Photo Source: TechRadar
Mandalorian isn’t a race, it’s a creed.
The Mandalorian is Star Wars’ latest show which premiered on Disney’s very own streaming service, Disney Plus. The show debuted on November 12, 2019, quickly winning over fans. A total of 8 episodes were released on a weekly basis rather than all of them being released at once and warranting a binge session. The steady release of content allowed fans to discuss the events of the show and for it to remain in the mainstream consciousness for an extended amount of time. The Mandalorian’s first season is over and it has cemented itself as one of the best pieces of Star Wars media in a long time.
The show follows a bounty hunter, played by Pedro Pascal, who makes his way through the Outer Rim of the galaxy, evading trouble and trying to stay afloat along the way. Pascal does a great job of conveying emotion despite wearing a mask for almost the entirety of the show. His body language and subtleties lend themselves toward an engaging and engrossing protagonist. Most known for his role as Apollo Creed from the Rocky franchise, Carl Weathers plays Greef Carga, who assigns the Mandalorian his bounties and creates a dynamic relationship with him throughout the show. Additionally, Cara Dune, played by Gina Carano, is a veteran of the Galactic Civil War who assists the Mandalorian throughout his journey and has an interesting backstory. And last but certainly not least, is, of course, the true star of the show, Baby Yoda.
This cuddly creature has taken the world by storm and was the main attraction of the show for many. Known officially as ‘The Child’, the internet has dubbed him ‘Baby Yoda’ due to him being the same unnamed species as Jedi Grandmaster Yoda. The 50-year-old baby is shown with an impressive-looking puppet that reportedly cost a whopping $5 million. The investment clearly paid off with an adorable and endearing character, sparking a following who would die for him. Many have praised the show-runners for foregoing CGI with a real, tangible puppet instead.
The Mandalorian was created by John Favreau, who kick started the Marvel Cinematic Universe with his direction of Iron Man (2008). Alongside Favreau is writer and director Dave Filoni, who was the maestro behind the critically-acclaimed animated series, ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars’ and other Star Wars shows. The Mandalorian is Star Wars’ first live-action show, stepping the franchise into new territory. The show has had various directors who all brought something different to the table, delivering constant quality with even the weaker episodes being entertaining Star Wars media. Many have designated Canadian director Deborah Chow as the director of the best episodes and are eager to see her work with the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi show she is set to direct, also premiering on Disney Plus.
The Mandalorian has been a huge success for Disney and fans won’t have to wait much longer for more. Season 2 is set to release during late October of 2020, a year after the first season. After the explosive final episode of Season 1, fans have many questions about where the show is headed. It’s almost guaranteed that Giancarlo Esposito’s villain, Moff Gideon, will be touched upon after his surprising reveal that shakes upon the Star Wars mythos. It is also suggested that Season 2 will cover Baby Yoda’s origins. Another rumor entails the appearance of classic Star Wars characters, specifically bounty hunter Boba Fett. Whatever the second season entails, The Mandalorian is sure to deliver more great Star Wars content that fans can’t get enough of.
By Brandon Padilla (Culture Editor)