The season’s penultimate episode doesn’t have the big reveals or the headline moments of the previous two episodes, nor does it have the clear cliff-hanger of last season’s penultimate entry, but it does give us some real landmark steps in Din Djarin’s journey. With Grogu having been taken by Moff Gideon in the previous episode, Din and his newfound friends, Boba Fett and Fennec Shand, (it still gives me a rush being able to say that), along with Cara Dune, must find the location of the Moff’s ship in order to mount a bold rescue. They must begrudgingly turn to Mayfeld, Bill Burr’s character from the previous season, for help as they infiltrate one of the Empire’s remaining bases.

First off, and as per usual for this show, we have some great action. Din defending the transport vehicle from pirates has great tension and we actually get to see him show his skills without his Beskar armour. This episode really excels at revealing more about Din’s character. His determination in wanting to save Grogu is plain for all to see. On the vehicle, while vulnerable in his Imperial disguise, he stands up against the relentless onslaught of the pirates. While the episode’s title ‘The Believer’ isn’t as obvious as previous titles, it is a perfect description of Din. He believes in what he’s doing. In addition, the sections of comedy we do get are really well executed and there’s one line from Boba Fett which is particularly funny.

The returning Bill Burr is impressive in this episode. His character has some great dialogue and unexpected character development. When him and Din successfully get inside the base, we are confronted with the episode’s biggest challenge. It’s excellently done. It’s not a big action sequence, but a genuine emotional obstacle for our titular hero. It further displays Din’s dedication to his adopted son. The way things play out might at first seem like a clichéd situation, but as it develops it does so with a great twist and shake up of what you expect to happen. As I said before, Mayfeld’s background and vulnerabilities unfold excellently.

It sets up the season’s finale expertly, with a final scene that’s a really clever call back and twist on last season’s penultimate episode. It’s powerful and helps to round the episode off nicely. Overall, there’s some really good action sequences and moral dilemmas in this episode. It’s not what you’d expect from your typical penultimate episode, especially in comparison with last season’s, but it’s presented intelligently. We’ve got one hell of a finale ahead of us.

Image credit: Disney+/Lucasfilm Ltd.