Sitting at the top with a 93% Rotten Tomatoes rating and 15 Emmy Awards nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series and Visual Effects, The Mandalorian was an unlikely Star Wars property to lead the troubled franchise with a charismatic yet heretical approach.
As the only Star Wars project to rival George Lucas’ original trilogy when it comes to critical acclaim, The Mandalorian is created by Jon Favreau. The man responsible behind kickstarting the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Iron Man, Favreau was also the reason behind the astounding success of The Jungle Book (2016) and The Lion King (2019). However, bringing Star Wars to the smaller screen is easier said than done.
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Starring Pedro Pascal as Din Djarin/Mandalorian and Giancarlo Esposito as Moff Gideon, The Mandalorian is set in the timeline where the Jedi are still a myth. As the show revolves around the titular Mandalorian, a dreaded and skillful bounty hunter, and his ward, the Child, or more commonly known as Baby Yoda, The Mandalorian is a bold take on the galaxy far, far away. Having avoided the usual Star Wars tropes of Sith-Lords, Jedi Masters, and classic lightsaber duels, The Mandalorian has set itself apart from most Star Wars projects.
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However, the final episode of the first season of The Mandalorian definitely hinted at a much bigger universe that the show will explore in the upcoming second season. The show’s primary protagonist, Moff Gideon, played by Giancarlo Esposito (Gus Fring; Breaking Bad), is a former officer of the Galactic Empire who has become a warlord. Mysteriously, the diabolical Moff Gideon has the ancient Mandalore relic, the darksaber in his hands, which was revealed in the season finale.
With just more than a month to go for the second season of The Mandalorian, actor Giancarlo Esposito has made some startling revelations. As the second season of the show would be exploring new territories, The Mandalorian might just pick up one classic Star Wars trope for the digital screen; lightsaber battle!
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According to Giancarlo Esposito, the second season of The Mandalorian will feature its first lightsaber battle. As the news has come from the Breaking Bad star, it is safe to assume that Moff Gideon would be battling a worthy opponent with his darksaber. However, no confirmed news has arrived regarding Gideon’s lightsaber-wielding opponent.
In the second season, a few popular characters from the critically acclaimed Star Wars: The Clone Wars have been confirmed to appear. Bo-Katan Kryze, a female Mandalorian was last shown to wield the infamous darksaber in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. The second-in-command to Pre Vizsla, Bo-Katan Kryze was instrumental in recruiting the Jedi and the Republic to defeat Darth Maul.
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Ousting Darth Maul was necessary as the Sith-Lord had defeated and executed Pre Vizsla to win the darksaber. In the Mandalorian culture, the darksaber is a symbol of power to unite the tribe. However, having Darth Maul as their leader was unacceptable, which forced Bo-Katan Kryze to ask Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. In a turn of events, the darksaber ended up in the hands of Sabine Wren, another revolutionary female Mandalorian warrior. In Star Wars Rebels, Sabine Wren passed down the darksaber to Bo-Katan Kryze to unite the surviving Mandalorian clan.
In The Mandalorian, Moff Gideon has mysteriously acquired the ancient darksaber from its last owner, Bo-Katan Kryze. Though Bo-Katan Kryze would make a worthy opponent to reclaim the darksaber, it is highly unlikely that the Mandalorian warrior would acquire a lightsaber to battle Moff Gideon. Similarly, expecting Luke or Leia Skywalker to make their appearance on The Mandalorian is a long shot. Also, expecting Din Djarin to fight with a lightsaber is highly unlikely. So, Moff Gideon’s opponent might be the most beloved character from Star Wars: The Clone Wars itself.
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Enter, Ahsoka Tano. The main protagonist of The Clone Wars, Ahsoka Tano is a charismatic leader and a former Jedi Padawan of Anakin Skywalker. A Togruta female, Ahsoka Tano quickly gained a reputation for her formidable prowess and able leadership. However, she quickly felt dissuaded by the Jedi Order and left the council to become a Force-Sensitive Outcast.
Ahsoka Tano also has a history with the Mandalorians as she returned to lead the Republic forces in the Siege of Mandalore against Darth Maul. As per reports, actress Rosario Dawson (Daredevil, Sin City) has been cast as Ahsoka Tano in the second season of The Mandalorian.
According to former UFC fighter turned actress Gina Carano who plays the role of Cara Dune in the show, a few reports circulating on the internet regarding the new cast members are true. Though an official confirmation is yet to arrive regarding Rosario Dawson’s involvement in the show, the first trailer of the second season did portray the Jedi threat which the show would be exploring.
Ahsoka Tano might have walked out of the Jedi Council, she still fights the good fight in the galaxy far, far away. In Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Tano faced Pre Vizsla, who wielded the darksaber. A skilled wielder of the lightsaber, Ahsoka Tano bested Pre Vizsla. As a result, a face-off between Ahsoka Tano and Moff Gideon won’t be the first time the rebel leader would be facing the darksaber. Having defeated Pre Vizsla, Ahsoka Tano might be the legitimate owner of the darksaber instead of Moff Gideon, who has mysteriously acquired the ancient weapon. Apart from that, Ahsoka Tano might be related to Baby Yoda in a mysterious way which will further fuel the battle between Tano and Gideon.
With only over a month to its release, the second season of The Mandalorian will surely be much more exciting and grander than the first. Apart from the inevitable lightsaber duel, which other classic trope has the show relied on in its upcoming season? Whatever surprises the show might have planned for us, it is safe to assume that the Outer Rim is definitely going to be much more crowded.
The Mandalorian will premier on 30th October 2020 exclusively on Disney+.
