The Manda-LORE-ian? My Thoughts

It’s been over a week, as of writing this, since I finished Season 2 of The Mandalorian. I’m conflicted on how it ended. On one hand, it feels like fan-centric overcorrecting meant to please those who were unhappy with Star Wars: The Last Jedi. On the other hand, it’s in-line with how Star Wars has operated for decades. Ultimately, I’m unsure how to react. And that hasn’t changed since I saw it.

By the way, I’m about to ruin plot points. This is your only warning. 

To give my thoughts, I first have to give a synopsis. Set 5 years after The Empire’s collapse, The Mandalorian follows a nameless Mandalorian bounty hunter who discovers a Force-sensitive child (named Grogu) on an assignment. Concerned, this Mandalorian breaks protocol and rescues him, leading to a target on his back from several other bounty hunters. From here, the Mandalorian develops a bond with Grogu, as he searches the galaxy for a suitable teacher. He also takes up odd-jobs, gets into trouble and meets recurring favourites and new characters. So, basically, it’s a Star Wars Western.

I should mention right now that I liked this show. I’m a dumb shill for anything Star Wars, even when it sucks, and this was no exception. Whether it’s the quirky characters, the memorable dialogue, the grounded action scenes, or watching the protagonist bond with Grogu, it was all really well-done. Special shout-out for expanding the lore while feeling like part of the canon, which can be tricky to do. Then again, Star Wars is really an elaborate D&D campaign.

I’ll also single out the main theme, composed by Ludwig Göransson. It plays at the end of every episode, and it’s interlaced with concept art for the episodes themselves. The theme’s a real banger, and it’s easily the best part. Then again, is that really surprising? Not exactly. 

What bothers me, however, is how calculated this show is. More-specifically, how calculated its fan-service is. It seems to be trying really hard not to anger fans and give them what they want, versus challenging them. It feels like it’s kowtowing to them, with moments and characters that reward long-time Star Wars nerds. It’s really safe in that regard.

The two best examples come into play in Season 2. The first is Boba Fett’s return, who “died” in a Sarlacc Pit in Star Wars Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi. I don’t hate this retcon, Fett’s “death” felt anticlimactic, but, like The Emperor coming back in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, it’s a stretch. We’re not even given an explanation, and now he’s getting a show? Seriously?

The other is that final reveal of Luke Skywalker, where he takes down Darktroopers by himself on his way to Grogu. It’s the inverse of Darth Vader’s hallway massacre from Star Wars: Rogue One, except even emptier thematically. At least Vader’s slaughter made sense contextually, this feels like Disney kissing the feet of those who hated Luke in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Except that I liked what they did, so what do I know? 

The show, for all it does well, feels emotionally hollow because of these decisions. And it, in turn, loses some of its narrative complexity. Even when the protagonist says goodbye to Grogu, which is meant to be a heartbreaker because he removes his helmet, it’s less-impactful because of the decision to bring back Luke with the same Uncanny Valley problem that Moff Tarkin and Princess Leia had in 2016. It’s sad when Star Wars Rebels, a show hampered by its age demographic, took more risks than The Mandalorian.

Nevertheless, I’d be lying if I said these issues killed the show. They didn’t. Seeing Bo-Katan again was fun. Seeing Ahsoka Tano again, if only briefly, made me feel like I was watching Star Wars: The Clone Wars again. Even the new characters, like Cara Dune and Moff Gideon, were likeable, and I see them becoming fan-favourites. This might be a fan-service-heavy show, but it’s done well. And I commend it for that.

I also recognize that Star Wars has always been about brand management. Since its inception, it’s remained relevant with constant call-backs and tie-ins to previous entries. Even when it treads new ground, it does so while maintaining call-backs to Star Wars of yesteryear. This, therefore, shouldn’t surprise me. After all, to paraphrase Patrick Willems, this is a fantasy story about space wizards for 12 year-olds. The pandering isn’t shocking by now. 

I guess I’d still like the IP to innovate a little more. The crux of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, learning from failure, relied on that. Sure, not everything worked-I’m looking at you, Snoke-but that it had the gumption to do what it did astounds me. I mean, Holdo going supernova and defeating an entire fleet by herself? Leia flying in space? Luke projecting himself halfway across the galaxy and fooling Kylo Ren? I don’t know about you, but I found all of this cool! And this is in addition to challenging how we perceived Luke as a Jedi.

But maybe I’m in the minority. For as much as I recognize that Star Wars, good or bad, is a brand, one filled with retcons and contradictions, I don’t want it to be The MCU. Because The MCU is The MCU, and it does that well. We don’t need another franchise to be that, let Star Wars be itself. Is that too much to ask?

Overall, I enjoyed The Mandalorian. I enjoyed it as much as I do most Star Wars content. But I didn’t love it, and I have no one but myself to blame. Then again, I didn’t mind Palpatine’s return because I thought his “death” was wasted potential. I’m consistently-inconsistent, so take what I say with a grain of salt.