Posted in: Disney+, Opinion, Star Wars, TV, TV | Tagged: ahsoka tano, bleeding cool, cable, Din Djarin, giancarlo esposito, Grogu, mandalorian, moff gideon, opinion, Pedro Pascal, Review, rosario dawson, spinoffs, streaming, television, tv

The Mandalorian: 5 Questions We Need Answered Heading Into Season 3

The Mandalorian provides some of the most entertaining television and following major events like the Disney Investors' call and the second season finale, there are questions to emerge about the future of the series and the Star Wars franchise as a whole. Here are my five questions surrounding what will happen in the future.

What Becomes of Grogu?

The biggest reveal of the second season of the TV series is who Grogu's master is. Given what the series and the cards they were shown, there were feasible names from established canon who could be it from Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson) since we never saw a body in Revenge of the Sith (2005) or Rebels protagonist Ezra Bridger (voiced by Taylor Gray). Anyone, but Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) would probably be seen as a letdown. It makes sense since Luke was trained by a foundling in Yoda (Frank Oz).

One of the unintended consequences of introducing such a popular character is now it's just as much Grogu's show as it's Mando/Din Djarin's (Pedro Pascal). It's hard not to imagine the show without Grogu becoming more tempered by the Force. Given the importance of Luke, I don't see the series using him more than just the one-off appearance. Sure, you can entertain all the "Sebastian Stan as Luke" fantasies all you want, but he's probably not doing any other serious television work outside of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier for Marvel and whatever features come his way. An older Grogu who can speak seems to make sense if the character is to have a presence again in season three.

Will The Mandalorian have a Time Jump?

This ties into the first question with Grogu being 50 years of age, how much more training will Luke need to give him before he's ready? Obviously, the 30 year-gap between Return of the Jedi (1983) and The Force Awakens (2015) leaves a wide-open door of possibilities. Given how Temuera Morrison has his own series in The Book of Boba Fett in 2021, we probably won't see him again in The Mandalorian as his "debts" are likely paid in full. We can also see Din in Mandalore becoming a reluctant ruler or still maintaining contact with Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff), last left in an awkward moment following his duel won against Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) and obtaining the darksaber. Will Din accept Mandalore in his homecoming? Or will he continue his life as a bounty hunter?

What of the Remaining Galactic Empire?

Moff Gideon is still a big deal in the Galactic Empire, but he's a prisoner of the New Republic. So is this when the Empire starts becoming the First Order? The infrastructure wasn't exactly explained much. It would be nice to see the beginnings of Snoke, who's either up-and-coming on his way to rising the ranks. As other series like Ahsoka are announced, we can also start to see a build-up to the new shows. Grand Admiral Thrawn, who was first introduced in the Expanded Universe and later finally realized in physical form on Rebels. Voiced by Lars Mikkelson, they can choose to stick with him for the live-action form or have one with better name recognition like they had for Ahsoka Tano with Rosario Dawson playing her live-action counterpart to the voice of Ashley Eckstein on the animated shows. It's up in the air the presence of the empire and/or First Order at this point.

Will We See More Organized Crime in Star Wars

As space westerns go, The Mandalorian strayed close to familiar territory focusing a large part still on the Rebels/New Republic vs. Empire. The series still reminded you who the "good guys" are despite its futile attempts to blur the moral lines of the universe. One of the elements teased, but not more thoroughly explored is how you have a criminal underworld like Crimson Dawn or the Hutts. Will we see more self-contained stories that don't involve the franchise's two biggest factions? Because there's tons of oppression in the Star Wars galaxy and it's not solely doled out by the empire/First Order.

Did Lucasfilm Open the Spinoff Can of Worms?

Disney announced two direct spinoffs and the potential for more with their investors' meeting. On paper, they seem like slam dunks with the installed popularity of characters like Ahsoka Tano and Boba Fett. One can argue that Grogu can grow up imparting his Baby Yoda wisdom on his journeys as well if they so desire. Where does this leave characters like Cara (Gina Carano), Greef Carga (Carl Weathers), Peli Motto (Amy Sedaris), or Migs Mayfield (Bill Burr)? Will any of them have continued roles on The Mandalorian or will they bounce around to other series as well acting like Dawson did as Claire Temple on the Marvel Netflix shows?

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