Growing Up Skywalker

“The Spies” (The Mandalorian, Chapter 23) presents a real good news/bad news situation for the Mandalorians.

• The good news: Mandalore is habitable! The tribes have united! There are only a few terrible megafauna left to terrorize the planet!
• The bad news: The Imperial remnants have formed a Shadow Council following up on allllllll of their predecessors’ special interests, and Moff Gideon is angling to be their boss.

This week, we’re talking through the good (the Child piloting IG-11’s corpse) as well as the bad and ugly (the rise of fascism throughout the galaxy once more). Our heroes have their work cut out for them.

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Timestamps:

00:00:00 Who Are We?

00:01:58 Plot Summary

00:11:27 Scaling Up Fascism (Again)

00:26:55 Jewish Diaspora and Native American Colonization

00:39:27 Project Necromancer (Back Again)

00:51:36 Bae Watch

01:01:47 Closing Thoughts

Is Plazir-15 a fully automated, luxury gay space utopia? More importantly, is it the first solarpunk Star Wars community??

In the Mandalorian’s Chapter 22, “Guns For Hire,” we parse the depth and breadth of droid rights while we try to figure out if Plazir-15 (ruled over by Duchess Lizzo and Captain Jack Black Bombardier) actually is the yogurt commercial utopia of our dreams.

We also get mad Clone Wars callbacks to the Mon Calamari civil war, film noir detective stories, and roger-roger battle droids. The best part is getting to question our own beliefs about the meaning of work and what it takes to achieve self-actualization.

New to Growing Up Skywalker? Come join us for non-toxic Star Wars recaps from a veteran and a new fan. New episodes every Tuesday.

Want more Growing Up Skywalker? This is a great time to sign up for our Patreon for bonus audio content! (Visions S3 content is ongoing!)

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Who Are We?

00:02:36 Plot Summary

00:12:05 Three Romantic Entanglements

00:20:25 Is Plazir-15 A Solarpunk Utopia? Also Droid Rights

00:54:09 Bae Watch

00:59:28 Closing Thoughts

How much does independence from the New Republic matter to you when you’re being shelled by sentient algae/pirate king Gorian Shard?

That’s the question Greef Karga and all of Nevarro have to answer this week in The Mandalorian, Chapter 21: “The Pirate.”

We ask how societies in Star Wars thread the needle between bureaucracy and independence, especially when your government might be filled with secret fascists. We also gush over New Republic pilot bars (!) and 7-foot tall returning fan favorite characters (!!!) filled with Rebels callbacks.

This week's episode takes the Mandalorian’s penchant for action and crashes it up against the looming threat outside the New Republic. Join us in feeling uneasy!

New to Growing Up Skywalker? Come join us for non-toxic Star Wars recaps from a veteran and a new fan. New episodes every Tuesday.

Want more Growing Up Skywalker? This is a great time to sign up for our Patreon for bonus audio content! (Visions S3 content is ongoing!)

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Who Are We?

00:01:46 Plot Summary

00:12:36 Bureaucracy and Independence in the Outer Rim

00:30:24 Bo-Katan’s New Job

00:37:54 The Rise of the New Order

00:44:37 Zeb Lives!

00:53:43 Bae Watch

01:01:30 Closing Thoughts

So we agree, Ahmed Best is the best?

This week, we’re recapping the mythology-filled midpoint of the Mandalorian’s third season, “The Foundling” (Chapter 20). We parse the effects of Mandalorian myth, legend, and custom on the Children of the Watch’s community. We wonder whether Bo-Katan will stay, and where Kelleran Beq went. And we ask the real heavy-hitting questions about having sons and daughters when you belong to a society where no one takes their helmets off.

New to Growing Up Skywalker? Come join us for non-toxic Star Wars recaps from a veteran and a new fan. New episodes every Tuesday.

Want more Growing Up Skywalker? This is a great time to sign up for our Patreon for bonus audio content! (Visions S3 content is ongoing!)

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Who Are We?

00:03:13 Plot Summary

00:12:46 Mandalorian Mythology and Society

00:37:38 Bo-Katan and the Cult

00:45:02 Ahmed Best is the Best

00:56:12 Bae Watch

01:01:08 Closing Thoughts

It doesn’t get more packed than this plot-filled sandwich.

The Mandalorian’s nineteenth chapter, “The Convert,” takes us through two action-packed plotlines: Bo-Katan and Din Djarin’s acceptance into the Children of the Watch, and Dr. Pershing’s struggle to assimilate into the New Republic.

We dive DEEP into World War Two-era denazification programs as we parse Dr. Pershing’s journey, asking how the New Republic’s approach differed from the Allied Power’s and how AI might have been the ultimate reason for Dr. Pershing’s failure. We also ask a big question about Bo-Katan’s conversion to the Children of the Watch: Was Din Djarin her honeypot?

New to Growing Up Skywalker? Come join us for non-toxic Star Wars recaps from a veteran and a new fan. New episodes every Tuesday.

Want more Growing Up Skywalker? This is a great time to sign up for our Patreon for bonus audio content! (Visions S3 content is ongoing!)

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Who Are We?

00:01:51 Plot Summary

00:09:40 Dr. Pershing and Denazification

00:33:42 Project Necromancer Redux 

00:40:50 Is Din Djarin A Honeypot Too?

00:53:28 Bae Watch

01:04:06 Closing Thoughts

How scary could the troglodyte-indested mines underneath a thoroughly bombed wasteland planet really be? With a lot of “But wait, there's more” energy, this week’s episode, “The Mines of Mandalore” (Season 3, Chapter 18) brings the action!

Our conversation dives into the multiple massive lore dumps we receive, and how they open new questions into Bo-Katan’s motivations, what it means to be a Mandalorian, and what the future of Mandalore holds. We also talk through the legacy of horror tropes in Star Wars.

New to Growing Up Skywalker? Come join us for non-toxic Star Wars recaps from a veteran and a new fan. New episodes every Tuesday.

Want more Growing Up Skywalker? This is a great time to sign up for our Patreon for bonus audio content! (Visions S3 content is ongoing!)

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Who Are We?

00:03:45 Plot Summary

00:11:24 More Like “The Manda-LORE-ian”

00:26:47 Myths and The Mythosaur

00:42:09 Bae Watch

00:49:35 Closing Thoughts

New quests, who dis? 

The Mandalorian’s third series opens with a tempting array of side quests: Spelunking into the Mines of Mandalore, rebuilding IG-11, rejoining the Children of the Watch, and actively parenting Grogu. What will Mando choose?

In our recap of The Mandalorian’s Season 3 premiere, “The Apostate,” we talk through Nevarro’s glow-up, the Mandalorian covert’s new digs, and Bo-Katan’s next move. There are a lot of players this season, and many of them are on a path to redemption.

New to Growing Up Skywalker? Come join us for non-toxic Star Wars recaps from a veteran and a new fan. New episodes every Tuesday.

Want more Growing Up Skywalker? This is a great time to sign up for our Patreon for bonus audio content! (Visions S3 content is ongoing!)

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Who Are We?

00:03:31 Plot Summary

00:12:05 The New Children of the Watch

00:16:39 Bo-Katan’s Next Move

00:27:10 Nevarro’s Glow-Up and The Pirates

00:39:08 Actively Parenting Grogu

00:54:03 Bae Watch

01:02:58 Closing Thoughts

The Book of Boba Fett finishes with a bang (and a whimper, if your name is Cad Bane).

In our recap of the series finale, we discuss Boba Fett’s big Mandalorian energy and how he has truly been reborn a Tusken. We talk about war—and what comes next—and chart out the possible ramifications of Grogu’s choice. The vibes? Hopeful. The aesthetics? Impeccable. This is a stellar way to close out a show.

New to Growing Up Skywalker? Come join us for non-toxic Star Wars recaps from a veteran and a new fan. New episodes every Tuesday.

Want more Growing Up Skywalker? This is a great time to sign up for our Patreon for bonus audio content! (Visions S3 content is ongoing!)

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Who Are We?

00:02:50 Plot Summary

00:13:00 Boba Fett and Big Mandalorian Energy

00:28:29 War and What Happens Next

00:47:53 Grogu’s Choice

00:54:42 Vibes and Aesthetics

01:01:11 Bae Watch

01:07:39 Closing Thoughts

Spaghetti Western truly meets space opera in The Book of Boba Fett’s “From The Desert Comes a Stranger” (Season 1, Episode 6).

This week, we dive deep into Luke Skywalker’s attempt to rebuild the Jedi Order and the Pyke Syndicate’s attempt to bring about a swift victory in their war on Tatooine.

We think about Cad Bane’s reasons for buying in with the Pykes, Mando’s decision to leave the Child where he is, and the fork in the road Luke presents to Grogu. This episode is, at its heart, all about choices.

New to Growing Up Skywalker? Come join us for non-toxic Star Wars recaps from a veteran and a new fan. New episodes every Tuesday.

Want more Growing Up Skywalker? This is a great time to sign up for our Patreon for bonus audio content! (Visions S3 content is ongoing!)

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Who Are We?

00:03:27 Plot Summary

00:11:00 Luke’s Jedi Academy

00:36:58 The War with the Pykes

00:45:26 Cad Bane Tho

00:56:22 Bae Watch

01:07:00 Closing Thoughts

Is this Book of Boba Fett episode…also the best episode of The Mandalorian??

In “The Return of the Mandalorian” (Season 1, Episode 5), we get exactly zero Boba Fett—which is a surprisingly low number, given the whole clone thing, but we digress. We do, however, revel in Din Djarin’s return to the small screen, Peli Moto’s utter hamminess, and the deep lore of the Children of the Watch.

This episode blends the comic book pulp of The Book of Boba Fett and the sleek composure of The Mandalorian for an 11/10 feast for the senses. And yeah, we cried about the N-1. (In a good way). 

New to Growing Up Skywalker? Come join us for non-toxic Star Wars recaps from a veteran and a new fan. New episodes every Tuesday.

Want more Growing Up Skywalker? This is a great time to sign up for our Patreon for bonus audio content! (Visions S3 content begins this week.)

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Who Are We?

00:04:04 Plot Summary

00:14:15 The Mandalorian, But Boba Fett-ified

00:18:57 Artistry, Scope, and Scale

00:23:11 The Darksaber, Doctrine, And That Lore Dump

00:41:18 The N-1!!!

00:54:29 Bae Watch

01:05:29 Closing Thoughts