The Mandalorian Season 3 Episode 3 Review: Chapter 19: The Convert

The Mandalorian Season 3 Episode 3, “Chapter 19: The Convert,” finds Din and Bo-Katan attempting to evade a horde of TIE fighters. At the same time, Dr. Pershing tries to get by on Coruscant through an Amnesty Program. It’s an interesting narrative experiment for this series. 

“Chapter 19: The Convert” takes a page from Andor‘s book and hones in on a slice-of-life story on Coruscant. It almost feels like a backdoor pilot since most of the episode focuses on Dr. Penn Pershing and Elia Kane, two recurring characters on The Mandalorian who are essentially reformed post-Moff Gideon’s arrest. It’s more political than anything the series has shown thus far. 

DIN DJARIN: I am redeemed. 

Of course, the appeal of The Mandalorian is Din Djarin and Grogu, a father and son, traveling the universe and narrowly avoiding danger. Chances are this outing won’t resonate with everyone. Admittedly, it’s a jarring departure from the norm. 

Does it work, though? In some respects, yes. The execution is a bit wobbly, but the effort should be praised. You don’t expect a series like this to take big narrative swings and deviate from its episodic formula. The Mandalorian is something of a comfort show, while Andor is more known for being a thought-provoking, darker, heavily thematic drama. 

The actors sink seamlessly back into their roles. Omid Abtahi conveys so much without uttering a word, delivering a nuanced, understated performance. Katy M. O’Brian infuses Elia Kane with a surface-level likeability that has you questioning her intentions when she warms to Penn Pershing. However, you’re still somewhat surprised when she betrays him. 

BO-KATAN KRYZE: I would invite you in for a feast, but I’m guessing that helmet isn’t coming off again. 

If anything, you have to marvel at the sight of Coruscant after the fall of the Empire. While we watched characters like Mon Mothma and Luthen Rael live their day-to-day on Coruscant during the Rebellion, the city-covered planet looks vastly different now. Lively, joyous, and vibrant. Witnessing that transformation and immersing ourselves in this revitalized world is fun. 

Stunning, immersive visuals aside, “Chapter 19: The Convert” presents a story that potentially ties into the Star Wars sequel trilogy. Elia Kane’s loyalty is definitively questionable. There’s a theory Kane could’ve flayed Pershing’s mind on behalf of the Empire to ensure his silence.

Pershing wants to utilize his cloning and gene engineering research for good, which could blow the Empire’s cover as they attempt to bring Palpatine back as a clone. It’s a solid theory. However, Kane could remain loyal to her former employer, Moff Gideon, who purportedly escaped en route to the New Republic War Tribunal. 

DR. PENN PERSHING: All these people working together to make something better. It makes me feel rather insignificant. 

Now, it would stink if we didn’t revisit these characters, especially to see Kane embedding herself into the New Republic to carry out whatever her mission is. If The Mandalorian left this particular story in the dust, it would feel like the writers penned it for naught. 

However, this could be an intriguing way to form the connective tissue between the New Republic era and the First Order. While it’s a peculiar interlude in Mando’s narrative, it’s nice to see how Coruscant, the center of the galaxy, is faring after the fall of the Empire. 

Din’s redemption and return to the Armorer appear to close the door on Mandalore for now. Bo-Katan interacting with the Armorer and the Mandalorians devoted to the old ways is a fun moment in the show. Whether she’ll adhere to said old ways herself is another story.

Of course, with the destruction of her castle on Kalevala, we’ll most likely see more of her this season than ever before. Katee Sackhoff is a wonderful addition to the series and injects Bo-Katan with a messy complexity that’s compelling to watch onscreen. She also boasts fantastic chemistry with Pedro Pascal. 

The TIE fighter sequence at the beginning of “Chapter 19: The Convert” is so damn fun and showcases the spiritedness of this series. It’s a well-executed, visually appealing action scene. Bo-Katan even cracks a few mildly amusing jokes to infuse the situation with levity. 

All in all, “Chapter 19: The Convert” delves into new territory for The Mandalorian, adding intriguing political themes and darker tones while addressing its typical questions regarding religion. It takes chances that, for the most part, pay off within the episode. Whether it pays off in the long run remains to be seen. 

Stray Observations: 

• We last saw Elia Kane and Dr. Penn Pershing in Season 2, Episode 8, “Chapter 16: The Rescue.” 
• Coruscant looks like a lovely little vacation destination. I’d party hard in a sprawling metropolis like that. It’s an ecumenopolis — a city-covered planet. That’s mind-boggling. 
• I wonder what flavors those strange light popsicles are. Pershing’s might be grape, while Kane’s appears to be cherry or strawberry. Who’s to say? Maybe in a galaxy far, far away, they, too, refer to flavors as colors. 
• If Din is now redeemed, does that mean we won’t see Pedro’s beautiful face again? The helmet is crushing dreams here. 
• Where do you think Kane’s loyalties lie? Moff Gideon? Snoke? Palpatine? A small unknown Imperial faction? Regardless, I’d rather get in that mind flayer and forget the sequel trilogy altogether. Don’t erase everything; merely selectively delete my knowledge of their existence. 

What did you think of this episode of The Mandalorian? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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