Just the name of the episode tells us that it’s going to be a return to ground zero: the planet Nevarro.  I like how many of the places and names of characters are just pop culture references with one or two letters replaced. Like this one, which is just the letter 'e' away from Navarro College in Texas.

Anyhoo, the gratuitous grief of the guileful greedy Guild leader, Greef Karga, persuades Mando into returning to Nevarro. But on the way he picks up Cara Dune from the Sanctuary, kind of like how Rambo was recruited out of a pit fight. En route to revisit Kuiil the utterly moral Ugnaught, Baby Yoda gets the drop on the two of them by eavesdropping and plays with the Razor Crest's controls, perhaps to turn them away from the danger into which they are heading for its sake. Undeterred, Mando picks up Kuiil (and his animals, as well as the droid IG - 11, whom he had encountered in the first episode and killed for keeping the kid alive).

On the way to Nevarro, Mando and Cara are arm wrestling when something amazing happens. The Child assumes that Cara is trying to hurt Mando and so he force-chokes her, Darth Vader style! It’s a great example of a contextual callback to the original trilogy.

Misunderstandings resolved, they land at Nevarro and meet up with Greef Karga and his 'security detail' and camp overnight on the way to town, getting an awful fright in the night. Now this is the part from which spoilers would be spoiling the fun, so all I’ll say is that it is hilarious to watch Carl Weathers say "He's trying to eat me" to a certain lovable character.

Fast-forward to the next day and once again, the indefatigable Werner Herzog returns to the picture and brings Moff Gideon into the plot, via the ubiquitous holograms of the Star Wars universe. 

As I was re-watching this episode for this review, I found myself smiling again when I saw Gus Fring of Breaking Bad break out his villainous baritone once again. Giancarlo Esposito is a legendary thespian, and he is the icing on the layered cake of stars who have been roped into the Star Wars universe through the Mandalorian.

His portrayal of Moff Gideon is eerily like Gus, too, as he brings the pain and the episode ends on a cliffhanger.

As I have written earlier, the droid IG - 11 is voiced by the king of all cinematic trades, Taika Waititi. He is the director of the last episode of the season, aptly titled Redemption. 

As we approach the end of a great galactic ride, it wouldn’t be fair to give out spoilers. So let me just list out the characters who play out the endgame against Giancarlo Esposito’s Moff Gideon:

Our hero Mando, played by Pedro Pascal of Game of Thrones and Narcos fame.

The Child or Baby Yoda as it has come to be known memetically.

Cara Dune, portrayed by Gina Carano, whom we have seen in Deadpool.

Greef Karga, who is Rocky's Apollo Creed, Carl Weathers. I first saw him in Predator with Arnold Schwarzenegger, and most recently in Arrested Development, getting a stew going.

IG - 11, voiced by Taika Waititi, who has directed this season finale as well (I repeat this so many times because I am in awe of TW).

The imperial client, Werner Herzog, cinemaphile extraordinaire.

Other cameos worth mentioning are Emily Swallow as the Armorer, and two speeder-rider storm troopers played by Adam Pally and Jason Sudeikis of Saturday Night Live.

So I exhort you to watch The Mandalorian on Disney plus and please share what you thought in the comments! Stay safe and 'see' you soon!

Postscripts:

* The last two episodes can be watched back-to-back as a mini movie, complete with the set up of the sequel season in the sting, as Moff Gideon cuts his way out of his downed fighter craft with a Dark Saber.

* Giancarlo Esposito is also the prime antagonist in Far Cry 6, the upcoming game by Ubisoft, releasing February 2021.

* Be like the Mandalorian – let no one see you without your mask!