#kuiil

[nkp1981]

Excerpts from "The Mandalorian and Child", written by Jeffrey Brown. Can be bought later this year.

[thefrogdalorian]

Sometimes The Mandalorian skips scenes at the most infuriating times and leaves us with burning questions.

For instance in Chapter 7, when IG-11 brings tea into Kuiil's house. He's clearly carrying THREE cups (for Din, Cara and Kuiil).

Din was probably sat there under his helmet like this:

I can imagine him sitting there getting increasingly frustrated and thinking to himself: "They know I can't remove my helmet in the presence of others, why do *I* have a cup????"

I mean, he hated IG-11 so much at that point that he probably wouldn't have wanted it anyway... but now I have the mental image of Din awkwardly grabbing a cup, ducking through Kuiil's tiny door and sipping his tea outside like a polite house guest 🍵

It's the little things, you know?

[themandaloriandaily]

Din Djarin, the diplomat pyromaniac ↳ The Mandalorian, Chapter 2: The Child

[spashahoney]

Hands on his hips, Din brusquely stated, “I told you last time, I’m not a taxi.”

You’re heading West and he is also heading that way,” Peli argued. She folded her arms again. “Just take him with you and drop him off. A little company won’t hurt ya.”

Another Happy Dinluke Bang! This one is a wild ride and you're starting at the start! Catch the beginnings of On the Road With Someone New by @malakia215 - with even more sights to come!

And find even more stories at @dinlukebigbang

[movietimegirl]

✨️5 Years of the Mandalorian✨️

[star-wars-comics]

The Mandalorian #7 (2023) variant cover by Joshua Swaby

[officer-tk593]

Star Wars: The Mandalorian: The Manga, Vol. 1 Written and illustrated by Yusuke Osawa

[ohnakasimp]

Both The Mandalorian S1 and S2 will finally be receiving physical releases in the form of steel book Ultra 4K blu rays. It’s not known yet if special features like a behind the scenes video or alternate takes will be included but it appears three concept art cards will.

Update: Each steelbook will cost $40. Preorders are available at Walmart.

[burnwater13]

Kuiil with Grogu in his home on Arvala-7. Image from The Mandalorian, Season 1, Episode 7, The Reckoning. Calendar by DateWorks.

Caption: And we do it not for payment, but to protect the Child from Imperial slavery. None will be free until the old ways are gone forever. - Kuiil

“None will be free until the old ways are gone forever.”

Grogu could still hear Kuiil’s words echoing in his mind. He missed the Ugnaught. He had been kind, helpful, thoughtful, and generous with his time and his skills. It was Grogu’s considered opinion that Kuiil would have made an excellent Jedi. 

He was also pretty sure that Cara Dune didn’t agree with Grogu about that at all. She had been very upset with the Ugnaught. At first, Grogu thought it was all about Kuiil saying that the former drop trooper looked like she was a clone. Not a ‘Clone’ from the Clones Wars clones, but from a general population of clones from the cytocaves of Nora. 

Grogu had no way to know if that was true or not. He could say he’d never seen anyone else who looked just exactly like Cara Dune, but then he hadn’t actually met everyone in the galaxy either. It was possible. Kuiil was knowledgeable about such things since he’d worked in the gene farms. If any of the four of them were going to know one way or the other, it was probably Kuiil. Cara hadn’t liked that information, but clones were people, right?

Anyway as that meeting continued, it became clear that Cara was pretty upset that Kuiil had worked for the Imps. Grogu had expected Din Djarin to come to the Ugnaught’s defense because he clearly didn’t have a problem working with someone who might have once been on the other side of that whole mess, but the Mandalorian was unfortunately, characteristically silent. 

Kuiil wasn’t. He explained why he had ‘worked’ for them and all the choices he had. It was pretty simple. Save his family and kin folk, or give up. Kuiil wasn’t a quitter and Grogu was grateful for that. He was a pragmatic person who had learned a lot during his life and did what he could to make a difference. 

Cara was just lucky that Kuiil didn’t ask her why she had problems with her chain code. She hadn’t always toed the line. She had said as much when they first met her on Sorgan. She thought the Mandalorian had come after her. What had she done that anyone would put a bounty on her head? You don’t get a fob without a reason, even if it’s a crummy reason which Grogu knew all about.

Eventually they agreed to disagree. Which Grogu found weird. Grogu was pretty sure that Kuiil wasn’t pro-Imperium. He had been pro-saving his clan from the Imps. Cara Dune had been from Alderaan. She knew what it was like to lose friends and family because of the Imperium. She fought them one way and Kuiil fought them a different way. They both still fought them. 

At the time Grogu didn’t have an opportunity to talk to either of them about the issue and the Mandalorian had mostly been silent about the whole thing, except for the fact that Kuiil went with them to Nevarro and paid for protecting Grogu with his life. 

Grogu didn’t know if Cara Dune had been sad about that or not. The Mandalorian had been. Grogu was pretty sure that his beskar encased protector had cried over losing their friend. His voice was subtly different when they were back on the Razor Crest and he had taken a long time in the privy. Grogu figured he’d washed his face because he absolutely hadn’t shaved his whiskers off. Grogu could still hear them scratching the inside of the Mandalorian’s helmet. 

Now, well, they were on Nevarro in their cabin. Din Djarin was a land owner there. Grogu had been adopted and was now called Din Grogu. He was also a Knight of Plazir-15. The actual official title was pretty long and Grogu only mentioned when he wanted to bug his dad about being asked to do extra chores. Grogu wondered what Kuiil would think of all the changes. 

Would he be proud of them? Would he laugh when he saw that IG-11 had become IG-12, and then IG-11-M? He had told the Mandalorian that it mattered who the droid imprinted on and it had. IG-11-M was a marshal, protecting the fine people of Nevarro. He didn’t have to follow the ‘old ways’ that had made Grogu the target of the assassin droid’s skills. 

Cara Dune was off on some sort of super secret mission for the New Republic with a chain code that no longer reflected her checkered past. It was like she had paid a debt for herself and that made a difference. 

Just as importantly, Moff Gideon was gone, more or less. The person who had supported the Empire with the work of his hands and mind because he wanted what the Empire was doing to last, was finally gone from their lives. Grogu hoped that was true. The Moff had tricked them before and anyone so tied up in cloning experiments wasn’t likely to have forgotten their own history when it would allow them to ‘live’ forever. That’s really what Kuiil’s voice was reminding him about. 

They had to make sure that the old ways were gone forever. That wasn’t something that took a quick trip to Mand’alor and the ability to wield the Force. They would have to work on it every day, like their lives depended on it. Because they did. 

But until they had to put their armor back on and set aside hand carving wooden flutes, Grogu planned on having a lazy day, looking at the clouds, eating dung worms, and maybe taking his dad fishing. He’d found a new pond and it was only half a Mandalorian deep, which was obviously good for his dad. 

He still hadn’t managed to find the time to teach his dad to swim. Someday, when the old ways were gone forever. Grogu has spoken.

Kuiil speaking to the Mandalorian (out of frame) on Arvala-7, near the blurrg corral. Image from The Mandalorian, Season 1, Episode 7, The Reckoning.

Caption: None will be free until the old ways are gone forever.

[notgonnaedit]

Beskar and Bone

Chapter 7: The Reckoning

Summary: A lone bounty hunter must make his way through the galaxy as he cares for two children with mysterious powers.

Chapter summary: An old contact asks for help

Warnings: Canon-typical violence, injury, Greef Karga being shady, the Client being creepy (If I miss a tag LMK)

@thecoffeelorian

Updates on Fridays. If you want to be tagged LMK

Master list

The kids were sleeping while Mando piloted the Crest. The Child snored lightly, but Elaine was silent, save for the soft sound of her breathing. Mando figured they could use the rest. After all, it was only a few hours earlier that they were running around the hull wildly. 

That was something Mando had never thought he'd see; two children playing together in his ship, children he was tasked with protecting and had gotten attached to.

Attached. Another thing Mando had never thought would happen.

A soft trilling sound brought Mando out of his thoughts and Elaine out of her sleep.

"Wahisit?" She muttered rubbing her eyes. Mando looked and saw it was a transmission, from Greef Karga.

"My friend," it played. "If you are receiving this transmission, that means you are alive. You might be surprised to hear this, but I am alive too. I guess we can call it even. A lot has happened since we last saw each other. The man who hired you is still here, and his ranks of ex-Imperial guards have grown.

"They have imposed despotic rule over my city, which has impeded the livelihood of the Guild. We consider him an enemy, but we cannot get close enough to take him out. If you would consider one last commission, I will very much make it worth your while. You have been successful so far in staving off their hunters, but they will not stop until they have their prizes.

"So, here is my proposition: Return to Nevarro. Bring the children as bait. I will arrange an exchange, and provide loyal Guild members as protection. Once we get near the Client, you kill him, and we both get what we want. If you succeed, you keep the children and I will have your name cleared with the Guild, for a man of honor should not be forced to live in exile. I await your arrival with optimism."

The transmission ended and Elaine looked over at Mando. "Are we going back to Nevarro?"

Mando sighed. He knew Karga was right, the Client would stop at nothing to take the kids from him. "We won't go alone. We'll get Cara and the Ugnaught."

Elaine perked up at the idea of seeing Cara again. She grinned excitedly, and Mando realized that was the first he'd seen her smile. He smiled under his helmet, and hoped he could give the kids a life they deserved.

                                                                                 ~~~~~

Mando, Elaine, and the Child walked into the inn on Sorgan where they first met Cara. They found the ex-shock trooper battling a large alien. When she won, they waked over.

"Looking for some work?" Mando asked.

Cara looked at him. "Let me buy the kids something to eat," Cara knew that Mando wouldn't except her offer for a drink, he wouldn't say no to the kids. 

When they sat down, Elaine and the Child ate their soup as Mando explained their situation to Cara. "It's seems like a straightforward operation. They're providing the plan and the firepower. I'm the snare."

Cara raised her eyebrows. "With the kids?" 

Mando nodded. "That's why I'm coming to you."

Cara bit her lip. "I don't know. I've been advised to lay low. If anybody runs my chain code, I'll rot in a cell for the rest of my life."

"I thought you were a good guy," Elaine said curiously.

Cara smiled softly at the girl. "I am, but the people in charge don't think so. If I so much as book passage on a ship registered to the New Republic, I'm–"

"I have a ship," Mando interrupted. "I can bring you there and back with a handsome reward. You can live free of worry."

Cara picked up her drink. "I'm already free of worry, and I'm not in the mood to play soldier anymore. Especially fighting some local warlord."

So that's what she thought. Mando decided to tell her the truth. "He's not some local warlord. He's Imperial."

Cara didn't break eye contact. "I'm in."

Elaine smiled and the Child cooed happily. Mando had his backup.

~~~~

On the Razor Crest, Mando and Cara were in the hull checking the blasters, while Elaine and the Child where in the cockpit.

"They alright up there alone?" Cara asked. She didn't know how well behaved the kids were.

Mando looked at one of his blasters. "Yeah. Pick one."

Cara picked up a blaster and felt it in her hand. "You trust the contact?"

"Not particularly. He and I had a run-in last time I was there on some Guild business."

"So then why are we going?"

Mando sighed. "I don't have a choice. You saw what happened on Sorgan. They'll keep sending hunters. The kids will never be safe until the Imp is dead."

Cara frowned. "And you're okay with bringing them back there?" She could tell Mando cared about the kids, but they were in a terrible position.

"Not really," Mando admitted. "That's why I'm bringing you."

Suddenly, an alarm blared and the Crest lurched. A short yell was heard from the cockpit. It was Elaine. Mando and Cara rushed up the ladder in the chaos and found the Child grabbing a lever and Elaine in the corner trying to hold on.

Mando grabbed the Child and looked down at him. He giggled, causing Mando to sigh before turning to Elaine. "What happened?"

Elaine picked herself up. "I fell asleep and he grabbed the controls."

Mando gritted his teeth. He couldn't get mad at Elaine, she was just a kid and was no doubt extremely tired. He looked at Cara who glaced at the Child. "We need someone to watch that thing. You got anyone you can trust?"

~~~

Mando landed the Razor Crest not far from the Ugnaught's farm, and the owner came out to greet them, inviting them into his home.

"They haven't grown much," The Ugnaught remarked seeing Elaine and the Child.

Mando looked down at them, his eyes settling on the Child. "I think it might be a Strand-Cast. But, I'm not so sure about her."

The Ugnaught shook his head. "I don't think it was engineered. I've worked in the gene farms. This one looks evolved. Too ugly. She looks like she could be a Devaronian, except the females are hornless," He turned to Cara. "This one, on the other hand, looks like she was farmed in the Cytocaves of Nora."

Whether Cara was offended or not, they couldn't tell. Perhaps she took it as a compliment that the Ugnaught thought her muscles were engineered.

"This is Cara Dune," Mando intoduced. "She was a shock trooper."

"You were a Dropper?" The Ugnaught asked.

Cara nodded. "Did you serve?"

The Ugnaught shook his head. "On the other side, I'm afraid. But I'm proud to say that I paid out my clan's debt, and now I serve no one but myself."

Cara wasn't pleased to hear that, but she kept her mouth shut. Mando heard metallic footfalls enter the room, and drew his blaster when he saw an all to familiar droid. Elaine took the Child and ran behind Mando as the IG spoke. 

"Would anyone care for some tea?" All blasters reminded trained on it.

"Please lower your blasters," the Ugnaught said. "He will not harm you."

"That thing is programmed to kill the children," Mando spat, his weapon ready.

"Not anymore," The Ugnaught explained. "It was left behind in the wake of your destruction. I found if laying were it fell. Devoid of all life. I recovered the flotsam and staked it as my own in accordance with the Charter of the New Republic. Little remained of it's neural harness. Reconstruction was quite difficult...but not impossible. It had to learn everything from scratch. This is something that cannot be taught in the twist of a spanner. It requires patience and repetition. I spent day after day reinforcing it's development with patience and affirmation. It developed a personality as it's experiences grew."

Mando cared nothing for the Ugnaught's trials with the IG. "Is it still a hunter?"

The Ugnaught shook his head. "No. But it will protect." 

All eyes turned to the droid, who once again held out his tray. "Tea?" 

Letting out a sigh, Mando gestured for the Ugnaught to walk outside with him. He didn't want Elaine to know that he needed the Ugnaught to care for her and the Child. Why, he didn't want her know? Mando didn't even know himself.

"I've run into some problems," The armor clad man said.

"The Ugnaught nodded. "I figured as much. Why else would you return?"

"I wanna hire you for your services."

"I'm retired from service." 

"I can pay you handsomely, Ugnaught," Mando offered. He had a few credits from a successful job not too long ago, and he wanted to put them to good use. The Ugnaught turned and looked up at him.

"I have a name. It is Kuiil."

Fair enough. "I need someone to protect the little ones, Kuiil," Mando hoped he didn't sound as desperate as he felt. "I'm not suited for such work."

"I can reprogram IG-11 for nursing and protocol," Kuiil offered.

"No," Mando replied shortly. "I don't want that droid anywhere near them."

"Why're you so distrustful of droids?" Kuiil asked.

Mando didn't want to get into his home being destroyed at the beginning of the Clone Wars, but he remained honest. "It tried to kill them."

Kuiil shrugged. "It was programmed to do so. Droids are not good or bad. They are neutral reflections of those who imprint them."

Mando scoffed. "I've seen otherwise."

Kuiil looked at him. "Do you trust me?"

Mando weighed the decision in his mind. "From what I can tell, yes."

"Then you will trust my work," Kuiil ordered. "IG-11 will join me. And we do it not for payment, but to protect the children from Imperial slavery. None will be free until the old ways are gone forever."

"Okay," Despite his worries about the droid, Mando figured Kuiil was being responsible.

"And the blurrgs will join me as well."

"The blurrgs?"

"I have spoken," Kuiil walked back inside, and Mando followed to get the kids.

~~~~~

The blurrgs made their temporary home in the cargo hold of the Razor Crest. The only thing separating them from the people was a metal divider. Kuiil was tending to his beasts as Mando and Cara struck up an arm wrestling contest while Elaine and the Child watched.

"I got you, Mando," Cara grunted.

"Care to double the bet?" Mando asked teasingly, but Elaine could hear the strain in his voice. Cara was winning. Elaine watched eagerly, not noticeing the Child raise his tiny hand. 

Suddenly, Cara began to choke. Mando looked between her and the Child a few times before registering what was happening. When he did, he moved quickly to the Child and picked him up, ceasing the choking.

 "No! No, no! Stop! We're friends, we're friends. Cara is my friend!" The bounty hunter explained to the Child.

Cara massaged her throat. "That is not okay!"

Kuiil came over and looked at the situation. "Hmm. Very curious."

Cara looked at him incredulously. "Curious? It almost killed me!"

Ignoring the shocked veteran, Kuiil turned to Mando. "The story you told me of the Mudhorn now makes more sense."

Thinking the Ugnaught knew that the Child was, he asked, "What is it?"

"What is is I don't know," Kuiil admitted. "But what it does, this...This I've heard rumors of."

"What? When you worked for the Empire?" Cara spat. She was very upset with almost being killed by a small child.

Kuiil turned to her. "When I was sold to the Empire, in indentured servitude."

"Yet somehow, you walk free."

Elaine had never seen anyone so close to losing their temper, not since Mando fired his flamethrower at the Jawas. Kuiil was close to fuming. "I bought my freedom through the skill of my hands with the labor of three of your human lifetimes. Do not cast doubt upon that of what I am not whom I shall serve."

Everyone was silent for a moment, even Cara didn't have a comment or a dig to make.

"Tell you what," Mando said breaking the awkward quiet. "I could really use your craft work right now," He grabbed the basket used as the Child's makeshift cradle. "Can you pad this container better so the Child can sleep better?" Since Mando was usually in the pilot's seat, Elaine took his bunk.

Kuiil took the container and turned it over in his hands. "I shall fabricate a better one. Then perhaps this Dropper can see how one can win their freedom with the skill of one's hands," He shot Cara a distasteful look and left.

"So, we're going to Nevarro?" Cara asked playing with her hands.

"Have you ever been?" Mando asked.

Cara shook her head. "No. We lost a lot of our forces there. The city's dug in pretty deep. No cover when you drop in. It stayed in Empire control 'till the end of the war."

"The warlord we're taking out was an Imperial officer," Mando reminded her.

"What station?"

"Hard to tell. No insignia anymore. I took out the safehouse when I snatched the kids," He looked at the Child sitting in his arms and Elaine sitting cross-legged on a crate. "More Imps have reinforced since."

"There's something more going on," Cara half said to herself.

Mando doubted she was wrong. "Maybe. We'll find out more when we land."

Elaine shifted nervously. She had no desire to return to the Client or the doctor. She would have preferred to never return to Nevarro, but she trusted Mando to care for her and the Child.

~~~~~

When the Crest touched down on Nevarro, the team mounted blurrgs and rode to meet Karga. Each adult had their own blurrg, even the Child had a new pod that flew next to Mando. But Elaine sat behind Mando, holding on very tightly, as if the blurrg would suddenly buck her off.

They met Karga not to far from the ship. He had three people with him. "Sorry for the remote rendezvous, Mando, but things have gotten more complicated since you were last here," Karga looked at Cara and Kuiil. "It appears that introductions are in order. It seems we both provided a security detail. I recommend the shock trooper guards the ship," he said noticing Cara's tattoo. "These fields are lousy with Jawas."

"She's coming with me," Mando said. The IG was guarding the ship, and he needed Cara.

"But the town is now run by ex-Empire. If a Rebel Dropper is with us, they'll all get their hackles up."

"She coming," Mando's decision was final, and Karga seemed to realize that.

"Fine. Fine," he said turning to Cara. "At least cover your tattoo. No need to flaunt it. Now, where are the little ones?" Karga moved to looked at the Child as Elaine peeked her head out from behind Mando. "So, these little bogwigs are what all the fuss was about. What precious little creatures. I can see why you didn't want to harm a hair on their wrinkled and horned heads."

Mando used his gauntlet to close the Child's pram, and Karga turned back to him. "Well, I'm glad this matter will be put to rest once and for all. The sun drops fast on Nevarro. We can walk for a spell, camp out on the riverbank, then make our way into town at first light."

They started their trek across the lava flats, Mando's team riding the blurrgs and Karga's walking.

~~~~~

When night came, they made a small campfire and settled around it. Kuiil was feeding the Child small pieces of meat and Elaine sat near Mando, quietly munching on her own food. Karga looked between the two kids. "I guess their carnivores. Never seen anything like them. They were ready to pay a king's ransom for them. Must be for some kind of highfalutin menagerie," he chuckled.

Mando didn't like how easily Karga spoke about the kids, so he decided to change the subject. "Let's go over the plan again."

Karga nodded. "We both enter the common house. We show the client the bait. We join him at the table. And you kill him."

"Tell me about his reinforcements," Mando said.

"They're all ex-Empire. As soon as they lose their paycheck, poof, they'll all scatter."

Mando raised the question no one wanted to ask. "And what if they don't?"

"They will," Karga assured him.

Mando shook his head. "That's not good enough." He need his kids to be safe from the Empire, even if all that was left was ragtag groups like that.

Karga humored him. "If, for arguments sake, a few of them don't realize that I'm their best path to alternative employment and they elect to react impulsively, then these three fine Guild Hunters, along with that battle-hardened shock trooper, will cut down anyone who bucks."

"How many will their be?" Mando asked.

Karga sighed. "No more than four. He travels with at most, a Fire Team. Trust me. Nothing can go wrong."

As he spoke a creature flew down and stole his piece of meat. It swooped down again and stole a blurrg, and the adults began to fire upon it. Elaine grabbed the Child and watched as another creature swooped down and stole a second blurrg. Mando fired at it, and it attacked him. He used his flamethrower and set it's tail on fire. The creature fled with its partner, leaving the group in shock.

Mando turned to the kids, holstering his blaster. "Are you two alright?"

Elaine nodded and the Child cooed happily. However, Elaine looked over and saw Karga on the ground, his hand clutching his side.

"He's hurt badly," Kuiil said examining the wound.

"I'm fine," Karga grunted. "I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm fine. Ow!" He tried to move but couldn't.

"Hold still," Cara ordered. She looked at the bloody mess and applied bacta to it. Mando offeres his bacta as well, but the poison was spreading quickly. Cara called for another medpac, but no one had any. The Child wriggled in Elaine's grasp and looked up at her. Somehow, she knew what he was feeling and set him down. They moved to Karga's side.

"Get them out of here," Cara ordered. The Child laid his tiny hands on Karga's wound, causing him to panic.

"He's trying to eat me," he said. Elaine sat next to him and took his hand, her instincts taking over.

"It's going to be okay," She whispered. She focused on her calm and tried to show Karga that he would be fine.

Everyone watched in amazement as the children helped the man. Elaine calling him, and the Child healing him. Mando had never known the Child could do that with his powers, but Elaine was still somewhat of a mystery. Was she just being kind?

~~~~

The next morning, Karga and his colleagues were talking quietly amongst themselves as the others walked behind them. Kuiil rode the remaining blurrg and Elaine and Cara walked with Mando, the younger of the two trying her hardest to keep up with their large strides.

"You think they're having second thoughts?" Cara asked.

"Could be," Mando said. "I need your eyes."

Cara nodded. "I'm watching."

They arrived at a small ridge not to far from the city. "I guess this is it," Karga said. His hunters had moved away from him towards the back, but Karga shot them. Mando and Cara raised their blasters. Elaine ducked behind Mando as the Child cooed curiously.

Karga holstered his blaster and kicked the dead hunter. "There's something you should know. The plan was to kill you and take the kids. But after what happened last night, I couldn't go through with it," seeing no change in their demeanor, Karga raised his hands. "Go on. You can gun me down here and now and it wouldn't violate the Code. But if you do, those kids will never be safe."

Cara kept her blaster fixed on him. "We'll take our chances."

"The Imperial client is obsessed with obtaining these assets," Karga tried. "You tried to run, but where did it get you?"

"This is ridiculous," Cara scoffed.

"Perhaps you should let him speak," Kuiil suggested.

Karga nodded. "Listen, we both need the client to be eliminated. Let me take the kids to him and then you two–"

"No," Mando said sharply. 

"Let's just kill him and get outta here," Cara said.

Mando looked back at the Child. He was watching the whole thing innocently. He looked down at Elaine and saw she was stareing up at him with her soul piercing gaze. "He's right," Mando put his blaster away, much to Cara's shock.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"As long as the Imp lives, he'll send hunters after the kids," Mando said.

"It's a trap," Cara argued.

"Bring me," Mando said.

"Bring you?" Karga asked.

"Tell him you captured me. Get me close to him and I'll kill him."

Karga nodded. "That's a good idea. Give me your blaster."

Mando did as he said as Cara looked at them incredulously. "This is insane."

"It's the only way," Mando said. The only way the kids would stay safe.

Cara holstered her blaster. "Well, I'm coming with you."

"No, no, no," Karga said. "That would make them suspicious."

"Don't care. I'm coming," she snapped.

"Tell them she caught me," Mando reasoned.

"Fine. Then she can bring the kids," Karga said.

"No. The little one goes back in the ship."

"But without both of them, none of this works!"

Mando stared at him. "I have a plan. Kuiil, ride back to the Razor Crest with the Child and seal yourself in. When your inside, engage ground security protocols. Nothing on this planet will breach those doors." 

Kuiil nodded and handed Mando something. "Here's a commlink. I will keep the Child safe," he turned to Cara. "Don't forget to cover your stripes," he picked up the Child and headed to his blurrg. Elaine watched as her friend went away before leaving herself with Mando.

~~~~

Mando was now cuffed as well as Elaine, who was being carried by Cara. The girl had a hard time keeping up as is, but with her hands bound she was constantly tripping. They reached the sketchy house and entered, but there were way more than four stormtroopers.

They were seated at a booth where the client was waiting for them. He immediately took notice of Mando's armor. "What exquisite craftsmanship," je said. "It is amazing how beautiful Beskar can be when forged by it's ancestral artisans. Can I offer you a libation to celebrate the closing of our shared narrative?"

Elaine didn't know what he was saying, only that he made her skin crawl. "It is a shame that your people suffered so," he said to Mando. "Just as in this situation, it was all avoidable. Why did Mandalore resist our expansion? The Empire improves every system it touches. Judge by any metric. Safety, prosperity, trade, opportunity, peace. Compare Imperial rule to what is happening now. Look outside. Is the world more peaceful since the revolution? I see nothing but death and chaos."

The client's eyes drifted to the Child's pram. "I would like to see the baby."

Karga pursed his lips. "Uh...It is asleep."

The client leaned forward. "We all will be quiet. Open the pram," luckily, a stormtrooper came over and whispered something to him. "Don't think me to be rude. I must take this call," je stood up and walked to a hologram on the other side of the room.

"Give me the blaster," Mando whispered. 

Karga slipped it to him under the table. "You get one shot," as he spoke, several more stormtroopers walked in, filling the room.

"This is bad," Cara said. "You said four."

"Well, there are more. What can I tell you?" Karga asked.

Elaine felt anxious, something was wrong. She looked up at Mando. "I don't like this."

Before Mando could say anything, blaster fire shot through the window, killing all the troopers and the client. Mando grabbed Elaine and shielded her, his cuffs falling off. When the fire ended he grabbed his comm. "Kuiil? Are you back to the ship yet? Are you there? Do you copy?"

"Yes!" Kuiil's voice crackled over the comm.

"Are you back to the ship yet?"

"Not yet."

Mando hugged Elaine closer to him. She held on for dear life. "Get back to the ship and bail. Get the kid out of here," Mando risked a look and saw a squadron of stormtroopers, their armor gleaming white. The man in front was wearing all black and had a red cape.

"You have something I want," he said. "You may think you have some idea of what you are in possession of, but you do not."

Mando didn't care, he needed to contact Kuiil. "Kuiil, are you back to the ship yet? They're on to us! Kuiil come in!"

"They mean more to me than you will ever know," the man said from outside.

Elaine clung to Mando, her arms grasped tightly around his neck. Mando stood against the wall, Elaine in one arm and the commlink in the other. Kuiil was gone, and the kids were in danger. 

He failed them.​​​​​​​

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[dindjarindiaries]

Kuiil’s theme playing when Din’s working on IG-11

[thefrogdalorian]

Do you ever stop and think about how they've been setting up Din one day riding the Mythosaur since Chapter 1?

When Din is struggling with the blurrg, Kuiil tells him: "You are Mandalorian! Your ancestors rode the great Mythosaur. Surely you can ride this young foal."

He does ride the blurrg eventually, of course and the creature takes him to the bounty who will one day become his son. The child who has shown many times (including with a Rancor that almost killed Din) that he has a particular ability to communicate with animals. At the ceremony where it is written into song that Din Djarin is accepting Grogu as his son, the child feels the presence of the Mythosaur again.

Grogu will tame the Mythosaur and Din will ride it, I'm so convinced.

(And when he does, maybe he'll think of that Ugnaught on Arvala-7 who encouraged him when he doubted himself.)

[autumnwoodsdreamer]

Who are your favorite side characters in The Mandalorian?

The Mandalorian is one of those rare instances where I enjoy almost all the side characters. Especially in the first one and a half seasons, the side characters feel so grounded and real—even when their concepts are full-blown quirky sci-fi (dear, dear Frog Lady). They fit the world, they support the story, they have heart, and enough of their own stories leak through to convince us they had lives before we (and Din) meet them.

But I have favourites, of course. And reasons. I have many reasons.

Side characters I love absolutely and have no notes on:

Kuiil

He wins your heart so fast, old Kuiil. His calm willingness to help Din is endearing, in and of itself, but the fact it stems from this beaten but not dead hope that if someone can just get that prize, then his home can enjoy peace—the very thing he set out to find after a life of slavery? Heart-breaking.

Cara Dune

Strong female character with an actual story arc? Who gets to be strong physically in a very believable manner but at the same time has a backstory and shows a healthy range of human emotion (which includes *gasp* empathy)? In my Star Wars?

It’s more likely than you think.

Omera

One episode. Just one episode in the entire series and she is forever remembered. There’s still so much about her I want to know. Why does she know how to use a blaster in a village that doesn’t have weapons? What was her life before Sorgan (assuming she came from somewhere else, which is highly likely?)

I don’t want them to answer any of that in the show or movie (I don’t trust ‘em), but what we saw of her in Chapter 4 is enough to make me want to explore this character over and over again in fics.

Peli Motto

Really thought she was just gonna be a swindling mechanic but she consistently lets her heart of gold and her eccentricity shine through and, for that, I love her forever.

Migs Mayfeld

Remember watching Chapter 6 the first time and hating this guy? Then watching Chapter 15 the first time and hating him in the beginning but then slowly, begrudgingly warming up to him until he cemented himself as a good guy forever in the end?

I’ve been chasing that high for four years now. Nothing’s come close.

Characters I have some notes on (it’s not their fault; season 3 did them dirty)

Greef Karga

Oh, I adore Greef.

I really wanted to put him in the first category, I really, really did, and seasons 1&2 Greef belongs there for sure but season 3 Greef… I don’t know what happened. They played it off for laughs but that sudden pompous attitude and the ridiculous attire and the strange tone in the interactions with Din… it didn’t feel like the competent guild leader and boss/friend/father figure he was previously.

IG-11

I’m actually not sure if he belongs in this category or not. Bit of a paradox. Can I say his character did anything wrong when, technically, he was dead and other characters reanimated his dead chassis and turned it into a glorified Iron Man suit for the baby?

Paz Vizsla

Again, it’s not him; it’s season 3’s treatment of him. He didn’t do anything wrong except die.

The Armourer

I really loved her in the first season. She was such a pleasant surprise. But every appearance since has left a weird taste in my mouth. She quickly became a tool for the writers to cram in lore (which in itself didn’t always seem too well fleshed out which only made her seem weirder), and whatever beliefs she had held with such devotion seemed sacrificed to suit the plot (“she gets to take her helmet off and walk both ways, that’s totally fine, I’m endorsing it, even; but if anyone else dares show a glimpse of their chins, it’s a trip to the skanky cave water for you.”)

[tlmtwelve]

May 19, 2024: Kuiil

[star-wars-comics]

The Mandalorian #7 (2023) pencil by Georges Jeanty ink by Dexter Vines & Wayne Faucher color by Rachelle Rosenberg

[purplesong1028]