【Japan】

In Disney+'s The JapanMandalorianChapter 7, titled "The Reckoning," we return to the story threads that were left dangling in the first few episodes, giving us the most intriguing installment of the series yet.

Having bounced around the galaxy from planet to planet and job to job, the Mandalorian receives a communication from bounty hunter guild head Greef Karga (Carl Weathers), telling him he has a new plan: bring Baby Yoda to the guild's headquarters on the planet Navarro, act like they're going to turn him over to the client (Werner Herzog), but in actuality use the opportunity to kill the client and get out of there with the child.

Knowing this could get hairy, Mando hops back to a couple of previous planets to recruit some reliable friends, Cara Dune (Gina Carano) and Kuiil (Nick Nolte). Kuiil insists on bringing a few Blurrgs and the IG-11 droid that, last we saw, was programmed to murder Baby Yoda. But no worries, it's been re-programmed.

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Things get pretty exciting from there.

The Force is with Baby Yoda

Thus far, we've seen Baby Yoda actively use the Force once, when he levitated a giant beast that Mando was fighting in Chapter 2. Shortly before that, though, when the Mandalorian was treating an injury he sustained, Baby Yoda looked like he was going to use the Force to heal the wound. He didn't though. It turns out that was a tease for what was to come.

As the heroes were setting off to Nevarro, Mando and Cara were getting into a bit of an argument when, all of a sudden, Cara started choking. Baby Yoda was Force Choking Cara, a move that's really only been seen done in the movies by Sith like Darth Vader. It's shocking to everyone, but also shows the protective bond that Baby Yoda has developed with Mando, his adoptive dad.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Later, as the crew is traveling across the hellish planes of Nevarro along with Greef and a couple of his guild goons, they're attacked by terrifying devil/bat/dragon creatures, one of which shreds Greef's arm with its venomous claws. It looks like it could be fatal.

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The greatest moment in the series thus far

And then comes the greatest moment in the series thus far: Baby Yoda waddles up to Greef and puts his hand on his ravaged arm. Greef says, through clenched teeth, "He's trying to eat me."

Absolutely the funniest thing to ever come out of The Mandalorian.

But then, through the power of space magic, Baby Yoda Force Heals Greef's wounds, something that's never been seen before in the current Star Wars canon.

This altruistic move from the little green goblin sways Greef to reveal to Mando and co. that he was actually going to double cross them, which he says after killing his nameless guild pals. Now Greef is for-real on Team Baby Yoda, and the gang plans to kill the client. The new plan? Greef will offer the client Mando as a ruse, and they'll blast the client and his Imperial stormtrooper friends to bits.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

The climax

The plan seems to be going pretty well as Werner Herzog delivers his lines from the pure, dark, coldness of his heart, asking to see the child. It's clear that Baby Yoda is worth a lot to the Empire, and it seems like they're aware of his Force abilities.

And then it all starts to happen.

Just as Mando was about to start blasting, a flurry of red lasers start raining down on the building, cutting through the client and his guards as the protagonists take cover. When the smoke clears, we get a look at a line of Shadow stormtroopers outside, who are then joined by a convoy of regular stormtroopers, and then an Imperial tie-fighter carrying a very imposing man played by Giancarlo Esposito.

SEE ALSO: 'The Rise of Skywalker' spoiler-free review: Excitement first, story second Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Luckily, Kuiil is on his way back to Mando's ship on a blurrg with a bundled Baby Yoda under his arm. But stormtroopers on speeders are on their way.

The final scene is devastating. Kuiil and the blurrg have been shot dead, so close to escaping, and the stormtroopers picked up Baby Yoda who had fallen onto the dusty ground.

This is quite the cliff-hanger, and the next and final episode of the season won't hit Disney+ until Dec. 27.

Topics Disney+ Star Wars