'The Mandalorian' Fans Are Distraught Over Baby Yoda For This Reason

The Mandalorian surprised fans when Mando took off with Baby Yoda at the end of Episode 3, "The Sin." The series diverted from the main plot to become an "adventure-of-the-week" type tale, with Mando and the Child heading from one location to another, without an overarching plot to tie things together, other than "being on the run." But in the season's penultimate episode, the original drama, of Mando, the Child, and the Client, came roaring back. So what happened to Baby Yoda in The Mandalorian? Fans are stricken with worry.

Warning: Major Spoilers for The Mandalorian follow.

After several installments where Mando and the Child have location hopped, stay one step ahead of other bounty hunters searching them out, this week, the show faced up to Mando's choices. Greef, the Bounty Hunter Guild boss, called Mando and asked him to come home. Destroying the Client's safehouse hadn't rooted out the former Imperial forces from Navarro. Instead, in retaliation, the Client had shipped in more troopers, taking over the town. Greef wants Mando to help him, and the other bounty hunters take back their city. In return, they'd kill the Client and let Mando and the Child live in peace.

Smelling a trap, Mando rounds up a crew to bring with him to Navarro. His compatriots include former shock trooper Cara Dune (from Episode 4) and Kuiil and IG-11 (from Episode 1). The latter two will protect Baby Yoda, while Mando and Cara take down the Client.

Greef had planned to doublecross Mando, but a pterosaurs attack on the way to the city derail this scheme when Greef is fatally wounded. As Cara realizes she can not heal him, Baby Yoda walks up. The Child places his hand on Greef's wound and uses the Force to save his life.

Having now seen what the Child can do, and feeling indebted to him, Greef comes clean. He, Mando and Cara, decide to go into the city, and take out the Client together, pretending Cara captured Mando and is there for the bounty. (Call it the Wookiee Maneuver.) Meanwhile, Kuiil runs Baby Yoda back to the Razor Crest, where they will be safe if things go wrong.

Things go very wrong.

Mando takes out the Client. But instead of the former Stormtroopers giving up once the boss is dead, giant transports stuffed with dozens of new troopers roll in. From out of the blue, a TIE fighter lands in the center of the street.

Out steps Moff Gideon, the client behind the Client. As he tells Mando, Baby Yoda is more important to him than any of them know. As he speaks, a pair of scout troopers speed towards the Razor Crest, just as Kuiil and Baby Yoda arrive back. Shots fire; Kuiil falls the ground. A scout trooper scoops up Baby Yoda and heads back into town.

With only one more episode to go this season, it seems the former empire may win after all.