by Joseph Sweeney | editor-in-chief
The Mandalorian continued with its second season in October, and managed to blow audiences away yet again with what is possible with the Star Wars universe on the small screen.
After seemingly defeating the forces of Moff Gideon and his empire remnant, the titular Mandalorian, having his true identity revealed as Din Djarin, continues his journey with the Child, popularly referred to as “Baby Yoda.” Djarin moves not only to find the Child’s origins, but also himself, learning much about his culture and the other sects of Mandalorians.
Unlike the first season, which focused more on an anthological format akin to the monster of the week trope made popular by shows like Smallville and Supernatural, this season moves in a more focused path: there is a clear goal for Djarin and each episode is relevant to that one plot thread. This is not all set in stone however, as some parts early in the season don’t seem to relate to the main plot as much as others. Regardless, this change in format was definitely a step in the right direction for the series.
Though the Child’s origins remain illusive for the time being, Djarin’s own heritage is explored more in-depth as we learn more about the Mandalorian culture. While the first season only established Djarin as being part of the “Children of the Watch,” a sect of Mandalorians on the desert planet of Nevarro, this season further explains the significance and beliefs of his sect in comparison to the other more advanced groups of Mandalorians.
A common theme of the first season was Djarin’s helmet, which the character refused to remove even if it would have saved his life. After having grown attached to the Child, however, Djarin begins to leave this part of his heritage behind as he discovers something that means more to him than just tradition. This does not mean that he is willing to take the helmet off at every opportunity, though, leaving the scene in question significant and truly meaningful.
One of the most rumored parts of the second season was Rent and Top five star Rosario Dawson appearing as Anakin Skywalker’s former apprentice, Ahsoka Tano, and the show definitely delivered. Though her appearances are brief, they provide a good insight into what happened to the character after Star Wars: Rebels, where she was last seen preparing to hunt down the Imperial Grand Admiral Thrawn, as well as what is to come for the future of the franchise.
Without spoiling too much, The Mandalorian’s second season is a nice change in pace from what we’re typically used to seeing in Star Wars shows such as The Clone Wars and even The Mandalorian’s own first season. At its worst, this season finds itself astray from the main plot-line we’ve come to love, while at its best, it has truly cemented itself as a fan-favorite of the franchise.
