[TV] The Mandalorian (*Spoilers*)

[rhorle]

This is hilarious. Grogu was more of a plot device than a main character. Pretending he’s integral is pretty weird.

He was the major focus for two seasons. That is about as integral as it can get. Can the show function with out him? Sure. But half the popularity of the show is because of Grogu. There is no reason to deny that he isn't an integral part of the show. The creators though have showed they are not worried about getting rid of iconic stuff from the show since the Razor Crest was destroyed.

[Ragedaug]

He promised her to consider helping her reclaiming Mandalore. Now that he has nothing to do, no ship to find something to do, lots of free time, and the Darksaber he can't give away that makes him the rightful claimant to the Mandalore's throne - he can reshape the Mandalore in The Right Way, which is This - until Bo finds strength in herself to defeat him. Which she won't until he's old enough to just pass away.

There were only a couple things I didn't like about the finale. One has been mentioned a few times, which is folks with guns running into melee range to fight...only then to shot the person in the head after knocking them to the ground. Just took me out of the scenes when it happened. The other as you note is the Darksaber "rules".

First, all Din did to 'win' the Darksaber is knock Moff Gideon on his keister and bat the Darksaber away, at which point Gideon yields. So it would appear perfectly acceptable for Bo-Katan to 'win' the Darksaber from Din by Din yielding. Otherwise, she could just say, "let me knock you on your butt first, then you can yield". Seems arbitrary.

Second, Bo-Katan has already accepted the Darksaber as a gift from Sabine, without fighting Sabine for it. There is established precedence. So the whole "Darksaber combat rules" feels like a big McGuffin, which always ruin my immersion into the story.

[lunarshaper]

I have a feeling that Grogu will "cross over" into the new Ahsoka series, it feels more fitting to be showing the Jedi Academy in her show. As for The Mandalorian they can send him on a new adventure in S3, and then reunite him with Grogu at the end of S4 leading into S5.

And as awesome as Luke & R2D2s cameo was, I'm still waiting for a ghost Yoda appearance

[Darththeo]

He was the major focus for two seasons. That is about as integral as it can get. Can the show function with out him? Sure. But half the popularity of the show is because of Grogu. There is no reason to deny that he isn't an integral part of the show. The creators though have showed they are not worried about getting rid of iconic stuff from the show since the Razor Crest was destroyed.

I wouldn't waste too much time on Vega doesn't actually counter or back up what he says. Just says what you said is "hilarious."

I think with Grogu leaving and the Razor Crest destroyed they are signifying the show evolving or changing moving on. I see next season dealing more with Din as a character and him questioning who he is. He spent so long protecting Grogu and devoted to his way, that a lot has changed. Essentially, everything that Din had really to call part of his identity is now gone.

[Fayolynn]

The climax of the episode was 5 minutes of all the characters staring at monitors while Luke strolled in and destroyed two dozen droids that Mando could barely handle 1v1. I don't know what "overshadowing" means if that's not it.

Because in the end I still cared more about the connection between Mando and Grogu then I did Luke showing up to save the day. The shadow didn't suddenly become about Luke Skywalker just because he showed up for 1 scene. Luke showing up was just the end of their journey together and nothing more. Grogu was drawn to Luke and wanted to go with him, but waited Mando's permission to go because of their emotional bond. Mando had to qualms about taking his helmet off so that Grogu could see his face before leaving. I'm more interested in seeing where they take the show from here then I am watching Luke training Grogu.

[rhorle]

Yeah, no shit it "could be anything" because it's fiction. Doesn't prevent people from seeing it as weird and forced, though.

But isn't the point for it to be weird and sort of forced? She was focused 100% on getting the Saber back so she could be the figurehead to unite everyone. And now she is just a nobody again because of a technicality and "honor". We won't know what happens in regards to it because it is clearly setting up the story for the next season. It is pretty common in fiction for people to have weird views regarding sacred objects and the right to have it.

We haven't really seen anything about her own fight. The entire reason why she could have people following her was the implied ownership of the Darksaber since she was the last "real" owner. But that is now changed even if she could have received it out of pity. The Mandalorians are weird about their beliefs as we have seen with this show. This is no different then Din removing his helmet in front of others. What ideal can be sacrificed in order to meet your goals?

Clearly she wouldn't sacrifice an ideal to obtain the dark saber. Maybe that will change in Season 3? Maybe she will turn on Din?

[rhorle]

But Din's helmet issues make sense. Her thing about the saber just doesn't. At some point everyone in the room just throws their hands up and says, "What the hell are you smoking, lady?!"

If Din's issues make sense then her objections have to as well since they are based on the same basic concept. Honor and Codes. Simply taking it when offered clearly isn't good enough. A pity fight clearly isn't good enough. Simply hurting Gideon clearly isn't good enough. She stated several times that Gideon was supposed to be hers to deal with. With hindsight we now know why.

She had to be the one to defeat him to "earn" the dark saber back.

[blankfaced]

So without Grogu what's the show going to use to keep it afloat? The dialogue is terrible. The story was meh (Why did they put the bombs under the ground to kill the dragon....instead of just trying to get it to eat the explosives from the start? Why would you leave your ship alone knowing there are Jawas on the planet? He's supposed to be this amazing bounty hunter, but he's kind of an idiot.) And then the disappointment when he takes off that helmet and has to act with his face...except the very end, he did portray the sadness well.

At the very least this show is the reason we're getting an Ahsoka series so that's appreciated.

[rhorle]

So toss it to him and let her shoot him in the knees, since simply taking the saber without even injuring him was clearly enough for her to see Din as the new owner.

But that would be using pity. If honor and stuff were that easy to get around then nothing would be a problem because you can always cheese it in some fashion. Din is the new owner because he disarmed/defeated Gideon in an actual fight.

[rhorle]

She clearly thinks that just knocking the saber out of his hand is enough, so it doesn't require killing or even injury to take it.

Defeating in combat is a far difference from just casually disarming someone. Unlike Din with his helmet she is not willing to compromise her ideals in regards to the saber. Yet one you accept and one you do not when they are using the same basic principle. Weird huh?

[Jotaux]

I trust in Dave Filoni to resolve Bo Katan just accepting the Darksabor in Rebels. I was talking to a client that worked with him on clone wars and while he hates Filoni even he admitted the guy has encyclopedic knowledge of Star Wars. I don't think Filoni would forget what happened in rebels. I figure it probably became an issue for Bo Katan that she didn't win it the first time but we'll see.

[rhorle]

But it's not the same at all. She has ways to resolve this situation. Din didn't, and made a choice based on what he valued more.

Of course Din had ways. They could have done exactly what they ended up doing anyways. Chance being recongized and shoot their way out. You are also over looking where he takes his helmet off to say good bye to Grogu. He didn't have to but again compromised on his ideal. It is exactly the same except Bo Katan was not willing to compromise her ideals just to get the dark saber.

It would be pity to just give the saber to Gideon and let a new fight happen. There is also nothing to say Gideon would fight fair if he had the dark saber back. It all comes down to the theme of the last few episodes of the season. Ideals and keeping them.

[eschatological]

Boy, I go on vacation for a week and y'all spend it arguing about asinine bullshit. I feel like I've been saying this for 5 years at this point, but people need to chill the fuck out about Star Wars, and not take it so goddamn seriously.

Loved the last two episodes. Last one is freshest on my mind, so a few comments:

1) Wish Boba and Luke coulda met, and see how that interaction worked out. It's weird to me that this is 5 years post RotJ so Luke looks pretty much the same and Boba is a fat slob (after dying at the beginning of RotJ). I guess 5 years is enough to age you 30 years after going through the stomach of a Sarlacc, but whatever. I feel like Boba peacing out was specifically to avoid this problem, since the woman bound to his service stayed for the assault and he seemingly abandoned her. And yet his spinoff is supposed to feature her as his sidekick.

2) The music on Luke's sequence should have been better. It should have evoked some OT stuff, tbh. Maybe it was held up in some sort of licensing/copyright stuff on John Williams's end, but I would think Disney would own all those rights. I always notice the music of Star Wars stuff, and The Mandalorian has been great with its music in invoking its Western themes.....but there was a wasted moment here to bring in the strings of the original theme.

3) Why the Dark Trooper didn't just remove Mando's helmet once it realized it was just not doing anything to him is beyond me. Regardless, Din should have a Traumatic Brain Injury. I know, it's fiction. This is nitpicky.

4) More of a major problem I have: this series is......the definition of fanservice. As such, it has no consequences. Literally no one of importance died in this season (or last, now that I think about it). The heroes just roflstomped through everything. To me, a team of 6 storming a light cruiser should have casualties of some sort, even if it's a "fraction [of the hundreds normally required to man such a ship]." This may be seen as a grimdark opinion and not "in line" with "what Star Wars is about," but frankly, after years of others bitching about what "Star Wars is about" and how Disney ruined it while I enjoyed the sequel trilogy (didn't see Rise of Skywalker, admittedly), I'm starting to realize what Star Wars is not what it should remain about. It's too goddamn meh for that.

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Edit: As for the Bo thing, this is another stupid bullshit argument y'all are having because you take this stuff way too seriously. What Gideon says (and thus, what the writers are saying) is that Bo needs to win it in a battle against the usurper who took it, to be taken seriously. She needs the narrative to back up the ownership of the Darksaber. Maybe there are other ways in the past where she could have accepted it and be validated. But right now, she has to right a wrong, and "redeem" the story, in her people's eyes.

Right now, the story is that Din beat Gideon, and redeemed Mandalore. If he just hands it to her then, it plants seeds of doubt in her people's minds: "Why shouldn't the one who was stronger, who won the Darksaber back when she lost it, be the ruler?" Etc, etc, etc.

It's literally an analogy about storytelling and paying off power gains. I thought it was a cheeky little nod at Rey, tbh, just stumbling across Luke's lightsaber in a trunk in a basement.

[eschatological]

I don't think the other Mando died, no? IDK, I seem to remember a wide shot with everyone in the room staring at Luke. And I feel like Bo would have reacted to her person dying so stupidly to a defeated and shackled Gideon.

[Daedius]

Mandalorian is over, roll in The Book of Boba Fett!

Knew who that was that saved them at the end just from the ship they were in...

[rhorle]

3) Why the Dark Trooper didn't just remove Mando's helmet once it realized it was just not doing anything to him is beyond me. Regardless, Din should have a Traumatic Brain Injury. I know, it's fiction. This is nitpicky.

This is made worse when we remember that in Season 1 he suffered life threatening head damage just from a explosion. Maybe the force of being punched is absorbed different by the helmet.

[PACOX]

So without Grogu what's the show going to use to keep it afloat? The dialogue is terrible. The story was meh (Why did they put the bombs under the ground to kill the dragon....instead of just trying to get it to eat the explosives from the start? Why would you leave your ship alone knowing there are Jawas on the planet? He's supposed to be this amazing bounty hunter, but he's kind of an idiot.) And then the disappointment when he takes off that helmet and has to act with his face...except the very end, he did portray the sadness well.

At the very least this show is the reason we're getting an Ahsoka series so that's appreciated.

The show is about a man from a displaced Mandalorian clan. He just got the object used to rally Mandalorians.

Scattered Mandalorians...something to rally behind...hmmm...oh and what was Bo trying to do again?

In that you have your plot for season 3

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I trust in Dave Filoni to resolve Bo Katan just accepting the Darksabor in Rebels. I was talking to a client that worked with him on clone wars and while he hates Filoni even he admitted the guy has encyclopedic knowledge of Star Wars. I don't think Filoni would forget what happened in rebels. I figure it probably became an issue for Bo Katan that she didn't win it the first time but we'll see.

All (canon) Mando lore is practically his. He knows the ins and outs more than anyone.

[deepr]

It was fine, I enjoyed it. But such overreaction on IMDB. A 9,9 for the last episode?? I guess people were craving for something decent in the Star Wars universe.
Most of the side characters were flat and barely developed. Who really mattered besides Mando and the kid?
The acting was just OK in general, if you could see their faces....
The simplistic and slow paced story is fine with me, but the dialogue was pretty bad.
Overall it just wasn't all that emotionally engaging.

[PACOX]

It was fine, I enjoyed it. But such overreaction on IMDB. A 9,9 for the last episode?? I guess people were craving for something decent in the Star Wars universe.
Most of the side characters were flat and barely developed. Who really mattered besides Mando and the kid?
The acting was just OK in general, if you could see their faces....
The simplistic and slow paced story is fine with me, but the dialogue was pretty bad.
Overall it just wasn't all that emotionally engaging.

IMDB gets vote bombed all the time. Up and down voted.

[YUPPIE]

just scrolled through all the spoiler text to ask if it's worth sitting through the cartoons to get to this series