The Mandalorian – Season 2
disney+With a divided fandom that was filled with anger and hostility coming out of the modern trilogy of the Star Wars franchise, which ultimately concluded in what many consider to be a more than lackluster conclusion with The Rise of Skywalker, it seemed like Disney's revitalisation of the Star Wars franchise was heading for an early grave as the number of theatrical releases quickly dropped and the general interest in the series seemed to be weaning. But out of the darkness, a hero emerged. Debuting as the first major series for the Disney+ streaming service, The Mandalorian took fans by surprise as a refreshing outing into the Star Wars Universe both with a unique tone and story that felt perfectly separate and fresh from the Skywalker saga that had defined the franchise up to that point. Just a year later and The Mandalorian Season 2 has also been released, marking a curious turn for the franchise that will cause some to hold it even closer to their hearts while forcing others to say goodbye to what they originally loved so much about the series.
Before discussing how the show has changed, it is first worthy to go over how the show has stayed the same. Whilst the actual content of the show has changed, much of the format has remained the same for better or for worse. Despite the show having a background plot that follows the characters throughout the entire season, The Mandalorian is very much so an episodic series both in content and style. Filled with plenty of side plots and a different voice behind nearly every episode, for better or for worse each episode of the series largely feels like its own entity. While Robert Rodriguez plays into fun action-adventure, Dave Filoni will play into a more serious style of action that feels brutal and serious. The end result of this choice is conflicting. Though it is naturally exciting to see so many different takes on the Star Wars universe with it truly feeling like each director is given the freedom to make their piece of the puzzle feel unique and special, it does cause the season to struggle as a coherent expression. it is hard to build momentum when every episode feels so different but the second season at least did improve in this regard a bit from the first. Not only does the second season have much more consistency when it comes to quality, but the show also implements more multi-episode arcs which at least gives some structure and follow-through between each episode.
The technical elements of the show also continue to be near flawless. Almost indistinguishable from the big screen content of the franchise, the visual effects and practical effects are truly something special. It is so easy to get lost in the various worlds that the series encounters because these qualities are done to such a high level. It really says something that Disney is able and willing to invest so much effort even into their original series and clearly with the massive increase of Disney+ original series both for Star Wars and Marvel, this is a platform they have faith in and are willing to take a risk on.
Speaking now to the major differences between seasons, The Mandalorian Season 2 quickly makes it clear that its ties to the larger Star Wars Universe have become a priority for the season. Serving as a gateway drug of sorts for the future Disney+ Star Wars series, The Mandalorian Season 2 is filled with iconic characters and developments that directly tie the show together not just with various side characters but even the Skywalker Saga itself. Whilst some audience members will be a fan of seeing these classic characters they know and love interact with the series, others will see this as more of a negative than anything else. The Mandalorian built its identity on it being separate from the main Star Wars franchise and many loved that aspect of the show. It felt so refreshing to explore this universe through a new lens that didn't tie into the larger picture but this is largely abandoned in the second season. While a few cameos might not have been as frustrating, by the end it gets to such a point that it almost feels unsatisfying and like these connections are an ex machina to wrap up the story being told rather than being something that was truly well built. What should be The Mandalorian's (Pedro Pascal) story is handed to other characters that simply feel out of place.
As with most from the Star Wars franchise, The Mandalorian Season 2 is going to be divisive. Where some will be down for the expansion of this story into the larger connected universe, plenty will morn what was the most unique piece of the on-screen Star Wars universe to date. This is going to be a debate without any clear answers but will ultimately more than likely be decided by the future of the show. If the show can come back and walk this tightrope of existing both on its own and within the larger connected universe then this choice will be much easier to accept but if the show truly was sacrificed to open the door for other series with deeper connections to the main Star Wars lore, then this will stand as a clear misfire.
