Right away, the first thing of note is the fact that the episode feature two very distinct storylines, and as such, Joseph Shirley adheres to the two narratives with very different styles and ideas, and I will start analyzing the one not focusing on Mando, the Coruscant storyline, that revolves around Doctor Pershing.

It's a storyline removed from the mandalorian culture and lore, and as such, none of those themes and motifs appear, even if there are a couple of interesting cameos. But the first thing that we notice as we see Coruscant for the first time is a joyous regal fanfare that the composer uses several times through the episode to reflect the glory and beauty of a city at its peak.

Music starts to turn a bit darker and sinister when he is denied the possibility of continuing his former research, and this leads to him and his pal, G68 to try to infiltrate an Imperial spaceship in order to take material that would allow him to continue his research. We then have a lengthy sequence where the two of them travel in a train into these facilities. The music is mostly atmospheric and tense, relying on synth rhythms and unnerving strings, but there are a couple of thematic tibdits here and there, being the very first one a reference to the Client's theme (Werner Herzog's character in the first season) as he changes his clothes and gets ready to begin the mission. What's interesting is that the idea is supported by a bed of low droning male voices, that are perhaps referencing either Palpatine's narration of the traguedy of Darth Plagueis on Revenge of the Sith or Snoke's music from the sequels, and this male choir seems to be a constant representation of the Dark Side of the Force in the whole saga, and they're probably hinting towards some big revelation in relation to this at some point in the season.

I think this storyline will be further explored in upcoming episodes, and we will probably get to hear some new variations on the brand-new Coruscant theme, but now it's time to return to Mando, Bo Katan and Grogu, and for that, we have to jump back to the beginning of the episode.

As they prepare to leave Mandalore, Shirley brings back the new melody he introduced in the previous episode that apparently represented Mandalore, but its extensive use in the episode makes me think it's a theme with a bigger purpose that hasn't been entirely revealed yet. Before the title card, it plays a couple of times, with some interesting variations during the action sequence with the TIE Fighters.

This sequence in particular is quite great because it allows the composer to create an exciting action piece that is both fun and tense, where he can extensively develop many of the themes, like that Mandalore theme I mentioned, some variations on Bo Katan's theme and her characteristic sound motifs, Mando's stinger and his western motif, as well as a secondary idea that it's heard for the first time this season, used in previous ones as a sort of theme for Mando's heroic deeds.

Their storyline is absent from the episode until the very end, and this is where I think we get a glimpse of the purpose of the theme I mentioned above. When they arrive at the planet where the other Mandalorians are hiding, we hear some new spins on old familiar, like the Western motif or both motifs for the Mandalorian Culture.

And then, that Mandalore theme plays a couple of times, with one particularly noble variation playing when the Armorer proclaims both Din and Bo as completely redeemed, and now being able to walk back the Way of the Mandalore. I think this theme is intended to be a sort of "redemption theme", that will be used for Mando and Bo Katan's emotional journey through this season, probably leading into one of them (or perhaps both), taking back Mandalore, becoming the rightful ruler of the planet.

It's just a theory, but the season seems to be especially focused on that storyline, and perhaps this is a theme intended to represent that, but I guess we'll have to wait and see what else the composer offers in next week's episode!