Following the conclusion of the Skywalker saga in 2019, Mando has the Star Wars limelight all to himself - along with the help of his fan-favourite companion.
The Mandalorian may well be the most highly anticipated show of the new decade so far, and for good reason. As the first example of live-action Star Wars on the small screen, the space-western offers a blend of action and charm that maintains the excitement of old fans and brings in new viewers.
The flagship Disney+ show is set to return on schedule, with a brand new trailer confirming the season premiere as 30 October 2020. The trailer teases a thing or two without any real spoilers, and with plenty of information already on the table, there are a few things we can expect from season two.
The trailer, which quickly amassed over 9 million views on Youtube, displays a variety of scenes from the upcoming season, using dialogue from last season’s finale to set the tone. The Armorer (Emily Swallow) instructs Mando (Pedro Pascal) to guide The Child (colloquially known by fans as ‘Baby Yoda’) to safety by seeking out his people - “an order of sorcerers called Jedi.”
Alongside the usual escapades involving thugs and bounty hunters, season two appears to have a fairly distinct narrative of the Mandalorian pursuing the Jedi, with the looming threat of last season’s primary villain Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) likely to be a secondary plot thread. The search for Jedi opens up some exciting possibilities, with characters such as The Clone Wars’ Ahsoka Tano believed to be active somewhere in the galaxy, as well as Luke Skywalker himself. Whether we meet either is still unclear, but it is likely that we will see a Jedi at some point this season, with new addition Sasha Banks wearing a very Jedi-esque robe in the trailer.
Aside from Pedro Pascal and Giancarlo Esposito; Carl Weathers (Greef Karga) and Gina Carano (Cara Dune) are both confirmed to return. Additionally, Rosario Dawson, Michael Biehn, Katee Sackhoff, Temuera Morrison and the aforementioned Sasha Banks have been added to the cast.
From the casting alone, we get hints of what characters from the Star Wars universe are likely to make an appearance. Katee Sackhoff previously voiced Bo-Katan Kryze in both The Clone Wars and Rebels, so her casting virtually confirms the character's first live-action appearance. Not only that, but Temuera Morrison is long-serving in the world of Star Wars, having played Jango Fett, Boba Fett and the clone troopers in various media. Morrison’s appearance is surely one to look out for, in what appears to be the long-awaited return of legendary Star Wars bounty hunter, Boba Fett.
With Star Wars going into hiatus on the big screen for the next few years, it all falls to The Mandalorian to keep fans sated, and based on the trailer it looks like creator Jon Favreau is ready to step it up this year. From the premiere on 30 October, we will get eight new episodes in a galaxy far, far away.