Spoilers for The Mandalorian Seasons 1 and 2.
Season 1 of The Mandalorian is most remembered for introducing the Star Wars fandom to Baby Yoda, the lovable little green character who demanded a plush toy from every household. Season 2 reached further into the galaxy by bringing back several characters from The Clone Wars series like Bo-Katan and Ahsoka Tano, and by reviving the original Mandalorian, Boba Fett. The entire series might forever be known for the concluding scenes of chapter 16. After capturing the attention of every Star Wars fan to the maximum surprise and delight, where can The Mandalorian go next? Has it already peaked as a show?
The Mandalorian explores The New Republic Era of the Star Wars timeline, revealing what happened to the Empire, and its personnel, five years after the Battle of Endor. It draws most of its callback characters from the animated Clone Wars show, and only two from the Original Trilogy (technically three if Bib Fortuna’s brief appearance counts). So far, the show is one of the most popular and successful Star Wars projects to be made by Disney since the acquisition of Lucasfilm nearly ten years ago. It was the show that single-handedly installed Disney Plus on the screens of streamers worldwide and was one of the most viewed series of the past year. Baby Yoda became the surprise breakout character of 2019. It won 7 awards in the 72nd Primetime Creative Arts Emmys in 2020. Its success is the ignition for a whole slew of new Star Wars properties coming to Disney+ in the next couple of years and the technology developed for the show will go on to influence a great many studios in Hollywood.
The first season of The Mandalorian validated its fine quality as a new Star Wars property and a Disney Plus show. There are three major points that stand out in season 1. Chapter 1 introduces The Child, a being of the same species of Yoda, which makes it instantly original and unique. Yoda’s species has never been explored in any Star Wars content before. It was a rule set by George Lucas to never do so. The end of Chapter 3 saw the second coolest battle in the entire show, with a swarm of Mandalorians blasting it out with Stormtroopers in the streets of Nevarro. Finally, the last highpoint of this season is the reveal of the Darksaber in the hands of Moff Gideon in the final shot of Chapter 8.
The second season of The Mandalorian managed to raise the bar even higher, this time with four points. The first is when Din Djarin meets Bo-Katan in chapter 11. This is the first-time fans ever saw a character from the Clone Wars and Star Wars: Rebels brought to live-action. This sets the precedent for the next elevation, when Mando teams up with Ahsoka Tano in chapter 13. Ahsoka is a major player in the surrounding Star Wars Universe who is only now getting her full due. This episode is followed by the glorious return of Boba Fett in chapter 14, when he and his partner Fennec Shand battle it out with two squads of Stormtroopers. This is by far the coolest battle of the entire show. The season is capped off by the stunning rescue by Luke Skywalker, who fights through the menacing Dark Troopers to find Grogu on the bridge of Moff Gideon’s ship.
In the end, Din Djarin achieved his mission by finding Grogu a home. There are other paths for Mando from here, but the audience cannot follow Luke and Grogu. The split feels like a conclusion, an ending more akin to a series finale.
The Mandalorian has made its mark on Star Wars. From the captivating theme song to the fantastic art during the credits, The Mandalorian is a well-accomplished show. Its two main characters instantly became pillars of popularity, especially Baby Yoda. It has established a legacy for all to emulate, and not just for Star Wars but for shows like WandaVision. Its influence will be felt throughout Hollywood.
There is a third season of The Mandalorian in pre-development, to be filmed after the Boba Fett spinoff run. The showrunners certainly plan to push the universe in new directions. Without the pairing of Mando and Grogu, however, the new season may lack an exciting central focus. It is likely that Din Djarin will get mixed up with Bo-Katan and the other Mandalorians. Perhaps he will even confront the Children of the Watch who rescued him during the Clone Wars and go face to face with his religion. Nevertheless, outside of tracing the events surrounding the Darksaber, what other storyline can elevate The Mandalorian to cutting-edge Star Wars once more? The show may never top the Luke Skywalker reveal at the conclusion of chapter 16.
Despite its predicament, The Mandalorian is the launchpad for a few exciting new Disney+ shows. The Book of Boba Fett is already scheduled to be released at the end of this year. Both Star Wars: Rangers of the New Republic and Ahsoka Tano are tied directly to the “Mandoverse,” and may intertwine with the third season of The Mandalorian. Only Ahsoka Tano has a general release window, Christmas 2021, while the Rangers of the New Republic launch is not yet fixed.
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