We’re only one week away from season 2 of Disney+’s hit show The Mandalorian, and we just can’t wait to see our favorite space father son duo. As we gear up for the highly anticipated new season, we’re taking a look back at the first. Here are Din Djarin’s most badass moments in season 1.
5. Mando Saves The Child
Chapter 3 – “The Sin”
Coming in at number five is the moment that truly changed the course of the series all together — Mando breaking the bounty hunter code and saving The Child from The Client (Werner Herzog), who is associated with a remnant of the Galactic Empire after its collapse. The lead up to the rescue is emotional as Din remembers his past and how he became a foundling, and after his internal struggle with what to do, he gets to work to save the little green alien.
Din sneaks into the building where the Imperials are keeping The Child — well, sneaking may not be the best word. He blew out a wall and waltzed right in. Stormtroopers guarding the building are now on high alert and looking for the intruder, but much to their surprise, Mando quickly takes them out and soon makes his way to The Child. After confronting Dr. Pershing, who kept The Child alive, Din takes it away. Now here’s where we really get to see the Mandalorian’s skills. While outnumbered and holding The Child, Din manages to fight off some remaining Stormtroopers with blaster fire, combat moves and his flamethrower. However, he gets cornered by four more Troopers. In what seems to be a surrender, Mando sets The Child down on the floor along with his blaster, but before he gives himself up, he engages a new weapon, Whistling Birds, effectively killing his remaining enemies.
While the fight is incredibly badass — I mean he took out several Stormtroopers with essentially one hand — the emotion the audience can see and feel during this moment makes it even more impactful. The viewers get to see for the first time that he isn’t just a terrifying bounty hunter with no feelings, he cares about others and will do what’s right in the end.
4. The Bar Fight
Chapter 1 – “The Mandalorian”
Our fourth pick for most badass moment is the opening scene of the series. This is our first introduction to Din, and it truly does not disappoint.
After showing our Mandalorian holding a tracking fob on an ice planet, it cuts to two seedy characters pinning down a blue-skinned Mythrol as he pleads for his life. Before anything happens to the Mythrol, Din steps into the bar covered in his beskar armor as the iconic bass recorder notes from the theme song begin to play. Even as one of the men begins to harrass Mando, he makes his way to the bar completely ignoring him. The man continues his threats as his Quarren counterpart comes over, taking an interest in his beskar. The bartender attempts to diffuse the situation by serving the man a new drink, but Din stops the mug mid-slide and begins a fight. As he takes out the man with a stab to the back, the Quarren tries to flee. To stop him, Mando fires his grappling line, effectively trips the squid-like being, and begins to pull him back into the building. The Quarren shoots at Din, and in response, he fires his blaster back at the door controls, causing the panels to shut and slice the Quarren in half.
In this moment, we immediately see that Din is someone to be cautious of, especially if a bounty is over your head. He’s rough and tough and will not submit to anyone. His combat skills are out of this galaxy, and his quiet demeanor is not something to underestimate.
3. Fighting Moff Gideon Using His Jetpack
Chapter 8 – “Redemption”
We love this next moment because of the pure determination Din has to make things right. The jetpack is also pretty cool if we do say so ourselves. After a massive shootout with Stormtroopers and the emotional moments when Din takes off his helmet and sees his old covert destroyed, the Mandalorian and Co. — including ex-shock trooper Cara Dune, IG-11, The Child, and the leader of the Bounty Hunters’ Guild Greef Karga — make their way through the underground lava river on Nevarro to escape. Much to their surprise, Moff Gideon is back and ready to take the group out so he can retrieve The Child.
With no other option, Din attaches his newly made jetpack onto his back and gets to work taking down Moff Gideon in his Outland TIE Fighter. He ignites the jetpack and uses his grappling cable to latch onto the infamous starfighter. As soon as Moff Gideon sees Din on top of the fighter, he barrel rolls the TIE Fighter in an attempt to shake the Mandalorian off. However, Din manages to hang on and, since he was unable to force his way into the cockpit, he tries to plant a detonator. The Moff shakes it off and with true grit, Din tries again, successfully planting the second detonator and causing the ship to spiral out of control and crash.
This moment is fast-paced and leaves the viewers on the edge of their seats as they watch the final showdown of the season. It is also so important because the outcome sets up what season 2 will be like. Had Din failed, Moff Gideon most likely would have taken The Child and season 2 could have taken a completely different route. This moment is our number three choice because while we see the intense fight between man and machine (which in itself is badass), we get a glimpse of the struggles Din faces while figuring out the jetpack he hasn’t been trained with and doing anything in his power to protect the foundling. Sometimes seeing a strong, dangerous, badass character have a moment of humbleness is the most satisfying thing to watch.
2. The Shootout at the Compound
Chapter 1 – “The Mandalorian”
Our number two pick is also in the first episode of the series when Din arrives at the compound to get the bounty, only to see IG-11 already there. Due to the droid’s not-so-stealthy entrance, Din’s plan to quietly get the bounty is ruined and results in a shootout with those guarding the area.
After IG-11 demands the Nikto guards hand over the “asset,” the droid begins to gun down the armed beings. Mando makes his way to the droid, telling him to stand down. However, IG-11 immediately shoots him in his armor. Obviously annoyed, Din proves that he’s in the guild and proposes they split the reward and work together right before the guards begin shooting at them again. Din takes out multiple guards while taking cover, proving that he truly is a great gunman. As more armed reinforcements advance, IG-11 activates his self-destruct mechanism but Din convinces him that they should shoot their way out instead. IG-11 draws the enemy fire away from Mando while he uses a huge laser cannon to take out the remaining guards on the roof.
The moment Din hops on the laser cannon and begins shooting is truly a sight to see. It shows that he is determined and will get a job done no matter how dangerous it is. Alongside the quick blaster fire and occasional hand-to-hand combat, there is added humor to this badass moment which we appreciate a lot. Many strong and powerful moments can use a bit of laughs mixed in with it. However, Din steals the show once again and proves just how hardcore he really is.
1. Hunting down his old crew
Chapter 6 – “The Prisoner”
And finally, Din’s most badass moment in season 1 is when he hunts down his old crew mates in a New Republic Prison ship they were raiding. The tenseness and distrust within the episode is palpable to the audience, and when the group of mercenaries — Mayfeld, a human; a Twi’lek named Xi’an; the droid Zero and Burg, who is a Devaronian — betray Mando during the mission, he hunts them down like a game of cat and mouse.
After rescuing Xi’an’s brother Qin, Din’s old crew locks him in a prison cell and plans their escape. To get out of the locked cell, Din traps a New Republic security droid walking past with his grappling cable and uses one of its arms to unlock the cell. Now the hunt is really on. Mando makes his way to the control room, and while there, he separates the crew by shutting down the power and closing off the hallways with blast doors. The crew decides to split up, kill Mando, and find their way back to the ship where Zero and The Child are waiting. Burg is the first to find Din. As the Devaronian enters the control room, Din chokes him with his grappling cable from up above in the ceiling. However, Burg puts up a fight and with his strength pulls Din through the ceiling and onto the ground. The two begin to fight and eventually Din takes out Burg with the door to the control room. Xi’an is next. Once she notices Din’s presence in the hallway, she begins throwing several knives at him, which he blocks using his beskar. With swift combat moves, he quickly manages to subdue the Twi’lek. Only one person left for Din to defeat — Mayfeld. This is probably the coolest moment in this episode. The Mandalorian ambushes Mayfeld from behind using the flashing lights in the hallway to his advantage. He seems to disappear then reappear until he is close enough to attack. At the end of the episode you see that Din didn’t actually kill the crew like many would expect. Instead, he locks them in a cell, just like they did to him.
This action packed moment is the most badass because it really shows how dangerous Din can be. He takes out skilled fighters and makes it look easy. The stealth and strength he has would make anyone afraid of him, and taking out his old crew showed that in such a great way. The audience felt as if they were trapped on that prison ship with them.
These are just a handful of several badass moments in season 1 of The Mandalorian, and we have a good feeling that there will be even more in the second season. Season 2 begins streaming on October 30 on Disney+. The first season is available now on the streaming service, so you have a chance catch up or rewatch before then.
