The Mandalorian Chapter 23 Gives Major Nods To A Sci-Fi Classic

Contains spoilers for "The Mandalorian" Season 3, Episode 7, "Chapter 23"

"Star Wars," however groundbreaking it may have been in some areas, is still a franchise that ripped off other classic works. It's common knowledge that without the legendary Akira Kurosawa's contribution to films with the likes of "The Hidden Fortress," our trip to a galaxy far, far away may never have come to pass. Almost 50 years later, however, for all its originality, the franchise has still plucked elements from other stories. "The Mandalorian," for one, is a beskar-backed "Lone Wolf and Cub"-inspired tale we can't get enough of.

In the case of this week's episode of the Disney+ show, however, something else was coming up on the scanner that felt incredibly familiar. There was growing tension at the start of Bo-Katan's (Katee Sackhoff) recon mission, and while a lot of it was from the divide she was trying to break down between the people, the majority of it was thanks to story beats, visuals, and, indeed, actual character plot points that all felt yanked from James Cameron's best sequel, "Aliens." In doing so, it raised the fear factor enough for fans of both franchises to make them scream, not that anyone in space would hear them.

While the body count wasn't as high as the film it dared to align with, it didn't stop the nods from inadvertently building tension in this week's "The Mandalorian" so effortlessly. Led by another female hero haunted by past mistakes, Bo-Katan returned to a seemingly dead planet this week, as Ellen Ripley did in Cameron's classic. The only difference being this graveyard was one she once called home. From there, a flurry of familiar vibes and visuals began pouring in, which, as a result, became the episode's most valuable secret weapon.

From the abysmal weather matching Hadley's Hope to the blue, scratchy binocular vision putting it all on show, these subtle winks to another staple of science fiction piled on the tension brilliantly. Director Rick Famuyiwa could've replicated any generic horror or squad-based story, but looking clicking with Cameron's classic made for a perfect fit. Sure, a xenomorph is a scary thing to face off against, but even more so is the calculating, conniving foe Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito). Now, what options are left after sending Bo on the back foot with one ally down (RIP Paz) and another captured? Nuke Mandolore from orbit, as it's the only way to be sure. Failing that, there's the chance Grogu could have his power-loader moment and come to Din's (Pedro Pascal) rescue. Seriously, if his first words are, "get away from him, you b***h," we may lose it.