Sure, I’ll have seconds!
I think it’s safe to say that Disney and Lucasfilm struck a hidden gold mine with the first season of The Mandalorian. Disney+’s flagship show almost single-handedly saved the Star Wars universe from backsliding into irrelevance while presenting a simple, focused, and fun story. It’s the dream of every creator, but it leads to a very simple question.
Can a show like this sustain any kind of momentum?
Absolutely, but that comes with a few caveats. Let’s do this!
And by the way, MOSTLY MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD!
On One Hand…
We haven’t met any aliens yet, but all of us know what it’s like to feel like this.
Instead of setting aside a section for the performances, I thought I’d take a critical examination of the themes and how the story figures into the wider universe. But for those of you who really truly need it, every single actor and actress embodies their respective roles.
With that said, there is a lot to love about Season 2. Most notably, Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and The Child have settled into the most stable father/son relationship yet seen in this universe. The writers are using that dynamic to load the show with cute moments, and their techniques work because they tap into one of our most animalistic interests.
What do I mean by that? In spite of what the SJWs might tell you, most of us want to be parents in some way, shape, or form, so the development of Din and The Child’s relationship tugs at the mind in a way that most other forms of characterization do not. You might not give it much thought, but your brain does because you know what it’s like to be on at least one side of that equation.
It’s masterful in every sense of the word.
As for the galaxy at large, most of the additions made in Season 2 work rather well. The appearance of Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) complicates things quite a bit, but her in-universe status shakes up Mando’s beliefs in an interesting way that pays off near the end of the season.
Favreau, Filoni, and Co. didn’t waste Moff Gideon or the development of the Imperial Remnant either. While Giancarlo Esposito hams it up deliciously, the meatiest exposition is given to Migs Mayfeld (Bill Burr). In an undercover conversation with his former CO, we learn of the true horrors of the Empire, the difference between an ordinary soldier and a true believer, and the fact that it’s never too late to do what is right.
Your mileage may vary, of course, but little moments like these are one of many reasons why this show works.
On The Other…
I’d love to see her upcoming show, but what’s with her mindset here?
While most of Season 2’s complications are welcome and interesting, there are a few problems. As I thought about the course of the season, I found myself asking unwelcome questions about a few of the story arcs and plot devices. None of them made me want to throw up my hands and shut the show off, but they are a bit confusing and need to be documented.
The most obvious issue that I can think of involves the appearance of Ahsoka Tano. Rosario Dawson gives her all to the live-action debut of the alien Jedi, but her attitude toward The Child is confusing if you put it under the microscope. She approaches the little green guy with the gentleness of a mother figure, only to turn around and deny any kind of training because attachment is bad. After that, she agrees to train him, only to turn around and say that she can’t again. However, she believes that other Jedi could train him, but very few are left and her suggestion could draw the attention of a Dark Side user.
I get that Ahsoka didn’t learn from Luke that personal attachment can save loved ones, but an even bigger problem may be lurking under the surface here.
In the middle of “The Jedi,” Ahsoka reveals Baby Yoda’s backstory, and it completely messes with the franchise in a way that needs further explanation. According to her, His Greenness was at the Jedi Temple long enough to be trained by multiple masters prior to Order 66. After that, he was spirited away and had to hide his abilities in order to survive.
So, when did he learn how to heal people?
In Season 1, it’s sort of implied that the ability is instinctual because he is a baby, but Ahsoka leads us to believe that he was taught how to do it. If that’s the case, why didn’t Anakin learn about it at the temple as well? It would have saved an awful lot of lives!
Some might see this stuff as simple oversights, but they can add up and hurt the show and the wider franchise over the long run.
We don’t want that, do we?
Think Of The Fans!
Moff Gideon is a quiet menace, but I’d like to learn more about his worldview.
With all of that out of the way, I’d like to reiterate that there is a fundamental difference between how The Mandalorian‘s production staff approaches this franchise versus many other creators. Every single frame feels like a love letter to the fans, the franchise, and sci-fi as a whole.
To demonstrate what I mean, let’s consider the fan service and appearances. Some people might dismiss the mentions and appearances as cheap memberberries, but there are two cardinal rules of writing that are in play here.
- Introduce characters in ways that make sense.
- Make us like them.
Even if the writers sometimes stumble a bit with Rule #1, success with Rule #2 buys a lot of goodwill. I found myself genuinely fascinated by Bo-Katan, Ahsoka, Boba Fett, and the mention of an extra special character that I won’t name here. While I might scratch my head over a few of their character traits, the writing and acting commands attention, and it makes me want to see what they do next.
On top of all of that, the writing team managed to sneak in some references to some of my favorite entries in the franchise. And no, I’m not going to spoil those here. If you haven’t seen this season yet, you’re going to love (and freak out at) some of the surprises!
The amount of effort that the production team has put into this show is astounding. Sure, I might poke, prod, and put it under a microscope from time to time, but I will never hate it because it comes from a place of joy.
Conclusion.
The writers will almost certainly bring Katee Sackhoff back. The story demands it, and she’s awesome.
In some ways, Season 2 of The Mandalorian improves upon the foundation set up by its original run. I developed a genuine attachment to Mando and The Child, their story anchors the show, and the wider setpieces are a ton of fun. That alone is worth the price, and I think that the team deserves praise for creating an atmosphere that everyone can love.
However, its complications introduce a few problems that just didn’t happen in Season 1. They don’t cripple the show and make it unwatchable, but the writers need to sit down and do a little bit of clean-up in Season 3. Otherwise, these simple mistakes could create a convoluted mess, and I don’t want that to happen.
No, I want to be on this ride for many years to come.
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