IR TV Review: THE MANDALORIAN - EPISODE 4 (“The Foundling”) [Lucasfilm/Disney+-S3]

Knowing the texture of a sense of self comes from the indicator of perspective. For the past couple seasons, a lot of what “The Mandalorian” is about has come from what Din Djarin is feeling and how that reflects upon his now-surrogate son in Grogu. With Episode 4 of Season 3 of “The Mandalorian” entitled “The Foundling”, the story starts to give more angle on Grogu itself. Soon he may be speaking but it will be interesting how he is eventually able to vocalize his life. The last episode “The Covert” was interesting though a little more left field since it showed a context of current day Coruscant and how it reflects 40 or so years after the downfall of the Old Republic as shown in the final aspects of “Revenge Of The Sith”. The flashback we do see here is an interesting correlation of how Grogu sees the parallels between the forging of steel and the whirr of lightsabers at a current time.

That part of this episode which really starts to forge his identity is interesting and telling in terms of his decisions (specifically not to train with Luke). Djin is trying to teach him but Grogu is reluctant because the Youngling is afraid to show his true self (another tell)…and through his specific journey in this episode (without dialogue mind you), the viewer starts to get a sense why. In a parallel, Bo-Katan (Katee Sackoff) is going through a similar path which is an interesting bend, and starts to give bigger credence of what might be ahead. The Darksaber is not mentioned but of course that aspect of Mandalore plus a certain saur really angles the basis of how her character might transform. Add to that the quest of this specific episode and how it weighs on her is interesting. Mando is more becoming a passenger on his own journey but that is key into letting the bigger story affect him and how he himself is change while he still believes in (and follows) The Way. B+

By Tim Wassberg