story became much less compelling. 

It was around the point that the Barbara Ann Minerva character (played by Kristen Wiig) was introduced that things lost steam. 

Anytime there is a nerdy/awkward/unappreciated supporting character in this type of movie, you know he/she is about to become a supervillain (in this case, a human cheetah that looked like an extra from “Cats”). 

In this movie, you can sense the plot device coming a mile away. 

It’s not that I mind predictability in a superhero movie. Most of them utilize tropes we’ve seen before. I just didn't find Wiig’s character (who works with Diana at the Smithsonian Institute) to be terribly compelling. 

I also didn’t find the Maxwell “Max Lord” Lorenzano (Pedro Pascal) character to be particularly interesting. 

Max Lord is a faltering businessman (a wannabe oil tycoon) who crosses paths with Minerva and Prince when he comes to the Smithsonian posing as a wealthy donor. 

What he is really after is the “Dreamstone” – an antiquity Prince and Minerva were asked by the FBI to identify among some stolen antiquities.

The Dreamstone is what all the drama centers around during the rest of the movie. The crystal itself (which looks like a plastic trinket you’d get in the gift shop at “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” in Orlando) has sort of a “genie/lamp” power to it, granting wishes to those who use the stone. 

As I mentioned earlier, the film slowed down considerably during this entire sequence. 

By my count — after an entertaining first 20 minutes — they spent roughly 70 minutes setting everything up with the Dreamstone and the ramifications of using it. The entire flow got bogged down. They spent too much time on exposition. 

The filmmakers also decided to bring military aviator Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) back, even though he died in the first movie. 

I thought the “reveal” for Trevor’s return lacked imagination... and really felt odd. It’s almost as if the writers couldn’t find a clever solution for the reveal, so they quickly slapped something together. 

The reveal also didn’t jibe with how other wishes were granted in the movie — where things would just appear out of thin air. 

As it regards the Steve Trevor character in this movie... 

Fans will recall that Diana Prince’s charm in the first “Wonder Woman” movie came from various “fish out of water” plot points during the movie (as she experienced the norms and customs of World War I Europe). 

They tried to do the same with Trevor in “WW84,” showing the character looking/acting befuddled as he experienced some of the “social conventions” of the 1980s. 

I didn’t find the approach to be effective, and thought the 1980s setting actually “hampered” those moments. His “fish out of water” experience might have worked better if “WW84” had been sent in present day. 

To be honest, having this movie set in the 1980s wasn’t particularly “integral” to the overall narrative anyway. It’s as if some studio exec thought it would be fun to trade on 80s nostalgia. 

(My FB friend — and hair stylist — Nicky astutely pointed out that there was little-to-no music from 1984 in this movie. Additional tunes from that era might have helped the movie’s sense of authenticity.) 

But I digress...

When I go see a “Wonder Woman” movie (or any other superhero movie), I figure there will be a lot of action. 

The fact that there is a 70-minute stretch in the middle of “WW84” where little happens is a big problem — no action and no Wonder Woman heroics. 

The action scenes that do happen in the later movie didn’t exactly grab me. 

I’m not going to delve too much into the various plot points. I don’t want to give anything away. 

As I watched “Wonder Woman 1984” at Aksarben Cinema, I thought about how it might have been better with some liberal editing. 

I’ve mentioned before on this blog that I think movies have become far too long for their own good. This movie didn’t need to be 2 hours and 35 minutes.

Yet the runtime wasn’t the issue. The problem was the hodgepodge narrative, watered-down characters, and convoluted plot points strewn throughout “Wonder Woman 1984.”

Compared to another recent female-centered superhero movie set in a bygone decade — 2019’s entertaining “Captain Marvel” (read my review) — the flaws become even more apparent. 

For the record, I like a number of DC comic-based superhero movies from Warner Bros. I’m not being critical just because I prefer Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

One of the recent DC outings I enjoyed was 2019’s “Shazam” (read my review). While I didn’t love 2018’s “Aquaman” (read my review), that movie is better than “Wonder Woman 1984.” 

(Truth be told, my opinion of “Aquaman” has become more favorable with repeat viewings.)

I will say this...

Despite serious flaws in “Wonder Woman 1984,” I had a good time going back to a movie theater for the first time in 11 months. (Scott and I were the only patrons in the auditorium.) 

I was reminded how fun it can be to watch a movie in a theater. 

“Wonder Woman 1984” was released simultaneously on streaming service HBOMax in the United States, and I know some fans opted to watch the film that way. 

I enjoyed visiting Aksarben Cinema again after the long layoff. The cinema recently celebrated its 10th anniversary (its grand opening was on Dec. 10, 2010). 

Our business worked on marketing/promotional efforts for the cinema when it opened in 2010 (I even designed the initial logo for the theater). Attending a movie there will always hold a special place in my heart. 

I should also mention that “Wonder Woman 1984” features an “easter egg” in the middle of the end credit sequence. It was pretty cute, and tried to play on superhero nostalgia. 

But, honestly, even that fell a bit flat for me. 

At one point in the movie, Diana Prince says, “...greatness is not what you think.” 

That sentiment sums up my feelings about “Wonder Woman 1984.” The filmmakers tried to craft a capable movie, but the whole wasn’t greater than the sum of its parts. 

It just wasn’t a superhero movie that ever achieved “greatness”... 

Previous post: Should Kellogg’s The Elf on the Shelf Cereal Become a Christmas Tradition? 

Should Kellogg’s The Elf on the Shelf Cereal Become a Christmas Tradition?

I love writing cereal reviews. 

They're short, quick, and easy. I get to eat what amounts to a bowl of sugar. 

As a special holiday treat, I am reviewing Kellogg’s The Elf on the Shelf “Vanilla Candy Cane Cookie with Marshmallows” Cereal (that was a mouthful). The logo on the box reads “OFFICIAL CEREAL OF THE NORTH POLE”... (that’s a bold claim).  

I tend to enjoy the various peppermint-themed Christmas foods. Peppermint stick ice cream is one that immediately comes to mind. 

I was hoping this would be the cereal equivalent of peppermint stick ice cream. It “kind of” is. 

The cereal itself features grain-based stars and peppermint marshmallows (little ones, like the mallows featured in hot chocolate mix). 

I tasted a star and a marshmallow by themselves to begin. Honestly, I was a bit underwhelmed. I was expecting them to have a solid mint taste (like a Peppermint LifeSavers Candy). 

Instead, I was faced with something much more “muted.” The star didn’t have much flavor, and the marshmallow was too small to make an informed judgment. At that point, I wasn’t sure what to expect. 

Then I added milk to the bowl and ate a spoonful. The effect was better, and tasted more minty (it still wasn’t quite what I was hoping for). 

The box doesn’t feature any games or activities, but there is a “story” (done to “‘Twas the night before Christmas”) telling how the cereal was made. 

There is a website you can visit for more information – www.elfontheshelf.com/kelloggs. 

The site has a page for “Parents” with information on the cereal (they also have Kellogg’s The Elf on the Shelf “Sugar Cookie Cereal with Marshmallows” Cereal). You can also select a “Kids” page that has games and activities. 

Overall, Kellogg’s The Elf on the Shelf “Vanilla Candy Cane Cookie with Marshmallows” Cereal was alright, but nothing spectacular. I don’t think it is worthy of becoming a Christmas tradition... 

I will say that it is the first Christmas-themed cereal I have sampled, so I’ll have to sample some new ones next year. 

Until my next cereal review, I hope those of you celebrating have a very Merry Christmas! 

Previous post: Review: “The Mandalorian” Season 2, Episode 8 (Disney+ Series) 

Review: “The Mandalorian” Season 2, Episode 8 (Disney+ Series)

SPOILERS AHEAD... this is the way...

Well, that was AWESOME!

What a spectacular finale for the second season of “The Mandalorian.” 

Having reviewed all 15 previous episodes on this blog, I’ve wondered where this story would go. Would the creators *stretch out* the search for a home for Baby Yoda (Grogu) indefinitely? Or would that storyline reach a resolution sooner rather than later? 

In “Chapter 16: The Rescue,” we get what appears to be a bantha-sized answer to that question.  

The episode starts out with Slave I (Boba Fett's ship) chasing down an Imperial Shuttle (a design first introduced in 1983’s “Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi”). 

The shuttle is carrying Dr. Pershing (Obid Abtahi), the doctor who has run experiments on Grogu for Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito). 

An aside here... have I mentioned how cool Slave I is? I remember wanting the Kenner version of this ship when “Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back” was released in 1980, but never got it as a kid. 

Back in the 1990s, Kenner re-released the ship (based on the original toy’s design and molds) as part of their “Shadows of the Empire” collection (based on a “Star Wars” novel that was released during my final semester at the University of Nebraska at Omaha). 

So I picked up the refreshed Slave I ship for myself, and recently reacquired it from storage when Bridget and I cleaned out my dad’s house last summer. 

Here’s my Slave I from my extensive “Star Wars” collection (mint in box): 

Anyhow... 

Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison) temporarily disables the Imperial shuttle with Slave I's ion cannon, allowing his companions Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Cara Dune (Gina Carano) to board the ship. This allows them to grab Pershing and requisition the ship (more on that later). 

After the snatch-and-grab, our heroes travel to a planet (it looks relatively rural) to find Mandalorians Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) and Koska Reeves (Sasha Banks) and ask for their assistance in rescuing Grogu. 

Sackhoff is one of my favorite actresses these days, and it was nice to see a return appearance this season. 

Bo-Katan is reluctant at first, but warms up to the idea when she learns she has a chance to face Moff Gideon, capture the light cruiser he commands, and re-obtain the “Darksaber” from his evil clutches (all part of her effort to retake Mandalore). 

So, Mando, Fett, Bo-Katan, Koska, Dune, and Fennec Shand (Ming-Na Wen) hatch a plan to infiltrate Gideon’s vessel. Dr. Pershing informs the group about the dark troopers on board — and that they are third generation units that no longer have humans inside. 

So far, so good. I liked the setup. I like a good “men and women on a mission” storyline — especially in “Star Wars.”

It’s an entertaining scenario. In many respects, the use of an Imperial Shuttle to infiltrate an Imperial stronghold echoes a similar move in “Return of the Jedi.”

The ruse is designed around Boba Fett chasing the shuttle in Slave I. As the plan progresses, he finds himself being chased by a pair of TIE Fighters. I thoroughly enjoyed all of this, including Ludwig Goransson’s terrific musical stylings. 

The Imperial Shuttle (piloted by Bo-Katan) eventually makes it through, and “emergency lands” in the TIE Fighter launch tube. 

I just want to say how completely cool it is to see TIE Fighters launching this way. More often than not, we don’t get to glimpse TIEs exiting a ship — they just sort of appear in a space battle. 

It kind of reminded me of Viper ships launching via tubes in “Battlestar Galactica.” 

I also want to say how entertaining the remaining scenes in the episode prove to be. 

Cara, Fennec, Koska, and Bo-Katan launch their assault to gain control of the bridge, distracting the Imps so Mando has an easier path to the brig as he tracks down Grogu. 

There are a number of kinks in the plan, including the fact that Mando has to go by the storage bay for the dark troopers on his way to the brig. 

If you like action, you liked this episode. I mean, does it get any better than blaster battles against stormtroopers in steely-metal corridors?? 

Our heroes inevitably have to do battle with the dark troopers. Ever since they were teased in Chapter 12, I’ve been curious to see their capabilities. 

They didn’t disappoint. 

The dark troopers have the ability to fly and are resistant to blaster fire. Mando gets to experience one of the metallic soldiers firsthand on his way to Grogu — only having success when he disables it with his Beskar spear. 

It always fascinates me when prequel content introduces technology that seems superior to the tech found in later movies. I felt that way when I watched George Lucas’s prequel movies back in the day, and I felt that way again when I saw the dark troopers in action. 

Why didn’t the First Order have these things (or some improvement on the technology) in the sequel trilogy? Why go back to plain old stormtroopers when you can have something better?? 

(I’m not complaining at all... I just always find that an interesting narrative tactic.) 

Mando launches the remaining troopers into space. I must admit, when I first saw the dark troopers, they reminded me a bit of Maximilian in the “The Black Hole,” Disney’s 1979 entry into the sci-fi movie craze. 

I thought the all-female team assaulting the bridge was badass. If those four characters end up being the basis for the “Rangers of the New Republic” series announced by Disney, it could be really terrific. 

Mando ultimately makes it to the brig and finds Moff Gideon holding the Darksaber over Grogu. 

Gideon has proven himself a capable antagonist in “The Mandalorian.” Part of the appeal is Giancarlo Esposito’s smooth and convincing performance. 

The Darksaber brings power to the one who holds it. That’s why Bo-Katan wants the saber — whoever wields the sword “has the right to lay claim to the Mandalorian throne.”

Din Djarin just wants the kid back. 

But Gideon isn’t going to let go that easily, and the two eventually end up in a duel — Gideon wielding the saber; Mando with the Beskar spear. 

Mando disarms the Imperial, and takes Gideon and Baby Yoda to the bridge. 

Unfortunately, Bo-Katan needed Gideon to surrender to her to rightfully claim the Darksaber — so she could take back control of Mandalore. Djarin doesn’t want it and offers it to her, but she won’t accept. 

What’s interesting about this is that Bo-Katan accepted the Darksaber from fellow Mandalorian Sabine Wren in “Star Wars Rebels” (which takes place five years prior to “Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope”) in the episode titled “Heroes of Mandalore: Part 2” (read my review of “Star Wars Rebels”). 

It’s not the first contradiction to appear in “The Mandalorian,” and I’m sure there will be an explanation for the change (for example, maybe Bo-Katan wanted to lay claim to the saber in a more legitimate way as she attempts to retake the planet). 

We also don’t know how Gideon obtained the Darksaber in the first place. 

Regardless, it does create an interesting scenario for Din Djarin going forward. The reluctant hero obviously has little interest in the geopolitics of Mandalore, and doesn’t desire to be the leader of the various Mandalorian factions. 

But that might make him the perfect one for the job. 

The dark trooper platoon that Mando launched into space returns to the ship. Because they are droids, they are none worse for the wear. Our heroes aren’t sure what they will do to fend off the shiny metallic troops. 

“I think we all know after a valiant stand, everyone in this room will be dead, but me and the child,” chirps Gideon as the dark troopers start to “punch” their way into the bridge. 

Like the arrival of Santa Claus on Christmas Eve, an X-wing starfighter pops into view and is picked up by the Imperial cruiser’s systems. 

At this point, you’re hoping it isn't a recently seen X-wing pilot, like Trapper Wolf (Dave Filoni) or Carson Teva (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee) — the New Republic equivalent of officers Frank Poncherello and John Baker on “CHiPs.”

Those two dudes wouldn’t stand a chance. 

I think every “Star Wars”-loving fan knew it was Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill). I’ve got to say, it was a great introduction for the character. 

The cloaked and shadowy Skywalker slices and dices the darktroopers with his green lightsaber and the Force. 

I’m so glad to see that green saber again. I still don’t understand why Luke/Anakin’s blue lightsaber appeared in “Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens” — it was LOST in Cloud City when Vader chopped off Luke’s hand. 

(Thanks a lot for NEVER explaining that, J.J. Abrams... read my thoughts on the lack of explanation in my review of “Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker”.)

I know some fans didn’t want Skywalker to be “the Jedi” that came to find Grogu. They would have preferred it to be one of the Jedis mentioned in one of the other “Star Wars” properties. 

I liked it. 

During Skywalker’s march to the bridge, Gideon tries to kill Bo-Katan and himself. He ultimately fails in that task (I think he’ll be causing trouble for episodes to come). 

As much as “The Mandalorian” is a fresh take on “Star Wars,” it is also proving itself to be “sequel” content that “Return of the Jedi” really deserved. 

Skywalker ulimately takes Grogu under his wing. Sometimes computer-generated “de-aging” efforts look fake and stilted (to be honest, I never think the mouths move correctly). While this effort on Luke was far from perfect, I thought they did a good job. 

Anyhow, there are some terrific “nods” to previous “Star Wars” movies during this sequence — as Din Djarin says goodbye to Grogu. 

First of all, Mando says “I’ll see you again. I promise” as he is about to hand Grogu to Skywalker. 

It reminded me of the moment in “Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back” when Luke was leaving Yoda (Frank Oz) — and Obi-Wan’s Force ghost (Sir Alec Guiness) — on Dagobah and he said, “I will return. I promise.”

It was great to see Mando remove his face shield in this scene, so he could look at Grogu without the mask. 

Then Din says, “All right, pal. It’s time to go. Don’t be afraid.”

At that moment I recalled the scene in “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace” when Anakin (Jake Lloyd) was leaving his hovel (and his mother Shmi) on Tatooine to go be trained as a Jedi. 

Anakin’s mother says, “Be brave, and don’t look back.”

It is pretty cool to think about Luke training Baby Yoda the way Yoda trained him.  

Some fans were concerned that this was the *final* episode of “The Mandalorian,” thinking the handoff of Grogu meant that the series was at an end. 

The reality is that “The Mandalorian” will be returning for another season, but it is understandable why some fans were confused. As much as the show is about the journey of Din Djarin, it is also about the journey of Grogu. 

We haven’t seen the last of either character. 

Let’s face it, Disney isn’t going to surrender millions of dollars in merchandising revenue from Baby Yoda. 

And, “The Mandalorian” is the show that is keeping subscribers hooked to Disney+ at the moment. 

Some have suggested that actor Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe) would be perfect as a young Luke Skywalker in a series about the training of Grogu. 

That would definitely be interesting. In the 1990s-era “Star Wars” novels, Skywalker starts a “Jedi Academy” to train Jedi (the “Jedi Academy Trilogy” by Kevin J. Anderson was one of my favorite series back then). That could be an interesting basis for a show. 

Anyway, the overall quality of the Season 2 finale of “The Mandalorian” was terrific. It was written by Jon Favreau and directed by Peyton Reed (who I praised in my review of “Chapter 10: The Passenger”). I’m excited to see where things go from here... 

So, let’s talk about the “easter egg” at the end of the closing credit sequence...

Seeing an obese Bib Fortuna (the Twi’lek being played by Matthew Wood this time around) sitting at the head of Jabba the Hutt’s palace throne room on Tatooine was excellent. 

I know most “Star Wars” fans favor “The Empire Strikes Back” as being the best of the original trilogy, but my favorite as a kid was 1983’s “Return of the Jedi” — and I saw it 13 times at Indian Hills Theater (on the big “Cinerama” screen) here in Omaha. 

In the easter egg, we see Fennec Shand entering the throne roam, shooting a Gamorrean guard as she descends the stairway. She then shoots down the rest of Fortuna’s “entourage” (the exception being a Twi’lek slave dancer).

Then, Boba Fett walks into the room. 

Despite some rapid banter by Fortuna, Fett shoots him with his blaster. He walks up to the dais, tosses Fortuna aside, and takes a seat on the throne. 

Shand retrieves a bottle of Spotchka (a blue drink made from Krill), and perches on the arm of the throne by Fett’s right hand. 

The scene cuts to black, and the words “The Book of Boba Fett Coming December 2021” appear.

I am so flipping excited about “The Book of Boba Fett” limited series coming to Disney+ next December. 

We’d heard rumors about a Fett-centric show, and I’m glad we are going to get one. I think there are a lot of really cool opportunities to delve more fully into the world of galactic bounty hunters and the underworld in the SW universe. 

This teaser was part of what left fans confused as to the future of “The Mandalorian,” but series creator Jon Favreau addressed that in an interview on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”

I just think we are going to be treated to some really interesting “Star Wars” properties in the next few years. Disney teased a number of them at “Disney Investor Day 2020,” and I have a blog post with my thoughts on those shows coming soon. 

I just want to close this blog post by thanking those of you who like and comment when I share these reviews on social media. It means a lot to me, and I really enjoy being able to chat with fellow fans about each of “The Mandalorian” episodes after they stream each week. 

It does kind of suck that fans have to go into “standby mode” for awhile and wait to learn the fates of Mando and Grogu. I’m looking forward to seeing where Favreau & Co. take the “Star Wars” franchise from here — this is the best the franchise has looked in a long, long time. 

Stay tuned...

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