** Spoilers for The Mandalorian lie within.**
There is a feeling while watching a Star Wars property that may never go away—at least, I hope it doesn’t—and The Mandalorian’s first episode, which just launched with Disney+, gave me that feeling and so much more.
Set in a world after the fall of the Empire but before the current movies, the show begins with the titular Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) fulfilling his bounty and going to get his next assignment (from Carl Weathers), and when he does not like the price, he’s offered something far greater. The problem is that it’s very clearly for someone who still wants the Empire to rise once more, as he’s surrounded by stormtroopers—and it’s Werner Herzog. (Can’t trust him, amirite?)
While the Mandalorian reluctantly takes the job, he finds out that it’s not exactly as clean-cut as he originally thought the bounty would be. Heading to a planet where he’s meant to just collect an unknown prize, he’s confronted with a bounty droid (Taika Waititi). Maybe the best part of the entire episode, this droid has rotating hips, essentially dabs as he’s shooting those protecting this “bounty,” and then he continually tries to self-destruct. I love him.
The Mandalorian (who was called “Mando” at one point, and I truly hope that sticks) and the droid have a contentious relationship, but the real kicker of the episode—the big, first-episode surprise the series has been hiding—is that their bounty turns out to be the same species as Yoda. (Fun fact: Yoda doesn’t have a species designated in any Star Wars media, as notably mysterious as the rest of his backstory, so this could lead to some significant revelations.)
I will admit to sitting through part of this episode and asking myself how I could possibly be attracted to the bounty hunter when we a) do not see his face and b) he is just killing people, but then again, he does Captain Ahab this weird walrus animal off his ship, so you can’t blame me. Giving off some serious Han Solo vibes, there’s something about this Mandalorian that doesn’t play by any rules, especially for those who were once loyal to Vader and the Empire.
With an extremely promising first episode, The Mandalorian is bringing to light the divided times post-Empire, and from what it seems, the Mandalorian himself is not too happy with having to help someone whose allegiance still lives with the fallen Emperor and his vision. Favreau manages to give us the joy of Star Wars, the mystery of the Mandalorians as a whole, and tell a beautifully surprising story with so much room to grow.
It may be my new favorite Star Wars property, and I can’t wait to see what comes next.
(image: Lucasfilm)
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