Embedded Files
I'm a bit late to the party, but I was finally able to check out the sixth episode of the season, and get down to write a new chapter in my analysis of the soundtrack. Unfortunately, this episode was quite average, at least in terms of music. I'm not commenting on other aspects of the episode, as each one will have their own opinions, but the music only has one really note-worthy cue, with the rest being a bit less interesting, more mundane.
DISCLAIMER: The score reductions are simplified to make things easier to understand. Also, wanted to note that there hasn't been a score release, but when the album drops, I will go back to these posts and place the YouTube links to the new pieces
Almost all of the episode relies on either electronic/hip-hop/pop source tracks for the dinner halls of Plazir-15, the planet that Din & Bo visit on the episode, or bug chunks of tracked / re-recorded music from previous seasons. We hear pieces and bits of "Mando is Back" and "Beneath the Ice" from Season 2 for their investigation, the second half of "To the Jawas" plays twice for their encounter with the ugnaughts, and for the resolution of the conspiracy, we hear again "The Baby" from season one's finale.
The most interesting part of the episode, both in terms of musical and narrative development, are the final 10 minutes, where Bo Katan challenges and defeats Axe Woves, and Din passes on the Dark Sword to her, finally establishing herself as the leader of the mandalorian group. Shirley reflects this interesting development with a great cue that blends many of the different main themes we already know so well.
The challenge features some hints of Bo Katan material, but the interesting part begins during Bo's speech as she tries to convince the rest of the mandalorians to follow her, and Din gives her the sword. Shirley brings back the Recorder riff that has characterized Din's presence since the beginning in a pretty straight forward, but quite extended, statement. This leads to the Western motif, when Axe Woves accepts Bo's leadership, joined by both Mandalorian Culture themes playing one after the other. Bo's sound effects start to take over, soon joined by a regal statement of the Mandalore / Redemption theme, culminating in a victorious final statement of Bo Katan's theme, now at its most glorious and triumphant.
Recorder riff
Western motif
Mandalorian Culture B Theme
Mandalorian Culture A Theme
Mandalore / Redemption Theme
Bo Katan Theme
This is such a great cue in how it incorporates all this different themes to further the narrative in the same way the images are, and it's quite a great appetizer for what's next in the last two episodes, which will surely offer some great plot developments, particularly in relation to Mandalore and Bo Katan.
And we're done for the episode! This was admittedly a bit underwhelming, and in terms of music, there's not a lot I can analyze, but it's true that the last cue is quite great, and perfectly summarizes some of the main themes that we've been commenting the whole season so far. I have already watched the next episode, and it's quite great, so I hope I can get to it and do my analysis, because there's a lot to comment.
Meanwhile, feel free to check out my analysis of previous episodes, as well as my analysis for the soundtracks of House of the Dragon and Rings of Power. Hope you enjoyed and see you soon, cheers!
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