It’s been almost two years since the release of season two of The Mandalorian and so much has happened since then. A range of other Star Wars shows have premiered on Disney+ but I never caught up. I did enjoy ‘The Mandalorian’ though so being able to see the first two episodes quickly reminded me what I love most about the show. Even with all the time that passed, it’s important to note that the only two characters you really have to remember are The Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his ward, Grogu. Their relationship is the heart of the show and that’s all you need to know. What I also love about ‘The Mandalorian’ is how showrunner Jon Favreau sticks to the space western genre.
Westerns are not just about cowboys and Native Americans. It’s the frontier lands and it’s about the beginnings of civilization. Away from the big cities, in the wild, wild west, might makes right and the law is just an abstract thing. What Favreau does is to take the essential thematic elements of a western and infuse it into the narrative structure of ‘The Mandalorian.’ He does this with terrific effect. It’s one part commentary on the fringes of society, far away from the eyes of authority but it’s also a fun adventure into the unknown reaches of the Star Wars universe.
By the start of the third season, we discover that Grogu has decided to stay with Din Djarin (which apparently is a choice that was made in an episode of ‘The Book of Bobba Fett,’ which I did not see) and are now on a task to redeem Din Djarin in the eyes of The Mandalorians, as he has broken from the Creed when he took off his helmet last season. Despite the show being about the frontier lands of the Star Wars universe, outside the reach of The New Republic, and the people at the fringes of this galactic society, the first two episodes of the third season seem to be exploring the roots of Mandalorian culture and the importance of the Creed, their way of life.
There is a profound existentialism that is being teased in the first two episodes as Din Djarin is determined to rejoin his people by bathing in the waters of an underground lake in his homeworld. On the flip side, Bo Katan (Katee Sackhoff) joins the cast and contrasts Din Djarin’s faith by being cynical about the Mandalorian code. As a royal who saw Mandalore at its greatness (before its ruin), she is disillusioned and cynical. These two forces are at full display in the first two episodes and signal an interesting philosophical debate that may unfold during this whole season.
After all, the first two seasons have been about exploring the world of the show and how lawlessness looks in this universe. Now, the show goes deeper and looks inwards into the beliefs that give these characters a sense of purpose. Now, the mantra the Mandalorians always recite – “This is the way” – holds much more weight. It’s become a promise of what’s to come in this season and I’m all for it.
The show is moving at a very quick pace. The first episode seems inconsequential, a random trip that leads to no real story event other than to revisit some old characters, but quickly we arrive at Mandalore by the second episode and what transpires there is a figurative renewal of faith for the two characters in opposition. By the end of the second episode, I still don’t know where this show is moving towards but it feels so much bigger than before, as if it is alluding to something grand and I’m all for it.
What makes ‘The Mandalorian’ so enjoyable is the free-and-easy storytelling and the dynamic characters. It’s a fun show that prefers to show us in broad strokes a world that is outside the reach of authority. There’s a lot of humanity tucked away in the images of pirates and mercenaries. Now that Din Djarin and Grogu’s relationship is secured, it is time to broaden that world and, at the same time, deepen it and if it moves along its steady pace as earlier seasons, then we are in for another fun ride.
My Rating:
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The Mandalorian season 3 has released its first episode on Disney+ with new episodes dropping every week.
