Wednesday, December 14, 2022

The Mandalorian (Season 2)

Following a vastly huge fan divide that happened when “The Last Jedi” was released, and a possible knock-on effect it had with the disappointing box office numbers for “Solo” – it was a solo outing, it was evident that the “Star Wars” franchise had started to whither their fanbase recently. That was until “The Mandalorian” was released on Disney+.

Creator John Favreau not only delivered in terms of what fans had been wanting for when Disney announced its gaining of Lucasfilm in 2012, but it gave them a range of fresh and dynamic characters in a setting that felt way more in line with the original trilogy. On top of all that, the show had a cute character introduced called The Child (Baby Yoda).

With the first season being such a large success, it was going to take something colossal to raise the large stakes Favreau had created. Thankfully, not only did Season Two return in 2020 to everything there was to love about the first season, but the show’s gone fast in connecting itself further to the franchise in the most rewarding ways.

Season Two starts right where the first season ended, where bounty hunter Mando saves The Child from the hands of the newly made Empire. He is commanded that in order to save The Child, he must navigate the galaxy and return him to his own kind, the Jedi, who have either been expunged or gone into hiding following Order 66.

From the beginning, it’s evident that “The Mandalorian’s” creators aren’t joking around. Nick Drew said in his review, “There’s a gigantic bombshell at the end of the first episode (Chapter 9) which will undoubtedly shake the fanbase to its core and it’s within this moment that you know all cards are on the table this season.”

Another memorable time is getting to see a lightsaber being held for the first time by Rosario Dawson. She plays Anakin Skywalker’s former padawan Ahsoka Tano, a largely popular character from the “Clone Wars” and “Rebels” animated shows and will have her own spin-off soon. Among every highlight are too many references and cameos to mention that’ll undeniably have long-time fans being very pleased. Drew mentioned, “The finale in particular will undoubtedly send devotees into utter chaos (we’re still trying to pick our jaws up from the floor).”

Continuing its trend of bringing in a range of talented directors for each episode (Robert Rodriguez, Peyton Reed and Rick Famuyiwa as a few), it’s the recruitment of long-term “Clone Wars” writer and director David Filoni to handle Ashoka’s reveal in “The Jedi” that’s the real standout. Drew said, “It’s arguably the most unique and strongest episode of the season in its Samurai-esque tone.”

Despite every additional element to keep the sow fresh, the show’s heart stays with the continuous growing bond between Mando and the Child. Even though Mando’s story is a little to the side in favor of focusing more on the Child’s origins (where we finally find out his real name…which I think everyone knows now), there’s still enough character development to get into.

In the end, Season Two of “The Mandalorian” is an insistently enjoyable ride. It’s a show that well and really feels like it’s written by the fans, for the fans. It is a reminder of everything there is to love about “Star Wars,” and of the sci-fi genre itself. Drew ended his review by saying, “For anyone who’s not given the show a chance or felt like the cultural phenomenon has lost its way in recent times but are ready to reunite with their inner geek… then this is the way.”

As I had mentioned yesterday, I cannot do this show justice by simply reviewing it. You must watch this show to see for yourself. If you have a Disney+, don’t read this review. Go see the show right now. This is one of the best Star Wars things out there, and this is coming from a long-time fan. The show really has won everyone over again, and I am really impressed. The third season will be coming out next year, so I’m excited to see what they have in store next.

Tomorrow I’m going to look at the first MCU mini-series in “Disney Month 2022.”

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