Chapter 5: Return of the Mandalorian
"Chapter 5: Return of the Mandalorian" is the fifth episode of the American television series The Book of Boba Fett, following Boba Fett and Fennec Shand attempting to gain control of Jabba the Hutt's crime empire after his death in Return of the Jedi (1983). The episode is set in the Star Wars universe, sharing continuity with The Mandalorian and other spin-offs such as Ahsoka. It was written by Jon Favreau and directed by Bryce Dallas Howard. Pedro Pascal reprises his role as Din Djarin / The Mandalorian for the episode. Temuera Morrison does not appear in the episode as Boba Fett despite being credited in the credits, while Emily Swallow and Amy Sedaris respectively reprise their roles as The Armorer and Peli Motto from The Mandalorian, and Favreau returns to voice Paz Vizsla as well. Filming began in November 2020 and concluded in June 2021. "Chapter 5: Return of the Mandalorian" was released on Disney+ on January 26, 2022 to critical acclaim. Plot 
After the Mandalorian completed his mission to bring Grogu to the Jedi, he resumed bounty hunting. He hunts and kills Kaba Baiz, in exchange for the location of the Children of the Watch's hideout. He heads to their hideout and asks the Armorer to inspect the Darksaber. She tells him about the history of the Darksaber, explaining that its wielder has a claim to leadership of Mandalore, but it must be earned by victory in combat. Upon realizing what the Darksaber is, Paz Vizsla, a fellow Mandalorian and direct descendant of the Darksaber's creator, challenges the Mandalorian for the Darksaber and the right to rule Mandalore. The Mandalorian wins the duel, but confesses that he broke the Creed by removing his helmet in front of others and begs for forgiveness. She tells him that the only way for him to be redeemed is in the waters beneath the mines of Mandalore itself; however, those mines have been destroyed by the Empire. The Mandalorian boards a commercial transport to Tatooine, where Peli Motto has a "replacement" for the Razor Crest, a junked N-1 starfighter that once belonged to the Queen of Naboo. With the Mandalorian's help, as well as the help of several droids and the local Jawas, they're able to get the starfighter into working order. During the test flight, the Mandalorian's speeding alerts the attention of New Republic X-wing pilots Captain Carson Teva and Lieutenant Reed, who inquire about some of the Mandalorian's past activities around Nevarro. He suddenly activates a sub-light speed boost and escapes, deeming it trial enough for the new ship. The Mandalorian returns to Mos Eisley, where he finds Fennec Shand waiting for him. She has a job offer — providing muscle for Boba Fett. The Mandalorian is willing to do it for free, but only after paying a visit to a little friend. Production

Development 
The episode was directed by Bryce Dallas Howard, who already has directed two episodes for The Mandalorian. It was written by the series showrunner Jon Favreau. Unlike the previous episodes, the episode continues the storyline of The Mandalorian after the events of the second season of the series of the same. Filoni explained his return as Favreau and he really liked the character and Favreau wanted to accomplish some things for the series, deeming it to be impossible to not introduce the character in it as he became Boba's friend. The producers also give that the other reason for the producers to bring the character back is that he was no longer watching for The Child and that now he has resumed bounty hunting, they didn't want the character to lose its meaning. Casting 
This is the only episode of the series not to feature Temuera Morrison as Boba Fett. Ming-Na Wen briefly reprises her starring role as Fennec Shand. Pedro Pascal stars in the episode as Din Djarin / The Mandalorian. Emily Swallow, Amy Sedaris, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, and Max Lloyd-Jones reprise their roles as The Armorer, Peli Motto, Carson Teva, and Lieutenant Reed from The Mandalorian, respectively. Series creator and showrunner Jon Favreau returns to voice Paz Vizsla; in previous episodes of The Mandalorian, the character was depicted as being named "Paz Vizla", the spelling of their name being changed in the episode and retroactively in edits of their episodes of The Mandalorian to establish them as a relative of Tarre Vizsla, and Pre Vizsla, the latter of whom Favreau had previously voiced in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Music 
Joseph Shirley composed the musical score for the episode, while Ludwig Göransson composed the main theme of the series. The featured tracks were released on February 11, 2022, in the second volume of the season one soundtrack. Reception 
On Rotten Tomatoes the episode has an approval rating of 100% based on reviews from 22 critics, with an average rating of 8.30/10. The website's critics consensus states, ""Return of the Mandalorian" throws into sharp relief how much more interesting Boba Fett should be as a protagonist, but the unflattering contrast doesn't make this interlude any less thrilling or welcome". Notes

References

External links 
 
 

2022 American television episodes
Television episodes directed by Bryce Dallas Howard
Television episodes written by Jon Favreau
The Book of Boba Fett episodes