North Texas Daily

Way back in 2012, when Disney acquired the rights to make as much Star Wars content as their hearts desired, there was a little bit of friction within the fandom. Some people were happy we were getting the first live-action Star Wars film since 2005, and some thought Disney was destined to ruin one of the most loved franchises of all time. Fast forward to 2019, regardless of what people thought of the new trilogy, Disney+ launched and debuted “The Mandalorian.” It was overwhelmingly loved, with a cliffhanger that promised an even more enticing season two. I think it is safe to say season two of “The Mandalorian” is the best piece of Star Wars media we have gotten since “The Empire Strikes Back.”

Pedro Pascal is back with a performance that exceeds season one by a substantial margin. This season deals with themes like how far you need to go to save someone you care for and seeing his character go through those progressions at a steady pace, instead of all at once, is masterfully done. If “Mando” was not one of your favorite Star Wars characters before, chances are he will be once you get done with this season.

This season brings characters from season one, while also introducing us to new characters. I felt as though season one had a tiny problem with certain episodes stagnantly moving the story, instead of a smooth progression. Season two does not even come close to this issue, and I felt every episode was necessary to tell the entirety of this story. Every episode was also consistently great. Of course, there are going to be certain episodes that are better than other ones, but when it was all said and done, every episode got two thumbs up from me.

Most importantly, we got some extremely heavy fan service in this season. Characters from the original trilogy and prequel trilogy make appearances in this season and I would say almost every single one of those characters belongs in the season. I was not a fan of the ginormous cameo at the end of the season for a number of reasons, but it did not change how I felt about the season as a whole. Putting fan service in anything is like walking on thin ice, except that thin ice is placed directly above a fire pit and it is summertime in Denton. Chances are, no matter how awesome it may seem, people are still going to find something to hate about it. That especially goes for Star Wars fans who hate everything that does not involve Ewan McGregor.

Now it would not be “The Mandalorian” review if I did not mention everyone’s favorite green and galactic offspring. Baby Yoda has taken the world by storm, and that storm is most certainly not dying down anytime soon. I won’t lie, Baby Yoda has everyone in my household hooked, and as far as making money goes, Disney has struck gold. As far as the character in the show goes, I think Baby Yoda was more of a placeholder than a character this season. Obviously, Baby Yoda’s fate is one of the biggest parts of the season, but in season one they were doing all kinds of crazy heroic acts. In this season, Baby Yoda was played more for cute gags and moments that made everyone simultaneously go, “Aw, so cute.” Other than that one, extremely microscopic, criticism, the show is more polished and emotional than all of the Disney-era movies combined.

I just think that season took every up a notch and made sure there was a natural progression of the story. Every character and storyline fit perfectly like pieces of a puzzle, and when it was all said and done, everyone was ready for season three to hit Disney+ the next day. After two amazing seasons, I have the utmost confidence in the direction Star Wars is going, and with shows like “Kenobi” and “Lando” coming soon, there is no better time to be a Star Wars fan.

Final Rating: 4.5/5

Featured image: Courtesy Disney+