"Chapter 2: The Child" is the second episode of the first season of the American streaming television series The Mandalorian. It was written by the series' showrunner Jon Favreau and directed by Rick Famuyiwa. The episode takes place in the Star Wars universe five years after the events of Return of the Jedi (1983). In the episode, the Jawas strip the Mandalorian's ship the Razor Crest in several parts. Having successfully retrieved the asset which is revealed to be a Child but trapped on the planet, the Mandalorian is forced to negotiate with the Jawas to recover his ship components with the help of Kuiil.
It stars Pedro Pascal as the Mandalorian, while the Child is created through animatronics and puppetry augmented with visual effects. The episode also features co-star Nick Nolte. Favreau was hired to be the showrunner of the series in March 2018, while Famuyiwa joined the series to direct two episodes for the season in October. Favreau also serves as the executive producer of the series alongside Dave Filoni, Kathleen Kennedy and Colin Wilson.
"Chapter 2: The Child" was released on the streaming service Disney+ on November 15, 2019. The episode received positive reviews, with praise towards Nolte's vocal performance as Kuiil, and the chemistry between the Mandalorian and the Child. It received several accolades, including three Primetime Emmy Awards nominations, winning two of them.
Plot
While returning to his ship on foot with "the Child" in tow, the Mandalorian is ambushed by a trio of Trandoshan warriors. He disintegrates one attempting to rush and kill the Child, revealing a tracking fob. Upon returning to his ship, he finds a team of Jawas scavenging it for parts. After a short battle, they retreat in their Sandcrawler and stun the Mandalorian unconscious with ion blasts. He returns to his ship, finding it stripped bare and all of his weaponry stolen. With the assistance of Kuiil, he grudgingly bargains with the Jawas to return his ship's parts in return for retrieving the egg of a mudhorn.
The Mandalorian fights the large horned beast (known as a mudhorn), but he is battered and thrown around in the mud, his weapons failing and his armor heavily damaged. As the beast charges to finish the Mandalorian, the Child uses the Force to lift it, allowing the Mandalorian to go for the kill by stabbing it in the neck. He returns with the egg, and the Jawas cut it open and eat its contents. He and Kuiil repair his ship, after which Kuiil turns down the Mandalorian's offer of reward and crewing his ship. After parting as friends, the Mandalorian takes to space and the Child wakes up after exhausting itself using the Force.
Production
Development
Lucasfilm and Disney announced the development of a new live action Star Wars series that would be released for their streaming service Disney+ in November 2017. The series would be focused in the Mandalorians exploring the "scum and villainy" of the Star Wars universe taking place five years the events of the film Return of the Jedi (1983). The series would later reveal its official title The Mandalorian along with the official premise. Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy saw the opportunity of the series to allow a diverse group of writers and directors to create their own Star Wars stories. In March 2018, John Favreau was hired by Lucasfilm to be the head writer of the series, while Rick Famuyiwa was announced to direct two episodes for the series by October. The executive producers of the series include Kennedy, Favreau, Dave Filoni and Colin Wilson. The first season's second episode titled "Chapter 2: The Child", was written by Favreau, and was released on Disney+ on November 15, 2019.