The Mandalorian The Mandalorian Season 2 Discussion (Spoilers Allowed)

Yes, this is where we disagree... maybe.

Without the child then what's the point of the show? I think a lot of people feel that way, and it may be true. If it is the case, then that diminishes the Din Djarin character. And it is something that I've felt, but is it really that?

Looking at the elements brought in and the guest stars so far: again, Boba Fett is a mystery at this point. But he has his own story and doesn't need the child for anything. Bo-Katan is no mystery, and she has her own story and doesn't need the child for anything.

Ahsoka is a bit of mystery in a different way than Boba Fett. She can have her own story that has nothing to do with the child, but that story would involve her and Sabine looking for Ezra in the Unknown Regions. And her appearing in The Mandalorian would have nothing to do with that, so why is she there?

And they didn't have to put Ahsoka in the show, they could have created a new Jedi for Din to seek out. But doing that would complicate things. One, you would have to set the show 5 or 10 years later than it's currently set, because Luke would have to have started a new Jedi academy, and trained new Jedi and so on. Also, you have to bring in Luke more quickly now because whatever Jedi Din meets has to know Luke, otherwise they're not a Jedi. And you have to throw out Bo-Katan, because why would she know some Jedi that Luke trained?

So Ahsoka makes a lot of things easier with the story that they've set up, she solves a lot of problems. One, you can leave Luke out for as long as you want. And two, the Darksaber is in the series, so Ahsoka allows Bo-Katan to easily be brought into the series. And Boba Fett is his own thing, so...

So yes, the elements enriches the story, but it's only to play off of other characters. The Darksaber and Bo-Katan and Moff Gideon. And Ahsoka and the child, otherwise Ahsoka has no reason to be in the show.

So where am I going with this? At first I thought that just the child was the McGuffin. But Din Djarin and the child may both be the McGuffin (or point of view character and McGuffin, whichever). They're like the R2 and Threepo, and everyone else is the story. (The child is R2, we can't understand him but he saves everyone when he has to. And Din Djarin is Threepo, he's our look-in on the world.)

And Din isn't going to rule Mandalore, Bo-Katan is. And Din and the child aren't going to go live happily ever after. You only retire the child when the child stops making money. So when the child and Din story grows old, you create a new story around the child. They both may be McGuffin's or whatever, but the child is the money maker.

And so Favreau knows he can only do the Din and child story for so long. So move the child to Ahsoka for a couple of years until that dries up, and that's why they brought her in instead of creating a new Jedi. And then move the child to Luke, and that explains why they're not doing Luke right away.

Just leaving the child with Din until there's nothing left... the child and Din, that's the story, the end, that is not good business. At all. And Disney is a for-profit company.

I may be wrong in this, but I think this is the way.

And oddly, this feels a lot like the "Will they use the EU in the sequel trilogy?" debate. Of course they weren't going to do that. Or the "Is Rey a Skywalker?" debate. Of course she isn't, otherwise they would have said that she was from the beginning.

This one is a little tricky though. But I'm two for two so far, so... I like my odds. Although the Luke thing is the wildcard. If there's no mention of him in the next episode, then I may have to re-evaluate a little (maybe). If he gets a mention though, then yeah...

Yeah, after Bo-Katan's appearance we learned pretty much what they were going to do, or could do, with her.

I suspect the same with Ahsoka. After the next episode I think we're going to know pretty much what they're going to do with her, or be able to narrow it down to two or three things.

And I think she has to know Luke too. I'll be on the safe side and say probably not, but how can she not?

Having Din have blinders on makes sense for the character. Ahsoka in this case not so much.

 

You’re performing some serious gymnastics in order to make the case that Baby Yoda is likely to be left with Ahsoka, even though the character development of Mando and the Child are clearly telegraphing that these two belong together. You think the scene of Baby Yoda trying to fix wires in that small little area of the ship was just for laughs, and not a precursor to a fun and productive father-son relationship? The kid is mentally growing up fast. And he’s growing up with Mando. He’s not going to be deliberately left with Ahsoka. That’s almost a certainty. If it happens because Mando is captured or something, and Ahsoka flees carrying Baby Yoda, sure. Maybe. But then Mando will come back for him.

To me, your arguments suggest that perhaps you want Mando to drop off Baby Yoda with Ahsoka and move on. Fine, if so. You’re entitled to that wish. But the character narrative does not at all seem to be pointing in that direction.

 

I think one of the key longterm plot structures for the show is to blend and mediate the oppositions the Child and Mando represent until they each occupy a more balanced synthesis. The Child will not only grow up and gain wisdom, but if he'll become both Mandalorian and Jedi (or simply a Mando Force user), something rarely seen in the GFFA. Similarly, Mando is starting off in a position where his community and ideology dominate his personality, and this is laced with a stoic emotional disposition. The Child's effect on him will be humanizing and individualizing, opening him to self-formation, empathy, freedom, and otherness. For example, we've already seen him begin to perceive droids differently, which used to represent Absolute otherness.

So for these reasons, I don't see the Child leaving the show anytime soon. In fact, this logic suggests he won't leave Mando to train with the Jedi until Mando dies.

 

Bob Iger as much as confirmed that this is their intention.

 

Emergency Awesome has a cool take on what the Dark Troopers will be like. He thinks they'll be a mix of droid and midi-enhanced clone (a cyborg) clad in beskar. This guy is pretty deeply steeped in Geek culture and I find that he's usually right about the direction stories take.



I agree with him that the failed experiment is directly related to the Dark Trooper project, and only tangentially references Snoke.

 

I used to watch his Game of Thrones content but find a lot of his Star Wars content riddled with mistakes/inaccuracies/etc.
It's possible they'd take that angle, but I would be surprised.

 

I agree with you
just watched the clip

 

Folk just need to watch the episode again. Pershing states that the experiments failed after a fortnight and that he can not continue without more blood. Gideon's troopers (which it appears are 'ready') are there to help enable the capture of the Child and thus further Pershing's experiments. The troopers are a ways to a means, not the final goal.

 

I think the planet hopping, as long as they do fun things with it, is entertaining. It is cool to see more of the ordinary side of the GFFA. And huge fate-of-the-galaxy endgames have been done to death at this point. Making it up as they go along is as good as the making up is, IMHO.

 

Prediction: Mando will be about to hand Baby Yoda off to Ahsoka when Gideon shows up. Ahsoka is captured/incapacitated/killed, and Baby Yoda is taken by Gideon, thus setting up a finale confrontation in which Mando and co. will have to rescue Baby Yoda from the Empire.

 

Amen. I don’t understand this desire to rush ahead to the massive battle scene or whatever the “epic” ending is. The exploration of the Outer Rim during the post-Imperial era is far more interesting, IMO. Let the show build slowly and organically towards a more singular narrative conclusion, and stop demanding that it rush ahead. The slow build will make the finale much more rewarding, ala Season 1. You can’t rush epic conclusions. They need to be earned.

But to each their own, I guess.

 

Picture from Reddit: Rey's hairstyle.

 

I couldnt agree more.

A few weeks ago, I was someone saying "Yep, get The Child to Ahsoka for training now". But I wasnt appreciating the story, the characterisation, the relationship and the effect in what each character (Din and The Child) has on each other.

I guess I had never given The Child's characterisation enough credit and have always looked upon him as that cute little green thing by Din's side. But the last couple of Chapters or so have changed that opinion and I now want what you expressed above.

I now see The Child evolving as a character and I see how this wonderful dynamic between Din and him keeps growing with every new Chapter.

I hope Ahsoka says to Din that The Child is better off with him to learn and grow and not be confined at this young age to what it takes to be a Jedi.

 

The core premise of this TV show is the relationship between Mando and the Child. I see no scenario in which Baby Yoda and Din part ways. Is Baby Yoda's destiny to end up with Ahsoka? I would say most likely. But he is a character than when the Mandalorian ends will be almost identical to how he is right now. There is no rush to divide the clan, then.

My guess is the series will end with Din leaving the Child with Ahsoka. Probably as he becomes tired and want to retire to a beautiful planet with a woman or, less likely, because he dies trying to protect Baby Yoda.

 

I think he’s far more likely to die protecting Baby Yoda, than he is to abandon him so he can join a retirement village with his girlfriend. This is the GFFA, not Florida.

 

I wish I could like this post more than once.

 

This episode had quite some design recyclings in it. Three aliens from Solo and my personal favourite Zuvio

 

We have 30 years of content to explore, i kinda want this show to the adventure of the week show.

 

Baby Yoda knows now where we are

 

That's Juupiter.

 

https://www.starwars.com/news/mando-download-chapter-12-the-siege

 

He has been relentlessly tracking Womp Rats for five years. Breathing in that acid mist has muddled his brain, he has no idea who he is anymore.

 

I hope he has a badass Samurai-esque helmet to match that outfit.