Here's Why Some 'Star Wars' Fans Hated the 'Mandalorian' Finale

  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

From Men's Health

Spoilers follow for both seasons of The Mandalorian.


After a seemingly endless series of side-quests and narrative detours, The Mandalorian finally made good on its promise in the Season 2 finale and wrapped up its ongoing storyline, both rescuing Grogu from the clutches of Moff Gideon and safely delivering him into the hands of a Jedi master who could train him to use the Force.

Photo credit: Men's Health
Photo credit: Men's Health

In a climactic scene which many fans saw coming, the aptly titled "Chapter 16: The Rescue" revealed that the Jedi who Baby Yoda communed with on the Seeing Stone was none other than Luke Skywalker himself, the protagonist of the original Star Wars trilogy. Played by a digitally de-aged Mark Hamill, Luke showed up just in time to rescue Mando and his friends from the Dark Troopers, and then took Baby Yoda with him, presumably to the temple where the character spent the years between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens training the next generation of Jedi.

While Hamill's appearance delighted many viewers, there is a contingent of the fandom who felt annoyed by his inclusion in a story which initially seemed to be much more interested in following less "important" characters on the ground in this sci-fi universe. So many of Din Djarin's missions have involved exploring the lesser-seen corners of the Star Wars galaxy and showing what life is like for regular people under both Imperial and Republic rule, a facet of the show which has drawn critical praise.

However, this season has doubled down on bringing The Mandalorian closer into the Star Wars fold, introducing a number of characters from previous movies and other media, including Boba Fett and Ahsoka Tano. While it could be seen as a logical narrative step to bring in Luke at the close of Season 2, it is also something of a distraction. Viewers have spent the last two years becoming emotionally invested in the bond between Din and Grogu, but it's hard not for their reunion and subsequent farewell to be overshadowed by the fact that Luke actual Skywalker is standing in the room with them.

A new video on The Stupendous Wave channel examines both sides of the debate over whether Luke contributed or took away from the finale's impact:

You Might Also Like