What's going on in the Mandalorian?

Nov 14th, 2019 by Officially SW

As someone who has kept up with just about everything Star Wars over the last few years, I felt like I was walking into The Mandalorian with a good understanding of the quality of show we were going to get, as well as some important details that add to the story greatly, if you know basic things about Star Wars. But as I’ve talked to more people about the promising first episode of the series, I’ve realized there’s a solid amount of confusion as to what’s going on in the show. Who are these characters? What time period are they in? What the heck are they doing in the Star Wars Universe? I’ve had people ask if this story was set before The Phantom Menace... So let’s cover the main points that will help more people understand what’s going on, and I’ll also go over some of my thoughts as we head into the next episode of The Mandalorian, coming tomorrow, November 15th to Disney+. Spoilers ahead!

THE MANDALORIAN DEBUT

The Mandalorian is a brand new live-action TV series that just premiered with the launch of Disney’s streaming service, Disney+. Only slightly judging you if you didn’t know that. It seems like most people understand that the story follows a masked bounty hunter on his jobs chasing down wanted criminals. However, there’s a few key points that I think need to be covered so everyone can understand what’s going on. The story is set 5 years after the fall of the Galactic Empire (basically 5 years after Return of the Jedi). The galaxy is in disarray with no commanding government. Remnants of the Empire still loom in the shadows, maintaining control of smaller civilizations and factions. Civilians are trying to gain control in other areas. In many of the trailers and TV spots, we hear the line, “Is the world more peaceful since the revolution?” and I believe we’re going to see how much not having the Empire has affected the galaxy. How will this affect the Mandalorian?

EPISODE 1

After watching the first episode, we can see that the main character has already been thrust into the spotlight as one of the greatest bounty hunters around, drawing attention from almost everybody. He’s fast and skilled, and has some of the sweetest armor around, which is really the most important thing in star wars. He’s proven to those around that he can take any job and that nothing will stop him from getting his bounty. So proven that even Imperial remnants look to him to carry out their most classified jobs. This is where we see the Mandalorian in episode 1. He becomes involved with the man known as, “The Client,” who is shown giving him the Beskar metal in exchange for his acceptance of the bounty. The Imperials seem very interested in this bounty, and as we later learn in the episode, it has some connection to a little green dude we know and love. Along the way we’re met with characters such as Grief Marda, kuuil and IG-11, who we can only assume will have bigger roles as the progresses. The entire episode is filled with action and some of the best blaster fighting we’ve seen in Star Wars. Go see for yourself if you want more specifics about the episode.

IN REVIEW

Now that we’ve got a little bit more of an understanding of what’s going on in the show, I want to give my experience watching the first episode. All I’ve been able to say is, THIS IS STAR WARS. For some people, the recent Star Wars movies have felt a bit different from what they’re used to seeing. While change is necessary for growth, there’s certain Star Wars FEELS that you’ve got to hit to make sure that your project really is STAR WARS. The Mandalorian hits every note just right. The music, the settings, the costume design, the sound effects, the visual effects. Everything felt like a 2019 version of A New Hope in the best possible way. The attention to detail is remarkable, showcasing beautiful sets and landscapes that feel right out of the Star Wars universe. You could feel the lore expanding as you watched it, and I’m really excited to learn about all the details of what’s in each frame of the show. Story aside, right from the start of the episode, you can tell that the showrunners have a great understanding of the feel of Star Wars. There’s been points in the last 5 years where I’ve questioned how “Star Wars” a certain project from Lucasfilm was, but there’s no wavering the authenticity of the Star Wars vibes in The Mandalorian. As far as the characters and the plot points, I was pleasantly surprised. I expected the Mandalorian character to be sort of boring in all honesty, but he was far from it. Aside from being badass and mysterious, there’s an emotional and funny side to him through the mask. The introduction of the side characters was great as well. I’m interested to see how their stories intertwine with our main character. And how about baby Yoda? Did anyone else almost tear up? Probably one of the cutest things I’ve ever seen and we NEED to find out where it came from.

All in all, I loved the episode. It was a perfect setup for introduction and inquiry, leaving the audience wanting the second episode immediately. I’m pumped to see it play out, to learn about  the lore and most of all, to have MORE Star Wars!

Here’s some questions I’ll be looking to be answered in the coming episode:

Who is the Mandalorian?

How did the Mandalorian underground organization come to be?

Who, what, why is Baby Yoda?

How do Imperial remnants know about Baby Yoda?

Where’s the Rebellion?

There’s a lot more fun to come from The Mandalorian and I’m excited to share the ride along with you guys. May the Force be with You!

If you’d like to talk Mandalorian each week, join the Discord server for us all to talk spoilers:   https://discordapp.com/invite/h8PA8dY