This past weekend we got another episode of The Mandalorian, Chapter 10: The Passenger to be exact. I happened to love the episode. Others didn’t. Most of the disgruntled comments I read on Twitter from fans was that the episode was boring and wasn’t getting to the nitty-gritty of the story. There was no Boba, there were no Mandalorians, and the idea of Ahsoka being in this season feels like a distant fantasy, but that’s the brilliance of this story; its random side adventures.

If we look back at Chapters One and Two of the first season and we look at Chapters Nine and Ten they are both very similar narratively.

In Chapter One: The Mandalorian we meet Mando, a ruthless bounty hunter who doesn’t talk much but can handle himself quite well in a brawl or a confrontation with a monster. The first episode established Mando’s mission; find the “asset” and return it to The Client. Turns out the “asset” is an uber-cute green baby that Mando finds himself instantly attached to.

Chapter Two: The Child does not immediately see Mando and the asset return to his ship, Razor Crest to continue with the story. Instead, we’re taken on a detour that involves ultra-Baby Yoda cuteness, some hilarious Jawa shenanigans, and a near-deadly confrontation with a mudhorn.

This second season is basically following the same playbook.

We know Mando’s mission–find other Mandalorians–so we are introduced to that plotline in this episode which sees Mando return to Tatooine in search of a Mandalorian only to not find what he was expecting.

There’s Sand People and a massive Krayt Dragon, plenty of action and a brand new likable male Star Wars character that has the internet in a tizzy, but the episode doesn’t really move Mando any closer to his narrative destination. But it does give us a last-minute glimpse as to what is to come with that jaw-dropping Boba Fett cameo.

And neither does Chapter Ten get us any closer to the juicy stuff. It veers the trajectory of his mission left again in order to provide narrative development between Din Djarin and The Child.

You see, the episode was built to remind us just how fatherly Djarin is as he takes care of The Child, berates him when he’s being naughty, and makes sure to keep the little green baby safe. (It’s sooo cute.) No, Mando is nowhere closer to reaching those Mandalorians (whoever they are) but we are reminded how strong his bond with The Child is and sometimes that’s the most important thing for a story to stay intact.

But, if the trajectory of this story is going in the same direction as the first season, the third episode is going to be a turning point for the season.

We remember the first season and just how spectacular the third episode was as we got to see Mando in full combat mode, a bunch of Mandalorians in action, and we got to realize how sweet Mando is as he did everything he could to rescue The Child.

That episode led to The Mandalorian forging a new narrative path, one that involved him discovering what it meant to be a surrogate father after a life of isolation.

We know the third episode of this season will lead him, The Child, and the cute frog lady to the planet Trask where he was told Mandalorians were located. If this is true, this third episode is most likely going to throw a wrench in the system.

What could happen? What surprises lay in store? There’s no clue what awaits us this Friday but don’t fret…if Chapter Three: The Sin is any indication, it’s going to be a doozy.

I thank you for reading and I hope you have a beautiful day. May the Force be with you.