The Mandalorian

This article is about the television series. For the fictional group of people, see Mandalorian. For the title character, see The Mandalorian (Star Wars character).

The Mandalorian
File:The Mandalorian logo.jpg
Genre	Action Adventure Space Western
Created by	Jon Favreau
Based on	Star Wars by George Lucas
Written by	Jon Favreau Dave Filoni Rick Famuyiwa Christopher Yost
Directed by	Dave Filoni Rick Famuyiwa Deborah Chow Bryce Dallas Howard Taika Waititi
Starring	Pedro Pascal
Composer(s)	Ludwig Göransson
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	8 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Jon Favreau Dave Filoni Kathleen Kennedy Colin Wilson
Production location(s)	Los Angeles, California
Cinematography	Greig Fraser Barry Idoine
Editor(s)	Jeff Seibenick Andrew S. Eisen Dana E. Glauberman
Running time	31–46 minutes
Production company(s)	Lucasfilm Fairview Entertainment Golem Creations
Distributor	Disney Media Distribution
Release
Original network	Disney+
Original release	November 12, 2019 (2019-11-12) – present (present)
External links
Website

The Mandalorian, also known as Star Wars: The Mandalorian, is an American space Western web television series created by Jon Favreau and released on Disney+. It is the first live action series in the Star Wars franchise. Set five years after the events of Return of the Jedi and 25 years prior to the events of The Force Awakens, it follows the title character Din Djarin — a Mandalorian bounty hunter — and his exploits beyond the reaches of the New Republic.

Favreau also serves as head writer and showrunner, as well as executive producer, alongside Dave Filoni, Kathleen Kennedy, and Colin Wilson. The Mandalorian premiered with the launch of Disney+ on November 12, 2019, with its eight-episode first season. A second season has been ordered, which is set to premiere in October 2020. The series has received positive reviews.

Synopsis

After the stories of Jango and Boba Fett, another warrior emerges in the Star Wars universe. The Mandalorian is set after the fall of the Empire and before the emergence of the First Order. The series depicts a lone bounty hunter in the outer reaches of the galaxy far from the authority of the New Republic.

— Jon Favreau

Cast and characters

Main article: List of The Mandalorian characters

Starring

• Pedro Pascal as The Mandalorian / Din Djarin, a lone gunfighter and bounty hunter who is sometimes referred to as "Mando" (a generic - and possibly offensive term used to refer to all Mandalorians, a clan of skilled warriors). He is a "foundling" who was rescued at a young age by Mandalorians. Pascal has described his character as being Clint Eastwood–esque with advanced combat skills and of "questionable moral character".
• "The Child" (performed by various puppeteers), a member of the same unnamed species as the powerful Jedi master Yoda with similar Force abilities. The Child is a toddler at age 50. A bounty is offered for his return by "The Client". He is found and protected by the Mandalorian while being targeted by other bounty hunters.

Co-starring

The following actors received co-starring billing in the main end credits of the episodes they appeared in:

• Carl Weathers as Greef Karga, an ex-magistrate and leader of a bounty hunter guild who hires the Mandalorian to track a valuable asset.
• Werner Herzog as "The Client," an unnamed man with Stormtrooper bodyguards who arranges for the Mandalorian to track a valuable asset.
• Omid Abtahi as Dr. Pershing, a scientist working for "the Client".
• Nick Nolte as the voice of Kuiil, an Ugnaught moisture farmer who bought his freedom after being enslaved by the Empire. Misty Rosas provided the motion capture performance of Kuiil.
• Taika Waititi as the voice of IG-11, a bounty hunting droid who processes conversations in a precise and literal manner. After attempting to kill "the Child" as its bounty, and being stopped by Djarin, IG-11 is re-programmed by Kuiil to protect the toddler.
• Gina Carano as Carasynthia "Cara" Dune, a former rebel shock trooper-turned-mercenary from Alderaan who fought in the civil war for the Rebel Alliance.
• Amy Sedaris as Peli Motto, a cantankerous docking bay attendant and ship mechanic on Tatooine.
• Jake Cannavale as Toro Calican, a fledgling bounty hunter looking to join the bounty hunter's guild by capturing Fennec Shand. He hires the Mandalorian to help.
• Ming-Na Wen as Fennec Shand, an assassin who crosses paths with the Mandalorian.
• Mark Boone Junior as Ranzar "Ran" Malk, an aging mercenary and leader of a motley crew looking to free a prisoner on a New Republic ship. Malk is a former associate of the Mandalorian from before he joined the guild.
• Bill Burr as Mayfeld, a former Imperial sharpshooter and the point man on Malk's crew.
• Natalia Tena as Xi'an, a Twi'lek member of Malk's crew and knife master, who claims to be Djarin's former love interest.
• Clancy Brown as Burg, a large Devaronian member of Malk's crew who serves as the muscle of the team.
• Richard Ayoade as the voice of Q9-0, aka "Zero", a droid member of Malk's crew.
• Ismael Cruz Córdova as Qin, a Twi'lek and Xi'an's brother. He has a combative past with the Mandalorian.
• Giancarlo Esposito as Moff Gideon, a former officer of the Imperial Security Bureau, the Empire's secret police, whose life changed after the Rebels destroyed the second Death Star.
• Emily Swallow as "The Armorer", a Mandalorian woman who forges armor and equipment from Beskar steel, and enforces tradition among the surviving Mandalorians.

Guests

• Julia Jones as Omera, a widowed farmer on Sorgan who provides lodging for the Mandalorian during his stay on the planet.
• Isla Farris as Winta, Omera's daughter who bonds with the Child during his stay on the planet.
• Asif Ali as Caben, a farmer on Sorgan who, with his friend Stoke, asks the Mandalorian to protect his village against the attacks of Klatooinian raiders.
• Eugene Cordero as Stoke, a farmer on Sorgan.
• Rio Hackford as Riot Mar, a bounty hunter who engages the Mandalorian in a dogfight.
• Matt Lanter as Davan, a New Republic soldier. Lanter had previously voiced Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels.
• Dave Filoni as Trapper Wolf, a New Republic X-wing pilot.
• Rick Famuyiwa as Jib Dodger, a New Republic X-wing pilot.
• Deborah Chow as Sash Ketter, a New Republic X-wing pilot.

Horatio Sanz played a Mythrol bounty, and Brian Posehn played a speeder pilot in "Chapter 1: The Mandalorian". Series creator Jon Favreau voiced Paz Vizla, an infantry Mandalorian featured in "Chapter 3: The Sin", physically played by stunt double Tait Fletcher. Adam Pally and Jason Sudeikis played two bike scout troopers in "Chapter 8: Redemption". Additionally, members of the 501st Legion were called in as stormtrooper extras.

Episodes

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date
1	"Chapter 1: The Mandalorian"	Dave Filoni	Jon Favreau	November 12, 2019 (2019-11-12)
Five years after the fall of the Galactic Empire a Mandalorian bounty hunter hands his latest bounty to Greef Karga. Then he accepts an under-the-table commission on the outpost world of Nevarro from an enigmatic client with apparent Imperial connections, directing him to track down and capture an unnamed fifty-year-old target. While the Client is indifferent to the target's well-being, his colleague Dr. Pershing insists the target be brought back alive. The Mandalorian is given a down payment of a single bar of Beskar steel, sacred to his people. He takes it to a covert Mandalorian enclave where an armorer uses it to make him a pauldron. Arriving at the planet of the target's last reported location, the Mandalorian is aided by a vapor farmer named Kuiil. Tired of the chaos that bounty hunters bring to the area, Kuiil leads him to the target's location and departs. Entering the remote and heavily defended encampment, the Mandalorian reluctantly teams up with bounty hunting droid IG-11 to clear the camp and find the quarry: a child of Yoda's species. When IG-11 attempts to kill the infant per its bounty orders, the Mandalorian shoots and destroys the droid, taking the Child alive.
2	"Chapter 2: The Child"	Rick Famuyiwa	Jon Favreau	November 15, 2019 (2019-11-15)
While returning to his ship with the Child, the Mandalorian fights and kills a group of rival bounty hunters who ambush him. Nearing his ship, he finds it being stripped by Jawas for parts, and violently confronts them. When he tries to attack their sandcrawler, the Jawas stun him and drop him from its roof. The following day, Kuiil helps him locate the Jawas and negotiate for the return of his ship's components. The Mandalorian agrees to retrieve the egg of a rhinoceros-like Mudhorn in exchange for the stolen parts. He enters the Mudhorn's cave only to be hurled out by the angry beast inside, which attacks him repeatedly, damaging his armor. As the Mudhorn rushes in for the kill, the Child uses the Force to levitate the beast, allowing the surprised Mandalorian to stab and kill it. He collects the egg and takes it to the Jawas, who crack it open and eat its yellow insides. With the trade complete, the Mandalorian and Kuiil work together to repair the ship, allowing the Mandalorian to leave the planet with the Child.
3	"Chapter 3: The Sin"	Deborah Chow	Jon Favreau	November 22, 2019 (2019-11-22)
The Mandalorian delivers the Child to the Client on Nevarro and collects the bounty of 20 bars of Beskar steel. Uncharacteristically, the Mandalorian asks about the Client's plans for the Child, but is told that it's none of his concern. He leaves before conflict arises. Returning to the Mandalorian enclave, the Mandalorian has his damaged armor replaced and weapons upgraded by the Armorer, who forges a full cuirass from most of the Beskar steel, while the remainder goes to support Mandalorian foundling children. The Mandalorian accepts a new job from Greef Karga and prepares his ship to depart. Feeling guilty, he turns back to attack the Client's base, killing most of the stormtroopers guarding it. He rescues the Child from Dr. Pershing's laboratory where it was being experimented on, but chooses not to kill the doctor. On the way back to his ship, the Mandalorian is ambushed by other bounty hunters and Greef Karga, who demand that he hand over the Child. He refuses, and a firefight breaks out. Outnumbered and cornered, the Mandalorian is able to escape only when other Mandalorians arrive from the enclave, attacking the bounty hunters and allowing him to reach his ship with the Child.
4	"Chapter 4: Sanctuary"	Bryce Dallas Howard	Jon Favreau	November 29, 2019 (2019-11-29)
Arriving on the sparsely populated forest planet Sorgan, the Mandalorian encounters ex-Rebel shock trooper-turned-mercenary Cara Dune. Following a short brawl, Dune explains that she is hiding after taking "early retirement", and asks the Mandalorian to leave. While he prepares his ship, two desperate fishermen approach, offering to hire him to drive off a band of Klatoonian raiders. He accepts the job in exchange for lodging, using their credits to enlist Dune's help. At the village, they are housed by Omera, a widowed mother. The Mandalorian confides in her that no one has seen him without his helmet since childhood, when his tribe took him in as an orphan. Despite discovering that the raiders have an old Imperial AT-ST, the villagers refuse to leave, so the Mandalorian and Dune train them to defend themselves. They provoke the raiders at night, with Dune luring the AT-ST into a trap for the Mandalorian to blow up and forcing the remaining raiders to flee. With peace restored, the Mandalorian plans to leave the Child in the village, but a Guild bounty hunter tracks it down and is killed by Dune. Realizing that neither the village nor the Child would be safe, the Mandalorian departs with the Child.
5	"Chapter 5: The Gunslinger"	Dave Filoni	Dave Filoni	December 6, 2019 (2019-12-06)
The Mandalorian defeats a pursuing bounty hunter in a dogfight. He lands his damaged ship at a nearby repair dock, run by mechanic Peli Motto in Mos Eisley on Tatooine. He seeks work in a cantina to pay for the repairs, meeting aspiring bounty hunter Toro Calican, who is tracking elite mercenary and assassin Fennec Shand. Calican needs to catch Shand to join the Guild, and the Mandalorian agrees to help when Calican offers to let him keep the money. They capture Shand in the desert, but she destroys one of their speeder bikes, so the Mandalorian goes to get a dewback they passed for transportation. While Calican watches Shand, she tells him that the Mandalorian betrayed the guild, making the bounty on him and the Child worth more than hers. Shand offers to help Calican capture the Mandalorian if he sets her free, but he shoots her instead and rides the remaining speeder bike to the repair dock, taking Motto and the Child hostage. The Mandalorian arrives, uses a flare to disorient Calican, and kills him. He takes Calican's money to pay Motto for the repairs, thanking her before leaving Tatooine. Out in the desert, a mysterious figure approaches Shand's body.
6	"Chapter 6: The Prisoner"	Rick Famuyiwa	Story by: Christopher Yost Teleplay by: Christopher Yost and Rick Famuyiwa	December 13, 2019 (2019-12-13)
The Mandalorian contacts his former partner "Ran" Malk for work. Ran welcomes him to his space station and informs the Mandalorian that he needs his ship for a five-man job. He is joined by ex-Imperial sharpshooter Mayfeld, Devaronian strongman Burg, droid pilot Q9-0, and Twi'lek knife-expert Xi'an for a mission to rescue Xi'an's brother Qin, a prisoner of the New Republic. After infiltrating the prison ship, they fight through security droids and make it to the control room where the ship's security chief triggers a security beacon before being killed by Xi'an. The crew rescues Qin but double-crosses the Mandalorian. He escapes and defeats each crew member, then captures Qin. Q9-0 finds the Child after deciphering the archived transmission from Greef Karga, but is shot by the Mandalorian before he can harm him. The Mandalorian delivers Qin to Ran and departs with his payment. Ran immediately moves to launch a fighter to kill the Mandalorian, but discovers the New Republic beacon had been placed on Qin, leading a trio of X-wings to Ran's station where they attack. In the final scene, Mayfeld, Burg, and Xi'an are revealed to be locked in a cell on the prison transport, having been spared by the Mandalorian.
7	"Chapter 7: The Reckoning"	Deborah Chow	Jon Favreau	December 18, 2019 (2019-12-18)
The Mandalorian receives a message from Greef Karga, whose town on Nevarro has been overrun by ex-Imperial troops led by the Client. Karga proposes that the Mandalorian use the Child as bait in order to kill the Client and free the town. In return, Karga will square things with the Guild, which would allow the Mandalorian and the Child to live in peace. Sensing a trap, the Mandalorian recruits Cara Dune and Kuiil to assist him, and Kuiil brings a rebuilt and reprogrammed IG-11 to protect the Child. They meet Karga and his associates, but are attacked by Mynocks. Karga is injured, but the Child uses the Force to heal his wound. In return, Karga kills his associates and confesses his original plan to shoot the Mandalorian and take the Child to the Client. Karga pretends that Dune has captured the Mandalorian, while Kuiil returns the Child to the ship. During the meeting, Moff Gideon's troops open fire on the building and kill the Client and his bodyguards, trapping the Mandalorian, Karga, and Dune inside. Gideon arrives, demanding the Child. In the desert, two scout troopers intercept the Mandalorian's communications and track Kuiil, killing him and taking the Child.
8	"Chapter 8: Redemption"	Taika Waititi	Jon Favreau	December 27, 2019 (2019-12-27)
IG-11 rescues the Child from the scout troopers. Gideon warns Karga, Dune, and the Mandalorian that they face certain death unless they agree to assist him. IG-11 arrives and breaks the standoff but Gideon injures the Mandalorian. The Child uses the Force to deflect an attacking stormtrooper's flamethrower back on him. The Mandalorian sends the others through a sewer grate with the Child to find help from the Mandalorian enclave, while IG-11 removes his helmet to tend to a head injury. Joining the others, the Mandalorian finds the covert group of Mandalorians dead or escaped, except for the Armorer. She tasks him to care for the foundling Child like his own, discover its origins, and return it to its kind. The Armorer fashions the Mandalorian his own signet and gives him a jetpack. The group is ferried down an underground lava river, but when they are ambushed by stormtroopers, IG-11 self-destructs to eliminate the enemy. Gideon attacks in a TIE fighter and the Mandalorian uses the jetpack to bring the craft down, but the Moff survives and cuts himself out of the ship with the Darksaber. The Mandalorian leaves with the Child, while Karga and Dune stay behind.

Production

Background

A live-action Star Wars TV series entered production in early 2009, with over 50 scripts written by 2012, but they were deemed too expensive to produce due to their complex content. Its title was to have been Star Wars: Underworld. In January 2013, following the October 30, 2012 sale of Lucasfilm to The Walt Disney Company, ABC television network president Paul Lee spoke to the current status of the series commenting that "We'd love to do something with Lucasfilm, we're not sure what yet. We haven't even sat down with them. We're going to look at [the live-action series], we're going to look at all of them, and see what's right. We weren't able to discuss this with them until [the acquisition] closed and it just closed. It's definitely going to be part of the conversation." In June 2014, more details regarding the series were revealed, including that Boba Fett would have appeared.

Development

File:Jon Favreau 2016.jpeg

Jon Favreau initially pitched the idea for The Mandalorian.

In 2019, Jon Favreau revealed to The Hollywood Reporter that he had first pitched the idea for what became The Mandalorian to Kennedy during the summer of 2017, while directing the photorealistic remake of The Lion King for Walt Disney Pictures. Kennedy put Favreau in touch with Filoni, and when the two men met, Filoni began to draw doodles on napkins of what would become The Child. After each day of work on The Lion King's virtual reality set in Playa Vista, Favreau would then stay late and work a few more hours developing his secret television project for Lucasfilm.

On November 9, 2017, Walt Disney Company chairman and CEO Bob Iger, while on a quarterly earnings call with investors, announced that Disney and Lucasfilm were developing a new live-action Star Wars television series for Disney's then-unnamed upcoming streaming service. On February 6, 2018, it was reported that Iger had revealed during another financial report conference call with investors that multiple Star Wars live-action series were actually in development by Disney saying, "We are developing not just one, but a few Star Wars series specifically for the Disney direct-to-consumer app. We've mentioned that and we are close to being able to reveal at least one of the entities that is developing that for us. Because the deal isn't completely closed, we can't be specific about that. I think you'll find the level of talent ... on the television front will be rather significant as well."

On March 8, 2018, Lucasfilm announced that Favreau was the writer and executive producer of the forthcoming series. In May 2018, Favreau stated that half of the scripts for the first season had been completed. On October 3, Favreau announced that the series had been titled The Mandalorian and revealed the show's central premise. The following day, it was revealed that additional executive producers would include Dave Filoni, Kathleen Kennedy, and Colin Wilson with Karen Gilchrist acting as a co-executive producer. Filoni was also expected to direct the series' first episode with additional directors including Taika Waititi, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rick Famuyiwa, and Deborah Chow. On December 19, it was announced that Ludwig Göransson would compose the musical score for the series.

On July 12, 2019, during a press conference for The Lion King remake, Favreau revealed that he had written scripts for the second season and that pre-production was underway. Favreau plans to direct an episode of the second season, and stated that he was too busy with the production of The Lion King to direct any of the series' first season. In an interview with Pedro Pascal, The Mandalorian's name was revealed to be "Din Djarin".

Casting

In November 2018, it was announced that Pascal, Gina Carano, and Nick Nolte had been cast in starring roles. After meeting with Favreau, Pascal initially thought he would be playing Boba Fett. On December 12, 2018, it was announced that Giancarlo Esposito, Carl Weathers, Emily Swallow, Omid Abtahi, and Werner Herzog had joined the main cast. On March 21, 2019, Taika Waititi was revealed to be recording a voice for the series, speculated to be bounty hunter droid IG-88, but which turned out to be a new character named IG-11. Footage shown at Star Wars Celebration in April 2019 revealed that Bill Burr and Mark Boone Junior were in the series, with Burr portraying an outlaw. At the D23 Expo in August, it was revealed Ming-Na Wen would appear in the series. Julia Jones's casting was announced in September.

Filming

Principal photography for the first season began during the first week of October 2018 in Southern California. On October 19, George Lucas visited the set of the series as a birthday surprise for Favreau; it was later revealed that Lucas had some level of involvement in creating the show. On October 25, it was reported that police were investigating the grand theft of several unspecified items from The Mandalorian's set at the Manhattan Beach Studios campus in Manhattan Beach, California. Filming for the first season wrapped on February 27, 2019.

According to Favreau, the first season was filmed on a large soundstage with a 360-degree video wall at Manhattan Beach Studios, supplemented by limited location shooting around Southern California. The show sent camera crews to shoot distant locations like Iceland and Chile, the resulting digital assets were integrated into virtual sets built with the Unreal game engine from Epic Games, and those sets were displayed on the video wall. In Favreau's words: "So, there is real photography being incorporated, but the actors aren't brought on location. The location is brought to the actors."

Filming for the second season started by October 2019, with Dave Filoni and star Carl Weathers set to direct episodes for the season. On December 5, 2019, Favreau confirmed that he already directed an episode for the second season.

Filoni, who is mostly renowned for his work on other Star Wars projects, and Bryce Dallas Howard were given individual freedom on directing their episodes, which was surprising to Howard's father Ron Howard, who directed Solo: A Star Wars Story.

When Pascal would become unavailable for filming, the Mandalorian would occasionally be portrayed physically by stunt actors Brendan Wayne and Lateef Crowder with Wayne having worked closely with Pascal to develop the character.

Visual effects

Visual effects studio Industrial Light & Magic, a subsidiary of Lucasfilm, opened a new division in November 2018 targeted for streaming and episodic television called ILM TV. Based in London with support from the company's locations in San Francisco, Vancouver, and Singapore, it is expected that the new division will work extensively on live-action Star Wars television series, starting with The Mandalorian.

Unreal Engine 4, a game engine developed by Epic Games, is used to create the digital backgrounds. It makes the rendering of the visual effects faster than would normally be possible for a live-action series, and Favreau said the technology can be applied to a variety of challenges. So rather than using sketches on a whiteboard to map out scenes, the storyboarding was done on the game engine.

Music

The music for The Mandalorian is composed by Ludwig Göransson. Each chapter has its own soundtrack album, released the same day. For the score, Göransson played many of the key instruments himself, and then added a 70-piece orchestra. He wrote four hours of music for the eight episodes.

Themes

Parenting and fatherhood

One of the primary themes of The Mandalorian is parenting and fatherhood, particularly through the father-son relationship dynamic between the Mandalorian and the Child. Ryan Britt of Fatherly wrote that this is unusual in Star Wars stories, and that past examples of parenting in the franchise have tended to be poor ones, from the murderous Darth Vader (father of Luke Skywalker) to the neglectful Galen Erso, father of Jyn Erso in Rogue One (2016). Britt wrote: "For years the Star Wars franchise avoided depicting a parent-child dynamic. With Mando and Baby Yoda, that’s finally changing." The dynamic between Kuiil and IG-11 also reflect the childrearing theme in The Mandalorian. The two have a relationship similar to that of a father and son, as demonstrated in the scene in which Kuiil teaches IG-11 how to operate and function after the droid is reprogrammed.

Vulture writer Kathryn VanArendonk argued that parenting has been the subject of past Star Wars stories, but almost always during later stages of parenthood, rather than an infant in early stages such as the Child. As examples, she cited Obi-Wan Kenobi serving as a mentor to the adolescent Anakin Skywalker, Princess Leia lamenting over her grown son Kylo Ren, or the absence of Rey's parents. Britt argued strong parental examples in Star Wars are important because the franchise is so often associated with the childhoods of its fans. The Mandalorian particularly highlights the challenges of being a single parent, and a working parent, as the Mandalorian struggles to continue his day job as a bounty hunter and mercenary while serving as the sole caretaker of the Child. Richard Newby of The Hollywood Reporter described the show as "the adventures of a single dad looking for a job". Several reviewers have compared the dynamic between the Child and the Mandalorian to Lone Wolf and Cub, a manga about a samuari warrior and his young son.

The Mandalorian's parental role in the series makes him a softer and more relatable character; he changes in a positive way because of raising the Child, becoming less selfish and self-absorbed. He risked his life and drastically changed his career as a bounty hunter to accept his responsibility as the Child's caretaker and guardian, marking a significant parental sacrifice. When the Mandalorian seeks work to earn money, he is now doing so to provide not only for himself, but for the Child as well. We see several examples of the Mandalorian parenting the Child throughout the series, such as when he stops the Child from pressing random buttons in the cockput of the Mandalorian's spaceship, ultimately by holding him in his lap. In another example, the Mandalorian establishes a car seat for the Child in the cockpit of his ship, so he can be seated safely and comfortably during their travels.

The relationship between the Mandalorian and the Child is an example of unexpected fatherhood. The Mandalorian feels a connection and parental bond with the Child because of his own childhood, when he was orphaned upon the death of his parents and was adopted by the Mandalorian culture as a "foundling". Nevertheless, fatherhood was not a role the Mandalorian was initially seeking, and he makes repeated initial attempts to avoid this responsibility. He first does so in "Chapter 3: The Sin", when he first leave the Child with the Client. He does so again in "Chapter 4" Sanctuary", when he plans to leave the Child with Omera, a protective mother on the planet Sorgan, who is willing to take the Child into her own family. The Mandalorian does not fully commit to the role of fatherhood until the first season finale, "Chapter 8: Redemption", when the Child himself is also adopted into the Mandalorian culture as a "foundling" and the Mandalorian is formally declared to be his father figure.

Several writers suggested the fact that the Mandalorian's face is concealed has a tabula rasa effect and his anonymity allows viewers to see and imagine themselves as parents. Britt said this "allow(s) us to dream about what arsenal we might deploy to protect our children". However, Singer said the show's setting in space make the challenges of child-rearing seem more exciting and erotic than they might otherwise be. Anthony Breznican of Vanity Fair has noted that none of the day-to-day difficulties of parenthood are portrayed in the series: "There is no shrill squawking from Baby Yoda, no tantrum, no spit-up, no uncontrollable shrieking that burrows into a parent's psyche like a dentist's drill shredding a soft, pink nerve." Likewise, Vulture writer Kathryn VanArendonk said the show ignores or does not address many parenting details that make fatherhood difficult, such as what the Child eats, when he goes him to sleep, and whether he wears diapers. She wrote: "The Mandalorian is uninterested in diapers, and so Mando gets to be a very particular image of fatherhood: the guy who doesn't have to sweat the small stuff." VanAnderonk described this as a wish fulfillment fantasy for parents or prospective parents: "a vision of parenting stripped so thoroughly of all detail and specificity that all that’s left are archetypes: the parent, the child".

The Child encounters a handful of other protector figures throughout the first season, including Omera, IG-11, and Peli Motto. Some observers have criticized the series for the fact that the Mandalorian repeatedly leaves the Child alone or in the hands of relative strangers, as well as for making decisions that place the Child in danger. One example is in "Chapter 6: The Prisoner", when he allows a team of dangerous mercenaries to use his ship while the Child is on board, nearly resulting in the Child's death. An interaction the Mandalorian has with Peli Motto in "Chapter 5: The Gunslinger" is one of the most overt discussions about the challenges of caring for the Child. When the Mandalorian accidentally wakes the child, who had been sleeping in Peli's arms, she chides him: "Do you have any idea how long it took me to get it to sleep?" She also condemns the Mandalorian for leaving the child alone on the ship, saying: "you have an awful lot to learn about raising a young one". ScreenCrush writer Matt Singer argued the Mandalorian's parenting errors makes the show that much more appealing because making mistakes is a large part of being a parent. Eileen Chase of Today echoed this: "He is not an ideal parent, just like the rest of us who have to balance parenting and work."

Good and evil; nature versus nurture

The nature of good and evil and the question of nature versus nurture is raised repeatedly throughout The Mandalorian, perhaps most overtly through by Kuiil's reprogramming of IG-11 from a bounty hunter to a nurse droid and protector. Even after IG-11 is reprogrammed, the Mandalorian does not believe he has truly changed, because he believes droids have an essential nature and that IG-11's nature remains murderous and untrustworthy. But in reprogramming IG-11, Kuiil nurtures him and helps him to change; Kuiil feels that in the process of learning how to function again, IG-11 gained a new personality. Kuiil insists to the Mandalorian: "Droids are not good or bad — they are neutral reflections of those who program them." Keith Phipps of Vulture wrote of IG-11 and the nature versus nurture theme: "He's not bad. He's just programmed that way, and with care and change he can do a lot of good in the world."

The Kuiil and IG-11 scenes also demonstrate that the way in which the "child" character is raised makes a significant difference in whether the child becomes an asset or a threat to those around him. The droid was a dangerous assassin before Kuiil reprogrammed him, but thanks to the Ugnaught's parenting, he becomes a protector and helper instead. Some writers have likewise suggested the Child is not inherently good or evil, but that instead, like all children, he is impressionable and does not fully understand the events occurring around him. He is learning about the world around him and needs guidance as he develops his abilities. It will largely fall to the Mandalorian to provide this guidance, as when the Mandalorian stops him from strangling Cara Dune.

However, multiple writers have questioned whether the violent acts the Child has repeatedly witnessed throughout The Mandalorian are having a negative impact on his development, and that he is learning to become violent himself as a result. Phipps wrote of this: "That look of wonder in the Child's eyes as IG-11 kills and kills again is hilarious, but also a little chilling." One particular scene in "Chapter 7: The Reckoning" led many reviewers and fans to question whether the Child may be demonstrating evil tendencies. During a scene on the Mandalorian's spaceship, the Child observes as the Mandalorian and Cara Dune engage in a friendly arm wrestling match. During the contest, the Child uses the Force to choke Cara, nearly strangling her before the Mandalorian intervened. Throughout the Star Wars franchise, that ability has been most commonly associated with the Dark Side of the Force, particularly Darth Vader.

Sarah Bea Milner of Screen Rant wrote: "The moment is genuinely shocking — and more than a little disturbing." Some reviewers noted, however, that the Child likely mistakenly believed the Mandalorian was in danger and intervened to help. Additionally, in the same episode, the Child uses Force healing to save Greef Karga, a power typically associated with the Light Side. Nevertheless, some writers have suggested viewers had been underestimating the Child's capacity for evil because he is so adorable. Fans speculated the Child could be presenting a false personality or using the Force to manipulate people into caring about him to help ensure his survival. However, Caitlin Gallagher of Bustle suggested rather than building toward making the Child evil, the show could be suggesting the Mandalorian needs to find a way to raise the Child in a less violent environment.

Release

The Mandalorian premiered on the streaming service Disney+ on November 12, 2019 in the United States. It is available in 4K HDR, though analysis found its luminance to be well below typical HDR standards. The second season is set to premiere in October 2020.

Marketing

On October 4, 2018, the first promotional image from the series was released, featuring a Mandalorian with a rifle. About a week later, Favreau released a photo through his official Instagram account featuring a rifle with a two-pronged barrel, an apparent callback to Boba Fett's weapon in The Star Wars Holiday Special. Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, and the main cast hosted a panel for The Mandalorian at Star Wars Celebration Chicago on April 14, 2019, where the first footage premiered to fans in attendance. The first official poster and trailer were released at the D23 Expo on August 23, 2019. A second and final trailer was released on October 28, 2019. On November 11, a sneak peek was released during Monday Night Football.

Broadcast

Disney+ releases The Mandalorian episodes on a weekly basis starting from November 12, 2019. The first two episodes were released only a few days apart on November 12 and 15, 2019 respectively. The seventh episode was released on December 18, 2019 instead of December 20, in order to attach a sneak preview of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, which came out on the latter date. When Disney+ becomes available in Europe in late March 2020, episodes of The Mandalorian will become available weekly, opposed to having all season one episodes available at the start.

Reception

Critical response

The Mandalorian (season 1): Critical reception by episode

Season 1 (2019): Percentage of positive critics' reviews tracked by the website Rotten Tomatoes

The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 95% approval rating for the first season with an average rating of 8.23/10, based on 15 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "Action-packed and expertly crafted—if at times a bit too withholding—The Mandalorian is a welcome addition to the Star Wars universe that benefits greatly from the cuteness of its cargo." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 69 out of 100, based on 27 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".

Zaki Hasan of the San Francisco Chronicle said the show "in essence allows the franchise to take a mulligan with Boba Fett. Take the look, take that ineffable 'cool,' and transfer it over to an entirely new character who offers an untouched canvas, while giving the audience something that feels familiar." He added, "Three episodes in, that's really all The Mandalorian is: a feeling. A good feeling, mind you, but rather than any specific storytelling quality, it's that feeling you're talking about. The visual effects, the sound effects, the overall look of the thing is all bang-on. This is a polished production that shows off every cent of its feature film budget on every frame of its run time." Writing for The Ringer, Micah Peters said, "The Mandalorian may already be difficult to care about as something more than an installment that exists solely to set up the next installment. But there are still many enjoyable things about it, and also it's a Disney show with spaceships and giant sea slugs, so it doesn't need to be Citizen Kane. It might, however, be the next great TV Western."

Audience viewership

Within four days of its release, The Mandalorian had stronger U.S. demand compared to four of 2019's biggest streaming originals: Netflix's The Umbrella Academy, When They See Us, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, and Amazon Prime Video's Good Omens. TV Time, a popular app allowing users to track shows and movies they are watching (or want to watch), stated that double the number of people compared to last week are interested in The Mandalorian, and noted that it had the largest gain of any TV show.

Much of the social media reaction has been to the show's breakout character, a 50-year old "infant" of Yoda's species, who was kept secret until the series' pilot episode aired. The Mandalorian initially takes "The Child" (the official name for the character) for a bounty, but ends up becoming its de facto guardian in order to protect it. It has been shown to have the powers of the Force, and has been affably nicknamed "Baby Yoda". The unexpected popularity of "Baby Yoda" led to an explosion of unofficial merchandise for the Christmas and holiday season, which quickly sold out.

Accolades

Year	Recipient/Nominated work	Award	Result
2020	Visual Effects Society Awards	Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode	Richard Bluff, Abbigail Keller, Jason Porter, Hayden Jones, Roy Cancinon (for "Chapter 2: The Child")	Won
		Outstanding Virtual Cinematography in a CG Project	Richard Bluff, Jason Porter, Landis Fields IV, Baz Idione (for "Chapter 6: The Prisoner"; The Roost)	Nominated
		Outstanding Animated Character in an Episode or Real-Time Project	Terry Bannon, Rudy Massar, Hugo Leygnac (for "The Child"; Mudhorn)	Nominated
		Outstanding Model in a Photoreal or Animated Project	Doug Chiang, Jay Machado, John Goodson, Landis Fields IV (for "Chapter 3: The Sin"; The Razorcrest)	Won
		Outstanding Created Environment in an Episode, Commercial, or Real-Time Project	Alex Murtaza, Yanick Gaudreau, Marco Tremblay, Maryse Bouchard (for Nevarro Town)	Nominated
		Outstanding Effects Simulations in an Episode, Commercial, or Real-Time Project	Xavier Martin Ramirez, Ian Baxter, Fabio Slino, Andrea Rosa (for "Chapter 2: The Child"; Mudhorn)	Nominated
	Art Directors Guild Awards	One-Hour Period or Fantasy Single-Camera Series	Andrew L. Jones (for "Chapter 1: The Mandalorian")	Nominated
	Nebula Award	Ray Bradbury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation	Jon Favreau (for "The Child")	Pending

Future

In November 2019, Walt Disney Studios chief creative officer Alan Horn stated that if the series is successful, a film featuring the character could be developed. On December 5, 2019, when asked if characters from the series will appear in future Star Wars productions, Favreau said that "There's definitely the opportunity to explore these characters beyond what has been presented on the show", and that "There's a very fluid line between what's in the movie theaters and what's on the screen at home". In February 4, 2020, Disney CEO Bob Iger said that spin-offs of The Mandalorian are being considered, stating that there is "the possibility of infusing [the series] with more characters and taking those characters in their own direction in terms of series".

External links

• The Mandalorian on Disney+
• The Mandalorian at IMDb
• The Mandalorian on Wookieepedia, a Star Wars wiki