Today's episode of The Mandalorian is undeniably the calm before the storm, but there's no filler here ahead of next week's finale. With Bill Burr reprising the role of former Imperial sharpshooter Mayfeld, it's fitting that the director who introduced the character in "The Prisoner" - Rick Famuyiwa - also makes his return. It's a welcome one as well because the filmmaker dials back the action to bring us one of the most tense chapters to date.
We expected "Chapter 15" to be another prison break which, let's face it, would have been appropriate given what happened last time Famuyiwa was in the director's chair. Instead, the ragtag team of heroes - Din Djarin, Cara Dune, Boba Fett, and Fennec Shand - have to infiltrate another Imperial base, but this is vastly different to what we saw in "The Siege." A huge chunk of the episode feels like something out of Mad Max, while the attack itself...well, it shows exactly what the titular bounty hunter is willing to do in order to bring Grogu back to him.
That leads to some of the most interesting, insightful moments yet revolving around the Mandalorian, with Pedro Pascal given the chance to really stretch his acting chops in a big way. He unquestionably steals the show, but Burr is right there next to him with an awesome performance that adds new depths to Mayfeld. Despite being an entertaining presence in "Chapter 6," he was also something of a one-note antagonist, but The Mandalorian redeems him with this stellar effort.
Famuyiwa, meanwhile, has now directed three episode of this Disney+ series and proves that he's a perfect fit for this Galaxy Far, Far Away. We can't help but hope that he'll be back for season three, though it would be no bad thing to see the filmmaker bring his vision to another original story set in the Star Wars Universe. Delivering heaps of action, "Chapter 15" is never slow, but it also feels like much more than the extended fight scene we all enjoyed last Friday. We perhaps don't mention composer Ludwig Göransson's amazing work enough, but it really stands out here.
The stage is set for an epic finale with "Chapter 15," and this nail-biting penultimate episode gives Pedro Pascal and Bill Burr the chance to shine, while Rick Famuyiwa continues to prove he's perfect for Star Wars.
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