Disney just squandered their best chance at replacing Darth Vader in Star Wars. While the George Lucas-created franchise has no shortage of iconic characters, arguably, Anakin Skywalker’s Sith Lord persona remains the most recognizable. The character, who debuted in 1977’s A New Hope, was at the center of the original and prequel trilogies, as his personal arc was the main driving force behind that overall story. Even when Anakin was officially redeemed, Darth Vader has remained ever relevant to Star Wars, as his ties to Kylo Ren functioned as a motivating factor for his endeavor with the First Order, while prequel stories such as Rogue One and Disney+’s Obi-Wan Kenobi revisited his time at the height of his allegiance to the Empire.
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Beyond those who aren’t knee-deep in Star Wars lore, Darth Vader is still very much recognizable. Some of the franchise’s most popular moments involve the character. But even without any context of what the universe is about, it would be hard-pressed to find anyone who isn’t at least familiar with Darth Vader, since his popularity transcends the universe that his character exists in. Admittedly, it would be a tall order to introduce someone with as much brand recognition as the Sith Lord, but Disney actually came close to doing that when they debuted the Mandalorian on Disney+.
Premiering in 2019, The Mandalorian was the inaugural offering for Disney’s own streaming service. At that point in time, there was confusion as to what it would actually be about, considering the franchise’s history with the clan-based culture. Obviously, Pedro Pascal’s Din Djarin has a very different origin and trajectory from Darth Vader. When it comes to iconography, however, the Mandalorian was the closest that Star Wars has had when it comes to debuting another renowned masked character, whose popularity could transcend the limits of the franchise. Granted that Grogu’s inclusion likely added to people’s interest in the Disney+ series, but the House of Mouse and Lucasfilm had the chance to build on that initial success to elevate the show and Din as a character. Unfortunately, it failed to do so.
How Star Wars Failed The Mandalorian (& Pedro Pascal)
When The Mandalorian premiered in 2019, it was an immediate hit for Disney+ — so much so that it even resulted in the platform’s crash a couple of times. Per Nielsen, it was watched over 1.15 billion minutes after the finale for its freshman year release, resulting in an easy season 2 renewal for Disney+. The critical response for The Mandalorian was also favorable, with over 93% on Rotten Tomatoes for its first eight episodes.
The trend continued in season 2, which expanded Din and Grogu’s world with cameos from other Star Wars characters, such as Boba Fett, Bo-Katan Kryze, Ahsoka Tano, and even Luke Skywalker. This effectively integrated the pair’s story into what was happening in the bigger universe, allowing Disney and Lucasfilm to offer updates on what was going on in the galaxy during this largely unexplored period. Unfortunately, while The Mandalorian seasons 1 and 2 did a good job introducing its main characters and establishing their place in Star Wars, season 3 felt directionless and scattered. It lost sight of its main story and spent a lot of time on side quests instead of storylines that would substantially advance Din’s narrative.
The Mandalorian season 3 was a regression from what its predecessors did, failing to delve deeper into its main characters. Din’s character development was stagnated, with no substantial advancement in his personal storyline other than being Grogu’s father figure. Although that was his primary role in their dynamic, it was also important for The Mandalorian to flesh out his personal arc.
Can Star Wars Still Course-Correct The Mandalorian Moving Forward?
While The Mandalorian season 4 isn’t happening, at least based on Disney and Lucasfilm’s confirmed Star Wars slate, it has been clear that they aren’t ready to part ways with Din and his adopted son just yet. The Mandalorian & Grogu marked Star Wars’ big screen return in seven years, and while the film didn’t explicitly set up a sequel, its ending effectively keeps the door open for the pair’s adventure to continue.
Moving forward, however, it’s vital that there’s an active effort in developing Din’s character. As iconic as Darth Vader’s appearance is, a big reason why he is so beloved by fans is his compelling narrative. Despite the atrocities that he committed as part of the Empire, his backstory as Anakin made people more sympathetic to his journey, thus making it easier to sell his redemption. The good news is that Din’s story before he crossed paths with Grogu has been largely unexplored, making it a wealth of narrative options for his eventual comeback on the screen.
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Image Courtesy of Sony
