The Mandalorian and Grogu is Star Wars‘ next big thing, although the movie has several hurdles to overcome. For one, Star Wars movies and TV shows have had a difficult time of late. In fact, really since Disney bought Star Wars all the way back in 2012, new Star Wars projects have been met with mixed reception—and, at times, very negative reception. There have been some exceptions, and The Mandalorian and Grogu’s predecessor, The Mandalorian TV show, is actually one example (other than season 3, perhaps). Even with that history, though, The Mandalorian and Grogu has an uphill battle.
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Specifically, this movie will be Star Wars’ first in nearly seven years, since Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, largely seen as the franchise’s worst movie, was released in December of 2019, and it therefore has a lot to prove. Unfortunately, there are already concerns about The Mandalorian and Grogu lacking a compelling villain, and now, The Mandalorian and Grogu trailer reveals yet another issue with the upcoming story: protagonists Din Djarin and Grogu are inevitably on a failed mission, and nothing can change that.
Colonel Ward Tells Din Djarin They’re Trying To Prevent A War
The story for The Mandalorian and Grogu is a mystery to a certain degree, although several things are already confirmed. Among them is the fact that Din Djarin and Grogu will now be helping the New Republic on particular missions, which is what the ending of The Mandalorian season 3 suggested would come next. While Din isn’t likely to be engaging too heavily in politics, as that feels far outside his scope of work or interest, it is likely that he will be helping with the New Republic’s efforts to push back against the Imperial remnant and other Imperial sympathizers.
The trailer also suggests this is the case, not only because it depicts Din Djarin and Grogu observing stormtroopers at one point, which directly implies Imperial activity, but also in light of Din Djarin’s interactions with other characters in a few of the clips. For example, in the trailer for The Mandalorian and Grogu, Sigourney Weaver’s character, Colonel Ward, tells Din that their goal is to prevent another war. Unfortunately, that very concept proves that, no matter what happens in The Mandalorian and Grogu, this mission is doomed from the very start.
The Sequels Have Already Confirmed That Another War Comes
The Mandalorian and Grogu is set between The Mandalorian season 3 and Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which means that a war is absolutely coming, despite Colonel Ward’s wishes. Presumably, by the time of The Mandalorian and Grogu, the First Order is already secretly operating and building up its strength in the background, as the beginning of The Force Awakens shows that they’ve already amassed significant power and control. That couldn’t simply spring out of nowhere, so it must be an ongoing operation during this era, even if Star Wars has yet to directly show that to audiences on screen.
Sadly, this confirms that Din Djarin, Grogu, Colonel Ward, and whoever else they work with in The Mandalorian and Grogu are doomed to fail. In addition to that being a pretty disappointing reality within the story, it raises serious questions about how the movie is going to navigate this inevitable conclusion narratively. That is, it remains to be seen how The Mandalorian and Grogu will still make the stakes seem high and (presumably) present Din Djarin and Grogu as heroes, given that audiences already know they are not victorious in the end.
How Will The Mandalorian Work With The Sequels?
This issue with The Mandalorian and Grogu really reflects a larger problem with the franchise at present. In fact, it isn’t just The Mandalorian or its movie spinoff that has to confront the reality that the outcome of these events is largely predetermined. Any project set in this era, including Ahsoka season 2, is going to have to grapple with this same problem. Of course, this is a predicament that Star Wars has long managed (the prequels came after the original trilogy, after all), but it does feel particularly daunting with regard to this era of the Star Wars timeline.
In part, that is because the sequels and the stories contained within them proved largely unpopular. It’s actually a shame that The Mandalorian and Ahsoka have each explored some truly interesting story arcs but are ultimately limited in terms of what they can do because the fate of the larger galaxy, at least for the next several years following these respective shows, is already cemented.
It’s possible that The Mandalorian and Grogu will find a way around this. Star Wars is known for its creative retcons, however popular or unpopular they ultimately prove to be, so there’s a chance that the movie will find some work around. Currently, though, it seems that Din Djarin and Grogu will begin the movie with a mission that is guaranteed to fail, which may mean a narrative that is likewise doomed from the very start.
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Image Courtesy of Paramount
