Released on March 22nd, Chapter 20 of The Mandalorian is titled ‘The Foundling.’ We begin with a Mandalorian training session, both children and adults participate in various combat scenarios. Grogu is sitting by the lake shore and nearly going to have crab for lunch but is told by Din Djarin (played by Pedro Pascal) to participate. Everyone except Djarin are skeptical of the little foundling’s capabilities. Djarin presses on and asks one of the trainers for Grogu to spar with another foundling, Ragnar Vizsla (played by Wesley Kimmel). The sparing match involves training paint darts which requires the winner to place three shots on the loser. At first, Ragnar easily hits Grogu with two shots as everyone but Djarin look on hopelessly. Ragnar attempts on the third round to place a shot on Grogu, who leaps into the air behind and infront of Ragnar. Surprising him long enough for Grogu to place three successive shots on Ragnar. Djarin looks on proudly with Bo-Katan Kryze (played by Katee Sackhoff) who is also present, pleasantly surprised. Soon after the match has ended, Ragnar walks off the crowd of Mandalorians and is snatched by a dragon-looking creature. Paz Vizsla (played by Tait Fletcher) and other Mandalorians fly in pursuit with their jetpacks, they’re forced to end the chase because of low jetpack fuel. However, Kryze uses her ship and carefully tracks the creature’s nest. She returns to the Mandalorian base and relays the information. The selected Mandalorian rescuers carefully plan to discreetly climb up to the nest which is atop a mountain’s peak. As this is set in motion, Grogu is left under the care of The Armorer (played by Emily Swallow) and other Mandalorians. The Armorer is in session of creating a piece for Grogu’s slow but surely growing Mandalorian armor. She talks about the armor able to show weakness and other information as Grogu looks distraught during the process.
A flashback occurs, this one involving Grogu’s past in the Jedi Temple. As Order 66 occurs throughout the Galaxy, Grogu is in the Jedi Temple guarded by older Jedi. Clone troopers push into their location and a fight occurs. Urgently the Jedi mentioned getting Grogu to Kelleran, which to the audience at first is unfamiliar. Until Grogu, is placed into an elevator and sent to a different level in the temple. The doors then open and in front stands a Jedi, Kelleran Beq (played by Ahmed Best). He tells Grogu that it’ll be okay and fights off clone troopers as they are then chased by gunships on a stolen speeder. The two arrive on a landing platform with a Naboo ship that is revealed to have been planned to safely rescue surviving Jedi off planet.
Back to the present, The Armorer presents Grogu a piece of armor containing electrical parts and is placed on his chest. We then return to the rescuers who have reached ever so closer to the creature’s nest. Paz Vizsla grows desperate, disobeys the stealth approach and runs towards Ragnar’s possible location in the nest. Alerting hatchlings who then draw their attention to the mother creature returning to the nest. Who regurgitates Ragnar out of its mouth. Paz opens fire, the creature grabs Ragnar by its feet and Paz by its mouth and flies off. The rest of the rescuers are in pursuit with jet packs. In the end, Kryze takes out the creature with the aid of a larger creature at a nearby lake and Djarin saves Ragnar after falling in the air. The group then return to their base as Kryze is hailed a hero. Who presents new foundlings in the form of hatchlings from the mother dragon-looking creature. Kryze is then seen with The Armorer having a new piece of armor made to replace one she lost in the rescue. She asks for it to present the Mythosaur as the sigil and tells The Armorer she saw the creature. Who sounds a bit in denial but believes that it is a sign.
The Foundling is a great episode that explores more of the Mandalorian culture. How they train, congregate and depend on one another. We also explore a bit of Grogu’s past with a focus of Order 66, with a bit more detail. Kelleran Beq’s appearance is a pleasant surprise. Which among the fandom might see it as a recognition and reconciliation from the actor’s past who is credited as Jar Jar Binks. That character was panned negatively and backlash caused great distress to the actor. Kelleran first appeared in another show within the franchise for kids. His appearance in this is completely 180 but shows the character being serious and determined to have the younglings safety being priority number one. Aside from the flashback, the rescue also brings a closer bond between Djarin and Paz who in the past kept budding heads. Who knows what will happen after this episode. We are still yet to learn what Kryze will do after losing her home yet again from the Imperials. Will the covert help her fight back? Will they return to Mandalore as she seeks to prove the Mythosaur’s existence?
It earns a 3 out of 5.
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