What You Need to Remember Before Starting 'The Mandalorian' Season 2
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The second season of The Mandalorian is upon us, with an episode airing weekly from October 30 on Disney+. But don’t worry if you’re a little out of the loop since the first season ended. We’ve got you covered.
For those who are just beginning their journey to Mando’s particular stretch of a galaxy far, far away, first of all, welcome! Second of all, do not worry if the number of Star Wars films over the last five years has left you somewhat confused about the timeline of the series. The Mandalorian might be a new offering, but that doesn’t mean the events that take place line up with the antics of Rey, Finn, and Poe in the legacy trilogy, or Jinn Erso in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. And the less we talk about Solo, the better. (Although we do stan Donald Glover’s Lando Calrissian.)
The Mandalorian, created by Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni, is set five years after Return of the Jedi and 25 years before the plot of The Force Awakens begins. If you remember the climactic ending of the 1983 film, the Rebel Alliance defeats the Emperor and his Galactic Empire, forcing any of the remaining fascist supporters who haven’t surrendered or been arrested into hiding. The New Republic emerges and will maintain order across the galaxy until a new brand of the Empire, the First Order, rises up two decades later, as depicted in 2015’s The Force Awakens. But during the early years of this new democratic government, as it slowly sets up its authority across the galaxy, the planets in the outer reaches are left to their own devices. Lawlessness flourishes and the First Order begins to take shape.
So where does Pedro Pascal’s eponymous hero fit into all of this? The Mandalorians are a multiethnic clan who hail from the planet Mandalore. Boba Fett was the most famous Mandalorian in the Star Wars universe before this series, though he is actually a clone of his Mandalorian “father” Jango, who did business for Jabba the Hut during the timeline of the original trilogy. A common creed and code unites this warrior race, but a civil war broke out during the Empire occupation of their homeland, claiming many lives and forcing the small number of survivors to scatter. Several ended up on the planet Nevarro and formed The Tribe, which includes Pascal’s Din Djarin, fondly known as “Mando” or not so fondly as "the Mandalorian."
Like Fett, Mando’s a bounty hunter, and his warrior training makes him pretty good at it. The series opens with him tasked with delivering a bounty to the ominous former Empire official The Client (Werner Herzog), but when it turns out to be a child with mystical powers, aka Baby Yoda, Mando’s protective instincts kick in. The bounty hunter was orphaned at a young age too, and the memories lead him to risk his own life to protect The Child from destructive powers.
Now, if you haven’t watched season 1, stop reading here, because we’re entering spoiler territory as we discuss exactly where the story was left after the climactic finale.
Mando and Baby Yoda have been trying to lay low to avoid former Empire cronies and bounty hunters, and with each new episode comes new drama for them to survive. From saving a village on Sorgan to being double-crossed by a motley crew on a jailbreak mission, the pair have been through a lot. In order to secure their freedom, Mando accepts an opportunity from frenemy Greef Karga (Carl Weathers), leader of one faction of the Bounty Hunters' Guild, to take out The Client for good. They get help from friends they’ve made over the season: former Rebel shocktrooper-turned-mercenary Cara Dune (Gina Carano), nomad Kuiil (Nick Nolte), and reprogrammed bounty hunter bot IG-11 (Taika Waititi). After Baby Yoda saves Greef’s life and secures his loyalty, the team carry out their plan of subterfuge to take out The Client, but a former high-ranking official called Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) has the place surrounded by stormtroopers.
The finale sees the Mandalorian use his newly acquired jetpack to take out the TIE Fighter manned by Moff Gideon. Mando, Cara, Greef and Baby Yoda escape, but Kuiil is killed by stormtroopers and IG-11 sacrifices himself to save the remaining team. Cara teams up with Greef as his enforcer, while Mando heads off with Baby Yoda to complete the mission set for him by The Armorer (Emily Swallow), the Mandalorian who made his suit and declares the “father and son” duo to be a clan of two. She tells him to return the foundling to its true home, and after burying Kuiil, that’s what Mando sets out to do.
This surely won’t be the last we see of the Mandalorian’s pals or Moff Gideon, who survived his ship being knocked out of the sky. Prior to the events of season 1, the Empire antagonist was part of the Great Purge, which destroyed civilization on Mandalore and decimated their numbers. Esposito confirmed his character will play a greater role in season 2, and we actually can’t wait to see him wield the black-bladed Dark lightsaber he revealed in the finale.
For Mando and the Child, their path to the young one’s home will lead them toward the Jedi Order, who’ve historically not had the best relations with the Mandalorians. “The songs of eons past tell of battles between Mandalore the Great and an order of sorcerers called Jedi,” the Armorer tells her brethren in the season 2 trailer. This is likely how Mando will meet Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson), a beloved character from the Clone Wars animated films and series who was Anakin Skywalker’s apprentice.
And Star Wars fans will be excited to see the return of Boba Fett, who was believed dead at the end of Return of the Jedi (he fell into the deadly Sarlacc Pit of Tatooine) but was hinted at in season 1 through a mysterious figure wearing armor with bleeping sounds similar to the iconic character’s. This will see Prequel Trilogy actor Temuera Morrison reprise his role, while Katee Sackhoff reprises her Clone Wars character, Bo-Katan Kryze, in live-action form.
With so much to look forward to in season 2, I guess there’s not much more for me to say except…this is the way.
Watch The Mandalorian on Disney+
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