Last weeks western-inspired desert monster hunt sure was a ton of fun, but it did leave a lot of people asking “what about the kid?” It seems like they must have realized that the episode was light on The Child because this second episode is non stop Child-related hijinx.

_{Seriously. Spoilers galore are coming. You’ve been warned.}

Picking up right where the last episode leaves off, our hero and his green baby friend are speeding across the desert when they are ambushed by some bounty hunters looking for the child. They set a trap that sends his speeder bike crashing, and then despite being disoriented, he still manages to fend off three of them before ending up in a standoff with the fourth, who has a knife to the Childs’s throat.

He offers the bounty hunter his jetpack, which the hunter accepts—silly little guy. As soon as the child is back with Mando, Mando turns the jetpack on and sends him flying into the sky and to his doom.

I legitimately laughed at the glance that Mando and the child exchanged before the title card.

Once they get back to Mos Eisley, they strike a deal to ferry a female frog alien, along with a canister containing her eggs, at sub-light speeds to the planet where her husband has created a home for them. Of course, when you’re a wanted man travelling at sub-light is dangerous, but the woman has information on other Mandalorians so what else are our heroes going to do? Too bad they don’t speak a word of each other’s languages.

Soon they’re on their way, and it turns out that the child has a taste for frogs eggs. The child has some great reaction shots in this episode and continuing to try to steal these eggs ks never not funny. Sure, the kid is eating someones unborn children, but it’s funny. Anyway.

Of course, it doesn’t take long for them to pick up some unwanted attention. Except its not pirates or marauders, it’s new republic x-wings. A chance ensues, and soon our heroes are stranded on the surface of a frozen planet.

Mando basically says “deals off, the ship is too damaged” but then the frog woman re-wires Zero, the killer droid from last season, to translate for her and she guilts the shit out of him until he agrees to the fix the ship. I’m not gonna lie; I liked that scene.

Here’s where the child’s appetites get them into real trouble. After a short wander away from the ship finds them surrounded by egg-like objects in a cave, and so naturally the child breaks one open and eats one, and wakes up the creatures that laid them: a massive horde of giant spider-creatures.

They get back to the ship, killing spider-left and right, the frog woman leaping, and Mando tossing explosives. They manage to get into the ship and nearly take off before ea giant spider jumps on the Razor Crest. Just when it seems all is lost, the new republic fighters come back and save them. They let Mando know that he’s a wanted man, but also they’re willing to give him a pass since he also put his life on the line for one of their own. They fly off, and our hero repairs only the cockpit of the Razor Crest, and they limp away into space.

The Passenger is a fun episode with gross monsters and more than a few great moments from The Child. The look on his face every time he eats an egg or is told of is pretty great, and reminds me why we fell in love with the kid in the first place. I also love the developing relationship between our heroes and the two different moments of snuggling.

The series once again continues to be Fan Service: A Star Wars Story, and this time the big callback is the monsters. I can’t tell you for sure if the giant spider monsters are Krykna, last seen in an episode of Star Wars Rebels, but if they aren’t then they are certainly related. At least they finally left Tatooine. I wonder how long until they head back again.

Ultimately this episode is all about reminding us, and the title character himself, that he’s a good guy. I don’t really know why, it’s not like he forgot from the last episode, but still. All in all The Passenger is a fun episode with some awesome practical effects, splatter, and baby Yoda moments.

Other Notes:

• I love the idea that the child will eat basically anything as long as it’s gross.
• This is the second episode in a row that has opened with a fistfight where despite the fight being on screen, I basically can’t see what’s going on because there are so many cuts. Just show me the fights already!
• Speaking of practical effects, the giant insect alien in the Mos Eisley Cantina is pretty sweet.
• I thought about this last week after I posted, but I also love that every planet in the Star Wars is basically a village. So easy to find anyone.
• The Krykna are super gross. I dig them.
• I’m sure you can write it off to the kid being a kid, but also it has always been super convenient when the good guys can and can’t (or do or don’t) use the force.
• That last shot of the Razor Crest limping through space will, I’d be willing to be, lead right into the opening shot from the season two trailer of the ship limping toward a planet.
• This episode was directed by Peyton Reed, which makes how funny it is make a lot more sense. He’s a great comedic director.
• I would honestly take a whole series of The Child trying to eat things. A star Wars cooking show, maybe. Oh crap they’re going to do that now, aren’t they?