[Brad]

I guess I'm wildly lucky to have been far busier with work than usual today. I missed the YouTube and social media garbage and all the spoilers that I'm sure were they were just swimming in. I only finished today's episode a few minutes ago, and I'm satisfied.

Originally Posted by Bryson Is Boba going to get super fat too, sitting in that chair?

Originally Posted by Bryson A few questions: It seems like there was hardly anyone on that Star Destroyer. Maybe 50 people, max? Do TIE Fighter pilots sit in their fighters all day waiting to launch? It seemed very quick from order given to first fighter launched. One fighter launching at a time seems very inefficient.

Paul already mentioned it, but the specific line of dialog from Starbuck, errrr, Bo-Katan was "In the old days, it would carry a crew of several hundred. Now it operates with a tiny fraction of that." Also, Gideon's (unnamed?) ship was a "Light Cruiser". That classification plus a few other clues suggest that it's much smaller than the big boy Star Destroyers. Our heroes did basically walk most of the length of this one in just a few minutes. I figure this ship is maybe a few hundred meters long whereas the ones we saw in the original trilogy are easily over a thousand. Since we see them in scale with the TIE fighter and shuttle with that tiny launch window, we can also infer that it's probably only tens of meters tall instead of several hundred. This also means it's probably only designed in-universe to fend off light attacks, not carry enough crew and fighters to sustain a real battle.

...

But here's the thing that's bothering me about this season-ender:

It's too good.

No, I don't mean it was a great episode. It was okay, though a tad predictable since we basically knew where it had to go. I mean it's too good of an ending without leaving any major cliffhangers or critical plot points to carry the show into the next season. I'm already afraid of the inevitable Mando with water skis approaching the tank. (Thanks so much Paul for putting that image in my head!! ) Sure, sure. Blah blah blah darksaber combat this. Yadda yadda Book of Boba that. The main story arc they set out to tell a year and a half ago is done. I sure hope Favreau and Filoni have an gigantic ace up their sleeves to surprise and hook us again next year.

edit: Wait… did I misunderstand that post-credits teaser? Is "Book of Boba" actually season 3 of The Mandalorian?

[psmith2.0]

That’s how I took it. I almost think Mando’s story has been told, that two season/16-episode mission/quest to return Grogu to his kind.

The show is named in such a way that it could be any Mandalorian, really? Bo Katan, even, in future installments.

I’d love to be a fly on the wall at these story/production meetings because I have no idea what they’re doing.

The facts, as they currently stand:

- The Mandalorian was renewed for a third season starting in December 2021, a year from now

- The Book of Boba Fett, whatever that is, is coming in December 2021. Stand-alone series, a 2-3 part miniseries, a one-off single standalone episode, the new focus of The Mandalorian heading into its third season, etc.?

- There was no mention of a dedicated Boba Fett project in last week’s announcements

- This show, the Ahsoka one and the Rangers of the New Republic are all three to be set in the same timeframe ~9ABY, assuming that doesn’t change and we don’t get a Walking Dead type of time jump next season (3-4 years, 8-10, etc.?) but even if that happens, these three shows take place in the same timeline and are slated to cross over into one another.

That’s pretty much it. Whether Boba becomes the central
focus of The Mandalorian or serves as a B/subplot alongside Mando’s new adventures...they’re not making that clear.

Been thinking about all this since about 4:30am.

[turtle]

I'm still torn by the Jedi at the end. I would have rather it be a different Jedi than the one it was, though I'm ok with it. I knew who it was once I saw the light saber though I was trying to convince myself it was Ewan McGregor. Seems like it would be a better was to continue the continuity of the shows.

Din is getting human on us. He took his helmet off so Grogu could see his face. Then he cried! Can't get much more human than that!

The dark saber never got resolved in this episode so it will be interesting to see where this goes in 2021. Din and Bo figure something out? He lets her beat him so she can earn the saber?

The Book of Boba Fett thing is pretty wild. Again, I'm saddened that I recognized the set but my kids had no idea. I was also shocked that they stood on the grate in front of the throne and didn't have to use a jet pack. * I forgot there was a small trapdoor near the front of the throne, not the grates themselves that opened.

Overall reaction was that I totally enjoyed the season and this show. It was really cool watching the episode with the kids again and them all really enjoying it.

[drewprops]

Yes, but Ewan doesn't fit into this timeline.

...

[psmith2.0]

Yep. This show, and the two others to come (Ahsoka and Rangers of the New Republic), share that 9ABY period (five years post-ROTJ/Battle of Endor). The upcoming Obi-Wan show is set to take place 10 years after the events of Episode III/Revenge of the Sith, smack dab in that middle of that ~20 year period between episodes 3 and 4 (Luke would be 10 at this point, to give it some context/reference).

There would be about ~19 year gap between the Obi-Wan show and these current Mandalorian/Ahsoka/Rangers shows.

In “The Mandalorian”, Obi-Wan has been “dead” for about nine years (which is why I predicted his ghost being the one to hear Grogu’s call, but missed that by a mile.

Somewhere has to exist a clear, easy-to-understand timeline/chart of all this stuff because I’m constantly having to stop and think, do mental math, etc.

As I talked about upthread, the one cool wild card in all this is the presence of Force ghosts, which is why, even if timelines don’t match up, shows set post ROTJ could still feature appearances by various blue glowing characters...Yoda and Qui-Gon (if Liam Neeson were game for a cool one-off cameo to counsel his former padawan Obi-Wan*), chief among them, and certainly even Obi-Wan (Ewan version) as well.


*Fullfilling that statement made by Yoda to Obi-Wan (near the end of one of those prequels...2 or 3?) about Qui-Gon returning from the Force and Obi-Wan being taught to commune with him. We never got to see that in the prequels, so this Obi-Wan show is a perfect opportunity to show that if they wanted. And I’m sure they do! Liam can squeeze in a day or two of filming between one of his killing rampage movies (sex traffickers, wolves, evil mailmen, etc.).

[psmith2.0]

Originally Posted by drewprops Yes, but Ewan doesn't fit into this timeline. ...

Originally Posted by pscates2.0 Somewhere has to exist a clear, easy-to-understand timeline/chart of all this stuff because I’m constantly having to stop and think, do mental math, etc.

I thought about doing a cool infographic thingie, but...eh.

To the best of my knowledge, via Wookiepedia, StarWars.com, Wikipedia, etc., here's the Star Wars live action timeline, as best I can put together. I'm omitting the animated shows, novels, video games and comic books...this is strictly the live action output: the prequel trilogy, the original trilogy, the sequel trilogy, the two standalone movies and the Disney+ streaming stuff, including the upcoming shows announced a week or so ago (at least the ones I can get a bead on).

I'm using Year Zero (Battle of Yavin) as the reference point, with entries below set before (BBY) or after (ABY) this period, and running chronologically:

32 BBY - Episode I: The Phantom Menace
22 BBY - Episode II: Attack of the Clones
19 BBY - Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

12 BBY - Solo (nothing definitive on this, just estimates from various sites (10-13BBY)...I'll call it 12 BBY)

10 BBY - Obi-Wan Kenobi (Disney+)

5 BBY - Andor (Disney+)

Year Zero - Episode IV: A New Hope & Rogue One

3 ABY - Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
4 ABY - Episode VI: Return of the Jedi

9 ABY -: The Mandalorian, Ahsoka Tano & Rangers of the New Republic (Disney+)

34 ABY - Episode VII: The Force Awakens & Episode VIII: The Last Jedi
35 ABY - Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker

Feel free to correct (Capella, etc.) if you spot anything wrong!

As you can see, a lot happens in that time (~41 years) between The Phantom Menace and The Mandalorian, and then not much for about 25 years, until The Force Awakens. Maybe some upcoming shows (or movies) will explore that two-decade-plus period between The Mandalorian and the sequel trilogy?

The funny/interesting part? Assuming Luke was 19 in A New Hope/Year Zero, that makes him 53 when we see him again at the end of The Force Awakens. Damn...that's a hard 53. But he's being played by an actor a solid decade-plus older at the time of filming (I just learned Mark Hamill is 69, making him around 63 during the time he filmed The Force Awakens).

[kieran]

What a great ending to this season.

Definitely hope that we continue to see Grogu, as I feel like he has brought a ton of people into the Star Wars universe (including my wife) who watched mostly for him, but enjoyed the show on top of that. I think a lot of people may stop watching if he's not part of it.

Interested to see how this plays out moving forward. Is "The Mandalorian" strictly about Din Djarin, or will it be a rotating Mandalorian, such as Bo Katan for a few seasons, and then someone else?

There is so much Star Wars material coming out in the next few years that I've overwhelmed. I never watched Clone Wars or Rebels, and I'm not sure there is going to be time for me to watch the new animated series. Is there a condensed version of those series that I can watch, similar to how there is condensed 1 movie covering the prequels? I'd like to know more about 8th back story, but that's a lot of time to invest.

[psmith2.0]

Okay...finally. Been a crazy day or two...

I loved this episode, for about 6-7 different reasons, big and small. I'm bummed the season is over and it's such a long wait until we're in this world again.

***THERE ARE SPOILERS BELOW. DO NOT SCROLL DOWN UNLESS/UNTIL YOU HAVE SEEN 02x08/CHAPTER 16 (12/18/2020)

YOU HAVE BEEN ALERTED***


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...


…

My weekly recap/thoughts...

- Episode is titled “The Rescue” (works on two levels, actually…the one you’d expect/assume, and the one that actually takes place)

- I love the episodes that just gets right to it. From the first seconds, there is a chase, shooting, etc. I've mentioned this a couple of times already upthread, but this is a great example: I love how this show, unlike the prequels (and especially the sequels) doesn't feel the need to explain and beat you over the head with every little thing, or make a big point of working out/displaying all the connections and ties. It doesn't matter how our guys tracked down that doctor on the Imperial shuttle and were chasing him when the episode opened. We don't care; they did it and now here's the result of that...pew-pew-pew, chase, chase, chase! I shudder to think how the sequels would've gone about this same thing...we would've probably had a 25-minute subplot of Poe and Finn going to some planet to get a piece of a map that they have to hold up to Artoo's secret, never-before-seen scanner to decode, and then Rey must take that info to a holographic temple where a Force ghost nobody gives a shit about will tell a 12-minute story about why this map is an Important Clue™, and then they'd all have to go to yet another planet to break into a base to download the ninth part of the clue, etc. Good grief. This show doesn't have the time, or budget, to waste on such thrill/momentum-zapping drudgery. Thank goodness.

- Once again, Slave I is getting all the beauty shots and amazing screen time it never truly did in 1980 and 1983. Such an awesome ship to see in action. And I love the sound of those cannons. Relentless!

- To my surprise, the biggest hard-ass on the team - and the one they probably could’ve sent in solo to kill everyone in sight with a slingshot and a pair of chopsticks - didn’t even participate in the actual mission. He provided a ruse to get the hi-jacked Imperial shuttle onto the cruiser, and then he blasted away into hyperspace. I suppose it’s possible he’d had it with Bo Katan and her friend’s shit earlier? He’s so cool on this show.

- Speaking of Bo Katan, I think I kinda want her to hurt me a little. That no-nonsense, all-business, RBF bossiness she exudes ("Enough, both of you!") kinda appeals to me. The short red hair doesn’t hurt one bit either. Whenever she’s on the screen, that’s the only thing I’m looking at/noticing, in the two episodes she's appeared. Oddly, Katee Sackhoff doesn't really appeal to me, so it's definitely the character in this instance. Just something about how she acts/talks/conducts herself, I really enjoy. She's always in control/has a plan or just lays out the deal of what needs to be done, etc. Needless to say, I hope she appears on a semi-regular basis in future episodes, or on some of those other shows announced that are set in this same timeline and will crossover (Ahsoka and Rangers of the New Republic, and certainly this show). She and Din may have unfinished business, so I wonder how all that is going to unfold as well?

- That was a pretty bad-ass assault team aboard the cruiser, huh? I would’ve swapped that second Mandalorian for Ahsoka and they would’ve been absolutely unstoppable…Ahsoka Tano, Cara Dune, Bo Katan and Fennec Shand…good grief, what a foursome! Make a movie/show about them just shooting stormtroopers for about two hours and I’m in!

- They teased Cara Dune getting killed on at least three occasions (the gun jam, a few close-ups at a tense moment, etc.). I truly thought, out of everyone involved (once Boba split), that she was a goner for the episode. To my shock, we lost no good guys.

- That whole part about Bo Katan unable to take the saber because it wasn’t won in combat or whatever…I was like “you’re kidding me, right? Take it, you dingbat! Don’t screw all this up now.” I kinda wonder if that whole thing is going to play a part going forward? Will the two of them have to fight? Can Mando just take a dive and let Bo slap him around a bit (like I would ) so she can claim she “won” it? I hope they can work something out…I don’t wanna have to root against her, or start seeing her as a villain/antagonist if she’s going to be that much of a hard-head about it all.

- They did do a little fake-out/misdirection move, didn't they? When those droids were closing in on the bridge and things were looking grim, I thought "oh, I know why Boba flew away earlier...he's gonna return to the save everyone!", so I kept thinking he's gonna show up to save the day. I think a lot of people were, just because of how he hadn't been there. In fact, once they secured the ship and it was no longer under Imperial control, I wondered why Fennec never called him back to come join them. So I thought they were going to give Boba his big hero moment, taking on all those droids to save/rescue the others. That's when I thought he, and possibly Fennec and/or Cara might've died in the process, leaving Mando with a cool new ship. I missed that one too, big time.

- I loved how they set up/presented the dark troopers, taking the opportunity to show just how powerful/unstoppable they were (like a Terminator). Mando, no slouch himself, used everything at his disposal to take on just one, and was still taking a beating. All that pays off later, of course, and nicely conveys, without saying a word, just how powerful a Jedi in his prime truly is. A skilled fighter like Mando barely held his own against just one, while another character just walked through 15-20(?) of them like they were cardboard cut-outs. That’s great visual storytelling/payoff…putting it all right there on screen. That’s why that scene later, on the bridge, was so tense (and then paid off so nicely). You just saw what one did to a capable fighter like Din, so how were they going to hold off an entire platoon if they made it through those blast doors? To ratchet that up as they did, and then have the answer be what it was…good stuff!

- Speaking of which, when I saw that lone X-wing zip past the windows…I knew. Had it been a squadron of them, whatever…but who travels around in one of those, solo? That was a great intro…they show the ship, show him in B&W surveillance footage (so you can’t see the color of the saber at first), and then you see him in color and you notice the green saber, the gloved hand, etc. That was just beautiful. Even though I wasn’t sure I’d want to see this character appear on the show, I was going with it. I was grinning like a monkey eating a Pop-Tart.

- This was the second episode in a row that arrogant smirk was wiped off Gideon’s face. Considering his rank/experience, he likely knew who that Jedi was on his ship and his face said it all. I thought he was going to faint from fear. Good thing Cara decked him and saved him the trouble. At this point in the saga, Luke Skywalker is the boogeyman to any Imperial officer, stormtrooper or TIE pilot...they probably have nightmares about him.

- Grogu perking up, sensing Luke's arrival/presence and touching the screen as he watched him work, was awesome. There’s that connection. He knew "that's who's coming for me...that's who heard me on that rock!"

“Are you a Jedi?” Uh, yes…he’s the Jedi, Din. You forget that in-universe characters don't know all the players like we, the viewers do. I liked that nod between them. Luke knew this guy had gotten Grogu to him and was thankful, and I think Din knew he was in the presence of something/someone special. He was watching that video footage too, and he had to have been impressed/humbled! He saw what one person did to all those dark troopers, knowing first-hand how much of a handful just one of them could be! Din was probably in low-key awe, and it maybe made saying goodbye to Grogu a bit easier, knowing he was in the hands of someone so strong and capable? It wasn't as though he had to hand him off to Jar Jar or Threepio, after all...

- When little Grogu touched Mando’s face, the first tear filled my eye. When Artoo appeared, they just kinda let loose…this weird sensation of sadness immediately side-punched with elation was such a freaky feeling. That show was pulling ALL the strings, and they knew it. The goodbye broke my heart, but that was the point. It had a very “ending of E.T./Close Encounters of the Third Kinda” feel to it, IMO…saying goodbye, the swelling music, the sense of someone is going on to something better, but you hate to see them go, etc. Very Spielberg-y, that sequence. Poor Mando.

- Seeing Artoo hit me harder than seeing Luke, Grogu/Mando parting ways, etc. Something about what all that represents (the loyalty, friendship, how he was one of the first characters in this property I ever saw, and there he is again) just made me happy. Of course he’d be there with Luke, as he always is. That just made me tear up in a happy way. And when he and Grogu greeted each other and Artoo was doing that whole shaking/chirping thing he does when he’s excited/happy, all was right with the world. By this time, my heart was already about to beat out of my chest.

- Nice little callback…Luke: “Come, little one…” Din: “Don’t be afraid”. Go back 43 years to Ben Kenobi spotting Artoo among the rocks…”come here my little friend, don’t be afraid”.

- Yeah, “The Rescue”…five people going after Grogu. Obvious. But they all, in turn, had to be rescued themselves, by the only person who could’ve done so at that moment, in that situation. Hell, even those droids knew shit was about to go down. They stopped beating the door and turned around to face their doom…

- The ending was a bit abrupt, leaving the fate of Gideon up in the air, that situation between Din and Bo Katan unresolved, etc. But it was a nice wrap-up and went as I’d hoped…the Grogu story resolved/wrapped up and then a few other pieces left dangling to look forward to next season, in whatever way that unfolds...I'm a little confused/unclear on some things, honestly.

- This show is firing on all cylinders. I don’t care what others may say/think, it’s damn good entertainment. And, at this point, that’s all I want. No politics, no messaging/agenda, no preaching/lecturing, no pandering to Wokedom™ every six seconds, no heavy-handed statement-making or commentary on the current "U.S. political landscape" and all that tiresome, played-out bullshit. Just entertain me…I get plenty of all that other stuff elsewhere, 24/7, in everything else I see/watch it seems. I don’t need it in a Star Wars show; this show is a nice break from all that constant noise. So keep doing what you’re doing and I’ll gladly tune in every season (and I’ll certainly give all the new stuff a go as well). It's a show about people shooting at each other in outer space; it isn't required to be too much more than that, big picture. Forget/stray from that at your own peril, Disney.

- I’m not sure what to think of that Book of Boba Fett teaser. It’s obviously set in this timeline, if Fennec is with him, so I just took that as some sort of epilogue to where, once the Grogu rescue was over, Boba came back, picked up Fennec, said goodbye to Mando, told Bo Katan and her friend to go to hell, etc. and then he and Fennec flew to Tatooine to take care of business? But there’s no way to know any of that, huh? The two of them couldn’t done that at any time in their partnership (prior to tracking Mando to Tython a few weeks ago, etc.). That was a cool image, though…him just sitting in that chair/throne, and her drinking that blue stuff...two gunslinger hard-cases. I wouldn’t cross either of them.

I can’t figure out what’s going to come…is that a separate Boba Fett show, or just a one-off, standalone 1-2 hour movie/story? Or will this show become an anthology type of thing with rotating lead characters of that sort (Din, Boba, Bo Katan in a future season, that girl from Rebels, etc.?). I’d hate to think we’ve seen the last of Din. But he has no ship, he completed his mission/quest, etc. so part of me is wondering “have we seen all there is to see of his story?”

I honestly don’t know. I hope we haven’t.

I really enjoyed this season. The reveals just grew, with each one being more satisfying than the one before, starting with Bo Katan. Then Ahsoka and then Boba Fett. Going on that established pattern, I knew that whatever Jedi came for Grogu wasn’t going to be someone from an animated series or video game that many people - casual fans/viewers especially - don't know/care about, and wouldn't even recognize. That would be such a let down in light of all that happened before. So as the episode neared and I started thinking of it all in “what makes the most sense? What would top those three other reveals from this season in the finale?”, realizing “it has to be Luke…however they manage to pull it off/present it, it has to be Luke coming for Grogu; nothing else makes sense, or will do in terms of impact”. And when I saw that lone X-wing zoom past the bridge window, I knew…”holy shit, they’re actually going to do this!”

This season was partially about redeeming two characters who really didn’t get their due on the big screen. For all his coolness/popularity, the fact remains Boba Fett, across two movies, really didn’t do much to show how he’d earned his fearsome reputation. This show saw fit to address that, and give him a proper reintroduction and let the character fly his flag a bit in a way we’ve wanted to see for 40+ years. Anyone who can beat 20 stormtroopers to death with a stick is okay in my book. And then they turned around and did the same for Luke Skywalker. Jon Favreau knows people were let down/disappointed in how Luke was presented in the sequels. We never got to see live-action, in-his-prime Luke Skywalker until yesterday. Aside from that skirmish on Jabba’s sail barge, we never got to see Luke in full-on Jedi mode, taking on multiple foes in fast-paced, in-control fighting the way we saw Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan and Anakin all throughout the prequels, and even Ahsoka in her appearance on the show a few weeks ago. To see Luke just slicing through those chump droids like they were paper dolls was so satisfying and so long of a wait. That was Favreau saying “you didn’t get it in the recent movies, so here you go…enjoy. You’re welcome…”.

It was a thrill to behold, especially if, like me, you’re at that age where you saw this character in your childhood and spent countless hours thinking about/pretending/playing in this world. The happy tears shed by sappy dorks like me yesterday could’ve filled a lake or two. We finally saw something we thought we never would. This entire season was all about that, in some way or another. Just three short months ago, would anyone here have imagined we would've seen what we saw this season? No, you wouldn't. It would've seemed just too crazy, too good to be true. And yet...it all happened. But it all served/drove the story, and none of it really came across like pandering or the moronic version of fan service. You could tell they had a plan for the entire sweep of the season. Somebody - Favreau, I assume - sat down and mapped out the entire season, the big picture/primary beats of what was to take place. You can tell by how it all flowed and hung together, even the quieter, slower moments. Despite different directors and types of episodes, you could tell, just by watching, that there was one overall, in-control vision/plan, from episode 1 to the finale. You have to do that on such a thing (anything lasting more than one episode or installment needs a "big picture" plan, because you see what the result is when there isn't).

So, yeah…I’m a fan. They keep delivering and I’ll keep tuning in. I’m just bummed that it’s over for another whole year. But I’ll take this time to casually take in “The Clone Wars” (and maybe even "Rebels"?), just so I’m up on all the live action and animated SW output/canon at some point in 2021. I can't do the novels, comics and video games, so I'll just have to be okay being a bit clueless on all that stuff. But that's why Wookiepedia and other sites exist, so that's okay. I'll learn what I need, as I need.

I can’t wait to see what happens next December (and possibly even before). I’ll be getting that larger 40”-ish smart TV between now and then and will start properly watching these shows on something other than my iPhone and MacBook Pro…that’s getting a little silly! I've done it for a single show, once a week for just eight weeks, but if I'm going to be watching multiple ones come 2022 or whenever, then it's time to step up and enjoy this stuff properly.

It took Star Wars to get me to take steps to update/replace my ancient 720p(?) 26" TV that I currently really only turn on for Jeopardy, HGTV and Food Network. So be it. Better this stuff than I'll Blow 18 Dudes for a Rose type of fare...

[kscherer]

Okay. As usual, first thoughts without reading any comments:

1) I pretty much called this episode, not by any kind of divine guidance, but because it made sense.

2) I wasn't sure which Jedi would make the rescue, but Luke made the most sense. The CGI and voice were off, but it still resonated in my heart.

3) The episode opened up with immediate action, which has been the calling card of The Mandalorian since day one; not every episode, mind you, but the series in general. These guys get Star Wars!

4) Have I mentioned that I love this show?

5) The last episode went by so fast that it felt like it was 5 minutes long. Seriously. I was on the edge of my seat from the first 30 seconds.

6) When that X-wing first showed up, I wasn't sure, but when it docked, I looked at my kid and said, "That has to be Luke. What other Jedi travels in an X-wing?"

7) The green light saber in a black glove was a dead giveaway!

8) I truly, deeply, love The Mandalorian!

9) What a great ending, and what a great opening for next season. Grogu is no longer involved (maybe) but Gus Fring is still alive, and there is all kinds of new tention over that black saber.

10) BAM!

I loved season 2 even more than season one, and Disney+ is getting my money for the entirety of 2021, even if there is nothing else Star Wars until December, because I am willing to fund whatever these guys have in store. I loved it that much. Best Star Wars since Rogue One, and leaves me with an empty heart waiting on the next whatever. Man, I love that these guys are involved. I feel like Star Wars is Star Wars, again. And I feel like this series could end here, but am glad that it will go on a bit longer (at least one more season).

Very well done, both thumbs way up, thank you Disney, Favreau and company, and thank you for providing a little bit of COVID distraction. You guys have done a great job, earned my respect, and found a whole new generation of adoring fans!

Great job, and well done!

[psmith2.0]

Ditto. It feels great to love/enjoy this property again, after years - even before the sequels - of not.

Watching this show has made me feel like I felt watching the OT in 1977-1983 (and still feel when I watch them now)...genuinely excited, invested, eager to see the next installment, connected, passionate, etc. in a way the prequels, and especially the sequels, never did.

So I spent years just chalking it up to age...”I guess this kind of stuff really only grabs you when you’re a young, un-jaded kid...” and so forth.

What an incredibly misguided, defeatist load of horseshit on my part. Because, at 51, I’m as invested and engaged as I was 40 years ago. As it turns out, oddly enough, all that’s really required is nice writing and lean, focused stories that anyone can latch onto, follow and enjoy. The OT had this in spades, the prequels and sequels did not...otherwise I’d be cooing and gushing over them all this time as well, wouldn’t I?

I like this show because it reminds me of the originals I’ve never grown tired of. And I dislike the others because they don’t. It’s that simple. And that’s enough, and the only reason/justification I need.

YMMV, and that’s your business.

[drewprops]

While the world always needs more original content, the Marvel films model has shown us that "fan service" isn't a dirty word.

Reinventing a show to suit a creative newcomer might bring excitement, but it risks losing the thread.

The Star Wars thread has been found.

...

[psmith2.0]

I said, several pages ago, that not all fan service is created equally. We’ve all seen the bonehead variety...cheap, lazy, hollow and uninspired.

And then we see how a show like this handles it so well. They’re pulling from all the best parts of the property - movies, animation, novels - because they can.

Strictly from a dollars and sense (yes, that’s intentional) perspective, why spend $200-300M to make a movie that might - or might not - hit big and bring in that magic $1B, when you can produce quality episodic, “long game” storytelling for 1/3 the budget and bring in $700M+ (and sure to grow) every month.

Star Wars movies might become a once-in-a-while event, but the property’s secure future is right where it is, IMO.

Once all these other shows get going, that’s going to be a hell of a lot of entertainment piped into your house for well under $10 a month. Even if Disney+ jumps to $9.99 in a few years, if there are 3-5 SW shows airing, covering much of the year and opening up that world - while still nodding to the past - as this one has, that’s a more than fair price to pay for such entertainment. You can’t see a single movie for $9.99 anymore, not even in my town. I can only imagine the prices in LA, NYC, etc.

I no longer worry about Star Wars, and I won’t unless/until I’m given a reason to. I don’t plan on that happening anytime soon. This show will likely serve as their “how to do things right” template.

[psmith2.0]

The more I think about it, the more I realize Artoo and Grogu knew each other.

The timelines match up, and Artoo entering the room is what seemed to cause Grogu to let go of Mando and walk toward Luke. And for Artoo to be doing that excited chirping/shaking thing makes no sense for some random little green guy he doesn't know.

Artoo's the connecting thread in all this stuff, around during the prequels, the Clone Wars, lots of time alongside Anakin and the others, the Jedi temple on Coruscant, etc. He was rubbing elbows, so to speak, with nearly everyone through all these years and events. Being Anakin's droid, he was pretty much a rock star by association himself, so he probably knew tons of people and vice versa...including younglings and Jedis-in-training. Thinking he didn't know, or was at least casually aware of Grogu through mutual acquaintances during that time, is a tough one to swallow.

Does anyone here get all giddy and tremble with excitement upon meeting someone you don't know? I sure don't. Or do you have that sort of reaction when you see an old friend again after a long time apart?

Exactly.

They looked like two "people" who knew each other long ago, and, after separated by tragedy and awful events, they were just reunited. If they didn't know each other, Artoo would've just rolled in, stood at Luke's side and maybe offered a single "beep" of hello/acknowledgement. But he was carrying on a full conversation and doing all the things that have been established for 40+ years that Artoo does when he's excited or "happy" about something.

In all the reaction videos, articles and reviews I've taken in the past 24+ hours, I've not seen/heard anyone talking about this.

There's no reason Artoo would be that upbeat, animated and "talkative" in that scenario, IMO, unless he recognized someone he knew long ago. For all we know, Artoo might've been responsible, or at least one of several, for getting Grogu to safety when the temple came under attack? We know how loyal and brave he is, so it's not a stretch to imagine him being involved in such a thing when everything started to hit the fan.

[kscherer]

It has also occurred to me that Mando does, in fact, have a new ship.

[psmith2.0]

You talking about that light cruiser of Gideon's? My girlfriend laid claim to that early on in the episode, saying the ship was hers to help reclaim Mandalore (she's got a bit of a hi-jacking/stealing fetish, doesn't she? She also stole that Imperial freighter from the harbor in "The Heiress" episode). She gets onto a ship, kills (or helps kill) everyone on it and then claims it as her own.

Apparently she's amassing a fleet (and weaponry) for her big move. She's probably got dozens tucked away somewhere.

You go, Bo!

[drewprops]

Great note about R2's reaction to Yogurt - makes a lot of sense.

Moff G had his own drop ship, but there's any number of opportunities for Mando to get a new hoopty.



...

[psmith2.0]

This episode contains the most awful example of what happens as a result of the Empire’s unwavering refusal to install safety railing...you fall into space!!!

That one poor stormtrooper...yikes.

“I told these clowns on my first day here that they needed some handrails, especially on that one catwalk, but noooo...apparently that goes against their precious tradition/protocol, I was told.”

How Space OSHA didn’t fine the shit out of these guys over decades’ worth of violations is beyond me.

[turtle]

You know, it is Christmas time here in the real world right... so my kids made me watch Elf. The one with Will Farrell in it. While this might not seem related, watching the credits leading into the movie I noticed something: Director: Jon Favreau

Had I not read his name I would have had no idea he was doing a Star Wars series.

I'm glad y'all brought up the R2 reaction. That struck me but I forgot to mention it earlier. I didn't connect the time lines because I suck at timelines like that. History was never my strong suit. I know crap happened, just don't ask me to tell you WHEN it happened. So that fits my wanting to see Ewan too.

Anyway, I think you're right about R2 knowing Grogu from the temple. It was mentioned by Ahsoka that he was there, you know R2 rolled around those halls at least a few times. Yoda looking species isn't that common.

[psmith2.0]

Exactly. To me it’s crystal clear. Whether it’s ever confirmed or simply left to the viewer to realize/piece together, who knows? But I know what I’m going with, until told otherwise.

Artoo doesn’t get that chatty/animated for no reason. Across multiple movies spanning four decades, it’s solidly been established that’s his “excited/happy” behavior. He has no real reason to react that way to someone he’s never seen/met before...makes no sense.

He was seeing his little green buddy again after 25+ years (the Order 66 stuff took place 19BBY and this show takes place in 9ABY, that’s 28 years. Long enough to miss someone, not long enough to forget.

Trust me on that one, gang...

[psmith2.0]

Confession...I’m more bummed about Friday being no new episode than I am excited that it being Christmas.

When you’re single, have no kids and this COVID stuff playing havoc with your usual, traditional holiday plans/pursuits, it’s looking like Christmas 2020 - as with July 4th, Labor Day, Halloween and Thanksgiving - is simply “just another day”, this go-around. For me, anyway.

YMMV, of course. And I hope it does!

I’ll see/spend time with Mom, but I’m not doing the big family gathering because a) I don’t know where most of them have been, and b) I seem to have a few hardcore anti-maskers in the bunch and I’m just not interested (the risk factor, or listening to their bullshit). I hate these stupid masks more than any 10 people combined, trust me, but I’m not making this whole thing my political/cultural hill to die on either. If masks in public is the rule, then that’s what I’ll do until I hear otherwise. I’ll leave the defiant rebel/maverick routine to others...

So, all that to say...I wish I was waking up to a new Mandalorian episode Friday morning, since there likely won’t be much happening on the other front for me.

In my twisted, fantasy-rich brain, there’s part of me that would love Disney+ to drop a secret, special episode Friday morning...as a surprise/thank you to the fans and viewers.

Even just a 20-minute epilogue to the latest episode...Din and Bo Katan arm wrestling. Or, actually, a little mini adventure of a now Grogu-less Mando acquiring a new ship. If Cara and the others want to help, even better.

But how cool would something like that be? If I ran Disney/Lucasfilm, I would’ve made such a thing happen, especially with Christmas falling on a Friday this year. Just one final, unexpected treat for the fans. I’d have this secret bonus episode in the can, just waiting to release it Friday morning via a Tweet (word-of-mouth would get the news out pretty quick...no problems there).

The episode did end abruptly, and while everything needn’t be resolved, maybe a little bonus, lighthearted adventure that shows what happened after Luke departed, Boba returned and Mando fully realizing he needs a new ride ASAP.



PS - If such a thing were to ever happen, you think about you old pal Paulie as you’re watching.

“Ohmigosh, that doofus actually called it!”

[turtle]

You could watch the Mando special that came out after season one if you haven't yet.

I am in the same boat about not having the show to look forward too though. I do have my family and all, but it is going to be Friday.... and no new show.

[turtle]

Looks like The Book of Boba Fett will be its own series.

[psmith2.0]

Yeah, I’d really love to see next season expand to 12 episodes. That shakes out to another month, which is a nice way to spend 1/4 of the year.

And I’m hoping that once these other shows start to hit in 1-2 years, that’s kinda what we get...one season of this show ends, and then a week or two later here comes Kenobi, Ahsoka or Ando, etc. And so on, so that, during the course of a year there are 45-48 weeks of SW streaming fare, and no more waiting an entire year for something.

I hope they’ve got that sort of staggered/leapfrog thing in mind. That will keep subscriptions up too...nobody's gonna cancel if they know a new season of something else is starting up a week or two later?

Let’s face it. I, and bazillions of others, are only doing the Disney+ thing for Star Wars. I couldn't care less about the Pixar and Marvel stuff at this point. And I'm not a repeat movie watcher really, so I've already seen all the SW, Marvel, Pixar movies anyway...I'm doing Disney+ strictly for the streaming SW stuff. The sooner these other shows are up and going and taking up at least 8-9 months of the year (maybe more), I’ll feel a lot better about that $7 monthly outlay.

As long as the quality is maintained, and they don't get too overlapping/overplaying their hand, I'd love a good 10+ months of streaming Star Wars-related shows, if they're as well done as this one. Until I'm shown otherwise, I have nothing but confidence and optimism that this will be a good thing. Keep Favreau and Filoni in the mix, please. They don't have to direct or write everything, but they need to be the top overseers/greenlighters of stuff, for sure. If it passes muster with them, then chances are we'll enjoy it. Let them be the creative heads of it all, and doing the occasional writing/directing themselves on episodes they feel strongly about (I assume Filoni will be heavily involved in the Ahsoka show, since that's his creation and he wrote/directed her episode this season. So that's good news too.

But 2021 is prime Clone Wars/Rebels opportunity for me, so I do have stuff to watch until the rest start to arrive.

[turtle]

I actually found an article that talks about the special for Christmas!

This is the Way, Mandalorian fans. Disney+ is gifting fans the greatest Christmas present of all this year: a brand new Mandalorian special! As part of the Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian, fans will be able to see storytelling decisions made and innovations that occurred for the second season of the Emmy-Award winning series.

It would be nice if they schedule the release like that. I would be thrilled to see them. Though, I do hope they don't get boring and repetitive like the Netflix Marvel shows became. I never did finish watching those and likely never will.

[psmith2.0]

Originally Posted by turtle Looks like The Book of Boba Fett will be its own series.

Oh, that is awesome. I even love the logo...the scratched green "armor" and all (even if that isn't his current look; I guess if he gets into enough scraps, it will be again).

I wouldn't have guessed this, feeling that two shows of a similarly outfitted character engaging in the same occupation is a bit much. But I have to admit...they way they've portrayed Boba, I'd totally watch a show with him, and Fennec. I'm glad she's involved as well. That's a cool character. And that Favreau, Filoni and Rodriguez are involved is only a good thing. They're the ones response for "The Tragedy" episode, after all...and that was a hoot.

This is good news!

And the fact that it, along with the Ahsoka and Rangers shows, are all going to be sharing this same timeframe with The Mandalorian is wonderful. They've already said The Mandalorian, Ahsoka Tano and Rangers of the New Republic will "cross over" (I assume that means various characters from each can pop up and help out/partner up as missions and situations demand), so that's just all kinds of awesome, and opens up such a range of possibilities! So now add Boba and Fennec back to that mix?

While that kills my "Mando winds up with Slave I" theory (for now, anyway), I'm totally okay with that. Get Mando a cool new ship and let's get it on! I'm glad The Mandalorian, as we know it (Din Djarin) will continue on. With Grogu gone, and the impact that obviously made on him, they've got some neat emotional paths to explore. Maybe he's a changed man, for his time spent with Grogu? Or maybe it hardens him to where he just has no patience for "evil", shady characters due to his run-in with Gideon, Dr. Pershing, etc. And that can be fun too. He just might be a one-man wrecking crew, no longer having to worry about keeping the kid safe/tucked away during action/fight sequences?

Oh...and I'm betting Din only puts his helmet on for fights/battle or meetings with clients/strangers. I think this whole story with Grogu has softened his stance on the face-covering thing...he removed his helmet, in a roomful of others, two episodes in a row now, and he didn't die or anything. I think he now realizes "hey, I can do this and it doesn't make me any less of anything". Because it does give a "face" to the character during non-action/fighting moments, let's the actor flex his chops a bit more, humanizes him to the viewer, etc. While flying around, or when he's among Cara, Boba, Fennec and Bo Katan and others he trusts/respects, he'll be okay showing his face. And that'll be a cool new element to the show. You'll know that whenever he puts the helmet on, something's about to go down. So that'll be a nice visual shorthand they can put to use as well.

"When the helmet goes on, that's your ass!"

I'm glad they're setting these four shows in the same shared timeline because that means we get, in various combinations, Mando, Cara Dune, Boba Fett, Fennec, Ahsoka Tano and probably even more Bo Katan. You know she'll be in the mix, hijacking/laying claim to any hardware/ships Mando and the others may take over, bossing people around, baiting/insulting Boba, etc.

The wait until next December just got a little tougher.

I'm not changing my approach either...I will continue to stay spoiler-free and not follow anything online about the making of, leaks, rumors, etc. I think that went a super long way in how much I enjoyed this past season, just letting each episode unfold, completely unspoiled and truly clueless about what's going to happen.

[psmith2.0]

Originally Posted by turtle I actually found an article that talks about the special for Christmas!

Yay...so there will be something cool/fun to watch Friday after all. While not a full-on "episode", I love stuff like this too, so that'll be great.

You know how that Galaxy's Edge stuff at the Disney Parks kinda hit with the sequels and has ties to that. I'm betting they will slowly undergo a tweaking to better tie in with these streaming Disney+ shows in the years to come, in terms of locations, offerings, rides, etc. While I believe that big Millennium Falcon isn't going anywhere, you know people, somewhere, are already at work on the construction plans of a life-size Slave I that will sit somewhere in that section of the park (especially if Boba Fett is going to continue to be a large part of this whole thing). And whatever cool ship Mando winds up with going forward. They'll redo things to make it tie in with these shows a lot more, I'm betting.

Because, going forward, that's probably going to be how most people - younger ones, especially - see/love Star Wars. The OT stuff will always linger, and maybe even better parts of the prequels, but I'll bet you two years from now, that whole section will look completely different than it does today. And it'll all be firmly Disney+ in tone/nature, minus a few nods to tradition (the Falcon, cantina, the overall "Star Wars look", etc.).

The costumed cast walking around will be Din, Ahsoka, Boba and they'll find some nice lookalikes for Cara, Fennec and Bo Katan, I'm sure.

When all this COVID stuff finally eases and goes away, I'm thinking those theme parks will be getting a nice surge in attendance. And a lot of them will be heading straight for that Galaxy's Edge area. I know I would! That's kinda on my list, in fact, to get my butt down to Orlando in the coming years to take all that in.

[psmith2.0]

You see, drew...I do not hate Star Wars.

I only want to see it done well, and to be genuinely fun and enjoyable. I’m sorry, but those movies were not.

But this stuff is. I love feeling enthusiastic and optimistic once more about something that has been such a huge part of my life for 43 (of 51) years.

But I’m not legally/morally obligated to like everything, just because it’s Star Wars. So I can point out/dislike the bad, but I love to support and praise the good. And now I get to do the latter.

Nothing broke my heart more than to spend 4-5 years thinking “I guess this just isn’t meant for me anymore; I can’t get behind such disjointed, incoherent storytelling and heavy-handed point-missing. What happened?!”

My natural state is to be a fan/dork about all this stuff, and that’s where I prefer to be.

[turtle]

Originally Posted by pscates2.0 ... The wait until next December just got a little tougher. I'm not changing my approach either...I will continue to stay spoiler-free and not follow anything online about the making of, leaks, rumors, etc. I think that went a super long way in how much I enjoyed this past season, just letting each episode unfold, completely unspoiled and truly clueless about what's going to happen.

I'm right there with you. I'm glad that in general I skip social media but I always end up getting a little info from the RSS feeds I troll through. I'm really looking forward to seeing the next season without a bunch of info being spoiled from the start. I mean, it is one thing to know an actor has signed on as part of it, it is another to know what they are doing in it. Rosario is a great example. I knew she signed on but no idea to what role.

[psmith2.0]

Ah, this is interesting and clears some things up...

Basically Favreau appeared on Good Morning America and clarified some things regarding The Mandalorian, the Boba Fett show, etc.

In a nutshell:

- Production is currently underway on the Boba Fett show. It will come first in December 2021, a year from now.

- Season 3 of the Mandalorian is currently in pre-production and that show will indeed continue, but Boba gets his show first. Season 3 of The Mandalorian won't hit until after the Boba show, sometime in 2022.

Sounds like Favreau, Filoni and Rodriguez are going to put their focus on the Boba Fett show at the moment, and then return to The Mandalorian afterwards.

[kscherer]

I actually think that makes sense. Why wear things out when they are running so smoothly? Put some attention on other things. The Mandalorian "wrapped up" nicely, and there is so much more coming that it makes sense to give them some attention.