Chapter 9: The Marshal
Released on Disney+ on October 30, 2020
Plot:
Seeking other Mandalorians to help him reunite the Child with its kind, the Mandalorian approaches criminal Gor Koresh, who supposedly knows their whereabouts, at a ring fight. After failing to kill the Mandalorian for his Beskar armor, Koresh reveals the rumors of another Mandalorian operating on Tatooine.
Returning to Tatooine, the Mandalorian and the Child are reunited with mechanic Peli Motto. Motto reveals the location of Mos Pelgo, a town thought destroyed and not shown on most maps.
The Mandalorian arrives in Mos Pelgo and finds the town’s Marshal, Cobb Vanth, wearing Mandalorian armor once worn by the bounty hunter Boba Fett. Realizing Vanth is not a Mandalorian, the Mandalorian demands the armor from him. The standoff is interrupted by the appearance of a Greater Krayt Dragon that has been terrorizing Mos Pelgo. Vanth agrees to return the armor in exchange for help in ridding the town of the dragon. Vanth explains that he acquired the armor from Jawa scavengers to fight off the Mining Collective, who had invaded Mos Pelgo following the destruction of the second Death Star. Since then, Vanth has used the armor to protect the townspeople.
En route to the dragon’s cave, the two encounter Tusken Raiders, who are also hunting the dragon. Forming an alliance, their initial plan to bait the dragon out fails and results in the death of a Tusken. Realizing they will need reinforcements, the Mandalorian volunteers the townsfolk to help. Despite the animosity between the groups, the Mandalorian and Vanth convince them to work together, with the Tuskens promising never to harm the town again, unless provoked, in exchange for the dragon’s carcass.
The group attempts to lure the dragon out of its cave and kill it with planted explosives under its belly, its known weak spot. The plan falters when the dragon breaks free of the harpoons restraining it and is unharmed by the planted explosives. Fending off blasterfire, the dragon repeatedly outmaneuvers the group and spews venom at them, inflicting heavy casualties. The Mandalorian provokes the dragon into swallowing him and a bantha that was loaded with explosives. He escapes the dragon and detonates the explosives, successfully killing it.
The Tuskens butcher the dragon’s remains, discovering a valuable pearl. Vanth returns the armor to the Mandalorian, as promised, and the two part ways as friends. Meanwhile, a heavily scarred Boba Fett watches from afar.
(CREATURES GROWLING)
(WHIMPERS)
I’m here to see Gor Koresh.
(COOS)
Enjoy the fights.
(DOOR OPENS)
(SPECTATORS SHOUTING)
(SPECTATORS CHEERING)
(SHOUTING IN ALIEN LANGUAGE)
SPECTATORS: Oh!
(SPEAKING ALIEN LANGUAGE)
You know this is no place for a child.
THE MANDALORIAN: Wherever I go, he goes.
(CHUCKLES) So I’ve heard.
I’ve been quested to bring him to his kind. If I can locate other Mandalorians, they can help guide me. I’m told you know where to find them.
It’s uncouth to talk business immediately. Just enjoy the entertainment.
(BOTH GRUNTING)
(COOS)
Bah! My Gamorrean’s not doing well. Kill him! Finish him!
SPECTATORS: Oh!
Do you gamble, Mando?
Not when it can be avoided.
(CHUCKLES) Well, I’ll bet you the information you seek that this Gamorrean’s going to die within the next minute and a half. And all you have to put up in exchange is your shiny beskar armor.
I’m prepared to pay you for the information. I’m not leaving my fate up to chance.
Nor am I.
(GROANS)
(PANICKED CHATTERING)
(CHUCKLES) Thank you for coming to me. Normally, I have to seek out remnants of you Mandalorians in your hidden hives to harvest your precious shiny shells. (CHUCKLES) Beskar’s value continues to rise. I’ve grown quite fond of it. Give it to me now or I will peel it off your corpse.
THE MANDALORIAN: Tell me where the Mandalorians are and I’ll walk outta here without killing you.
I thought you said you weren’t a gambler…
I’m not.
(THUGS GROANING)
(GRUNTS)
(THE MANDALORIAN GRUNTING)
(ALL GRUNTING)
(PANTING)
(YELPS)
(GROANS) All right, stop, stop! I’ll tell you where he is.
(GOR KORESH GRUNTS) But you must promise that you won’t kill me.
I promise you will not die by my hand. Now, where is the Mandalorian you know of?
(GROANS) Tatooine.
THE MANDALORIAN: What?
The Mando I know of is on Tatooine.
THE MANDALORIAN: I’ve spent much time on Tatooine. I never saw a Mandalorian there.
My information is good, I tell you. The city of Mos Pelgo. I swear it by the Gotra. (GROANS)
THE MANDALORIAN: Tatooine it is, then.
GOR KORESH: Wait, Mando! You can’t leave me like this. Cut me down!
THE MANDALORIAN: That wasn’t part of the deal.
(GOR KORESH GRUNTING)
GOR KORESH: Wait, what are you doing? Mando! I can pay! Mando! Mando!
(GOR KORESH SCREAMING)
(BLOWS)
(ALL CHITTERING)
All right. Hey, hey, hey! Sorry, gang. Come on. You know he doesn’t like droids.
(CHITTERING)
THE MANDALORIAN: May as well let them have at it.
The Crest needs a good once-over.
Oh! So he likes droids now. Well, you heard him. Give it a once-over.
(CHUCKLES)
I guess a lot has changed since you were last in Mos… Oh! Thank the Force! This little thing has had me worried sick.
(THE CHILD COOS)
Come here, you little womp rat.
(CHUCKLES)
(COOS)
Looks like it remembers me. How much do you want for it? Just kidding. But not really. You know, if this thing ever divides or buds, I will gladly pay for the offspring.
(AIR HISSING)
Hey! Oh, jeez! Watch what you’re doing up there. He barely trusts your kind. You want to give all droids a bad name? Thank you!
THE MANDALORIAN: I’m here on business. I need your help.
Oh, then, business, you shall have. Care for me to watch this wrinkled critter while you seek out adventure?
THE MANDALORIAN: I’ve been quested to bring this one back to its kind.
Oh, wow. (CHUCKLES) I can’t help you there. I’ve never seen any like it. And trust me, I’ve seen all shapes and sizes in this town.
THE MANDALORIAN: A Mandalorian Armorer has set me on my path. If I can locate another of my kind, I can chart a path through the network of coverts.
You’ve been the only Mando here for years from what I can tell.
Where is Mos Pelgo? I’m told there’s one there.
Oh. Boy, I haven’t heard that name in a while.
THE MANDALORIAN: It’s not on any of the maps.
Because it was wiped out by bandits. Once the Empire fell, it was a free-for-all. I didn’t dare leave the city walls. Still don’t.
THE MANDALORIAN: Can you tell me where it used to be?
Depends who’s asking. You want to see it? (LOUDLY) R-five! Bring the map of Tatooine.
(BEEPS)
No, take your time. Seriously. You just can’t get good help anymore. I don’t even know who to complain to. Let’s go, let’s go.
(BEEPS)
(SIGHS) Waiting. Okay. This is a map of Tatooine before the war. You got Mos Eisley, Mos Espa, and up around this region, Mos Pelgo.
THE MANDALORIAN: I don’t see anything.
Well, it’s there. Or at least, it used to be. Not much to speak of. It’s an old mining settlement. They’re going to see that big hunk o’ metal long before you land.
You still have that speeder bike?
Sure do. It’s a little rusty, but I got it.
(COOS)
Can I help you?
I’m looking for a Mandalorian.
Well, we don’t get many visitors in these parts. Can you describe him?
Someone who looks like me.
Mmm… You mean the Marshal?
THE MANDALORIAN: Your Marshal wears Mandalorian armor?
(GRUNTS) See for yourself.
COBB VANTH: What brings you here, stranger?
THE MANDALORIAN: I’ve been searching for you for many parsecs.
COBB VANTH: Well, now, you found me. Weequay, two snorts of spotchka. Why don’t you join me for a drink? I’ve never met a real Mandalorian. (CHUCKLES) Heard stories. I know you’re good at killing. And probably none too happy to see me wearing this hardware. So… I figure only one of us walking out of here. But then I see the little guy…
(COOS)
…and I think, maybe I pegged you wrong.
THE MANDALORIAN: Who are you?
I’m Cobb Vanth, Marshal of Mos Pelgo.
THE MANDALORIAN: Where did you get the armor?
Bought it off some Jawas.
THE MANDALORIAN: Hand it over.
Look, pal, I’m sure you call the shots where you come from, but ’round here, I’m the one tells folks what to do.
THE MANDALORIAN: Take it off. Or I will.
We gonna do this in front o’ the kid?
(COOS)
THE MANDALORIAN: He’s seen worse.
Right here, then?
THE MANDALORIAN: Right here.
(SIGHS)
(RUMBLING)
(WHIMPERS)
(ALARM BLARING)
(SQUEAKING)
(LOWING)
(PEOPLE SCREAMING)
(SCREAMING CONTINUES)
Maybe we can work something out.
(COOS)
(INDISTINCT CHATTERING)
That creature’s been terrorizing these parts since long before Mos Pelgo was established. Thanks to this armor, I’ve been able to protect this town from bandits and Sand People. They look to me to protect ’em. But a krayt dragon is too much for me to take on alone. Help me kill it, I’ll give you the armor.
Deal. I’ll ride back to the ship, blow it out of the sand from the sky, use the bantha as bait.
Not so simple. The ship passes above, it senses the vibrations, stays underground. But I know where it lives.
How far?
Not far.
COBB VANTH: You don’t understand what it was like. The town was on its last legs. It started after we got news of the Death Star blowing up. The second one, that is.
(PEOPLE CHEERING)
The Empire was pullin’ outta Tatooine. There was blaster fire over Mos Eisley. The occupation was over. We didn’t even have time to celebrate. That very night, the Mining Collective moved in. Power hates a vacuum and Mos Pelgo became a slave camp overnight.
(PEOPLE SCREAMING)
Hey, you okay?
(GROANING)
Come on, let’s get you outta here. Let’s go! Go! Go! Go! Go!
(PANTING)
I lit out. Took what I could from the invaders. Grabbed a camtono. I had no idea it was full of silicax crystals. I guess every once in a while, both suns shine on a womp rat’s tail. I wandered for days. No food, no water.
(BREATHING HEAVILY)
And then… I was saved.
(VEHICLE APPROACHING)
(ALL SPEAKING JAWAESE)
COBB VANTH: The Jawas wanted the crystals. They offered their finest in exchange.
(SIGHS)
And my treasure bought me more than a full waterskin. It bought my freedom.
(INDISTINCT CHATTERING)
(BOTH GROAN)
AGENT 1: Get down!
AGENT 2: Go, go!
AGENT 3: Come on!
AGENT 4: Go! Go! Go! Go!
(DISTANT GROWLING)
(WHIMPERS)
(DISTANT GROWLS ECHOING)
(GROWLING)
(SNARLING)
(ALL SNARLING)
(SHOUTING IN TUSKEN)
(ECHOING)
COBB VANTH: (IN ENGLISH) What the hell you doin’?
(THE MANDALORIAN SPEAKING TUSKEN)
(GROWLING HAPPILY)
(ALL SPEAKING TUSKEN)
(IN ENGLISH) Hey, partner, you want to tell me what’s going on?
THE MANDALORIAN: They want to kill the krayt dragon, too.
(ALL SPEAKING TUSKEN)
(ALL CONTINUE SPEAKING TUSKEN)
(GROWLS)
(COOS)
(ALL CONTINUE SPEAKING TUSKEN)
(IN ENGLISH) What am I supposed to do with this?
You drink it.
It stinks.
Do you want their help?
Not if I have to drink this.
(SPEAKING TUSKEN)
THE MANDALORIAN: He says your people steal their water and now you insult them by not drinking it.
(SPEAKING TUSKEN)
THE MANDALORIAN: They know about Mos Pelgo.
They know how many Sand People you killed.
They raided our village.
I defended the town.
THE MANDALORIAN: Lower your voice.
I knew this was a bad idea.
THE MANDALORIAN: You’re agitating them.
These monsters can’t be reasoned with.
Sit back down before I put a hole through ya!
I’m not going to say it…
(THE MANDALORIAN SPEAKING TUSKEN)
(IN ENGLISH) What are you telling them?
THE MANDALORIAN: Same thing I’m telling you.
If we fight amongst ourselves, the monster will kill us all.
Now, how do we kill it?
(SPEAKING TUSKEN)
THE MANDALORIAN: They say it lives in there. They say it sleeps.
It lives in an abandoned sarlacc pit.
COBB VANTH: Lived on Tatooine my whole life.
There’s no such thing as an abandoned sarlacc pit.
THE MANDALORIAN: There is if you eat the sarlacc.
They’re laying out a bantha to protect the settlement.
They’ve studied its digestion cycle for generations.
They feed the dragon to make it sleep longer.
Watch, the dragon will appear.
(SHOUTING IN TUSKEN)
(WHIMPERS)
(DRAGON GROWLING)
(RUMBLING)
(WHIMPERING)
THE MANDALORIAN: They might be open to some fresh ideas.
(THE CHILD WHIMPERING)
(LOWING)
(ALL SPEAKING TUSKEN)
COBB VANTH: (IN ENGLISH) What are the bones?
THE MANDALORIAN: That’s the krayt dragon.
COBB VANTH: And those little rocks?
THE MANDALORIAN: That’s us.
It’s not to scale.
I think it is.
COBB VANTH: Can’t be. That’s too big.
(ALL SPEAKING TUSKEN)
THE MANDALORIAN: (IN ENGLISH) It’s to scale.
I’ve only seen its head and neck.
It’s bigger’n I guessed.
Might be time to rethink our arrangement.
(ALL SPEAKING TUSKEN)
COBB VANTH: (IN ENGLISH) That’s more like it.
Where are they getting the reinforcements?
THE MANDALORIAN: I volunteered your village.
COBB VANTH: They attacked us less than a year ago. Killed half a dozen of us by the mining camp.
I’d say I took down about twice as many Tuskens.
THE MANDALORIAN: The town respects you. My guess is, they’ll listen to reason.
I wouldn’t be so sure.
(PEOPLE MURMURING)
COBB VANTH: This here is a Mandalorian.
You know what that means?
We’ve heard the stories.
Then you know how good they are at killing.
Now, this one’s got a problem.
I got a suit o’ salvaged armor and the Mandalorian creed says it’s his to take.
(PEOPLE MURMURING)
But I’ve got a problem, too.
A krayt dragon has been peeling off our pack animals, and sometimes, taking our mining haul with it.
It’s just a matter of time before it grows tired of banthas and goes after a couple of you townsfolk, or even, so help us, the school.
(PEOPLE CHATTERING)
As much as I’ve grown fond of the armor, I’m even more fond of this town.
The Mandalorian is willing to help us slay the leviathan in exchange for returning the armor to its ancestral owners.
Well, that settles it.
There’s more.
We can’t take on the krayt alone.
And the Sand People are willing to help.
(ALL CLAMORING)
They raid our mines!
They’re monsters!
THE MANDALORIAN: I’ve seen the size of that thing, it will swallow your entire town when the fancy hits it.
You’re lucky Mos Pelgo isn’t a sand field already.
I know these people. They are brutal.
But so is the Dune Sea.
They’ve survived for thousands of years in these sands and they know the krayt dragon better than anyone here.
They are raiders, it’s true.
But they also keep their word.
We have struck a deal.
If we are willing to leave them the carcass and its ichor, they will stand by our side in battle and vow never to raise a blaster against this town until one of you breaks the peace.
Think it’ll work?
THE MANDALORIAN: It better.
Joining forces is their only hope.
(INDISTINCT CHATTERING)
Here. Grab this.
(MAN 1 GRUNTS)
Hey! What are you doin’?
That’s an explosive.
Are you trying to blow the whole place up?
(BANTHA GRUNTING)
What? Is that what you want?
Take it easy. It was an accident, okay?
What do you want to do?
It was an accident.
MAN 2: Let’s go.
MAN 3: It’s not going to work out.
It’s gonna be great.
(INDISTINCT CHATTERING)
(DRAGON SNORING)
What’d he say?
THE MANDALORIAN: He says it’s sleeping.
If we listen carefully, we can hear it breathing.
(SPEAKING TUSKEN)
(SIGHS)
THE MANDALORIAN: (IN ENGLISH) Let’s get to work.
(INDISTINCT CHATTERING)
(BANTHA LOWING)
THE MANDALORIAN: The Tuskens say the belly is the only weak spot, so we have to hit it from below.
First, we bury the charges at the opening of the cave.
Then, we wake it up.
We have to get it angry enough to charge.
(INDISTINCT CHATTERING)
THE MANDALORIAN: Once it’s far enough out and the belly is above the explosives, you hit the detonator.
(DEVICE POWERING UP)
JO: Careful, Marshal.
Thank you, Jo. And you stay safe, huh.
(TUSKEN RAIDERS YELLING)
(DRAGON GROWLING)
(TUSKEN RAIDER 1 SPEAKING TUSKEN)
(DRAGON CALLING)
(ROARING)
(TUSKEN RAIDER 2 YELLS)
(TUSKEN RAIDERS YELLING)
(TUSKEN RAIDER 1 SHOUTING IN TUSKEN)
(TUSKEN RAIDER 2 YELLS)
THE MANDALORIAN: Dank farrik, it’s going back in.
(TUSKEN RAIDERS SCREAMING)
(ALL SHOUTING INDISTINCTLY)
THE MANDALORIAN: It’s retreating.
I’m going to hit it.
No, wait.
We only have one shot.
We’ve gotta get it out.
(INDISTINCT SHOUTING CONTINUES)
(PEOPLE SCREAMING)
Now?
THE MANDALORIAN: Not yet.
It’s gotta come out further.
(ROARING)
(TUSKEN RAIDERS YELPING)
(ROARING)
(PEOPLE SCREAMING)
THE MANDALORIAN: Almost, almost.
Now!
(BEEPS)
(ROARING)
(PEOPLE YELPING)
(ALL GROANING)
I don’t think it’s dead.
THE MANDALORIAN: Me either.
(DRAGON ROARING)
(PEOPLE SCREAMING)
It’s picking us off like womp rats.
Let’s get after it!
(COBB VANTH AND THE MANDALORIAN GRUNTING)
This ain’t doing a thing.
THE MANDALORIAN: Just keep shooting.
(COBB VANTH PANTING)
(GROWLING)
THE MANDALORIAN: There he is.
(ALL SCREAMING)
(WHINES)
THE MANDALORIAN: I’ve got an idea. Get its attention.
(SCREECHING)
COBB VANTH: I got its attention! Now what?
MAN 1: Run!
MAN 2: Go, go.
THE MANDALORIAN: You still have that detonator?
COBB VANTH: Take it! What’s the plan?
THE MANDALORIAN: Take care of the Child.
What are you gonna do?
I don’t know, but wish me luck.
(COBB VANTH GRUNTS)
(DEVICES POWERING UP)
(LOWING)
No! No, no, no!
Hold on. Whoa, whoa, whoa.
(ROARING)
(GRUNTS)
(PANTING)
(WHINES)
(PEOPLE MURMURING)
(RUMBLING)
(ALL YELP)
(BEEPS)
(SCREECHING)
(PANTING)
(CHUCKLES)
(PEOPLE CHEERING)
Yeah!
THE MANDALORIAN: Sorry, I didn’t have time to explain.
No need.
This was well-earned.
It was my pleasure.
I hope our paths cross again.
THE MANDALORIAN: As do I.
Oh, and you tell your people I wasn’t the one that broke that.
(SPEAKING TUSKEN)
(TUSKEN RAIDERS CHEERING)
