[Updated 9/22/2025]
Jedi Master Yoda once said “always in motion is the future” — and though he was talking specifically about Luke Skywalker’s (Mark Hamill) predicament in The Empire Strikes Back, The Force may have allowed Yoda insight into the current state of affairs at Lucasfilm, the Disney company in control of Star Wars and its future. Both business entities stunned fans and investors in December 2020 with an ambitious plan to produce as many as 10 television series for Disney+ in the next decade. In addition to its Disney+ roster, the company also stated an intention to make at least three features by 2027. That ambition was curbed by the motion of the future, though, with series becoming films, films becoming vapor, and just about everything in between. Nevertheless, Disney and Lucasfilm are still committed to expanding the breadth and scale of Star Wars. A veritable fleet of new stories awaits on the horizon.
Of course, fans of Star Wars media already knew the fictional galaxy could fuel hundreds of films and shows. They also hope the expansion of Star Wars content means there will be room for Jedi Knight protagonist Kyle Katarn (or occasional antagonist Mara Jade) to re-enter the canon.
And canonicity is a big deal for Star Wars. When Disney first bought Lucasfilm, they declared all previous Star Wars comics, novels, games, and cartoons (except for the long-running Star Wars: The Clone Wars) as non-canon “legends” of the Star Wars galaxy. The move was made to offer maximum freedom to the filmmakers involved in the Sequel Trilogy (Star Wars: The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and Rise of Skywalker), but it didn’t take long for “Legends” characters and ideas to seep back into programs like Star Wars Rebels and The Mandalorian. And, as you will see in this guide to Star Wars’ streaming and theatrical future below, that sense of canon and continuity is as important to the galaxy as the Force itself.
Here we’ve gathered everything we know about every Star Wars movie and series coming to streaming and theaters in the next few years, and broken down how they fit into the emerging Star Wars galaxy. Tell us which new Star Wars projects you’re most excited about in the comments.
Premiere Date: TBD
What We Know: Early in 2024, Lucasfilm and Disney revealed they are developing a second season of Filoni’s series. Presumably, stars Rosario Dawson and Natasha Liu Bordizzo will return. The encore engagements of Ivanna Sakhno as Shin Hati and David Tennant as the voice of Huyang are also pretty safe bets. But other actors — like Mary Elizabeth Winstead as General Her Syndulla and Eman Esfandi as Ezra Bridger — may sit the second year out as Ahsoka (Dawson) and Sabine’s (Bordizzo) tale continues literally galaxies away from the main Star Wars action, which will also remove Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) from the equation. Then there’s the tragic case of Ray Stevenson, who passed away in May 2023, just a few months before Ahsoka premiered. Considering his character, Baylan Skoll, was last spotted on a monument to Filoni’s take on Star Wars spirituality, the character was bound to be recast — and so he was with Game of Thrones‘ Rory McCann stepping into Stevenson’s role. Filming is expected to begin in April in the UK.
How It Fits Into the Emerging Star Wars Galaxy: Separated from the Star Wars galaxy, Ahsoka, Sabine, Shin, and Baylan will likely learn more about its underpinnings as they confront the so-called Mortis gods, representations of the Light side, Dark side, and balance of The Force Ahsoka has encountered before in Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
Read also: The Mandalorian Season 3 Finale: A Battle Ensues During the Return to Mandalore
(Photo by © Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Premiere Date: Indefinitely Delayed
What We Know: Another series from Favreau and Filoni was meant to follow a group of New Republic soldiers in the same era as The Mandalorian. While Lucasfilm President Kennedy offered few details about this show during the 2020 Disney Investor Day presentation, she mentioned it was to cross over with other stories from The Mandalorian and Ahsoka to culminate in an “event” at some point in the future. Unfortunately, development of the program was postponed indefinitely with Kennedy telling Empire Magazine in November 2021 that some of its ideas may be absorbed into The Mandalorian. The description of the series will remain here until a Lucasfilm rep calls it completely kaput. Also, why would Cobb Vanth (Timothy Olyphant) survive his encounter with Cad Bane in The Book of Boba Fett if not to become a ranger?
In a curious twist, the culminating event will occur as Filoni’s feature film debut (more on that below).
How It Fits Into the Emerging Star Wars Galaxy: As the program is the most mysterious, the crossover seems to be the most tantalizing element. Was a larger skirmish with the Imperial Remnant meant to be its focus? Also, considering the state of the galaxy in the Sequel Trilogy, did the Rangers’ mission fail? Definitely a question worth exploring.
Release Date: May 22, 2026
What We Know: As part of Lucafilm’s ever-evolving plans, Mandalorian Din Djarin (Pascal) and his adopted son, Din Grogu, will become feature film stars. Announced at the start of 2024, The Mandalorian & Grogu represents the next chapter in the characters’ wanderings. Of course, it is unclear what trouble they will get into and who they might meet along the way. But considering The Mandalorian takes plenty of cues from Lone Wolf & Cub, it is possible this could be a standalone adventure or something very much central to the tale Favreau and Filoni are telling in the years after Return of the Jedi. Favreau is signed to direct with Filoni on board as a producer. Kennedy, of course, is also listed as a producer.
Favreau and Filoni took to the stage at the 2024 D23 Entertainment Showcase to tease the film, which began shooting just a few weeks prior. Favreau declined to get specific about the film’s plot, but he presented a sizzle reel of sorts complied from the early production. One moment featured Star Wars Rebels fan favorite character, Zeb (Steve Blum) – although it’s unclear if the Razorcrest he’s flying is his or a replacement for the one Din lost in the second season of The Mandalorian. Other quick glimpses included a planet where Mando must face Snow Troopers and AT-ATs. And a final shot sees Grogu in a ship piloted by and sized for Anzellans, the species which counts Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’s Babu Frik as one of its own and had their own Grogu-sized problem in The Mandalorian‘s most recent season.
That August, Sigourney Weaver revealed she will appear in the film, in which The Bear‘s Jeremy Allen White will reportedly voice Rotta, the son of Jabba the Hutt, a character who first debuted in the Clone Wars theatrical film, although we doubt anyone will call him “Stinky” this time around.
During a presentation about the film at Star Wars Celebration 2025, fans glimpsed a scene in which Mando destroyed a Remnant AT-AT, much to the dismay of Weaver’s unnamed New Republic official.
How It Fits Into the Emerging Star Wars Galaxy: It appears the film will take the place of The Mandalorian‘s fourth season — although another year of the series is in development — so expect at least one key moment of emotional growth for Djarin and, perhaps, Grogu’s first words in Basic, the suspiciously English-sounding common language of Star Wars. Speak it with backwards syntax, will he?
Star Wars: Starfighter
Release Date: May 28, 2027
What We Know: Pushing ahead of other projects, Shawn Levy’s Star Wars: Starfighter will star Ryan Gosling as, presumably, a pilot in the service of whatever government rises after the fall of both the New Republic and the First Order. As Levy revealed at Star Wars Celebration 2025, the film will be set several years after Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and feature a completely new set of original characters. Gosling, for his part, said he was impressed by the script and that it was a tale only Levy could tell. More surprising: Levy said production will begin in the Fall with the film due for release in two years.
Release Date: TBD
What We Know: An open secret in Hollywood, Damon Lindelof and Justin Britt-Gibson were reportedly working on a script for two-time Oscar-winning director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy since October 2022. The whispers became shouts when reports surfaced in March 2023 indicating the two writers were leaving the project. Peaky Blinders’ Steven Knight soon emerged as their replacement. At Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023’s Lucasfilm presentation, Kennedy confirmed the project exists and that it will center on Rey’s attempts to build a new Jedi order 15 years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker.
Obid-Chinoy, who claimed the 1990s Star Wars Special Editions saved her life, said, “I’ve always been attracted to the hero’s journey and the fact the world needs many more heroes. I’ve spent the better part of my life meeting real heroes who fight oppressive regimes. I am attracted to immersing myself in a new Jedi Academy with a powerful Jedi master.”
Although neither she, Ridley, nor Kennedy offered a release date, we were left to assume it will open in the 2025 calendar slot Disney held for a Star Wars feature. In subsequent months, Disney unveiled a long-term release calendar with May 22, 2026 (now claimed by The Mandalorian & Grogu), December 18, 2026, and December 17, 2027 held in reserve for Lucasfilm titles. Of course, this was before the industry strikes began, so some of those dates may already need rescheduling. Indeed, Starfighter‘s May 2027 release date suggests the shuffling has already begun.
How It Fits Into the Emerging Star Wars Galaxy: The film will establish a new class of Jedi and the forward status quo for the Star Wars timeline. It is, in essence, Episode X.
Read also: Everything We Learned at Star Wars Celebration 2023: Ahsoka, Andor, and Rey’s New Jedi Order
What We Know: Long after he signed up to make a Boba Fett film, director James Mangold will finally join the pantheon of Star Wars storytellers with a film looking back into the furthest reaches of Star Wars history and focus on the first human to touch the Force 25,000 years before the Skywalker Saga. According to the filmmaker, “When I first started talking to Kathy about doing one of these pictures, I thought about a biblical epic, a Ten Commandments.” Presumably that tone will give Star Wars a fresh perspective. That said, it is unclear when the film will be ready as Mangold is preparing scripts for the project and a Swamp Thing feature at Warner Bros. In April of 2024, Beau Willimon signed on co-write the film with Mangold. Early in 2025, the director told MovieWeb he was happy to free of the many strictures that weigh Star Wars down in later eras. A film set so long in the past also give him additional breathing room to expand on ideas. “Do we find a way on the page to say something original?,” he added. At Star Wars Celebration 2025, Kennedy reiterated that the film is still in development.
How It Fits Into the Emerging Star Wars Galaxy: The story of the first Jedi is something teased and suggested across the years, but making a concrete tale could have wide-reaching implications in future stories.
What We Know: Where the Obid-Chinoy and Mangold films represent the future and distant past of the Star Wars timeline, Filoni will make his feature film debut with a story firmly rooted in the “present” of Star Wars — the post Return of the Jedi era he and Favreau explore on Disney+. According to Kennedy, it will be the climatic event first teased during her 2020 Disney Investor Day presentation, tying up ideas from The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, and presumably Boba Fett with tensions between the New Republic and the Imperial Remnant reaching a crisis point.
“I grew up in a time of the Original Trilogy,” Filoni added. “I grew up with the Expanded Universe. We’re drawing on a lot of things [from then] and new things that were created in the meantime to tell this epic.” Based on this and a few other teases across Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023, some believe the film will adapt author Timothy Zahn’s 1990s Thrawn Trilogy. The trio of books, starting with 1991’s Heir to the Empire, introduced Grand Admiral Thrawn, the Imperial Remnant, and may other ideas now seen on The Mandalorian. But will the film actually be called Heir to the Empire? That remains to be seen. At Star Wars Celebration 2025, Filoni mentioned the film is next on his to-do list after the second season of Ahsoka.
How It Fits Into the Emerging Star Wars Galaxy: Beyond giving the current television shows a cinematic climax, the film will presumably also establish how the Remnant became the First Order of the Sequel Trilogy.
(Photo by © Lucasfilm)
Release Date: TBD
What We Know: As of 2020, Dear White People’s Justin Simien was developing a limited series devoted to charismatic card player and scoundrel Lando Calrissian. While it was unclear who would play the title role, a teaser video featuring Lando’s unblemished Millennium Falcon shown during the 2020 Investor Day presentation suggested it will go back to the days before he met Han Solo. During the 2022 Star Wars Celebration, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy confirmed Solo: A Star Wars Story’s Donald Glover was involved and that the company was waiting for him to complete other projects before moving forward. Shortly before the 2023 Celebration, Glover confirmed he was “talking” to Lucasfilm about the project.
That July, word broke indicating Glover and his brother, Stephen Glover, would take direct creative control of Lando as its writers. Simien, as it happens, left the project sometime before the Glovers signed on — all of which occurred before the 2023 writers and actors strikes began. Curiously, original Lando Calrissian Billy Dee Williams posted on social media later that month that “something truly magnificent is coming soon.” Signing off his post with “May the Force be with you all” left many speculating that he may appear in Lando after all. In September of 2023, as the strikes raged on, reports surfaced indicating the series has been converted into a feature. As of the summer 2024, it appears the project is still in the works with a theatrical debut in mind. That September, Glover publicly renewed his interest in the concept, telling The Wall Street Journal that he wants it to be fun.
How It Fits Into the Emerging Star Wars Galaxy: A series (or film) primarily concerned with the young Lando would be less beholden to lore and, potentially, revel more in the fun of being a scoundrel. Perhaps he could even run with (or against) Star Wars animation’s favorite ne’er-do-well, Hondo Ohnaka (voiced by Jim Cummings).
Status: In Development
What We Know: In November 2024, word broke revealing Simon Kinberg of Star Wars Rebels and X-Men: Dark Phoenix fame would produce his own Star Wars trilogy. He will also write them with Lucasfilm boss Kathleen Kennedy set to join him as a producer. The story will seemingly be set after Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, but with a completely new cast. As of 2025, the trilogy is still in development.
(Photo by Clay Enos/©Warner Bros./courtesy Everett Collection)
Status: Reportedly Back In Development
What We Know: First revealed at the 2020 Investor Day presentation, Rogue Squadron was to be directed by Wonder Woman’s Patty Jenkins and focus on a new generation of X-Wing pilots. In a video posted to her Twitter account, Jenkins revealed the story is personal as her father was a fighter pilot who lost his life in service to his country. She also subsequently clarified that the film will honor the Rogue Squadron video games and novels even as it flies off in its own direction. Sadly, the film was indefinitely delayed in November 2021. But in a curious note, Disney still listed its intended December 2023 release date for a surprisingly long time. Additionally, Kennedy told Vanity Fair in May 2022 that the film is still happening with Jenkins at the helm. In early 2023, the project was said to no longer be in active development, but not necessarily abandoned.
And for a year, that was the end of the story. But in March of 2024, Jenkins took to the TCM/Max podcast podcast to reveal she owed Lucasfilm a new draft of Rogue Squardon. As she tells it, she originally left the project to fulfill her commitment to Wonder Woman 3, but when that movie fell under the changing Warner Bros. Discovery corporate strategy, she started negotiating a new deal in the Star Wars universe. The summer 2023 strikes delayed talks for a time, but with those resolved, a script for Rogue Squadron should be on Kennedy’s desk soon. Although, Lucasfilm has yet to confirm Jenkins’ return, so her account of the latest happenings must be labeled as a report. In early 2025, rumors surfaced indicating Chris Pine was in the frame to star.
(Photo by Jasin Boland/©Marvel)
Status: In Development
What We Know: Although the industry knew about Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi’s Star Wars project for some time, Kennedy finally commented on it in December 2020, saying his approach to Star Wars will be “fresh, unexpected,” and “unique.” She also pointed to his talent and his “sense of humor” as two strengths which will set Waititi’s project apart from other Star Wars endeavors. Meanwhile, reports indicate Waititi is in talks to star in the film as well as write and direct. Although, it seems he still needs to write the script before anything can go forward. Nearly four years on, though, it appears development has slowed to a crawl. At Star Wars Celebration 2025, Kennedy made a special mention of the project, confirming it is still in development.
How It Fits Into the Emerging Star Wars Galaxy: It all depends on when it is set. With thousands of years of lore available to explore, Waititi could do just about anything he wants — from a story of the early hyperspace routes to a film set entirely in Ackmena’s (Beatrice Arthur) cantina from The Star Wars Holiday Special.
(Photo by David James/ © Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures/Lucasfilm Ltd. /Courtesy Everett Collection)
Status: Not In Active Development
What We Know: First announced in 2017, Star Wars: The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson is expected to spearhead a new trilogy sometime in the next decade — writing and directing the first film himself. Although he reaffirms his involvement every so often, the trilogy is reportedly no longer in active development. At the same time, it is said to be something both Johnson and Lucasfilm want to return to at some juncture. First, he has another Knives Out sequel to make and another season of Poker Face to produce. Kennedy also cited his schedule as a stumbling block as recently as Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023.
How It Fits Into the Emerging Star Wars Galaxy: Right now, it doesn’t. It’s just an agreement to make a series of movies, and as seen with Lucasfilm’s quick decision to cancel the Star Wars Story anthology of films in wake of Solo: A Star Wars Story’s underperformance, that deal could dissolve at any moment — if it hasn’t already. See also: the company’s about-face regarding a series of films to be developed by Game of Thrones executive producers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss.
(Photo by Courtesy the Everett Collection)
Status: TBD
What We Know: As Kennedy described at the 2020 Investor Day presentation, the only Star Wars TV movie currently on the Disney+ roster will be an “epic journey” featuring a new hero guided by Star Wars’ most famous droids, R2-D2 and C-3PO. Although the Lucasfilm president was light on story details, she did mention the project will be a chance for the company’s animation and live-action special effects groups to stretch their expertise to its limits. No further concrete details have come to light since.
How It Fits Into the Emerging Star Wars Galaxy: Like Star Wars Visions, the film may also be freed from canon.
(Photo by Leon Bennett/WireImage)
Status: Presumably Shelved
What We Know: According to The Hollywood Reporter, Sleight director J.D. Dillard and Marvel TV writer Matt Owens (Luke Cage) were developing some sort of Star Wars project for Lucasfilm. In the years since the story first broke, though, no additional details have come to light. And even at the time of reporting, it was unclear if the project would be a Disney+ series, TV movie, or feature film. That ambiguity made it an even more tenuous project than Johnson’s trilogy. In November 2022, Dillard left the project.
(Photo by Albert L. Ortega/WireImage)
Status: A Genuine Mystery
What We Know: Word first broke in 2019 that Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige was involved in developing a Star Wars film with Kennedy. At the time, Walt Disney Studios Co-Chairman Alan Horn said “it made sense for these two extraordinary producers to work on a Star Wars film together.” In May 2022, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness writer Michael Waldron told Variety that he was not only writing the film, but appreciated being unmoored from the TV shows and films. In early 2023, reports surfaced indicating the project was on indefinite hold as Disney looked to slow down development across all its divisions. During Celebration 2023, Kennedy told IGN that the project was “something announced in the press, or I suppose fandom, but there was nothing — nothing ever got developed,” adding to the mystery of a movie idea that both exists and doesn’t. In November of 2023, Feige confirmed whatever was going on will no longer be happening.
Which Star Wars projects are you most excited about? Let us know in the comments.
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(Photo by 20th Century Fox/courtesy Everett Collection. STAR WARS: EPISODE V - THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.)
Flash Gordon meets Hidden Fortress meets Dune, 1977’s Star Wars was formed by George Lucas as an innocent, serial tribute to the entertainment of his formative past. But for everyone else, it was the future, changing the movie culture landscape on every level: How and what gets made, how they’re released, and, yes, how they’re merchandized. A space opera for all ages, Lucas closed out this original trilogy with the biggest twists (Empire Strikes Back) and the cuddliest endgame battle (Return of the Jedi).
Over 20 years later, Lucas returned with the prequel trilogy that went deep into Force mechanics and far towards space politics. And nearly another 20 years after that, the so-called sequel trilogy started up, reuniting old friends and plot devices for the nostalgic blockbuster touchstone The Force Awakens. That was followed by the foundation-shaking Last Jedi, and the action-packed fan service machine The Rise of Skywalker, which is now the second-lowest–rated Star Wars film, according to the Tomatometer.
With the 42-year spanning Skywalker Saga now complete, we’re ranking every movie in the franchise! This means all theatrical releases (including spin-offs like Rogue One and The Clone Wars), but leaving off the TV stuff. Apologies to The Mandalorian. Star Wars Holiday Special, you know what you did. Now, kick back with some blue milk (or green, if you’re watching space carbs) and crank up that holo-phonograph of “Jedi Rocks” because here comes the best Star Wars movies by Tomatometer!
94%
93%
91%
84%
83%
79%
69%
62%
54%
51%
18%
(Photo by Lucasfilm/Disney+. ANDOR.)
The latest: Andor Season 2, and Tales of the Underworld.
From 1978, with the one-time airing of The Star Wars Holiday Special, to the early 21st century, the Galaxy Far, Far Away’s relationship to television was fraught with difficulty. A handful of live-action TV movies and animated series in the 1980s proved the resources did not yet exist to produce the look and feel of Star Wars in a weekly format — although the Ewoks cartoon got pretty close by surviving for two whole seasons. Flash forward to 2003, and the Genndy Tartakovsky–produced Star Wars: The Clone Wars offered a way to dramatize Star Wars stories on television in a compelling and cost-effective way.
Then the subsequent 3D-animated Clone Wars series in 2008 started a tradition of Star Wars television that continues today with animated shows like Star Wars: The Bad Batch and the live-action success of The Mandalorian, the latter becoming a gateway to an ever-evolving story tangential to the Skywalker Saga, but just as epic. Much of that story can be attributed to 2008’s Clone Wars supervising director, Dave Filoni, who went on to create or co-create most of the extant Star Wars television, soaking in Ahsoka’s presence across the galaxy. But then The Acolyte was cancelled after just a single season.
The political thriller Andor then remains the more consistently celebrated of the Disney+ era, with its hotly anticipated second second (April 22, 2025) that will lead directly into Rogue One. And now Skeleton Crew, starring Jude Law in a more classically-themed young adventure, has premiered that start of its eight-episode run. See where it places as we rank Star Wars TV shows, with Certified Fresh seasons first.
97%
89%
96%
88%
96%
66%
93%
93%
93%
91%
84%
51%
85%
64%
82%
61%
79%
19%
74%
100%
62%
100%
87%
100%
92%
77%
93%
70%
89%
66%
48%
25%
39%
(Photo by Prime Video)
Updated: December 28, 2023
Rotten Tomatoes’ list of top shows of 2023 (so far) compiles the TV and streaming seasons that debuted in the U.S. this year and were designated Certified Fresh.
To be Certified Fresh, seasons must score at least 75% on the Tomatometer, with at least 20 critic reviews (five of those from Top Critics). Shows retain their Certified Fresh status even if they fall below 75%, as long as the scores stay at 70% or above.
Just added: Percy Jackson, Invincible, Reacher, Lessons in Chemistry limited series, Goosebumps season 1, For All Mankind season 4
Read Also: The Best Movies of 2023
100%
90%
100%
91%
98%
77%
100%
93%
100%
95%
100%
94%
100%
76%
100%
93%
100%
87%
100%
78%
100%
97%
100%
88%
100%
84%
97%
93%
100%
96%
100%
95%
100%
86%
99%
92%
98%
87%
98%
82%
97%
88%
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77%
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87%
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86%
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86%
96%
80%
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81%
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96%
93%
89%
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96%
91%
96%
56%
95%
89%
95%
87%
95%
71%
96%
85%
95%
69%
95%
78%
95%
77%
95%
77%
94%
52%
93%
45%
94%
81%
93%
75%
96%
66%
93%
78%
94%
63%
92%
63%
92%
81%
92%
71%
93%
89%
91%
89%
88%
37%
88%
95%
91%
88%
90%
90%
90%
60%
90%
78%
89%
61%
90%
51%
89%
69%
88%
76%
87%
73%
88%
95%
85%
64%
86%
95%
86%
81%
85%
65%
86%
95%
84%
51%
86%
50%
85%
92%
83%
83%
85%
82%
84%
60%
81%
78%
82%
83%
84%
96%
83%
79%
82%
59%
82%
73%
81%
65%
84%
68%
78%
55%
78%
80%
79%
78%
79%
21%
80%
56%
79%
93%
78%
89%
76%
91%
74%
77%
76%
84%
75%
70%
74%
68%
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78%
71%
60%
To slightly misquote another epic fantasy, one stage of the Star Wars journey has ended, but another will eventually begin. Star Wars: Ahsoka concluded on Tuesday with people switching places, threats remaining, and the major character arc of its presumed first season resolved. But it also left a lot on the table to carry forward in another season (perhaps) and, at least, series creator Dave Filoni’s feature film debut.
Nevertheless, there are still aspects of Ahsoka to discuss and question. The show, as part of the Disney Star Wars continuum, does not exist in a vacuum, and we wonder how many of its plot points may yet feature in the years to come. Also, how will it ultimately tie back to future seen in the sequel film trilogy and beyond? Let’s take a look at latter half of Ahsoka and see if we can’t map out some of what is to come.
Spoiler alert: The following includes plot details about the season 1 finale of Star Wars: Ahsoka, “The Jedi, the Witch, and the Warlord.” Stop reading here if you have not watched the episode and wish to avoid spoilers.
Star Wars: Ahsoka poster of Eman Esfandi as Ezra Bridger (Photo by Lucasfilm)
First, let’s take a moment to consider the key character who was the real objective of the show: Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi). Bearded and living with a group of Noti nomads, we are given precious little info on how he spent the last decade since arriving on Peridia with Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) after the Battle of Lothal. What he does offer: The Noti helped him, and so he elected to travel with them while hoping against hope that his friends would find a way to rescue him.
He also seemed to continue his training after a fashion. Short a lightsaber, he continued to hone other Jedi abilities. That discipline came in handy when a group of Night Troopers attacked the Noti caravan in part 7, “Dreams and Madness.” Ezra proved formidable with a series of well-timed Force pushes.
Beyond his prowess as a Jedi, it is also clear he’s still very much the young man fans will recall from Star Wars Rebels, Filoni’s 2016-2018 animated creation. A certain cockiness remains, and we have to give Esfandi credit for sounding like Rebels voice actor Taylor Gray. We also appreciated the way he and Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) immediately resumed their teasing banter and rapport. It’s such a boon to Ahsoka that it is something of a shame we had to wait six episodes to see him.
The swiftness with which he built a new lightsaber from Huyang’s (David Tennant) available components is a lesson the series could also learn. But as we’re fans of the Rebels characters, we also relish the time spent with them in live action so far.
Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo), Huyang (David Tennant) and Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) in in Star Wars: Ahsoka season 1, episode 8 (Photo by Lucasfilm)
Following parts 3 and 4, we openly wondered if Huyang’s assertion that Ahsoka (Rosario Dawson) and Sabine were better together was correct. And, as it turns out, that question was the emotional core of the series even as rescuing Ezra was part of its stated purpose. As seen in the finale, “The Jedi, the Witch, and the Warlord,” the pair are indeed strong when allied in purpose.
Of course, Ahsoka needed one last lesson from her master to truly get that, though.
In Part 5, “Shadow Warrior,” Ahsoka spent much of the hour in the presence of Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) — at least, we’re pretty sure that was Anakin’s spirit and not the Force or Ahsoka’s own mind using his likeness — to come to grips with something she never really confronted: being trained as a wartime Jedi. Only knowing battle for much of her life made her ill-equipped to train Sabine. And considering Huyang’s mention Ahsoka’s concerns over Sabine’s training in the finale, we imagine part of her fear was not just in terms of making another battle-hardened soldier, but opening her apprentice up to the temptation of the Dark Side.
(Photo by Lucasfilm)
Click image to open full poster in a new tab.
That’s only one aspect of Anakin’s lesson, though. Ahsoka also needed to understand that she doesn’t need to be a weapon. Whether or not that path leads to the Dark Side, it does take its toll and it is clear the dour Ahsoka of the first half was very much a reaction to spending decades in conflict.
Returning from the World Between Worlds after part 5, Ahsoka is lighter on her (cloven) feet, quicker to smile, and more attuned to the Force than before. Visually, this comes across via the paler clothing she adopts just before reaching out to the Purrgils on Seatos. In dialogue, she is also quicker to banter with Huyang and more willing to offer Sabine some praise when they are reunited on Peridia.
Admittedly, Sabine’s journey is less nuanced, as she acted recklessly most of the time and was, almost without fail, rewarded for doing so. Even Ahsoka had to admit her gamble paid off as they ultimately found Ezra. But maybe that recklessness is necessary for their dynamic, especially going forward as they try to find a way back to their home galaxy.
In fact, the bond between master and apprentice is so emphasized in the series — see also Huyang’s comment about Ezra and his master, Kanan Jarrus (voiced by Freddie Prinze Jr. on Rebels) — that it seems to be a core aspect of the Jedi at this point and a weakness, which Thrawn exploits to outmaneuver Ahsoka. He recognized Anakin’s thought process in her actions — the two met on Batuu in the canonical novel Thrawn: Alliances written by Timothy Zahn— and acted accordingly. He also recognized Darth Vader for who he really was and used his knowledge to deliver one last barb before stranding Ahsoka and Sabine in Peridia’s distant galaxy.
But we imagine the strength of their bond will help them get home before too long.
Star Wars: Ahsoka poster of Lars Mikkelsen as Grand Admiral Thrawn (Photo by Lucasfilm)
One issue we will take with the current pace of Star Wars storytelling is the lack of intel on Thrawn’s actual plan. Back in Zahn’s debut novel, Heir to the Empire, Thrawn’s main concern was obtaining the cloning tech from Mount Tantiss. Here, though, he offers precious little to the audience. We’ll still make a few guesses, though.
Peridia is the homeworld of the Dathomiri Nightsisters, and as we know from Star Wars: The Clone Wars, the Nightsisters can animate the dead — an ability made all the more terrifying in the Ahsoka finale. Note that Thrawn also refers to his forces as “Night Troopers.” Their broken-but-mended armor may reflect as certain undeadness among the rank and file. Or, at the very least, a willingness to allow the Great Mothers of Peridia to use their corpses for the greater glory of the Empire.
All of which leads us to the last shot of Thrawn. His Star Destroyer arrives in orbit around Dathomir, and we see he has a whole cargo bay of seeming coffins. More Night Troopers? Maybe. But considering Thrawn “woke up” the Great Mothers on Peridia, it is possible the coffins hold more Nightsisters in suspended animation. Either prospect makes Thrawn a true threat to the New Republic.
Star Wars: Ahsoka poster of Diana Lee Inosanto as Morgan Elsbeth (Photo by Lucasfilm)
Choosing Dathomir as a staging ground presents a few wrinkles going forward. The Dark Side of the Force is quite strong on the planet. That presence allowed the Nightsisters’ Force magick to flourish. It is also inhabited by Rancors, which is another way Thrawn can reinforce the dwindling resources of the Imperial Remnant. Consider how formidable just one trained Rancor proved to be in The Book of Boba Fett.
The planet has also been void of a Nightsister population since the Clone Wars, when Count Dooku razed its settlements and left only a handful of survivors, including Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto). Her quiet “For Dathomir” vow in the finale leads us to believe re-establishing the Nightsisters on Dathomir was part of Thrawn’s agreement with the Great Mothers.
Shame Elsbeth did not live to see that new Golden Age.
Star Wars: Ahsoka poster of Ray Stevenson as Baylan Skoll
Although Dathomir will be an important planet going forward, Peridia still has some mysteries to discover. For one: Baylan Skoll (Ray Stevenson) stopped working for Elsbeth the moment they made planetfall. It seems the unimaginable power he told Shin Hati (Ivanna Sakhno) about resides somewhere on that planet in a galaxy far, far away. Unfortunately, Ahsoka leaves us no closer to understanding what he’s really seeking than we were at the series’ mid-point.
One possibility, as noted by those who recognized the statue he was standing upon, is that he seeks nothing less than access to Mortis — another netherrealm within the Force where impossibly powerful Force users embodying the Dark Side, Light Side, and Balance once lived. Anakin and Ahsoka encountered Mortis in an episode of Clone Wars and many believe they assumed the roles of Balance and Light Side afterward. Baylan may yet be seeking the Dark Side.
Baylan is a fascinating character. Working hard not to be a Jedi or a Sith, it is clear he misses some aspects of his old affiliation with the Jedi Order. He says as much at one point. His fight with Ahsoka in part 6 is shockingly half-hearted and the Great Mothers are wary of him from the jump. Then there are his parting words to his apprentice: impatience for victory will lead to defeat.
The closest we get to understanding his true ambition is a stated desire to break the cycle of the Jedi Order’s rise and fall. As Star Wars fans know, the Order’s pattern of ascendancy and decline has been going on for at least 3,000 years, so if Baylan speaks true, he has a mighty quest ahead of him. Although, our last glimpse of him includes a distant light on a far away Peridia peak. Is it just a matter of making that journey across a long-dead empire to find the power to break the cycle?
That is a question that cannot be answered completely until Rey (Daisy Ridley) establishes a new Jedi Order in a proposed film set 10 years after the events of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. But for Baylan, it is a noble pursuit. It just doesn’t square with the way he trained Shin, his desire for power, or his willingness to do questionable things.
Sadly, the next time we see Baylan, he will be markedly different. Stevenson passed away on May 21, 2023.
Star Wars: Ahsoka poster of Wes Chatham as Captain Enoch (Photo by Lucasfilm)
The true nature of Baylan’s quest isn’t the only question we have following the Ahsoka finale. Here are some puzzling notion to tease your brain with as we wait for the next journey in the ongoing Star Wars saga:
What is a Bokken Jedi? Baylan refers to Ezra and Kanan as such. Online sources suggest it is just a term to refer to Jedi trained after the fall of the Order at the end of the Clone Wars. But as Ahsoka is the only time the term has been used (in canon anyway), it is possible there is more to it.
Who is Captain Enoch (Wes Chatham)? He may be the lead trooper in Thrawn’s army, but he may also be more. Of course, the introduction and relatively quick dispatch of Marrok (Paul Darnell) in Ahsoka made us wary of masked Star Wars characters meaning much. Nevertheless, why dismiss one masked man by introducing another?
How much control does Anakin have over his Force ghost? In the World Between Worlds, it was unclear if Anakin was, in fact, the one who lived as Darth Vader and died in Return of the Jedi. But the appearance of his apparition in Ahsoka’s closing moments — and Sabine dimly sensing his presence — suggests he was there the whole time and has some say in when he can appear to people. But if that’s the case, why does he never appear to Ben Solo (Adam Driver) at any stage of his life? One would think his grandson’s idolatry of Darth Vader would call him out of the Force to offer some guidance.
Also, while we’re asking, does Anakin ever chat with Luke (Mark Hamill)?
Will the New Republic finally take Thrawn and the Remnant threat seriously? It’s clear from the politicking glimpsed in the series that there is a push to demilitarize and disband the Rebel Fleet now turned Republic Army. Ezra’s return and confirmation that Thrawn is back may change things, particularly if Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) is leading the Defense Council and backing up General Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead).
Star Wars: Ahsoka poster of Rosario Dawson as Ahsoka (Photo by Lucasfilm)
Up next for Star Wars is the Amblin-inspired series Skeleton Crew. We don’t expect it to follow-up on the events of Ahsoka even though it is set in the same time period. After that is The Acolyte, set 100 years before the Clone Wars. A fourth season of The Mandalorian is in the works and may continue the New Republic threads, but we expect Ahsoka’s fate will have to wait until a second season — not confirmed, but also in no way publicly denied (mostly) — or Filoni’s feature film.
Star Wars social media was caught using the language “series finale,” Gizmodo reported, but that the posts were updated or deleted.
85%
Star Wars: Ahsoka: Season 1
(2023)
is now streaming in its entirety on Disney+.
On an Apple device? Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Apple News.
After it was announced nearly three years ago, Star Wars: Ahsoka is finally here. The series, from the titular character’s co-creator Dave Filoni, finally makes Ahsoka the main character and sets up his feature film debut. But before that future event, the series must stand on its own and tell a story — something critics of Star Wars shows claim is missing in efforts like The Book of Boba Fett and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Does Ahsoka pull it off with its first two episodes? And what signs and portents appear as the character finally takes the lead in a Star Wars production? Come with us as we attempt our own reading of the star map and take stock of the program so far.
Spoiler alert: This post reviews plot details about Ahsoka, episodes 1 and 2. Stop reading here if you wish to avoid spoilers.
The show immediately sets itself apart by featuring a text crawl — a narrative technique featured in the films since the beginning, but notably absent from television efforts. Filoni’s own Star Wars: The Clone Wars sidestepped the crawl by utilizing narrated recaps inspired by WWII-era newsreels. Subsequent programs used more standard TV recaps. The crawl’s inclusion here speaks to Ahsoka being a key chapter in the ongoing Star Wars saga and the switch to red typeface instead of the typical blue text also suggests a trajectory toward darkness (see also the choice to present it as flat text instead of the traditional up-and-away diagonal of the movies). And considering its discussion of Grand Admiral Thrawn’s (Lars Mikkelsen) exile and the potential war should he unite the Imperial Remnant, it seems the stakes are higher than they’ve been for some time.
But that also suggests something else: Ahoska may only serve as a setup to Filoni’s feature film. It may end with Thrawn in power and the acknowledged “heir to the Empire,” which leaves a lot of story to resolve when (and if) that film materializes.
Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) and the Magistrate (Diana Lee Inosanto) in The Mandalorian season 2, chapter 13 “The Jedi” (Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Curiously, the text crawl and the opening scene leave us wondering just when these events are transpiring. The only thing for sure, they follow the fifth episode of The Mandalorian’s second season, “The Jedi,” in which Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu first meet Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson). It is also the debut of Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto), a character who now looms large in the story as Baylan Skoll (Ray Stevenson) and Shin Hati (Ivanna Sakhno) raid a New Republic prison ship to free her.
Presumably, Ahsoka delivered Elsbeth to New Republic forces immediately after the events of “The Jedi.” And instead of locking her up for the span of years covered by the rest of The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, it would seem the New Republic scheduled a speedy trial. If that is the case, Ahsoka’s search for Thrawn runs concurrently with The Mandalorian’s second season and her meeting with Din at Luke Skywalker’s (Mark Hamill) new Jedi Temple on Ossus is sometime in her future.
Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson), the Child and the Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) in The Mandalorian season 2, chapter 13 “The Jedi” (Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
If so, her demeanor toward Din and Luke would suggest things go better than expected in her quest. Then again, it is possible the courts of the New Republic are as slow as they were in the Old Republic and Elsbeth has sat in a prison cell for at least three years.
Either way, we know the paths of Ahsoka and The Mandalorian will sync up again as he has (or will) dealt a pretty heavy blow to the Remnant’s long-term plans.
One other thing we’re fairly sure of now: “The Jedi” took place before the final moments of Star Wars: Rebels. Filoni always teased the possibility and now, with the scene recreated with a greater context (more on that in a moment) at the end of Ahsoka’s second episode, it is clear he always saw that moment as a key part of Ahsoka’s ongoing story. And, thankfully, we finally have some idea why.
Huyang (David Tennant) and Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) (Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
One criticism of Dawson’s debut as Ahsoka in “The Jedi” was a certain dourness to the performance. Voice actor Ashley Eckstein always infused Ahsoka with a youthful exuberance — even when she appears as an adult in Rebels — Dawson never quite matched. Granted, we’ll argue some of that joie de vivre emerges in her Boba Fett appearance. But with the opening episodes of Ahsoka, a reason for a more reserved and sadder Ahsoka Tano emerges: the failed tutelage of Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo).
Sabine’s connection to the Force was never stated outright during Rebels, but her aptitude with the Darksaber (which she wielded for a time in Rebels’ third season) can now be seen as a potential clue.
But beyond any call-forwards one may find in Rebels to Sabine’s potential as a Jedi, it seems Ahsoka recognized it just as the Galactic Civil War went into full swing and took her on as a Padawan at some point during that conflict. And based on everything she, Sabine, and Huyang (David Tennant) say about the time, it did not go well with Ahsoka ultimately walking away from her padawan for reasons not yet stated. Then again, the stubbornness both share may have played a part.
Which brings us back to Ahsoka’s demeanor and her refusal to train Gorgu. Opening herself up to a master-apprentice relationship could not have been easy. As noted by Hera Syndulla’s (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) immediate regret when joking about Ahsoka being difficult with her master, Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen), becoming a teacher could not have been easy for her. And the decision to abandon Sabine — which she outright compares to abandoning Anakin — could only contribute to a more jaded person.
We also still don’t know much about her activities during the war beyond “going where I’m needed,” but we imagine there were some difficult fights with or without an apprentice by her side. Ahsoka also spent some time in the World Between Worlds (essentially a time portal) after Ezra Bridger (the missing friend voiced by Taylor Gray on Rebels) saved her from a death at the hands of Darth Vader. It is possible she experienced something profound there that also contributed to the sterner warrior we see here. See also: the fact she has died a handful of times only to return. That has to change a person.
And, it should be noted, the Ahsoka of old does appear every so often with a smile or wry retort. But, perhaps, reconnecting with who she once was via a more successful training of Sabine will form a great portion of her emotional arc in the episodes to come.
Diana Lee Inosanto as Morgan Elsbeth in a poster for Ahsoka (Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Outside of her own interior conflict, Ahsoka has plenty of external antagonists to face. The revelation that Elsbeth was a Nightsister of Dathomir resets the nature of the overall struggle. First introduced in Dave Wolverton’s 1994 novel The Courtship of Princess Leia, they entered the modern cannon in Clone Wars. As ultimately realized in that series, the Nightsisters are neither Jedi nor Sith, but are Force-sensitives who employ Dathomir’s dark energies and ichor as a form of magick. Naturally enough, they’ve had contact with the galaxy and its various factions over the centuries, developing a dislike of the Jedi, before the Nightsisters were more or less eradicated during the Clone Wars.
Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) (Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Some escaped, however, pursuing different paths. And from what we know of Elsbeth so far, it led her to become a titan of industry on Corellia and a loyal follower of Thrawn, who always had his own ambitions about securing order in the galaxy.
But that leads to one or two questions: How did the Nightsisters develop a map to Thrawn’s location hundreds of years before he and Ezra disappeared? Elsbeth’s claim that Thrawn speaks to her across “time and space” is one potential answer. Alternatively, the Nightsisters may have known something about the migration of purrgils — space whales capable of hyperspace travel — across intergalactic distances and she is just assuming the map Ahsoka recovered will lead her to Thrawn.
Ray Stevenson as Baylan Skoll in a poster for Ahsoka (Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
By means of credits or faith, Elsbeth’s cause has attracted other Force-users to engage in the search for Thrawn. As we learn from Huyang, Baylan was a Jedi who disappeared at the end of the Clone Wars. But his orange saber blade and his own testimony confirm he is not a Jedi anymore. Nor does he appear to be Sith. It has led some to suggest he will turn out to be the founder of the Knights of Ren (who briefly appear in the Star Wars sequel trilogy), but we have another possibility: a genuine Dark Jedi.
A facet of the old Expanded Universe, Dark Jedi were, as the name implied, Jedi who fell to the Dark Side in the wake of the Empire’s rise to power. Some actively worked for Emperor Sheev Palpatine, while others embraced different philosophies or sought to create their own dominance in the galaxy. But when the EU was de-canonized by Disney, the term more or less disappeared except for those still reading the older stories or playing video games like Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast or its follow-up, Jedi Academy. But as Filoni and Jon Favreau’s exploration of the galaxy after the events of Return of the Jedi features a lot of early EU concepts — the Imperial Remnant, Thrawn himself — it is possible Baylan may yet declare himself a Dark Jedi.
Indeed, his seeming desire for power reflects the Dark Jedi Thrawn attempted to exploit in his debut appearance, Timothy Zahn’s Heir to the Empire. Although, in that tale, Joruus C’baoth turned out to be insane, an imperfect clone, and only interested in greater power when Thrawn offered him Luke, Leia (Carrie Fisher), and her unborn twins as payment for his services. We doubt Baylan will turn out to be a direct translation of C’baoth, but it is possible he will fill some of that role should Filoni choose to more directly adapt Heir to the Empire if and when Thrawn returns to known space.
Ivanna Sakhno as Shin Hati in a poster for Ahsoka (Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Although, it is it interesting that he considers killing Ahsoka to be a shame? See also: Shin’s clear confusion at some of their actions.
She is something of a wild card here as she does not appear to be an analogue of an EU character or someone who connects dots to something else. That makes her potentially fascinating, whether she decides her master and Elsbeth are wrong or turns out to be the actual founder of the Knights of Ren.
Paul Darnell as Marrok (Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Then again, the link could be Marrok, the Inquisitor who appears without introduction as part of Elsbeth’s coterie halfway through Ahsoka’s first episode. His appearance — and for the moment, we’re using that pronoun as Baylan and Elsbeth both do – in some of the trailers had many online wondering if he was actually Ezra. Presumably, Ezra is wherever Thrawn is, but Marrok’s refusal to remove his helmet makes him an irresistible riddle in the Star Wars tradition.
Other possibilities for Marrok’s true identity: Jedi Survivor protagonist Cal Kestis (Cameron Monaghan), long-lost EU Force-wielder Kyle Katarn, and, if we disregard the pronouns for a moment, EU favorite Mara Jade.
Of course, these are all just wild suggestions. Marrok may be another rank-and-file Inquisitor or Padawan press-ganged into the Emperor’s service as the Inquisitorius took shape after the fall of the Jedi.
No matter their ultimate roles or fates, each present interesting threats for Ahsoka and Sabine to manage.
Ahsoka fan event at El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, California on August 17 (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney)
One thing we are curious about, though, is how viewers not familiar with Rebels responded to the episodes. Since we know entirely too much about Hera, Sabine, Ezra, Chopper, and Thrawn, all the callbacks and entrances were a delight. We can also confirm those moments went over well with the Star Wars faithful at the Ahsoka fan events last week. But did it work for someone coming in fresh? If you have a perspective on that question, tell us in the comments below.
85%
Star Wars: Ahsoka: Season 1
(2023)
new episodes premiere on Wednesdays on Disney+.
Critics’ responses to Ahsoka, the latest live-action Star Wars series on Disney+, are solidly Fresh so far, but comments on the pacing are lukewarm. Rosario Dawson shines as former Jedi Knight Ahsoka Tano, and the charismatic performance of late actor Ray Stevenson, who died in May after filming ended, has touched reviewers.
The story, from writer and showrunner Dave Filoni, takes place after the fall of the Galactic Empire, and follows Ahsoka as she hunts for Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen, reprising the role he voiced on animated series Star Wars: Rebels). The Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated theatrical film introduced Ahsoka, a Togruta, as Anakin Skywalker’s Padawan student. A subsequent animated series of the same name saw the character grow into a strong Jedi Knight. Rebels found an Ahsoka steeped in the workings of the Rebel Alliance as it prepared for war with the Empire.
The character leapt to live-action with Dawson in the role in hit Disney+ series The Mandalorian, from series creator Jon Favreau and starring Pedro Pascal. She also appeared in Favreau and Filoni’s Mandalorian spin-off series The Book of Boba Fett, starring Temuera Morrison and Ming-Na Wen.
The cast of the new series also includes Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Eman Esfandi, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, David Tennant, Ivanna Sakhno, Genevieve O’Reilly, Diana Lee Inosanto, and Hayden Christensen.
Here’s what critics are saying about season 1 of Star Wars: Ahsoka:
This series feels like Star Wars thanks to perfectly combined humor, epic lightsaber battles, and emotional high stakes storylines. Feels more like a live action Rebels than a The Mandalorian spin-off, but that’s not a bad thing.
—Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky
The Star Wars TV show we’ve been waiting for, Ahsoka is an astonishing addition to the saga, with a phenomenal cast and pitch-perfect action that will take your breath away. THIS. IS. STAR WARS.
—Josh Wilding, ComicBookMovie.com
At least we still have “Andor.”
—Ben Travers, indieWire
Fans of Clone Wars and Rebels will appreciate this live-action continuation of Dave Filoni’s saga, while newcomers should dig its promise of a different kind of Force clash.
—Dan Jolin, Empire Magazine
This show is going to be my must-see Star Wars show each week it’s on.
—Julian Lytle, Geek Girl Riot
If you’re a longtime Star Wars fan that’s been feeling a little underwhelmed with the most recent offerings, Ahsoka should not just rekindle your excitement for the franchise but set it full on bonfire mode.
—Jeffrey Lyles, Lyles’ Movie Files
Rosario Dawson in Star Wars: Ahsoka season 1
Dawson lifts your attention above the “Star Wars” of it all. She even overcomes the scalp appendages she has inherited from the cartoon character, which look exactly like what they are: a dangling pair of rubber bags.
—Mike Hale, New York Times
“They’ve found the perfect actor for the part in Rosario Dawson.”
—Max Covill, It’s The Pictures
Rosario Dawson’s compelling performance is a true force of nature.
—M.N. Miller, Nerd Alert
Baylan Skoll (Ray Stevenson) and Shin Hati (Ivanna Sakhno) (Photo by Lucasfilm)
A series that’s primarily bland, albeit packed with potentially interesting characters, plus an exceptional anchoring performance from the late Ray Stevenson, whose charismatic presence here left me moved.
—Dan Fienberg, Hollywood Reporter
The action and visuals are spectacular, but the new actors are too stiff in their portrayal of the wonderful cast of characters that made Dave Filoni’s animated series worthy of continuation.
—Samantha Nelson, IGN Movies
Ahsoka‘s greatest triumph lies in how effortlessly it moves Rebels characters to live-action. Thanks to its cast, the show feels emotionally symmetrical to its animated predecessor without blatantly replicating what made it work so well.
—Hayden Mears, TV Line
Star Wars: Ahsoka boasts a terrific cast, stunning special effects, captivating storytelling, a magnetic turn by Ivanna Sakhno
—M.N. Miller, Nerd Alert
Filoni has been with Ahsoka Tano every step of the way and the series is in good hands.
—Danielle Solzman, Solzy at the Movies
With high highs but also low lows of dramatic pauses and slow pacing, Ahsoka will either draw the fandom in – or force push them away. Rebellions are built on hope. Let’s hope that Ahsoka is built on the same.
—Christie Cronan, Raising Whasians
There’s several cool moments when the Star Wars spirit kicks in & Filoni invokes the original Samurai movies inspiration, but his prowess making 22-minute animated episodes isn’t translating into 45-55 live-action minutes. [Full review in Spanish]
—Jorge Rivera Rubio, QiiBO
The first two episodes of Ahsoka struggle a bit but, ultimately, develop the characters, relationships, and stories enough that we’re very hopeful the rest of the season will be as excellent as we all want it to be.
—Germain Lussier, io9.com
No matter how hard it strives for widespread accessibility, it’s a sequel that will be of primary interest to established fans.
—Nick Schager, The Daily Beast
These first two episodes of Ahsoka, which account for a quarter of the season, are a little slow but hopefully will prove to be effective table setters for a thrilling adventure.
—Mark Meszoros, The News-Herald (Willoughby, OH)
The MVPs of the first two episodes? [Composer] Kevin Kiner, the droids, and the Loth-cats. Ahsoka is quite stiff to start but given the wealth of rich characters and story details in play, hopefully the show will find its groove as it progresses.
—Perri Nemiroff, Perri Nemiroff (YouTube)
Ahsoka may suffer from the same story issues that The Mandalorian’s most recent season dealt with, but diehard fans may be willing to overlook them if the endgame is a satisfying conclusion…
—Maggie Lovitt, Collider
85%
Star Wars: Ahsoka: Season 1
(2023)
premieres Tuesday, August 22 at 6 p.m. on Disney+.
Star Wars: Ahsoka takes place after the fall of the Galactic Empire and follows former Jedi Knight Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) as she investigates a new threat endangering the galaxy.
Writer and showrunner Dave Filoni is behind the series, which is fitting, since he originally created the Ahsoka character for animated series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars. While this is the first standalone series that focuses on Ahsoka, she’s appeared in a handful of properties: Star Wars Rebels, The Book of Boba Fett, The Mandalorian season 2, and she’s heard guiding Rey in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
Starring alongside Dawson is Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Eman Esfandi, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, the late Ray Stevenson, David Tennant, Ivanna Sakhno, Genevieve O’Reilly, Diana Lee Inosanto, and Hayden Christensen.
Here’s what critics are saying on social media about season 1 of Star Wars: Ahsoka:
Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) in Star Wars: Ahsoka (Photo by Lucasfilm)
Ahsoka is 100% a sequel to Rebels. The 2 episode premiere felt like it was right out of The Clone Wars & Star Wars Rebels, but in live action. — Jorgie, POC Culture
Previewed the first two eps of #Ahsoka. Though it’s an exciting new chapter to the Star Wars story that Dave Filoni has created, it feels more like a sequel to Rebels than a true Ahsoka series. That said, it has all of the charms, humor, and thrills of Rebels… if you watched it. — Michael Lee, Geeks Of Doom
Initial #Ahsoka thoughts: Dave Filoni lovingly brings his rebels to life in a story that embraces mythology, magic, and lore in a way that could turn off, say, ANDOR fans. Slower paced than expected but still enthralling for this Rebels fan. — Meghan O’Keefe, Decider
A promising start for #Ahsoka with many cool story elements that expand the #StarWars universe and feel different from Mando. — Eric Goldman, Fandom
The first two episodes of #Ahsoka are very good. It really does feel like Star Wars Rebels season 5… great news for fans, but others might feel a bit lost at first. — Mark Cassidy, ComicBookMovie.com
Baylan Skoll (Ray Stevenson) and Shin Hati (Ivanna Sakhno) (Photo by Lucasfilm)
Rosario Dawson is SO at home in her adaption of the character but it’s Natasha Liu Bordizzo & her Sabine that steals your heart. Cant wait to see her & Askoka’s story in full. — Lauren LaMagna, NextBestPicture
Also, the late Ray Stevenson is excellent in the episodes I’ve seen, creating a compelling character and performance with minimal screen time and dialogue. — Matthew Simpson, Exclaim!
I cant take my eyes off Ivanna Sakhno whenever she’s on screen and I’m so intrigued by her character. —Ash Crossan, ETNow
Rosario Dawson plays Ahsoka perfectly; Hera and Sabine solid; intriguing villains. Adorable Lothcats. — Mark Cassidy, ComicBookMovie.com
Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) and Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) (Photo by Lucasfilm)
#Ahsoka is AWESOME. It’s got just about everything a #StarWars fan could want out of a live-action TV series, but the thing I admire most about it might actually be its deliberate pacing. Scenes are allowed to play out at an organic rate rather than being rushed along by rapid-fire editing. — LaughingPlace.com
Every scene gets time to breathe & feels completely organic! Perfectly paced & putting characters first!! — Zach Pope
Dave Filoni has perfected his craft with this one. It’s a stunning show with incredible storytelling & great writing. Some moments will SHOCK you. — Atom
I enjoyed the first two episodes of #Ahsoka, and the best part about it is that it’s focused on telling one grand story.
I’ve never watched the animated shows, so I don’t know the ins and outs of these characters’ backstories, but their dynamics are clear. — Brian Davids, Hollywood Reporter
Impressed with the action & how it’s all story. No side missions or filler. Can’t wait to see episode 3. Wish I could watch future episodes on a movie screen. — Steven Weintraub, Collider
Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto), Shin Hati (Ivanna Sakhno) and Baylan Skoll (Ray Stevenson) (Photo by Lucasfilm)
I enjoyed the first two episodes of #Ahsoka, which kind of play out like an elegiac coda to rebels – the tone is very similar to the Mandalorian episode The Jedi – silent and still with brilliantly eerie music and a lot of cool tableaux — Andrzej Łukowski, TimeOut
If you’re a fan of #StarWarsRebels you’ll love all the nods. #Ahsoka is Dave Feloni’s masterful vision in live action form. — That Hashtag Show
The first 2 episodes of #Ahsoka are a lot of fun, especially for fans of REBELS and CLONE WARS. Love Ashoka’s fight scenes the most. The 1st episode is written & directed by Dave Filoni & it’s my fav of the two. Definitely more serious in tone. This is some good #StarWars — Erik Davis, Fandango
Star Wars GAMECHANGER! Surpasses Andor & will win several awards. Great cameos, epic action & gorgeous visuals that will soak uh your pants. — Atom
Dawson (Photo by Lucasfilm)
Expect reviews for this show to be heavily divisive among those who are fans of Rebels and those who are not. And it’s still hard to reconcile the difference between Ashley’s Ahsoka and Rosario’s Ahsoka. And yet, I am excited to see what comes from this. It’s an intriguing setup — Joe Schmidt, ComicBook.com
As a Rebels fan, I felt a connection to it that was truly special. And yet it’s hugely epic at some times & oddly flat at others. — Germain Lussier, Gizmodo
Not just another tv show, it’s the BEST Disney+ series ever! A fitting end to her journey while also setting up what’s next — Atom
The entire cast is incredible and perfectly embodies the Rebels. THIS FEELS LIKE REBELS. I am obsessed already. Cannot wait for more. I didn’t want it to end. Dave Filoni is a genius. #Ahsoka — Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky
85%
Star Wars: Ahsoka: Season 1
(2023)
premieres Tuesday, August 22 at 6 p.m. on Disney+.
Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) and Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) in Star Wars: Ahsoka (Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Rotten Tomatoes’ social media followers and poll respondents voted Star Wars: Ahsoka season 1 as the top TV and streaming title they’re looking forward to in August. Only Murders in the Building season 3 came in second, and One Piece season 1 in third place. Heartstopper season 2 landed at fourth, and there was a three-way tie at fifth: The Winter King season 1, the 14th and final season of Archer, and season 2 of Invasion.
Don’t see your favorite on the list? Tell us in the comments.
No. 1
85%
Star Wars: Ahsoka: Season 1
(2023)
(Disney+)
#1 on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter), YouTube, and Rotten Tomatoes’ poll
Premieres: Wednesday, August 23
Star Wars fans were thrilled when they found out Rosario Dawson would be playing former Jedi Knight Ahsoka Tano in live-action series The Mandalorian. She later reprised the role in The Book of Boba Fett and now stars as the character in her self-titled series on the streamer. Ahsoka, the former Padawan of pre-Darth Vader Jedi Anakin Skywalker in animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, resurfaced older and wiser in animated follow-up Star Wars Rebels. The Mandalorian saw Dawson’s rendition of the character meditate with The Child and reveal that its name is “Grogu,” but she refused to train the young one, leaving room for Luke Skywalker to take on the task. She appears again in The Book of Boba Fett at a time when Grogu must make a fateful decision between Jedi and Mandalorian training. In her own series, Ahsoka is expected to continue her search for Grand Admiral Thrawn, a brilliant military strategist who leads the remnants of the Empire and crushes Rebels where he finds them.
How to Watch: by subscription on Disney+
No. 2
97%
Only Murders in the Building: Season 3
(2023)
(Hulu)
#2 on Facebook, X, and Rotten Tomatoes’ poll #3 on Instagram, YouTube
Premieres: Tuesday, August 8
Season 3 of the murder-mystery comedy series offers fans a gift: Meryl Streep takes on the role of Broadway’s oldest ingenue and — possibly/of course — a murder suspect. Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez return as true-crime fanatics and podcasters Charles-Haden Savage, Oliver Putnam, and Mabel Mora, respectively. This season, Oliver’s hopes of a Broadway rebirth are dashed when the lead in his play (Paul Rudd) is murdered, leading us to wonder why people have such a hard time staying alive around this trio.
How to Watch: by subscription on Hulu
No. 3
86%
One Piece: Season 1
(2023)
(Netflix)
#2 on Instagram, YouTube, #3 on Facebook, #5 on X
Premieres: Thursday, August 31
Based on the manga by Eiichiro Oda, the 10-episode series is a high-seas adventure in which Monkey D. Luffy (Iñaki Godoy) sets out to find a fabled treasure that will make him king of the pirates. The series also stars Mackenyu as Roronoa Zoro, Emily Rudd as Nami, Jacob Romero as Usopp, and Taz Skylar as Sanji, Matt Owens and Steven Maeda
are writers, executive producers, and showrunners.
How to Watch: by subscription on Netflix
No. 4
96%
Heartstopper: Season 2
(2023)
(Netflix)
#3 on X, #4 on Rotten Tomatoes’ poll, #5 on YouTube (tied with Archer and Solar Opposites)
Premieres: Thursday, August 3
An inclusive romance series set in secondary school, Heartstopper boasts a perfect 100% Certified Fresh season 1. The new season finds Nick (Kit Connor) and Charlie (Joe Locke) navigating their new relationship.
How to Watch: by subscription on Netflix
No. 5 (3-way tie)
100%
Archer: Season 14
(2023)
(FX)
Archer season 14 poster (Photo by FX)
#4 on Facebook, #5 on YouTube (tied with Heartstopper and Solar Opposites)
Premieres: Wednesday, August 30
This season in the half-hour animated espionage comedy, Lana (voiced by Aisha Tyler) is at the helm as Sterling Archer (voiced by H. Jon Benjamin) and The Agency find their own way. Lana’s goal is to make money while also making the world a better place, but she quickly finds out running a spy agency isn’t so cut and dry.
How to Watch: FXX | stream the next day on Hulu
67%
Invasion: Season 2
(2023)
(Apple TV+)
#5 on Facebook, #4 on YouTube
Premieres: Wednesday, August 23
The science fiction drama series from Simon Kinberg and David Weil follows an alien invasion through different perspectives around the world. Set across multiple continents, Invasion season 2 picks up just months later with the aliens escalating their attacks in an all-out war against the humans. Aliens and destruction abound as scientists, military, and a loose global government relentlessly pursue answers and continue the fight for the world’s survival. The new season stars Golshifteh Farahani, Shioli Kutsuna, Shamier Anderson, India Brown, Billy Barratt, Azhy Robertson, Paddy Holland, and Tara Moayedi. Season 2 new series regulars include Enver Gjokaj, Nedra Marie Taylor, and Naian González Norvind.
How to Watch: by subscription on Apple TV+
74%
The Winter King: Season 1
(2023)
(MGM+)
#3 on Rotten Tomatoes’ poll
Premieres: Sunday, August 20
A revisionist take on well-loved Arthurian legends, the series is based on Bernard Cornwell’s Warlord Chronicles series of novels. The Winter King is set in the fifth century before Britain’s unification in a brutal land of warring factions and tribes. The series follows Arthur Pendragon (Iain De Caestecker) as he evolves from outcast to legendary warrior and leader. The series also stars Eddie Marsan as High King Uther, Ellie James as Nimue, Nathaniel Martello-White as Merlin, Stuart Campbell as Derfel, Daniel Ings as Owain, Valene Kane as Morgan, Jordan Alexandra as Guinevere, and Simon Merrells as Gundleus.
How to Watch: by subscription on MGM+
On an Apple device? Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Apple News.
UPDATE: July 11 trailer (above) added.
Ahsoka Tano’s rise to prominence is one of the great Star Wars feel-good stories. Voiced by Ashley Eckstein, the Togruta was introduced as Anakin Skywalker’s (voiced by Matthew Lanter) precocious Padawan learner in the ill-received Star Wars: The Clone Wars theatrical film. But across the first five seasons of the subsequent animated series, the character grew from that initial depiction into a strong and dependable Jedi-in-training. Along the way, she also developed a devoted following among viewers who were all dismayed when The Clone Wars was cut short, leaving Ahsoka on a cliffhanger as she chose exile from the Jedi Order.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Click here to open full poster in a new tab.
Thankfully, Clone Wars supervising director Dave Filoni, who is also credited as her co-creator alongside Star Wars originator George Lucas, immediately went from Clone Wars to a new animated series: Star Wars Rebels. There, he introduced an older and somewhat wiser Ahsoka (still voiced by Eckstein) who spent the 15 or so years between the two programs helping the nascent Rebel Alliance prepare for their eventual war with the Empire (among other things, of course). Her return and consistent presence on Rebels (for a few seasons, anyway) cemented the character as an important aspect of the overall Star Wars story; in fact, the fans even had a rallying cry for whenever she vanished: “Ahsoka Lives.” It got them through Clone Wars’s cancellation, her seemingly climactic confrontation with Darth Vader on Rebels, and her return in that program’s final episode.
(Photo by Merrick Morton/TM and ©copyright Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved/Courtesy Everett Collection)
Then in 2020, Ahsoka fans received a couple of gifts: a final season of The Clone Wars to wrap up her story during that conflict, and word that she would be coming to the live action TV series, The Mandalorian. The latter became a reality later that year (with Rosario Dawson taking over from Eckstein), followed by a surprise announcement at the Disney Investor Day revealing Ahsoka Tano would be getting her own series. And just to sweeten the deal, the series would eventually join The Mandalorian and other Star Wars series for a crossover event now slated to be a feature film with Filoni directing.
Following the announcement, though, word about Ahsoka went pretty quiet until October 2021, when word broke indicating Star Wars prequel star Hayden Christensen would return as Anakin Skywalker, marking the first time the former Jedi Master and his former Padawan will share the live-action screen.
Of course, that moment is still in the (near) future, but it served as impetus to compile everything we know about Ahsoka so far. And in the years since we first investigated Ahsoka’s potential future, a lot has come to light.
The series, carrying on from Ahsoka’s appearance on The Mandalorian, will see her continuing to chase down Imperial Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen, reprising the role he voiced on Rebels). He went missing during the final liberation of Lothal, just prior to the events of the original Star Wars. But more important than his fugitive status is the person who went missing alongside him: would-be Jedi Ezra Bridger (voiced by Taylor Gray). As mentioned in Rebels’ final moments, Ahsoka made good on her promise to find him and her friends; although it would take her the entire Galactic Civil War to really dedicate herself to the quest.
Except, as Filoni told Vanity Fair, the final scene of Rebels — which saw the Jedi exile in all-white robes and brandishing a staff — may occur after events of her Mandalorian appearance, indicating Ahsoka may also take place before that moment. If that’s the case, then Ahsoka’s search for Thrawn may somehow be unrelated to the search for Ezra. Or, perhaps, she’s chosen not to include the members of Ezra’s Rebel cell. Based on her reticence to train Grogu and Dawson’s comments at Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023, we imagine huge elements of the show will be Ahsoka’s loneliness and reluctance to connect. It is a nice source of drama as she continues her quest.
Adding some fuel to that fire: a trailer released on July 11 in which Ahsoka claimed she is unwilling to dwell on her past, but nonetheless took on an apprentice whom she walked away from just as she walked away from Anakin during the Clone Wars. And as her presumed apprentice is a beloved Rebels character, it may explain way she continues to walk alone in the post-Empire galaxy.
(Photo by 20th Century Fox)
Ahsoka’s search will be set in the New Republic era five or so years after The Return of the Jedi. As we’ve seen in The Mandalorian, the Republic’s attempt to restore of law and order is already in trouble; it allows the Imperial Remnant to fester. But with the Outer Rim of the galaxy the stomping ground of The Mandalorian, Ahsoka’s journeys will take her far and wide – from former imperial capital Coruscant, to Lothal, Onderon, Ord Mantell, and even some new worlds.
We also expect her dealings with Republic officials to be different from Din Djarin’s (Pedro Pascal) more precarious entanglements on The Mandalorian. Or, perhaps, we’ll discover the rank-and-file are as susceptible to the Jedi Mind Trick as their Stormtrooper predecessors. Also, there are higher ranking individuals in the Republic who must remember Ahsoka as “Fulcrum.” One has to wonder if she’ll call on them as part of her quest.
(Photo by Suzanne Tenner/Lucasfilm Ltd.)
After her debut as the live-action Ahsoka in the second season Mandalorian episode “The Jedi,” Dawson returns as the character. Natasha Liu Bordizzo joins her in the series as Sabine Wren, the Mandalorian artist and demolitions expert from Rebels originally voiced by Tiya Sircar. The July 2023 trailer adds an interesting wrinkle to Sabine’s story as, in one moment, she derisively calls Ahsoka “Master.” Combined with previously released clips of Sabine wielding Ezra’s lightsaber, it appears the series will answer a question Rebels fans have asked for a long time: is Sabine Force-sensitive?
Other audio in the trailer also makes it clear that Ahsoka and Sabine had some sort of falling out in the years since Rebels ended. If Sabine was Ahsoka’s apprentice, what could lead the two to part? Also, how did Sabine convince Ahsoka to train her? At the very least, it’s clear Sabine will be equipped to hold her own against a foe brandishing a lightsaber, even if that opponent claims she has “no power” in the July trailer.
https://twitter.com/RottenTomatoes/status/1666509918738817024
At the 2023 Star Wars Celebration, Mary Elizabeth Winstead confirmed she plays Hera Syndulla, another Rebels character who went on to become a general in the Rebel Alliance. As the character notes in the July trailer, she has spent most of her life fighting a war and hopes to avert another by pleading with the New Republic senate and reuniting with Ahsoka.
An extended version of the first series trailer also revealed Lars Mikkelsen’s live action look as Grand Admiral Thrawn, the first member of the Rebels voice cast to return in a role they originated on the animated series. Also, irascible but lovable droid C1-10P, aka Chopper, will also join in on the adventure.
https://twitter.com/RottenTomatoes/status/1645518063255601156
Eman Esfandi will reportedly play Ezra, although this has not been confirmed and the voice of Ezra heard in the July trailer sounds a lot like Gray’s. Of course, some online believe an older Ezra will be revealed as the Inquisitor Ahoska fights late in the newer preview.
Additional cast — thanks to the trailer and Lucasfilm messaging — include Genevieve O’Reilly in her first New Republic-era appearance as Mon Mothma while Maurice Irvin, Jacqueline Antaramian, Nelson Lee, and Erica Duke join her as a gaggle of Republic senators. Also, David Tennant will once again lend his voice to Huyang, the lightsaber-crafting droid he first voiced on The Clone Wars.
Thrawn will also be reinforced by Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto), the Beskar spear-brandishing servant Ahsoka first faced in Chapter 13 of The Mandalorian. During the Ahsoka-focused panel at Celebration 2023, Inosanto called her character a “complicated woman.” Subsequently, The Expanse’s Wes Chatham also emerged as a part of the admiral’s circle.
The forces of darkness will also find aid from Baylan Skoll and Shin Hati, a pair of Force-sensitives played by Ray Stevenson (in the late actor’s final role) and Ivanna Sakhno, who are neither Jedi nor Sith. But their lightsabers prove they will be formidable opponents even for an accomplished blademaster like Ahsoka. Although, the extended version of the trailer revealed Sabine will also wield a saber to face off against Shin. A glimpse of the scene featured in a TV spot released in June and yet more of the battle appears in the new trailer.
That recent preview also reveals Skoll and Hati are in search of Thrawn, too, with the former claiming the Admiral will offer them undreamed-of power. Many online have pointed out that their last names are direct references to wolves of Norse mythology — continuing Filoni’s own obsession with lupine imagery — who chase the sun and the moon. A successful conclusion to their hunt means Ragnarok, but we doubt the same will be true should these Star Wars characters link up with Thrawn.
(Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Disney)
Other potential characters from the animated show who could make their live action debuts in Ahsoka include Hera’s son, Jacen, and perhaps Temuera Morrison as the beloved Clone Captain Rex (voiced on Rebels by Dee Bradley Baker), who would still be alive at this point in Star Wars history. Some reports indicate Morrison will play the part, but this has yet to be confirmed. Additionally, an older Jacen is featured in an upcoming LEGO set, suggesting the character will appear as well.
Christensen — who already returned as Darth Vader on the Obi-Wan Kenobi limited series — will also appear on Ahsoka as Anakin Skywalker. It is unclear how he will appear as Anakin died five or so years prior to the presumed setting the series, but a galaxy of flashbacks, Force Ghosts, and a certain timey-wimey World Between Worlds makes his involvement relatively easy to explain. Instead, Christensen’s part in the show further cements Ahsoka’s importance to the overall Star Wars story despite debuting after Lucas completed the Prequel Trilogy.
In fact, Filoni recalled during the 2023 panel that Ahsoka came into existence because the Star Wars creator wanted Anakin to have an apprentice.
(Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney)
The Mandalorian brain trust of Filoni and Jon Favreau continue on with Ahsoka, although Filoni takes the primary writing role while Favreau serves as executive producer. The arrangement totally makes sense considering how central Ahsoka has been to Filoni’s work in the galaxy far, far away.
At Celebration 2023, Filoni confirmed a list of directors joining him on the series: Steph Green, Peter Ramsey, Jennifer Getzinger, Geeta Patel, and Mandalorian executive producer Rick Famiyuwa. He also revealed Clone Wars and Rebels composer Kevin Kiner returns to score Ahsoka. “I needed that music. It’s a throughline from Clone Wars to Rebels [to Ahsoka],” he explained.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Click here to open full poster in a new tab.
The series will premiere on August 23 with its first two episodes. During the Celebration 2023 presentation, Dawson said she only recently calmed down from shooting the program and let slip that she hopes the series will get a second season.
Read also: Every Upcoming Star Wars Movie and Series — With Key Details and Dates
If season 3 of The Mandalorian has you feeling Baby Yoda fever all over again, here are five more shows like it that are totally worth checking out.
Pedro Pascal guiding an orphan through dangerous terrain may seem like old hat now, but The Mandalorian was the first to do it, and it just completed another Certified Fresh, must-see season.
And with more Pedro, more Star Wars, and more hero-and-sidekick action, this list will be your perfect companion for a binge-filled evening — or five.
94%
The Last of Us
(HBO)
Starting with our brand new — and somewhat obvious — pick, The Last of Us. Released on HBO and HBO Max in January, this series quickly became a hit and one of the most talked about shows in a long time. And what matters here today, is that it gives you what The Mandalorian can’t: more Pedro Pascal!
After just one Certified Fresh season, The Last of Us is now widely considered among critics to be one of the greatest video game adaptations ever.
While you wait for the officially greenlit season 2, it’ll take you around 10 hours to watch the first season, and then a couple more days to totally process what you just watched.
Where to Watch: by subscription on HBO Max | buy season 1 at Vudu, Prime Video, Apple TV
85%
Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance
(1972)
(Toho Company)
Making the journey as our throwback pick is the Lone Wolf and Cub franchise, which includes six films and a tv series. This manga story was first published in 1970 and screams Mandalorian, as it’s centered around an assassin father and his 3-year-old son who travel together seeking revenge.
Over the years critics have praised the sword work of the actors and twists and turns of the story, saying that this movie franchise features the rare type of film that succeeds as either lowbrow visceral entertainment or high-concept art.
The Lone Wolf and Cub films include Sword of Vengeance, Baby Cart at the River Styx, Baby Cart to Hades, Baby Cart in Peril, Baby Cart in the Land of Demons, White Heaven in Hell.
You can binge all six movies and 80 episodes in just about 80 hours.
Where to Watch: by subscription on HBO Max | rent/buy at Vudu, Prime Video, Apple TV (The TV series is available to stream by subscription on The Roku Channel.)
96%
Andor
(Disney+)
Bringing some rebellion to this list is our audience pick, Andor. With fan-favorite Star Wars actor Diego Luna leading the way as thief–turned–rebel spy Cassian Andor, this series takes us into previously unseen parts of the Star Wars universe — much like The Mandalorian.
After a Certified Fresh first season, Andor holds the highest Tomatometer score out of all the live-action Star Wars shows, with critics calling it an exceptionally mature and political entry into the mythos.
With the second and final season probably not coming until 2024, you can watch the 12-episode first season in about nine hours.
Where to Watch: by subscription on Disney+
66%
The Book of Boba Fett
(Disney+)
Climbing out of a sarlacc pit to be our editor’s pick is The Book of Boba Fett. This series takes place at the same time as, and even crosses over with, The Mandalorian. It features Temuera Morrison as Boba Fett and Ming-Na Wen as Fennec Shand, both reprising their roles from previous Star Wars titles, including The Mandalorian.
While it hasn’t garnered quite the same praise as Mando and Andor, the first season is still Fresh on the Tomatometer. And critics say that it ultimately earns its commission with spectacular set pieces and Morrison’s commanding presence.
No official word yet on a second season, but in the meantime, you can watch the first season in just over five hours. And then you too, may be able to survive a sarlacc pit!
Where to Watch: by subscription on Disney+
82%
Obi-Wan Kenobi
(Disney+)
And finally, our Certified Fresh pick is another live-action Star Wars series: Obi-Wan Kenobi. Much like Din Djarin, Obi-Wan is a bit of a solo traveler in this series and winds up with some precious cargo of his own, as he he is tasked with looking after a young princess Leia.
With Ewan McGregor returning as Obi-Wan and Hayden Christensen reprising his role as Darth Vader, critics praise the Certified Fresh limited series, especially McGregor’s soulful performance paired with some refreshing twists.
You’ll only need about four and a half hours to get through the season, which leaves you plenty of time to keep practicing your force powers.
Where to Watch: by subscription on Disney+
84%
The Mandalorian: Season 3
(2023)
is now streaming in its entirety on Disney+.
On an Apple device? Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Apple News.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Click image to view full poster in a new tab.
While the title of last week’s episode, “The Spies,” left many wondering if a traitor hid under a Mando helmet and the overall tone made us wonder if everything would end with a Charge of the Light Brigade, the final installment of The Mandalorian’s third season — “The Return” — makes it clear what to expect. But just who or what returned and what does it mean in the short term for the New Republic, subsequent seasons of the series, and the further-flung future of Star Wars. Let’s take a look at the various returns and their potential meanings.
Spoiler alert: The following reveals details from the seventh episode of The Mandalorian season 3, “Chapter 24: The Return.” Stop reading here if you have not watched the episode and wish to avoid spoilers.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
During a tactical retreat, Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) learns from the survivors who remained planetside that they have been planting native vegetation in a network of caves across Mandalore. The revelation is significant as most of the planet has been inhospitable to agriculture for centuries. As Bo-Katan herself puts it, life outside the domed cities was an impossible ask — even in her lifetime. That soil could be suitable for crops in just 25 years illustrates that Mandalore is as resilient as its people, but also just how devastating the in-fighting must have been across the generations.
Maybe this is why the Mythosaur slept for so long and, potentially, why it did not reveal itself to the Mandalorians when they assembled at the Living Waters to complete Ragnar Vizsla’s (Wesley Kimmel) induction. The planet may still regard them as hostile invaders.
At the same time, the survivors’ success with farming points to a way forward for the Mandalorians. When they start to rebuild their cities, they will not have to enclose them in domes. Additionally, they may be able to begin a new farming boom in the caves just under the surface even as they rein in the wilder animal life above and below. Would a surplus of food allow them a new way to interact with the galaxy? Potentially. But it remains to be seen if The Way will allow that sort of commerce in its strict warrior code.
Then again, will Mandalore even want to interact with the galaxy at this point?
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Despite the odds and a penultimate episode as grim as Star Wars: The Bad Batch’s season 2 finale, Bo-Katan, Axe Woves (Simon Kassianides), the Armorer (Emily Swallow) and the others did what seemed impossible just seven weeks ago. The retaking of Mandalore may have been a little too swift for some, but for others, the plot point has been decades in the making. And, as Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) suggested last week, a united Mandalorian race could be formidable opposition to the Imperial Remnant. Even the others on the Shadow Council agreed with that, offering him additional resources to stop the threat.
He failed in spectacular fashion, of course — a tactical sacrifice on the part of Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) to remove a rival perhaps? — but not before critically damaging the Darksaber. That detail may affect a more long-running development for the Mandalorian people. Will Bo-Katan be able to lead with it destroyed?
One option, of course, is to simply rebuild it. Bo-Katan knows someone trained in the Jedi arts who could potentially aid her in that endeavor. But it is also possible her efforts in retaking the planet will change the requirements to rule it. Actions speak as loudly as superstition among the Mandalorians and with Bo-Katan now claiming they are stronger together, dogma may be massaged to allow her, at long last, to lead without her succession constantly being questioned.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Indeed, the Armorer’s seeming tolerance of mainstream Mandos who remove their helmets suggests The Way can be flexible. Or at least, stretched enough for the good of restoring the world and reuniting the people. If she has any ambitions of her own, it will likely take the form of converting people to her interpretation of The Way. Its crucial presence in the retaking of the world will be a powerful recruitment tool.
Nevertheless, it is interesting that victory was achieved without this tension about Mando religion being resolved. Well, at least in dialogue. Allowing Bo-Katan to relight the Great Forge without her helmet is a striking visual, as is the image of Mandos with and without helmets shouting “For Mandalore” in unison. Perhaps a season 4 episode will come back to this topic or, perhaps, it is something executive producers Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni will return to much later.
As we’ve mentioned across the season, Mandalorians are completely absent from the Sequel trilogy. That could be down to the interests of directors J.J. Abrams and Rian Johnson in that part of the timeline or an indication that this grand reunification failed as it has for the Mandalorians across millennia. But considering the planet is shielded from the outside galaxy by its atmosphere, it is also possible the people looked inward for a generation as the First Order rose and fell.
If that’s the case, it would be interesting to see them gain a wider presence just as Rey’s (Daisy Ridley) New Jedi Order takes shape some forty years later.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
As we mentioned last week, The Mandalorian started with a vibe borrowed from the Japanese manga series Lone Wolf and Cub. We’ll even argue this season, despite abandoning the wandering mercenary format, still echoed some of writer Kazuo Koike and artist Goseki Kojima’s longer tales of ronin assassin Ogami Itto and his child. But no matter how consciously Favreau regarded the manga for this part of the story, he seemed to make a promise that the initial format will return next season.
Following Ragnar’s induction, Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) requested the same for Grogu. But as The Way is forever revealing new wrinkles, the Armorer leveled several objections — starting with Grogu’s inability to speak Basic (the common language across the hyperspace lanes) to the fact his parents could not offer consent for The Mandalorian to train him as an apprentice.
The back and forth culminated with Djarin adopting Grogu and revealing “Din” is his family name. That detail is interesting for us as we’ve gone back and forth on calling The Mandalorian “Din” or “Djarin” — an indecision inspired by the fact that, much like Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison), the name never sounds quite right without both words being present. But it also suggests a link to Djarin’s past prior to being adopted by the Watch. Perhaps that link will be something for Din Djarin and Din Grogu to search out while once again wandering the galaxy.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Roaming is Djarin’s new mission as proscribed by the Armorer. This time, though, part of the assignment is to train Grogu in the ways of the Mand’alor before he can finally commit to the Creed in his heart and by his words. To us, that means season 4 — which Favreau claims is already written — will return to the more episodic format of the first two seasons as the Clan of Two work New Republic bounties and, occasionally, take breathers in the house on Nevarro.
After a season of action with galactic implications and ties to the greater story Filoni will tell on Ahsoka and his feature film debut, returning to the episodic wandering will be welcomed by many. And, of course, it still echoes the format of Lone Wolf and Cub, which also switched between short tales and longer epics.
And, we assume, Grogu will finally say “The Way, this is” before too long.
(Photo by © 2020 Lucasfilm Ltd. & ™. All Rights Reserved.)
Our last return for the episode is more of a suggestion as Boba Fett remains an outlier among the Mandalorians. Sure, many grumble at the ultimate execution of The Book of Boba Fett, but his continued presence in the galaxy is a story point. And as the acknowledged successor to Jabba’s criminal enterprise, he seemingly takes the place of Talon Karrde in any adaptation of Timothy Zahn’s Thrawn trilogy. Although, in hindsight, Karrde would’ve made a great antagonist for the former bounty hunter in his eponymous series.
No matter his future in the wider part of Filoni’s story, his status as a Mandalorian is still in question and if Bo-Katan truly believes her people are stronger together, than settling matters with him is something she will have to undertake.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
This notion also extends to the other known Mando out in the galaxy: Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo, pictured above in an image from the Ahsoka trailer). While she was happy to leave the affairs of Mandalore to Bo-Katan when she gave her the Darksaber, her relationship to her people some ten years later may be something to explore. And if Bo-Katan is trying to reunite everyone who wears a Mando helmet, reaching out to Sabine on Lothal (or wherever she ends up as Ahsoka runs its course) will also be part of any potential ambassadorial duties.
Read also: Everything We Know About Star Wars Series Ahsoka
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
• As we suspected, Gideon was attempting to infuse The Force within his next generation Death Troopers and within himself. Although, it is unclear if he meant for that generation to also be the clones of himself Djarin destroyed. Either way, his ambition is yet another shadow of Sheev Palpatine’s (Ian McDiarmid) aims in both the old Extended Universe and the Sequel Trilogy. It will be interesting to see if Thrawn ever comments on it when he finally makes his presence known.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
• Djarin’s trip to the New Republic outpost wasn’t just a chance to make arrangements with Carson Teva (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee), but also an opportunity for Filoni and fellow executive producer Rick Famuyiwa to cameo once again as their New Republic ranger characters Trapper Wolf and Jib Dodger. The pair first cameoed in The Mandalorian‘s first season, alongside Obi-Wan Kenobi director Deborah Chow, establishing a tradition of sorts that may eventually lead to Favreau showing his face in an X-Wing pilot jumpsuit. We also suspect Djarin and Carson’s arrangement will follow-up on some of the ideas proposed for the abandoned Rangers of the New Republic series.
The photo shows New Republic pilots including Trapper Wolf (Dave Filoni, wearing hat), Captain Carson Teva (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, in center) with Bartender (Misty Rojas).
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
• Establishing IG-11 (Taika Waititi) as the marshal of Nevarro and Greef Karga’s (Carl Weathers) land grant to Djarin is about as happy of an ending as could be found for the story threads bound to that planet. Indeed, the iris-out on Grogu at the end of the episode suggests a certain finality for the characters even as new horizons lay ahead for the Clan of Two. We’ll be surprised if Karga or IG-11 have much more to do in subsequent seasons beyond some tactical support, though.
84%
The Mandalorian: Season 3
(2023)
is now streaming in its entirety on Disney+.
On an Apple device? Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Apple News.
While the second-to-last episode of The Mandalorian’s third season concerned itself with bringing the protagonists to one of their lowest moments ever, it also established a great deal about the wider world and a key tie to this summer’s Ahsoka. And while we ponder the future for Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal), Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff), Grogu, and the others, it is also worth considering what it means to be the heir to the Empire and how much of the old Expanded Universe we can expect in the years to come. Let’s dive into what chapter 23, “The Spies,” offers us besides a potential Mandalore charge of the Light Brigade.
Spoiler alert: The following reveals details from the seventh episode of The Mandalorian season 3, “Chapter 23: The Spies.” Stop reading here if you have not watched the episode and wish to avoid spoilers.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
But before we delve too deeply into the future of The Mandalorian’s part in the Star Wars timeline, let’s pay our respects to Paz Vizsla (Tait Fletcher, voiced by Jon Favreau). All season, we’re put him under a microscope because he was just so inscrutable. Introduced as a potential foil for Din in the program’s second episode, he moved toward a rival status in The Book of Boba Fett as he vocally expressed a desire for Clan Vizsla to reclaim the Darksaber.
Then, the third season put him in a different light as his devotion to the Way clearly proved stronger than any individual ambition. His opinion of both Din and Bo-Katan evolved as he saw them in action. Their willingness to save his foundling son proved to be a pivotal moment. He openly advocated for the defense of Nevarro and the opportunity for the covert to have a proper home. He also proved to be an invaluable asset in that fight and this first attempt to retake Mandalore.
Sure, he and Axe Woves (Simon Kassianides) tussled — that was inevitable as he always needs to grapple with someone. Nevertheless, his willingness to lay down his life for the others proved a certain nobility that, we think, may not have been seen amongst his clan since the days of Tarre Vizsla, the Mandalorian Jedi who forged the Darksaber. Of course, the centuries always allow for another to prove their merit as Paz did this week.
Either way, it makes it all the sadder that we should lose him on another dark Mandalore day. His sacrifice was for the safety of the others, and we can’t help but noticed he made it to the end without ever removing his helmet. There was always the suspicion Favreau might find a way to affix his face to the character’s larger, built frame — see the special edition Hasbro Star Wars Black Series action figure of Paz that does just that — but for the sacrifice to have the impact that it needed, there could never be a chance to see the executive producer’s face even in a reflection of Paz’s helmet.
All that said, it is possible he somehow survived his tussle with the Praetorian Guard and may make one last stand next week.
In terms of the season’s exploration of a Mandalorian religion, Paz also underscores just how persuasive the Way can be. He set aside all other personal things, like his ambitions and his own son, to protect sworn brethren and sistren. It also stands as an example of why Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) views the warrior culture as such a threat to the Imperial Remnant’s goals.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
The episode also made clear just what became of Gideon since his capture in the season 2 finale. He was rescued by a “next generation” of Dark Trooper who emerged from his belief that the best of all worlds should be mixed into an elite soldier who will bring order to the galaxy. Beyond the depravity of the original troopers, they also utilize Beskar armor and Mando-style jet packs.
We also think Gideon’s true intent with Grogu was to somehow add the Force to his new troops. But more on that in a moment.
The new Death Troopers clearly sprung Gideon from the Republic shuttle and ferried him back to Mandalore, where he’s been all this time. That really should’ve been everyone’s first guess as the Moff was stationed there as its governor in the wake of the purge. And, as we learned this week, Bo-Katan literally gave him the Darksaber and the planet in the hopes that further loss of life could be avoided.
He lied, of course.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Lying is second nature to him, though. Look at the way he lied to other members of the clandestine Remnant Shadow Council regarding Doctor Pershing (Omid Abtahi, pictured above) and the resources he swore to provide to Project Necromancer. It seems clear his recovery of the child was meant to serve that purpose even as he always intended to extract midi-chlorians from Grogu for his new Dark Troopers.
His actions to date prove he is formidable among the Remnant leadership and it is clear some on the Shadow Council would welcome him as Sheev Palpatine’s (Ian McDiarmid) successor. Indeed, he proved to be a good tactician in setting back the Mandalorian cause this week.
That said, we find it interesting that both he and the council view a liberated Mandalore as a genuine threat to their plans. Presumably, they all believe Mandalorians would fight any attempt to restore the Empire on a galactic scale. Even Gideon would find it difficult to produce Dark Troopers on the scale required to challenge a united Mandalorian fight. The season finale will prove a crucial moment for him and Bo-Katan as the future of the conflict will be decided on what happens next.
Also, Gideon just enjoys keeping Mandos down. The cruelty is always the point, after all.
(Photo by ©Disney XD / courtesy Everett Collection)
The Dark Troopers are also probably part of Gideon’s plan to set himself up as Palpatine’s replacement. But, as revealed in this episode, a true heir to the Empire emerges in the form of Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen).
As fans of the novel trilogy by Timothy Zahn and Star Wars Rebels (Thrawn pictured center above) knows, the Chiss tactician is the most formidable opponent anyone could face. Consider that he is an alien who rose to one of the highest ranks in the otherwise xenophobic Imperial navy and that most of the Shadow Council defers to his representative, Captain Pellaeon (Xander Berkely), at any mention of his name.
The presence of Pellaeon is interesting in its own right. The character also originates from Zahn’s first Star Wars novel, Heir to the Empire. There, he served as Thrawn’s chief lieutenant and is an acknowledged co-founder of the Imperial Remnant even as he also signed the treaty with the New Republic that ended the war in the old Expanded Universe.
In current Star Wars continuity, Pellaeon served as a captain in Thrawn’s Seventh Fleet. He took part in the blockade of Lothal (seen in Rebels) and was there when Thrawn and Ezra Bridger disappeared shortly before the Galactic Civil War became an open conflict. And if the episode had streamed before Star Wars Celebration last week, we’d be questioning if Pellaeon’s use of Thrawn’s name was a gambit of his own to seize complete control of the Remnant.
(Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Disney)
From the scene, it’s clear the Imperial forces are more organized than we suspected and Pellaeon, acting as Thrawn’s representative, wields authority even among the other command figures on the council. Gideon has to convince him to send extra resources to Mandalore, for example. But with the knowledge that Mikkelsen (pictured above) will be playing Thrawn in August’s Ahsoka, it is possible he will make his presence known next week whether or not Gideon is successful in his attempt to end the Mando threat. And we bet he will be none-to-pleased to discover what the Moff has been up to with Imperial equipment and research.
Of course, that’s presuming Pellaeon is in contact with the admiral and not just presuming to know his wishes. Thrawn may still be missing even as the first episodes of Ahsoka start to stream.
Nevertheless, it is interesting to learn that the Imperial Remnant is organized at all. Up until now, they have appeared to be broken into factions — a cover possibly ordered by Thrawn to allay the Republic. It was a pretty convincing tactic, as even we hedged our bets on the Remnant being disconnected fleets acting as warlords and pirates. The council’s efforts create a straighter line to the First Order than we suspected.
That said, it’s pretty clear Gideon means to behave like a warlord and if Bo-Katan, Grogu, and the others don’t deal with him while rescuing Din, Thrawn will be his next opponent.
But outside of all the Remnant machinations, the bulk of the episode concerned bringing the Mandalore reclamation effort to its knees. Bo-Katan was once again chastened, Din was captured, and we presume the Armorer (Emily Swallow) will find a fleet of Star Destroyers awaiting her and the Mando floatilla.
Putting the heroes into that amount of peril is good storytelling, though, as it gives them a dark place to crawl out of it. Surviving it is a worry for next week’s season finale. To an extent, holding Mandalore seems like a dream Bo-Katan and the others should give up in favor of the land on Nevarro. At the same time, it is possible we’re nearing the end of this story with the Mandos getting wiped out. They are conspicuously absent from the Sequel Trilogy, after all. But Star Wars is also about hope, and it always springs eternal.
Consider that this time, Din was captured and not Grogu. That could really change the outcome of things.
(Photo by David James/Lucasfilm Ltd.)
• Commandant Hux is played by Brian Gleeson, brother of actor Domhnall Gleeson (pictured above), who played First Order General Hux in the Sequel Trilogy. Presumably, the two Gleesons play father and son decades apart. But if that’s the case, why didn’t the younger Hux know about what was happening on Exegol? At least, we’re presuming the elder Hux’s “Project Necromancer” is directly related to giving Palpatine a new body and, maybe, a proxy Supreme Leader with which to control what becomes of the Remnant.
• As noted by the Armorer when asked by the veteran Mandos who remained planetside, the Death Watch splintered into factions and annihilated each other. This may be why her Children of the Watch covert is so dedicated to The Way. It potentially saved the few who remained and may yet be the means to unite any remaining Mandalorians in the galaxy. Well, presuming anyone survives next week’s finale.
• Gideon’s spiked Dark Trooper helmet resembles one worn by Maul’s (voiced by Sam Witwer) super commandos during his time ruling Mandalore at the end of the Clone Wars. Is it possible Gideon’s true allegiance is to his memory? If that’s the case, is he also a Mandalorian despite his seemingly alien regard for their culture? If that’s the case, his attempts to create a Remnant counter to Thrawn’s or Palpatine’s wishes also starts to make sense.
(Photo by Walt Disney Studios)
• The Praetorian Guard serve as another precursor to the First Order. While clearly still resembling Palpatine’s Royal Guard, they’ve already adopted the name and the weapons they will use in the service of Snoke (pictured, Andy Serkis) 25 years later. Invoking the name of the Praetorian Guard is another hint that the Remnant will evolve into the First Order by the time The Mandalorian and Ahsoka are done with this story.
• IG-12, Grogu’s new vehicle/weapon system, echoes the notion of mobile suits as popularized in the Japanese television series Mobile Suit Gundam and the earlier super robot tradition of 1960 and 70s Japanese animation. The reference makes a certain sense as Star Wars owes a major debt to director Akira Kurosawa and The Mandalorian began with a heavily influence from the legendary manga series Lone Wolf & Cub. But considering most of those influences end on down notes, is it possible The Mandalorian itself is heading for a darker climax?
84%
The Mandalorian: Season 3
(2023)
finale, “Chapter 24,” streams on Wednesday, April 19 on Disney+.
On an Apple device? Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Apple News.
The pace and structure of The Mandalorian means even something as simple as confronting Bo-Katan Kryze’s (Katee Sackhoff) former forces requires something more involved. That, in turn, means Chapter 22: “Guns For Hire” is as much a detective story as it is an exploration of galactic politics and diplomacy. But does it prove Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) is fit to lead or is Bo-Katan finally ready to rule her people? Let’s take a look at the latest adventure of the wandering Mandalorian to see what could happen next in Mandalore’s slow-motion restoration.
Spoiler alert: The following reveals details from the sixth episode of The Mandalorian season 3, “Chapter 22: Guns For Hire.” Stop reading here if you have not watched the episode and wish to avoid spoilers.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Before the plot truly begins, though, we are treated to an update on the exploits of Axe Woves (Simon Kassianides) and Koska Reeves (Mercedes Varnado). True to Bo-Katan’s explanation from earlier in the season, they are working as mercenaries — although they clearly prefer the term “privateer” — and as seen in the prelude, that means doing jobs like retrieving a young member of the Mon Calamari nobility from a love affair with a Quarren ship captain. For those not immersed in Star Wars lore, the star-crossed lovers are a true oddity as the two species, despite sharing the planet Mon Cala (aka Dac), are often at odds; hence, why the captain refers to maintaining the peace when questioned by Woves.
But the most important detail here is Reeves’ response when questioned about Mandalorian honor: “All it takes is a few credits.” The statement is more revealing than one might think. In the emerging religion of the Mandalorians, they have truly lost The Way, but beyond that is a more generalized sense of being adrift in space. The Nite Owls, or whatever they go by now, are very much focused on credits instead of any sense of honor. The Mandalorians always straddle this line between honor and income, but the cynicism here is different.
See also Woves’ statement that he likes being in charge. It suggests something more self-serving or, perhaps, decadent. Since he has only spoken 10 lines or so across his two appearances, however, it is as difficult to ascertain his true heart as it has been to decipher Paz Vizsla’s ambitions. Bo-Katan’s failure to return with the Darksaber two years earlier seems to have disillusioned her former flock in a very fundamental way; however, the episode ends on a note that some of their faith has been restored.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
While Mandos are generally depicted as being averse to the forms of politics employed by most of the galaxy, diplomacy is a water they must wade in and this episode may be the most blatant exploration of its necessity to the likes of Bo-Katan and Djarin on any given day, let alone in regards to restoring Mandalore.
Arriving on Plazir-15, the pair quickly meet its duly elected Duchess (Lizzo) and her consort, Captain Bombardier (Jack Black). Here, Bo-Katan proves a certain aptitude in politics of a royal nature; she accepts a drink when they are escorted to a feast, and she knows the right decorum for the situation even as she investigates how a former Imperial ended up married to the local nobility. And while the planet prides itself in being the Outer Rim’s only direct democracy, it is clear older traditions still hold sway.
Bo-Katan’s ability to navigate those traditions leads to a most intriguing offer. Due to various local laws and agreements with the New Republic, Plazir-15 has no military and their constables cannot carry weapons, but because Bo-Katan and Djarin are Mandalorian, they are allowed to carry their weapons into the domed capital city. That makes them ideal to investigate a string of increasingly severe droid malfunctions. In exchange for doing so, the Duchess and Bombardier agree to recognize Mandalore as an independent system and, furthermore, to petition the New Republic senate to do likewise.
It might seem a small point in light of the rest of the episode, but this sort of thing is key for Mandalore in the future. For one thing, independent status would be huge as Mandalore’s place in the Republic has been questionable since the Mandalorian Wars some 4,000 earlier. Secondly, re-establishing a diplomatic foothold with at least one planet gives Bo-Katan more validity as a head of state. We’re not sure she was thinking that far ahead in the moment, however; her primary concern was just to talk to her former troops.
Read also: The Mandalorian Chapter 21: Leaders Emerge When Nevarro Battles a Pirate Infestation
But there are varying forms of politics and diplomacy on display in the episode. The next example occurs after a meeting with Plazir-15’s head of security, Commissioner Helgait (Christopher Lloyd), who directs the newly minted detectives to a subfloor where a group of Ugnaughts retrofit Clone War era droids for civilian service.
Here, Bo-Katan proves ineffectual while Djarin knows enough of their customs, thanks to the fondly remembered Kuiil (Nick Nolte), to get some good intel out of the team. And just to prove how much this resembles the high-level diplomacy with the Duchess, Djarin and Bo-Katan end up seated with the Ugnaughts as Djarin walks back any accusation that the droids are malfunctioning. He later tells her such a suggestion is one of the highest insults among the species. His specific knowledge, of course, gets them to the next link the chain and, ultimately, the true culprit of the droid sabotage: Commissioner Helgait.
His motivations are also political in nature as he turned out to be a true believer in the Separatist movement from the days of the Clone Wars. Although, to be fair to him, “Separatist” is a term applied by partisans of the Old Republic to the Confederacy of Independent Systems who broke away from the Republic citing an irreconcilable corruption within its government. At the same time, though, it is tough to give the movement much credence as it was a smoke screen for Sheev Palpatine’s (Ian McDiarmid) ascendancy to Emperor.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Nevertheless, Helgait represents someone who still believes and sees any attempt by the New Republic to organize the Outer Rim as a return to very old and very corrupt ways; although it is interesting that he cites Bombardier’s presence as the real reason he smuggled bad code into droid lubricant (more on that in a moment). Considering what we’ve seen of the Republic’s amnesty program, it is possible Bombardier’s pleasant demeanor and demonstrations of affection for the Duchess could be more Imperial duplicity. Then again, Black’s on-screen persona suggests a person whose faith in the Empire was never that strong to begin with.
The decadence among the Plazir nobility could be part of a plan to bring the planet under the grip of the First Order in the years to come, or course. Helgait may have been the first to see it.
But the savviest political move of the hour is Djarin finding a way to hand Bo-Katan the Darksaber without a fight. Throughout the season, we’ve wondered why Bo-Katan allowed him to leave the Imp cruiser without a fight and never really considered how he might resolve the issue. His solution: citing her use of the weapon to save him from the droid-assisted creature in the Mines of Mandalore and the chain of custody from him, to the creature, to Bo-Katan as proof that he was merely returning her fairly-won property.
Woves and the others go for it, which once again proves Djarin has some acumen for politics and diplomacy, but it also finally puts her back in the position to rule a restored Mandalore — provided she believes in this loophole. As we’ve noticed across the season, Bo-Katan is becoming a believer in the superstitions of the Way. She saw the mythosaur, and she no doubt acknowledges her failure to prevent Mandalore’s fall as a consequence of being given the Darksaber without a fight before (as seen on Star Wars Rebels). It is possible her doubts and memories of the Night of a Thousand Tears may lead her to challenge Djarin for “true” possession of the blade.
In the meantime, it is interesting to note that Djarin stopped fighting the blade by handing it off to someone else.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Djarin and Bo-Katan’s investigation leads them to a droid bar — a wonderful expansion of one of Star Wars earliest worldbuilding ideas (the original film’s “We don’t serve their kind here” moment). In lieu of facing persecution in a bar for organic sentients, droids gather in their own establishments to imbibe a substance called Nepenthé. Described as “viscous lubricant” that prevents mechanical failure, it also offers “program refreshing” particles; a liquid software update. For the purposes of the episode, it is how Helgait caused the retrofitted battle droids to malfunction, but in the larger galaxy, it also creates more of a droid culture. Regardless of model or function, all droids can relax and enjoy a drink all their own.
Indeed, the episode’s droid bartender introduced a new angle on this culture: droids want to serve organics as repayment for being created. Although this could be argued as a key part of droid source code, it is interesting to think droids determined this on their own as a compassionate response to the limited lifespans of most species in the galaxy.
If it is a self-determined compassion, it strikes an interesting contrast to Djarin’s prejudice against the robots. As established early in the series’ run, his village was smashed to pieces by super battle droids in the waning days of the Clone Wars, and his wariness of most droids emerges from that early trauma. It is unclear if the droid bartender swayed him in any way — the scene occurs after he started kicking Super Battle Droids to determine which one was malfunctioning — but maybe he’ll be a little kinder to R5 after this.
Meanwhile, the bartender’s words will ring a certain way for fans of the Knights of the Old Republic video games and its assassin droid, HK-47, whose view of “meat bag” organics was anything but compassionate.
(Photo by Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures)
• Plazir-15’s reliance on droids, as explained by Helgait, is sharply reminiscent of Dune’s prehistory, in which the human race’s reliance on artificial intelligences and robots led to similar levels of dependance and, eventually, the robots turning on their fleshy masters. The technology and mental prowess seen in Dune (both the books and the film versions) are products of a ban against thinking machines following the Butlerian Jihad to overthrow the robots over 10,000 years before the events of Frank Herbert’s first novel. It is doubtful Star Wars would move in a similar route, though, as droids have co-existed with organics (if uneasily at times) for millennia. Nevertheless, connections between the two space-faring epics abound. This one, we think, is a more intentional allusion. (Pictured above: Timothee Chalamet in 2021’s Dune.)
• Djarin walks this episode without his jetpack. And considering how important the device is to Bo-Katan’s fighting style, we wonder if the Mandalorian will ever be properly trained to use it. Perhaps now that Bo-Katan has declared he is every bit a Mandalorian as the Nite Owls, maybe one of them will put him through his paces, er, “flights.”
• The Key to Plazir is an interesting totem for Bo-Katan to win. Will she use it, or its symbolic significance, to further diplomatic relations once she resettles Mandalore?
84%
The Mandalorian: Season 3
(2023)
new episodes stream on Wednesdays on Disney+.
On an Apple device? Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Apple News.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
We’re halfway into The Mandalorian’s third season, and it seems the show will give viewers what they want. But first, a few more pieces must be slotted into place and the abandoned Rangers of the New Republic’s ghost haunts the proceedings. Will it all lead to a new era or has the First Order already been born? Episode 5 – “The Pirate” – of season 3 might be a rousing battle episode, but it also continues the show’s pivot from a lone wolf and his cub wandering the galaxy to a tale of liberation and, potentially, redemption.
Spoiler alert: The following reveals details from the fifth episode of The Mandalorian season 3, “Chapter 21: The Pirate.” Stop reading here if you have not watched the episode and wish to avoid spoilers.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Tying a few story threads in a bow, the episode not only brought the Mandalorian covert back to Nevarro, but it made good on Greef Karga’s (Carl Weathers) offer of land to Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal). It also removed Pirate King Gorian Shard (Nonso Anozie) from the board despite Carson Teva’s (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee) supposition that the Pirate Nation and the Imperial Remnant might be working together.
After the premiere, we suggested the pirate king might resurface at the worst time for Djarin, but in a twist, he appeared again at the most opportune moment for the character. As we’ve said before, Djarin’s ambitions in leading the Mandalorians lay somewhere between ambivalence and disinterest, but his speech to the others in the covert suggests he can actually lead.
He made sure to remind them of the time Karga stood against them. He pointed out that Karga saw his mistake and aided Djarin and Grogu when the chips were definitely down. And then he introduced the idea that the covert no longer needs to be secret as the tract of land on a world outside Republic or Imperial control would allow them to live free. Also: he did this without pulling rank or brandishing the Darksaber to force the Children of the Watch into helping him.
It does make one wonder if the rest of the covert knows about the Darksaber, though.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
The most important detail of the scene, though, is that his argument actually inspires support from Paz Vizsla (Tait Fletcher, voiced by Jon Favreau), who claims aiding Nevarro is, in fact, The Way. It seems the change of heart we suspected last week is occurring, and it may also be evidence of Djarin’s capacity to lead. Paz cites Djarin’s rescue of his son as a factor in him setting aside their previous beefs. And although Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) was the acknowledged leader of the hunting party, Djarin was key in assembling the team in the first place.
But that brings us back to central issue of Djarin as a latter day Mandalore the Great — will he accept the role? His natural aptitude to lead may be meaningless if he continues to fight the blade and defer to people like the Armorer (Emily Swallow) and Bo-Katan.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Speaking of Bo-Katan, it appears the Armorer is betting her forge on the former ruler of Mandalore being capable of uniting the various clans and factions under The Way. Nevertheless, their discussion about what comes next is fraught with implications.
First, Bo-Katan is ordered to remove her helmet. It is unclear if the act made her an apostate once again — the Armorer is seemingly the only arbiter of the Creed — or if the request was made in a way that is acceptable. No matter the religious legality of the command, it speaks to the Armorer’s key point: Bo-Katan walks both the Way of the Mand’alor and the mainstream world of the Mandalorians out in space. If she can come to believe in the Creed, the others can as well.
Thus, the Armorer reveals to the covert that Bo-Katan will bring the others to Nevarro to plan for the new age and the reclamation of Mandalore itself — the thing we and many other fans have wanted to see for some time.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Sticking to what we know of the Creed, the Armorer seemingly made this choice after reflecting on Bo-Katan’s encounter with the Mythosaur. She finally makes it clear the creature is a figure of myth in Mandalorian legends, so seeing a real specimen is proof a new age is on the way. But if that’s the case, why is the issue of the Darksaber being ignored here?
As we keep mentioning, Bo-Katan’s reluctance to fight Djarin for the blade is a sticking point. It has been since the Mandalorian resurfaced on The Book of Boba Fett still possessing the weapon. Her seemingly refusal to fight him for it on the Remnant cruiser cost her all of her forces, so how can she convince the others to join what they view as a cult without it?
For the purposes of this episode, the issue gets in the way of the conclusion’s victorious tone, but perhaps next week will solve the riddle and, maybe, Bo-Katan will truly win her claim by Creed. To be honest, we think she has finally earned the right to rule, but will the others see things that way — especially if she institutes the Armorer’s interpretation of the Creed as a state religion?
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Carson Teva is proving to be the most compelling New Republic character introduced in live action. Despite fleeing from him in The Book of Boba Fett, Djarin clearly respects him. He also seems dedicated to the Republic’s stated mission no matter how many colonels tell him it is no longer the Rebel Alliance. But perhaps the most important thing about him is that he senses the danger.
As he explained to the ambivalent and overworked colonel (Tim Meadows), the Remnant is cooking something up on the Outer Rim and the Republic is too extended to spot it. He also introduced the possible link between the Remnant and the Pirate Nation. Nevarro, though the focus of his reinforcement request, is just one example of a problem he is seeing along his patrols. Considering the size of the Outer Rim, it is a perilous thing to ignore.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
But Teva’s observation is almost immediately dismissed by Elia Kane (Katy M. O’Brian), who works as the colonel’s attaché and seems placed just to shout down these sorts of reports. She even suggests Nevarro should suffer at the hands of the pirates as a punishment for failing to sign the New Republic charter. Teva calls the suggestion Imperial thinking, and he’s absolutely correct. It once again calls into question the amnesty program, as it allows Republic officials to be influenced in a very subtle way; in fact, one wonders if this is why the Republic senate is ultimately ambivalent to the First Order. Was it being poisoned by amnesty officers long before Snoke (Andy Serkis) made himself known?
That is assuming, of course, that all the Remnant cells are coordinated. It is possible they are split into fiefdoms of fleets dueling for supremacy. Without someone like Grand Admiral Thrawn (voiced by Lars Mikkelsen on Star Wars Rebels), Snoke, or even Gideon to lead, it is possible every cluster of the Remnant is attempting to undermine the Republic independently of any master plan. And that’s also presuming Sheev Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) isn’t manipulating the situation somehow from his hidey-hole on Exegol.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
No matter how the Remnant is organized or what its true objectives are, it appears Gideon is not part of the equation at the moment. Teva, recalling that the moff never faced trial, follows a hunch to a lambda class shuttle he soon determines was Gideon’s transport to the courts. But his suspicion of a Remnant recovery operation is smashed when he finds evidence of beskar in the shuttle. New supposition: a group of Mandos sprung him. But why?
As referenced in the pre-episode recap, Gideon was assigned to administer Mandalore after the Night of a Thousand Tears and was known among its people as a brutal butcher. It is easy to assume a group of Mandalorians, seeing him in a vulnerable position, took him to mete out their own brand of justice. Or, considering Bo-Katan mentioned her former troops now work as mercenaries, it is possible they nabbed him on behalf of a client.
We expect the answer to come quickly as Bo-Katan sets off to find other Mandos, but we can’t help but wonder if all of this New Republic world building was originally meant for Rangers of the New Republic, another Star Wars series set in the same era first announced in 2020. At the time, it, The Mandalorian, and Ahoska, were meant to crossover in some sort of climatic event, but for various reasons, Rangers was put on indefinite hold. The crossover between Mandalorian and Ahsoka (expected to debut later this year) may still happen, but Teva’s prominent use of the phrase “Adelphi Rangers” can’t help but be a ghost or echo of the original plan. See also any scene set on Coruscant. As the crossover plan was announced when Disney was very bullish about streaming, it makes more sense to contain much of its story to the proven success it already has with The Mandalorian.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
• The Lasat pilot who tells Teva he won’t have much luck getting reinforcements on Coruscant is none other than Garazeb “Zeb” Orrelios (Steve Blum) from the animated series Star Wars Rebels. His appearance confirms he survived the Galactic Civil War, a good thing as the Empire nearly wiped out his people. Besides being a welcome cameo and a first look at a Lasat — a species based on early designs for Chewbacca — in live action, it also suggests to us that Zeb may have been part of Rangers‘ supporting cast had it gone to series. With Bo-Katan on The Mandalorian and several Rebels characters making their live action debuts on Ahsoka, it seems Dave Filoni will get to follow-up his previous animated story with the largest canvass possible.
• Kowakian Monkey-Lizards are an intelligent species. We know this thanks to Salacious B. Crumb, Jabba the Hutt’s chief bird in Return of the Jedi, but the Nevarro lizards warning the Mandalorian strike team about the ambush underscores just how intelligent they really are. That, in turn, offers a new dimension to the horror of seeing them caged and cooked for a light snack on the streets of the Nevarro capital in The Mandalorian’s debut episode. Presumably, Karga released any being held as livestock after Gideon attacked and gave them that tree as recompense.
• Bulloch Canyon, one of the landmarks serving as a boundary to the Mandalorian land grant, is no doubt named in honor of actor Jeremy Bulloch. While not the first person to wear Boba Fett’s costume in public — assistant film editor Duwayne Dunham wore the suit at a San Anselmo County parade shortly after the bounty hunter’s look was finalized in 1978 — he was the actor to first play the part in live action, serving as Fett in The Empire Strikes Back and the original footage shot for The Return of the Jedi (Don Bies and several others assumed the role for the additional Special Edition shots). Bulloch also appeared without his helmet as an Imperial officer in Empire and was a beloved fixture on the convention circuit for decades. He passed away in late 2020.
84%
The Mandalorian: Season 3
(2023)
new episodes stream on Wednesdays on Disney+.
On an Apple device? Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Apple News.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
The third episode of The Mandalorian’s third season — “The Convert” — featured a number of conversions, but which one will stick? Beyond that, though, the hour concerned itself with a surprising update and a look into a rarely examined area of the New Republic as it attempts to restore order galaxy-wide. The story also begs the question, “Does life on Coruscant ever change?” Let’s answer that question and look at the converts of the tale.
Spoiler alert: The following reveals details from The Mandalorian season 3 episode “Chapter 19: The Convert.” Stop reading here if you have not watched the episode and wish to avoid spoilers.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Considering how late the title card actually appears in the episode, it is understandable if most assume Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) is the titular convert.
Picking up from last week’s fade-to-black, Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) awakens to find himself redeemed by bathing in the Living Waters and Bo-Katan asking if he saw anything down there. He replies in the negative and she withholds any mention of the mythosaur. Nevertheless, it is interesting that she neglects to remove her helmet from that moment on — a genuinely unusual thing for her to do as she typically roams around sans helmet except when battle is imminent.
Whether a planned act or an accidental happenstance of the situation, failing to remove her helmet once she emerged from the water allows her access to the Armorer’s (Emily Swallow) covert because, by Creed, she has also been redeemed. Again, the ambiguity of Bo-Katan’s choice here is notable as, from a tactical standpoint, staying with the covert is advantageous now that a detachment of TIE Bombers has destroyed her home on Kalevala. At the same time, though, her reluctance to join the covert’s refrain of “This is The Way” suggests she may not be fully on board with The Watch. And considering her comments about the group in the past, it is difficult to believe her conversion would be that easy.
Then again, the memory of the mythosaur in the mines may sway her back toward the Path of the Mand’alor. At the very least, the creature’s presence in the waters and her own failures when she possessed the Darksaber indicate the prophecies have some validity. Perhaps The Way is a path toward uniting the Mandalorians. But can she use it to her advantage?
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
The events in the covert, particularly Djarin declaring the rumors about Mandalore being nothing more than a way to keep its people off planet, suggest some resettling of the homeworld may yet happen. Previously, we believed the Imperial Remnant still held sway there, but the bombing runs of the Great Purge also made Boba Fett’s (Temuera Morrison) statement that the world had been turned to glass the more likely truth. But with a breathable atmosphere, it is possible for Mandalorians to return to their ancestral home and, maybe, import resources from nearby planets to aid in restoring their world.
Unless, of course, the Remnant is already at work setting up its own outpost on Mandalore.
Beyond that, though, is still the issue of the Darksaber. By Creed, Djarin is in place to rule, but it is still unclear if he wants it. Indeed, his tendency to “fight against the blade” indicates a great reluctance. Bo-Katan, now redeemed, could win the laser sword back from Djarin and fulfill her greatest wish. But there is a third claimant who could pose a problem. Or, at least, continue the Mandalorian tendency for infighting.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Paz Vizsla (Tait Fletcher, voiced by Jon Favreau) is a decedent of Tarre Vizsla, the Mandalorian Jedi who forged and first wielded the Darksaber. He first voiced his intention to restore the saber to his clan in episode 5 of The Book of Boba Fett and, as we see this week, that ambition is still on his mind even as Djarin and Bo-Katan are welcomed into the covert. But even beyond that desire, he has personal reasons to clash with the two redeemed apostates.
As seen in The Mandalorian’s earliest episodes, Paz and Djarin were always on a collision course. The former objected to Djarin’s business with the Remnant as he despises all things Imperial. This led to a physical altercation between the two which the Armorer had to break up. And although Paz offered support when Djarin and Grogu needed to escape Nevarro, it is clear they have never been friends.
His distrust of Bo-Katan could be personal, too, but we imagine it has more to do with their respective clans’ constant conflicts and, perhaps, his assumption that her actions led to the Night of a Thousand Tears. Or, perhaps, he sees himself more fit to rule than any other Mando within or outside the Watch. In any event, his clear objection to her presence (and Djarin’s for that matter) speaks to the problem of Mandalorian infighting she mentioned to Grogu last week. He could prove to be a mighty thorn in any plan to retake Mandalore. Unless, of course, his hatred of the Empire supersedes all of his personal prejudices and ambitions.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Another potential convert of the title is Dr. Penn Pershing (Omid Abtahi). As revealed through the course of the episode, he has spent the last several years in a New Republic re-education institute for captured Imperial troops and agents. Recently released into the amnesty program on Coruscant, he is allowed to discuss his research into cloning but not continue it.
Honestly, we are with the Republic on this one as Pershing’s research crosses into some terrifying places. In his presentation, he mentions a wish to combined the “best” traits of DNA donors into something new — a eugenics program with a softer sell. While he couches it in the hopes of creating better cloned organs, the Empire’s desire for the technology is quite clear. Pershing even mentions a man looking to harness cloning to obtain more power. He could be referring to Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito), the Client (Werner Herzog), or even Sheev Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid), but no matter who approved his research, it is clear the intent was not to just elongate a lifetime, but infuse it with access to the Force via Grogu’s genetic material.
(Photo by Walt Disney Studios)
If this proves to the be the method by which Palpatine “somehow” survived to reveal himself in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and puppet the Force-wielding Snoke (Andy Serkis, pictured above) in the earlier Sequel films remains to be seen.
For Pershing, though, an honest attempt at conversion to the New Republic thinking is clear. He mentions several times that cloning is an ethical hornet’s nest. Though restless, he is happy to work at whatever task the amnesty program assigns him. And, ultimately, his reluctance to go along with Officer G68’s (Katy M. O’Brian) plan to steal Imperial tech marked for disposal reflects a wish to be redeemed.
Then again, Dr. Pershing has a toady quality to him that G68 exploits to the fullest degree. He may have just regarded the Republic as his new superiors.
But let’s step back from Pershing for a moment to note the way the New Republic is trying to integrate Imps back into society. Whether by intent or obliviousness, the amnesty program still dehumanizes the Imperials by making them use operating numbers (G68, L57, etc.) in lieu of their actual names. It is possible the choice was made to make Stormtroopers comfortable as they worked to assume more individualized identities, but it seems to make things harder for officers and agents like G68 — given name Elia Kane — or Pershing.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Of course, Kane appears to still work for Gideon (pictured) and her re-integration is just a façade so she can keep certain things away from the New Republic. Case in point: her befriending of Pershing just to lead him astray and to implicate him in the theft of contraband Imperial equipment was all just to ensure his research never became valued by the Republic. Also, dialing up the mind flayer likely wiped away any memories of Grogu and Gideon’s true intentions for the child.
No matter the real reason behind Kane’s actions here, the fact she could pull any of it off reflects poorly on the amnesty program and leaves us to wonder if the Remnant is organized within the veneer of amnesty officers feigning rehabilitation for social worker droids. If that’s the case, the rehabilitation effort has more problems than just dehumanizing its participants.
Perhaps Kane’s suggestion that Coruscant is still the same planet she knew years before with just the Imperial “cartwheel” logo removed is more telling than it seems.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
• Speaking of Coruscant being largely unchanged, it seems its aristocrats hardly notice epochal shifts. One, while speaking to Pershing at the opera house featured in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, even mentions how hard it is to keep up with all the factions. It suggests Palpatine rarely meddled with their lifestyles throughout the Imperial Era to keep them pacified and on his side. The moment also speaks an Andor-like truth while still being funny. The obviousness of Coruscant’s well-to-do is a brutal injustice even an Imperial officer can see.
• The park Pershing and Kane visit in the middle of the episode is inspired by concept artist Ralph McQuarrie’s first portrait of the galactic capital for what would become Return of the Jedi. The earliest drafts of that film featured the planet — then called Had Abbadon — and the curious yurt-like structures seen in the park loomed large in his imagining of the city world. The setting is The Mandalorian’s latest honoring of the legendary artist by adapting one of his unused concepts.
• With the arrival of Taungsday and Benduday in the episode, the galactic daily calendar begins to take shape in live action Star Wars. According to the Wookiepedia entries already forming about the terms, Taungsday — named after one of Coruscant’s formerly native species — is the third day of the week. Benduday is the fifth and final day of the week and takes its name from the Bendu monks, a precursor group to the Jedi. The day names first appeared in issue #61 Star Wars: Build the Millennium Falcon magazine and included a fourth day of the week: Zhellday. Each name references some aspect of Coruscanti history and culture, but it seems the supremacy of the planet as the capital means its day and week system has been adopted galaxy-wide.
• After Pershing shouts “It’s a trap!” in the mind flayer room, the shot cuts from him to an inordinately long take of the Mon Calamari doctor administering the procedure. The reference is, of course, to Mon Calamari Admiral Gial Ackbar’s (voiced by Erik Bauersfeld) famous and endlessly meme-able line in Return of the Jedi. The moment is another example of The Mandalorian’s sense of humor. Your appreciation of it will vary, of course, as Star Wars humor is very, very subjective.
84%
The Mandalorian: Season 3
(2023)
new episodes stream on Wednesdays on Disney+.
Thumbnail image by Lucasfilm Ltd.
On an Apple device? Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Apple News.
No matter how long it may have been between seasons of The Mandalorian – and The Book of Boba Fett – redemption is first and foremost on the mind of Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal), so it makes sense the series would swiftly set foot on Mandalore. And with season 3’s second episode, “Chapter 18: The Mines of Mandalore,” we get a glimpse of the planet many years after the Empire set it ablaze in the Night of a Thousand Tears and, perhaps, a notion of its potential future.
But what could that mean for the season and the question foremost on our mind: Why did Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) allow Djarin to leave with the Darksaber in the season 2 finale and last week’s episode? Let’s dive into the Mines and see if we can’t get closer to an answer and discover what survives in the Living Waters.
Spoiler alert: The following reveals details from The Mandalorian season 3 episode “Chapter 18: The Mines of Mandalore.” Stop reading here if you have not watched the episode and wish to avoid spoilers.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Although Mandalorians present as a grounded warrior race, they appear to be bound by a level of mysticism, prophesy, and superstition to rival the Jedi Order. As an example, Djarin is the first Mando to visit the ancestral homeworld since the Night of a Thousand Tears. The presumed condition of the planet in previous episodes ranged from total obliteration — à la Alderaan — to, as Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison) described it, a world “turned to glass.” No matter the truth of the matter, the trauma of the Great Purge left the surviving Mandalorians believing their home was poisoned and cursed; a belief so pervasive, even Bo-Katan could not muster the will to go planetside.
And though Djarin, a child of the Watch, believes in Mandalorian mysticism more strongly than Bo-Katan, he quickly proves (following a detour to Tatooine) the air is breathable and that, in his own words, “Bo-Katan was right.”
When she makes planetfall, Bo-Katan also discovers Alamites, a scavenger species who populated the wastelands between Mandalore’s domed cities, also survived the Purge. Her wonder about what else may have endured is quickly tempered as she and Grogu travel the ruins of the planet’s once great capital, Sundari, to rescue Djarin.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
The condition of the city and the world is consistent with the prophecy as spoken by the Armorer (Emily Swallow) in episode 5 of The Book of Boba Fett. As she explained to Djarin at that time, a person who wins the Darksaber in combat will have the authority to rule all of Mandalore, but to claim it without that trial will doom the planet and scatter its people to the four winds. One can’t help but think this very prophecy rings in Bo-Katan’s mind as she walks the ruins of her home. Her claim to the Darksaber was not from combat, but from the fact Sabine Wren (voiced by Tiya Sircar on Star Wars Rebels and to be played by Natasha Liu Bordizzo on the upcoming Ahsoka series) handed it to her in an attempt to settle an ongoing internal strife among the clans.
Bo-Katan mentions infighting as the reason the Empire was able to overwhelm the planet, but as she also subsequently tells Djarin that she recited the Creed as part of a royal ceremony, it’s clear she knows the legends and superstitions as well as he does. Did she doubt her claim in that crucial moment aboard the Imperial Remnant cruiser because Mandalore fell while she “illegitimately” held the Darksaber?
More on that in a moment. But first, considering her glance at the destroyed dome of Sundari, we also have to wonder if anything can be saved on Mandalore. Kalevala, in the same system, seems full of resources and a place to start anew. But as rites and superstitions permeate even the most agnostic of Mandos, will restoring the planet be a requirement for any sort of future of a united Mandalorian people?
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
With the questions above in mind, we turn our attention to Bo-Katan’s rescue of Djarin. Captured by a droid with organic parts interested in collecting his blood and/or bone marrow, he dispatches Grogu to get aid from Bo-Katan, who swiftly moves to action once she realizes he is in trouble. And when she comes upon the droid, the ensuing fight places the Darksaber in hands, where she proves more adept at the weapon than Djarin.
Of course, that opinion is aided by the swiftness of the fight. Djarin’s previous attempts to use the blade in The Book of Boba Fett lasted a little bit longer and saw him buckle under its weight. But they also provide some insight into why she might be more accomplished with it. Back in Boba Fett‘s fifth episode, the Armorer attempts to train him in sword arts, admonishing him for both wielding it with physical strength alone and “fighting against the blade.” The result: it gets heavier with each stroke. Even Sabine, when she briefly possessed it, remarked on its heaviness.
Despite the brief battle with the droid, we’re inclined to believe Bo-Katan trained with the Darksaber to achieve the mental clarity necessary to use it as a weapon and not just as a badge of office. Or, perhaps, it was all just instinct in the moment.
Either way, we presume she hands the blade back to Djarin because, once again, she possessed it without a proper fight. Why? Because she believes in the prophecy. Without that fight, she invites another doom among her people. But what prevents her from just dueling Djarin for it?
That is something the characters will have to settle soon should either find themselves interested in restoring the planet or making the system a home for their kind.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
And since this episode is doggedly about Mandalorian religion, let’s take a look at Djarin’s conviction in this matter. Last season, we wondered if, perhaps, taking off his helmet would lead to a more evolved opinion of what it means to be Mando. Having now adventured with Bo-Katan and Boba Fett, we thought his worldview might expand beyond the rigid dogma of the Watch — and make no mistake, dogmatic extremism is one of Star Wars’ truest villains.
Nevertheless, Djarin seeks redemption in the eyes of the Watch and the Creed. His journeying in the two years or so between seasons has changed none of his convictions, and instead, he’s seemingly spent the time since Boba Fett looking for proof that he could visit the Living Waters and atone for removing his helmet. Once he and Bo-Katan come upon the waters, he views them with reverence, while she still perceives them as a place for boring field trips.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Although Star Wars has spent 45-plus years warning about stringent adherence to any creed, we sympathize with Djarin’s motivation here. The Watch is the only community he has ever known and although its willingness to discard him for breaking a silly rule should ignite a suspicion about their Ways — clearly, pog soup is not served among them as it would invite its members to remove their helmets — he nonetheless needs that sense of community, even if he is only among them for short stints between bounties.
His devotion to the community, though, requires some exploration of the Watch itself as the Armorer’s belief in the Creed precludes any forgiveness except the one it prescribes. The fondness he feels for the covert is not reciprocated, even when its numbers dwindled to just three. And now that it’s been reinforced with a crop of new foundlings, will he truly find a welcome home even if he is forgiven by Creed?
Meanwhile, we also have to wonder if Bo-Katan’s faith has been strengthened by what she saw in the Living Waters.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
As laid out by the Armorer in that fifth Boba Fett episode and mentioned in the story recap of this week’s episode, the return of a Mythosaur to Mandalore is said to presage a new era for Mandalorians. And although Bo-Katan entered the chamber of the waters believing nothing lived there, she now knows the truth: a Mythosaur lurks in its depths.
As she mentions, the Mythosaur is a key part of Mando mythology dating back to the time of Mandalore the Great and the source of the race’s symbol, a skull of the great beast. Back in the first season, Kuiil (Nick Nolte, pictured below) even admonishes Djarin’s inability to ride a Blurgg by comparing him to the Mandalorians of old who could tame Mythosaurs.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
That a specimen would be found was inevitable, but what remains to be seen is just who will tame it. Or, perhaps, if taming it and ushering in that new age is something either character is interested in accomplishing. Djarin, for his part, got what he wanted; the quest for redemption has ended as he has now bathed in the Living Waters. But it is possible the experience has changed his outlook on doing more than questing. Bo-Katan’s derisive suggestion last week that he should rule the Mandalorians takes on a new light as another part of prophecy has seemingly been fulfilled. And, maybe, it means our question about their possible duel will be answered next week.
Beyond the succession issue, though, there are still the matters of restoring a portion of the planet to a livable state and, more pressingly, uniting the clans, the Watch, and other more agnostic factions under the Mythosaur banner again. From what we know of Djarin, this might be too much of an ask. Bo-Katan, meanwhile, may no longer have the heart for such work unless she’s become more inclined toward religion, prophecy, and superstition.
And it seems belief is the key to bringing the factions together. But will it be the Watch’s philosophy that wins in the end?
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
• Peli Motto’s (Amy Sedaris) mention of R5-D4’s service to the Rebellion partially canonizes an Expanded Universe story, Rae Carson’s “The Red One,” in which R2-D2 convinces him to overload his own motivator when Owen Lars (Phil Brown) buys the droid in the original Star Wars. As explained in the tale, R2 confides in his fellow astromech droid that he is carrying information vital to the Alliance, and though R5 is desperate to escape the Jawas, he eventually agrees to sabotage himself. Other tales also suggest more direct contact with the Rebellion.
• Peli’s suggestion that Djarin is back on Tatooine to “take out Boba Fett” leaves us wondering if, perhaps, the clone’s administration of Jabba’s cartel has hit another snag or if he’s given up on the idea of being an honorable and fair crime lord.
• Kalevala, homeworld of Clan Kryze, is named after the Finnish oral tradition eventually written down by 19th century poet Elias Lönnrot. The legends proved influential on a young J.R.R. Tolkien, who would set out to make an epic of his own. It is unclear, though, if the tales of a mythical land and its life-sustaining “sampo” will be more than just a hat-tip to epics of the past.
• While the N-1 fighter continues to be a “wizard” of a ride, this episode highlights the cramped conditions Djarin and Grogu share — where does the pod go when not in use? We can’t help but wonder if a larger mobile home like the Razer Crest isn’t in their future.
• Grogu’s flips and Force-push indicate some learning in the time he spent with Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), but will his powers diminish as Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) suggested?
84%
The Mandalorian: Season 3
(2023)
premieres on Wednesday, March 1 on Disney+.
Thumbnail image by Lucasfilm Ltd.
On an Apple device? Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Apple News.
The Mandalorian is back for season 3, and Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni join RT correspondent Naz Perez and spill all the details. How has Grogu matured with the force? What is the significance of the Darksaber in the Star Wars universe? The bounty hunter–turned–father figure Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) heads to Mandalore with his small green ward in a bid for forgiveness for “past transgressions.”
Pascal’s season 3 costars also include Giancarlo Esposito as Moff Gideon, Katee Sackhoff as Bo-Katan Kryze, Carl Weathers as Greef Karga, Amy Sedaris as Peli Motto, and newcomer Christopher Lloyd in a role to be revealed.
Season description: The journeys of the Mandalorian through the Star Wars galaxy continue. Once a lone bounty hunter, Din Djarin has reunited with Grogu. Meanwhile, the New Republic struggles to lead the galaxy away from its dark history. The Mandalorian will cross paths with old allies and make new enemies as he and Grogu continue their journey together
84%
The Mandalorian: Season 3
(2023)
premieres on Wednesday, March 1 on Disney+.
Thumbnail image by Lucasfilm Ltd.
On an Apple device? Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Apple News.
The Mandalorian has finally returned. Season 3 of the hit Disney+ series, which stars Pedro Pascal as the lone warrior Din Djarin (better known as “Mando”), premiered on the streamer on Wednesday, March 1.
Season 2 of the series left off with Grogu leaving Mando to join Luke Skywalker to learn the way of the Force. But season 3 won’t simply pick up from that end-point. Let’s remember, the final two episodes of The Book of Boba Fett acted as a mini season of The Mandalorian and found Din obtaining the Darksaber, getting a new ship, and reuniting with his little green pal to travel to Mandalore to, as he says in the trailer, “be forgiven for past transgressions.”
Cast members joining Pascal in the new episodes are Giancarlo Esposito as Moff Gideon, Katee Sackhoff as Bo-Katan Kryze, Carl Weathers as Greef Karga, Amy Sedaris as Peli Motto, and newcomer Christopher Lloyd in a yet-to-be-revealed character.
The buzz is high for this one, but do the new episodes deliver the goods? Critics received two screeners ahead of the premiere on Disney+. Here’s what they’re saying about The Mandalorian season 3 so far.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Seasons one and two were all about unlocking the mystery of Grogu and his Force powers. Yet, with that puzzle solved with the appearance of Luke Skywalker, Mando and Baby Yoda have hit a narrative impasse. —Ed Power, Daily Telegraph (UK)
The Mandalorian Season 3 premiere dives straight back into the action and awe of everyone’s favorite Wolf and Cub while setting the stages for a story that has the potential to unpack the layers of trauma and misconceptions that have created the titular character. —Maggie Lovitt, Collider
I would argue that the two prior seasons were entertaining but directionless, which left a lot of room for throwaway episodes. That feeling isn’t there, at least not at the start of season three. We know what Din’s plan is, what he’s looking to accomplish, and so far Jon Favreau isn’t screwing around in setting him on that journey. If Favreau can stay on this course, this could be the best season of The Mandalorian yet. —Travis Hopson, Punch Drunk Critics
Showrunners Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni seem to have abandoned the spaghetti-Western leanness that gave Seasons 1 and 2 such narrative drive and elegance. —Dan Jolin, Empire Magazine
Without getting into spoilers, the first two episodes provided to critics reflect a troubling start to the Emmy-nominated series’ return, primarily because they reveal the flaws often lurking beneath the storytelling. Both episodes feature the same creature fun and space hijinks that are Star Wars signatures. Unfortunately, what they lack is the momentum of the previous two seasons, as Din Djarin’s quest to restore his status as a true Mandalorian is… not exactly a quest as urgent as “save Baby Yoda from Giancarlo Esposito!” —Liz Shannon Miller, Consequence
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd)
As before, The Mandalorian’s stories strike a smart balance between familiar stomping grounds and recognizable faces, and fresh frontiers and foes. —Nick Schager, The Daily Beast
The Mandalorian instantly proves why it is the best of the Star Wars series with action, humor, and high stakes. —Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky
Favreau has created a fun for all the family TV show that has a little of The A Team and Knight Rider in it as well as those Fifties serials. That it is also the best Star Wars creation since The Empire Strikes Back is almost too obvious to state. —Martin Robinson, London Evening Standard
The Mandalorian Season 3 premiere goes back to the show’s beginning, checking in on the state of the world and key characters while setting Din Djarin on a quest for redemption. —Samantha Nelson, IGN Movies
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd)
Much has been made about Pedro Pascal’s performance as Mando/Din Djarin, or should I say, the lack of a performance by him. The busy actor is still the voice, heart, and soul of the character, but it’s good to see Disney finally acknowledging the physical efforts of Brendan Wayne and Lateef Crowder. Pascal’s got enough glory coming his way over on HBO for The Last of Us. Spread the wealth. —Travis Hopson, Punch Drunk Critics
Carl Weathers is also a delight, but it’s Katee Sackhoff who deserves the lion’s share of praise for these first two episodes. In season 2, she was somewhat overshadowed by the novelty of her animated character being brought to life in live-action. A glorified cameo in many ways now becomes a solid supporting role and Sackhoff takes the opportunity to show why Lucasfilm made the right decision to bring her back when it would have been easy to recast the character with any number of “bigger” stars. —Josh Wilding, ComicBookMovie.com
Katee Sackhoff does a great job selling wearied despair, lounging on a throne in an empty hall like an abandoned queen. —Samantha Nelson, IGN Movies
Plus, a new foe arrives in the mossy-faced form of space pirate Gorian Shard (Nonso Anozie), who understandably takes against Mando for killing a bunch of his men. —Dan Jolin, Empire Magazine
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd)
And so episode 1 of season 3 kicks off with Mandalorians fighting a giant crocodile, it features a nice quick of the draw shoot-out in a town, and a very pleasing space battle in an asteroid field between our heroes and some dastardly pirates. —Martin Robinson, London Evening Standard
The Mandalorian expands its universe through unique locations and incidents, as well as via the introduction of myths, rituals and legends that contextualize, and deepen, its present-day story. —Nick Schager, The Daily Beast
There’s still the fun of discovering new creatures, and oohing and ahhing over how real, how tactile, they look. (Marvel could stand to borrow a page from Star Wars on that front, just saying.) —Angie Han, Hollywood Reporter
It’s classic Star Wars dog fighting, with Din cleverly using the environment to reduce the impact of their numbers, even if he has to smash some mining equipment in the process. —Samantha Nelson, IGN Movies
The spectacle of the space fight, the shooting of the croc-monster, and the quick draw all showed how The Mandalorian can be so good. —Alan French, Sunshine State Cineplex
We open and close “The Apostate” with some big set pieces and a reminder of why The Mandalorian is top-tier Star Wars. —Josh Wilding, ComicBookMovie.com
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd)
Grogu is stronger in the Force than we last saw him. It certainly shows in his abilities in the first two episodes alone. —Danielle Solzman, Solzy at the Movies
Grogu continues to be painfully adorable, whether snuggling in Din’s lap while flying or stealing some candy from Greef’s desk. —Samantha Nelson, IGN Movies
Jon Favreau’s writing is pretty effective in rekindling our love for the father-son relationship between Mando and Grogu. The latter is slightly more mature, and his training in the force makes him a more formidable character in the series. It’s good to see that Grogu is not all that helpless and merely dependent on Djarin. —Neil Soans, The Times of India
Grogu, meanwhile, continues to bring the adorable factor, giggling as starship blasters fire and spinning happily in Karga’s big office chair. It’s openly audience-pleasing stuff, but in the first episode, at least, the show’s central dynamic thankfully still sings, blending tough and tender to winning effect. —Dan Jolin, Empire Magazine
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd)
As The Mandalorian returns for season three, the first two episodes promise bigger adventures and excitement ahead. —Danielle Solzman, Solzy at the Movies
The new series undoubtedly represents an improvement over meandering spin-off, The Book of Boba Fett. But Andor has shown what Star Wars can become with sufficient ambition. In that context and, for all its positive qualities, the once gleamingly exciting Mandalorian is in danger of losing its shine. —Ed Power, Daily Telegraph (UK)
It’s the second episode that fully solidifies that this new season is a turning point for The Mandalorian’s storytelling—the world may still feel small around Din, but it’s growing by leaps and bounds too. —Maggie Lovitt, Collider
Still the best Star Wars TV show, The Mandalorian returns with everything fans love about the franchise and plenty of hints that this will be the most thrilling and revealing season yet. —Josh Wilding, ComicBookMovie.com
In a manner superior to its most recent feature-film brethren, The Mandalorian tells a distinctive stand-alone genre affair that also feels spiritually and narratively linked to Lucas’ galaxy. —Nick Schager, The Daily Beast
The Mandalorian is perhaps the ultimate expression of what George Lucas was getting at all along… Star Wars should never have been a set of films, it should just have been a TV show. Thank the Maker we finally have it. —Martin Robinson, London Evening Standard
84%
The Mandalorian: Season 3
(2023)
premieres on Wednesday, March 1 on Disney+.
Thumbnail image by Lucasfilm Ltd.
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(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Although executive producer Tony Gilroy often describes Andor as a simple adventure story, it is filled with incredibly weighty implications as Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) runs from the worst day of his life into the service of the Rebellion. And, as Gilroy promised back in August, the series is thrilling despite knowing exactly where the title character will end up on his final day; in fact, season 1 finale “Rix Road” underscores how tense an hour of television can be even if you know the main character is safe from any lethal jeopardy.
Spoiler alert: The following reveals details about the season 1 finale of Andor. Stop reading here if you wish to avoid spoilers.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
In between those thrills, though, is a program rooted in the human cost of a Rebellion and the toll of tyranny. While Gilroy may avoid making any real world comparisons, the notions espoused throughout the first season certainly resonate — if even just in the context of Star Wars and its Imperial Era. And in the season 1 finale, these ideas ring out as loudly as a hammer into anvil as they join up with the thrills in a one last creative burst before the series disappears for a time to make its second and final season.
So let’s take a look at the finale to examine some of those deeper implications for the Rebellion, Cassian, and the galaxy.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Setting the tone for the finale was a voiceover from the dearly departed Karis Nemik (Alex Lawther, pictured above in episode 6, “The Eye”). Cassian finally listened to the younger man’s manifesto and heard some important thoughts from the deceased rebel. None of it may strike a chord in the minds of Star Wars fans quite like Karis’ final thought: “Try.”
In the binary thinking of the Jedi and the Sith, “try” is an improper concept. “Do or do not” are the only options and, for many, this duality is the best way to approach Star Wars and life itself. But Andor is a series about those without the certainty of the Force; those trying to deal as best they can within an oppressive system and those gleefully empowered to dole out the cruelty required to preserve the Empire. Yoda’s (Frank Oz) credo is an unhelpful statement in those circumstances because, as presented, it only offers complete failure against the odds and the sleep Maarva Andor (Fiona Shaw) refers to in her last testament.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
But trying to push against the boot of the Empire, trying to find the leaks (as Karis put it), and trying to upset the balance do not require binary concepts of success or failure. Trying simply is and, in its small way, Karis’ parting thought introduces a nuance that will be essential for Cassian going forward. And, thanks to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, we know he will continue to try until his last moment.
Beyond Cassian, though, the episode is rife with people trying to accomplish things. Syril Karn (Kyle Soller) is trying to prove he was right. Dedra Meero (Denise Gough) is trying to bring Cassian in alive, while Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård), Vel (Faye Marsay, pictured above), and Cinta (Varada Sethu) are trying to kill him. Even on Coruscant, Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly) is trying to find the best way out of her predicament. Although, we imagine the choice she makes here starts her path to Yavin IV more than any other decision she’s made thus far.
It is then fitting that so little is actually resolved in the finale. Ferrix is still under Imperial rule. Cassian’s sister is still missing. Mon Mothma’s troubles are still her troubles, and Dedra is still without her big win. Nevertheless, seeing Cassian’s friends escape offers some satisfaction.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Despite both Soller and Gilroy suggesting Syril may yet switch loyalties, his trajectory in the final set of season 1 episodes form, in a perverse way, a fascist fantasy in which a devoted but unremarkable loyalist gets to be the hero.
Sure, his chief aim of capturing Cassian and recapturing his former stature fail, but a secondary objective becomes reality as he rescues Dedra (pictured above, second from right) from the mob on Rix Road — something even she has to admit to and offer thanks. Granted, it remains to be seen how far that gratitude will extend, but we would not be surprised to see Syril in an crisp and self-tailored ISB uniform next season. Then again, Syril could become Dedra’s secret shame and her man on the ground for investigations outside the purview of the Bureau.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Either way, Syril (above right with Alex Ferns as Sergeant Mosk) gets something he wanted: to stand by her side. It remains to be seen if this a romantic, interpersonal notion or a boyish fantasy about being a good soldier. Our conversation with Soller earlier this month suggests the latter is more likely, but Dedra’s response to Syril outside the ISB headquarter suggests she sees other layers to his stated devotions; in fact, we doubt she is pleased to be tied to him in any capacity. And considering the failure of the Ferrix operation, she may literally end up shackled to him next season.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
On a more emotional level, few things in the series so far are as devastating as Cassian saying goodbye to his friends. Despite Bix’s (Adria Arjona) statement that he will always find them, there is a certain finality to the moment. Everyone may just be devoted to sparing B2EMO’s (Dave Chapman) feelings as he already lost so much, but we are inclined to believe this is the last time Cassian sees any of them.
Why? He immediately leaves the airfield to confront Luthen and present him with a choice: kill him or take him in. Presumably, this was the outcome Luthen always wanted. As Luna mentioned to us when we spoke with him two weeks ago, Luthen always saw Cassian as a key asset and the success of the Aldhani mission largely depended on his presence — and that’s despite the qualities Vel and Cinta already brought to the team. Getting Cassian to commit to the cause was always going to be preferable to liquidating him.
But what finally pushed Cassian to offer himself entirely to the Rebellion? His experience in the Narkina 5 prison complex definitely helped as it made the mindless cruelty of the Empire as palpable to him as its more focused and direct malice. Nemik’s manifesto definitely contributed. Maarva’s final speech also pushed the needle as her words incited everyone on Rix Road. And Bix’s condition may have also been a factor, but we suspect Cassian would’ve sought out Luthen even if he had not spotted him on Ferrix.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Cassian’s turn to the Rebellion being the cumulative effect of events since he killed the Morlana security officers is a more rounded and compelling thing than had it been one singular moment like, say, seeing Bix executed or the garrison killing everyone in town. It may be less dramatic in terms of Star Wars storytelling, but it is nonetheless satisfying and realistic for the character to go on a journey and determine his course in a less reactionary way. And, let’s face, Cassian has done little else but react since he first encountered Luthen (pictured).
Joining up with Luthen presents its own challenges as he was willing to give up the unseen Rebel Anto Kreegyr to maintain his contact in the ISB — to say nothing of his willingness to eliminate Cassian had things worked out differently. But that sort of ruthlessness is something we saw in Cassian when he first showed up in Rogue One, so perhaps it is a trait Luthen refines in his newest recruit.
The connection between Luthen and Cassian is one of the show huge thematic ideas, expressed most sharply in Luthen’s episode 10 speech, during which he mentioned being condemned to use the Empire’s weapons and burn his life for a sunrise he will never see. The latter feels like a forward echo of Cassian’s own final moments as he watched a sunrise, of sorts, and burns for the sake of future without Imperial oppression.
It will be interesting to see how this tie plays out in Andor‘s second and final season.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Loss may be a central part of Andor‘s second season as events will only become more perilous for the emerging Rebellion. Mon Mothma (pictured above left), despite all her efforts, will have to abandon her life on Coruscant, and we suspect Perrin (Alastair Mackenzie, pictured above right) and Leida (Bronte Carmichael, pictured above center) will be lost as a result. The tension between Vel and Cintra throughout the season 1 finale suggests their bond is already fractured and may crack entirely in the months ahead. Luthen is unlikely to make it to the Battle of Scarif and, more likely than not, Cassian will only find more loss if he ever tries looking for his sister again.
Although, isn’t it interesting the way that quest — the program’s inciting incident — fell by the wayside? As a matter of Star Wars storytelling, a missing sister is always found. But Andor plays familiar chords in different ways and with unusual instruments, so his sister may prove to only be another source of emptiness as he commits himself to the cause. That said, we would still love to know why the Kenari are so rare and suspicious in the Imperial Era.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
But not all will be loss as Cassian will inevitably encounter K-2SO (Alan Tudyk) and the Rebellion itself grows in strength. The droid may be the most direct version of Luthen’s tendency to use the enemy’s tools — and an inverse of Cassian contributing to the construction of the Death Star — but he is also a source of humor and, strangely enough, good spirits even as the darkest days lay ahead for the still-forming Rebellion.
In the meantime, we can look back at the first season of Andor for all the depth it adds to the conflict, the way it depicts those devoted to the Empire, and how one man can find the will to fight tyranny thanks to those who are more outwardly courageous. Whether or not this means Cassian himself will prove to be that courageous prior to the Scarif mission is anyone’s guess.
96%
Andor: Season 1
(2022)
is now streaming in its entirety on Disney+.
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Emmy-winning Squid Game actor Lee Jung-jae joins Star Wars: The Acolyte cast. Netflix expands the Gears of War universe with a live-action movie and animated series. Édgar Ramírez will star in season 2 of anthology series Dr. Death. SNL alum Sasheer Zamata has joined WandaVision spinoff Agatha: Coven of Chaos. An Indiana Jones TV show may be in Disney+’s future. Chris Rock will make history at Netflix with first live stand-up comedy event. Stephen King’s It will get the prequel treatment at HBO. Plus, trailers for The Witcher: Blood Origin, FX’s sci-fi drama Kindred, and the second and final season of Carnival Row on Prime Video, and more of the biggest news in TV and streaming from the past week.
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(Photo by Christian Black/Disney+)
Star Wars: The Acolyte, Disney+’s upcoming entry in LucasFilm’s constantly expanding universe, has found its cast. Joining Amandla Stenberg (The Hate U Give), who was previously announced as starring in the series, are Squid Game alum Lee Jung-jae, The Matrix‘s Carrie-Anne Moss, Manny Jacinto (The Good Place), Dafne Keen (His Dark Materials), Jodie Turner-Smith (Queen & Slim), Rebecca Henderson (Inventing Anna), Charlie Barnett (Russian Doll), and Dean-Charles Chapman (1917).
The Acolyte is, per the official press release, being described as “a mystery-thriller that will take viewers into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark-side powers in the final days of the High Republic era. A former Padawan reunites with her Jedi Master to investigate a series of crimes, but the forces they confront are more sinister than they ever anticipated.”
Russian Doll‘s Leslye Headland created the series, serves as the showrunner and executive producer, and will direct the pilot episode. The series is currently in production in the U.K.
The Acolyte will stream exclusively on Disney+.
Related: Every Upcoming Star Wars Movie and Series with Key Details and Dates
(Photo by Netflix)
Get your coalition ready, Gears of War is coming to Netflix.
In a bit of news that lines up with the 16th anniversary of the premiere of the first release in the popular video game series (which has sold over 40-million copies), the streamer has announced a new live-action film adaptation and animated television series is in the works. Get ready to go to battle a bunch of mutant monsters.
The monsters we’re referencing, specifically, are known as the Locust Horde, and it is the common enemy the Delta Squad faces in the video games. Disgraced sergeant Marcus Fenix is the leader of this rag-tag crew, and their battles for survival amid the hostile landscape of planet Sera face a constant uphill battle.
Netflix is partnering with The Coalition, the game developer behind Gears of War, on both projects. No further details have been released, thus far.
The Witcher: Blood Origin’s new teaser previews the Elven battle to come and showcases the fight skills of Michelle Yeoh’s stoic sword-elf Scian, who is on a quest for a magical stolen blade. The four-part special event Witcher prequel series also stars Minnie Driver (as Seanchaí), Laurence O’Fuarain (as Fjall), Sophia Brown (as Éile), Mirren Mack (as Merwyn), Lenny Henry (as Balor), Jacob Collins Levy (as Eredin), Lizzie Annis (as Zacaré), Huw Novelli (as Callan “Brother Death”), Francesca Mills (as Meldof), Amy Murray (as Fenrik), Nathaniel Curtis (as Brían), Zach Wyatt (as Syndril), Dylan Moran (as Uthrok One-Nut), and Joey Batey (as Jaskier). The Witcher: Blood Origin launches on December 25 on Netflix.
More trailers and teasers released this week:
• Carnival Row season 2 finds Orlando Bloom and Cara Delivigne returning to the series, after a 3-year wait, in the show’s second and final season. Get ready for more gritty fae-folk action. Premieres February 17. (Prime Video)
• George & Tammy stars Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain as country music legends George Jones and Tammy Wynette. What more do you need to know? Premieres December 4. (Showtime, Paramount+)
• The Noel Diary follows novelist Jacob Turner (Justin Hartley) who returns home to settle his mother’s estate at Christmastime, only to discover a diary that holds secrets to his own past. Premieres November 24. (Netflix)
• Idina Menzel: Which Way to the Stage documents the life of the Broadway icon, through all her artistic ups and downs, and the journey that led to her fulfilling a lifelong dream: playing Madison Square Garden. Premieres December 9. (Disney+)
• Kindred is based on Octavia Butler’s seminal sci-fi novel of the same name and tells the story of Dana, a young Black woman who finds herself jumping back and forth in time, from a slave plantation to present day. She struggles to fit in with her new enslavement, until she returns to life in L.A. where she lives with her husband Kevin, a white man. Created by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins (Watchmen) and starring Mallori Johnson, Micah Stock, Ryan Kwanten, and Gayle Rankin, the series premieres December 13. (FX on Hulu)
• Best in Snow is a festive competition series hosted by Tituss Burgess, that will find contestants to recreate Disney’s most iconic characters, using nothing but snow. Premieres November 18. (Disney+)
• Hip Hop Nutcracker is a hip hop reimagining of the classic ballet tale hosted by Run DMC’s own Rev Run. The special stars Caché Melvin, Allison Holker Boss and Stephen “tWitch” Boss, Comfort Fedoke, Du-Shant “Fik-shun” Stegall, Viktor White, BDash, and Kevin “Konkrete” Davis. Iconic dance talent Mikhail Baryshnikov guest stars along with the Jabbawockees and more. Premieres November 25. (Disney+)
• Lady Chatterley’s Lover is an updated adaptation of the classic erotic drama starring Emma Corrin, Jack O’Connell, Ella Hunt, and Joely Richardson. Premieres December 2. (Netflix)
• Dragon Age: Absolution is an original animated series inspired by the popular video game series. The series is set in the games’ Tevinter and features an ensemble of new characters inspired by Dragon Age lore, including elves, mages, knights, Qunari, Red Templars, demons, and other special surprises. Premieres December 9. (Netflix)
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(Photo by Joe Maher/Getty Images)
Two-time Emmy nominee Édgar Ramírez (The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, The Undoing) will star in the next installment of Peacock’s anthology series, Dr. Death. He will play visionary surgeon Paolo Macchiarini whose innovative organ transplants have seduced the global medical community. Following the “Miracle Man” storyline from the most recent third season of Wondery’s Dr. Death podcast, Paolo’s charming persona begins to develop cracks after investigative journalist Benita Alexander (who is also his fiance) approaches him for a story. The line between personal and professional begins to blur, as a group of doctors halfway across the world make some shocking discoveries of their own, calling everything about the “Miracle Man” into question.
Sasheer Zamata, best known for her work on Saturday Night Live, has joined the cast of Disney+’s highly-anticipated WandaVision spinoff series, Agatha: Coven of Chaos. The character details are being kept close to the vest by Marvel. Her addition to the program is the show’s latest casting news, with Aubrey Plaza, Heartstopper‘s Joe Locke, Ali Ahn, and Maria Dizzia having previously been reported. Kathryn Hahn will reprise her WandaVision role as villainous witch Agatha Harkness. (Deadline)
Norman Reedus’ Daryl Dixon–centered Walking Dead spinoff series has added Clémence Poésy and Adam Nagaitis to the cast. Poésy will play Isabelle, the member of a progressive religious group who joins forces with Daryl on his trek across France. Nagaitis steps into the role of Quinn, a British black marketeer and nightclub owner in post-apocalyptic Paris. (Variety)
Guy Ritchie’s The Gentlemen Netflix series (which will take place in the same universe as his movie of the same name) has cemented its main cast: Theo James, Kaya Scodelario, Daniel Ings, Joely Richardson, Giancarlo Esposito, Peter Serafinowicz, and Vinnie Jones. (Variety)
Vikings and Raised by Wolves star Travis Fimmel will join the cast of HBO Max’s Dune: The Sisterhood prequel series as Desmond Hart, a charismatic soldier with an enigmatic past. (Variety)
Killing Eve alum Sandra Oh has joined the cast of HBO’s drama series The Sympathizer, opposite Robert Downey Jr. Kieu Chinh and Nguyen Cao Ky Duyen have also been added to the series and all three will appear in recurring roles. (THR)
Lin-Manuel Miranda will play the Greek god Hermes in Disney+’s upcoming Percy Jackson and the Olympians series.
https://twitter.com/DisneyPlus/status/1589716823632642057
FX’s Fargo has cast Dave Foley (The Kids in the Hall) as a series regular in season 5. He’ll be playing Danish Graves, the in-house counsel and prime adviser to self-made billionaire Lorraine Lyon (Jennifer Jason Leigh). (Deadline)
Gotham Knights has added Lauren Stamile and Damon Davoub in heavily recurring roles, playing Lincoln and Rebecca March, in the CW’s DC comics-inspired series that transpires after Bruce Wayne’s parents are murdered. (Deadline)
The Wonder Years will feature guest stars Wayne Brady (who will play Melvin, Bill’s insufferable older brother), Tituss Burgess (who will play a drag performer named Lonnie), Donald Faison (who will play Terrence, Cliff’s gregarious frat brother and realtor), Phoebe Robinson (who will play Lillian’s younger sister Jackie) and Bradley Whitford (who will play Alan, Dean’s music teacher), among others, in season 2 of the ABC comedy. (Variety)
The Spiderwick Chronicles has added Momona Tamada and Alyvia Alyn Lind as recurring characters in Disney+’s live-action adaptation of the popular book series. (Deadline)
(Photo by © Lucasfilm)
An Indiana Jones TV show reportedly may be in Disney+’s future. Disney and Lucasfilm have discussed a variety of options regarding a small-screen series that follows everyone’s favorite whip-wielding archaeologist, sources close to the matter have told Variety. The entertainment trade publication also reports that writer has yet to be tapped for the project, meaning there are no further details regarding where and when this project would fall on the Indiana Jones timeline, or if it would be a prequel, sequel, or spinoff. The project wouldn’t be the first TV show about Dr. Jones to hit the air. From 1992-1993, The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (which starred Sean Patrick Flanery and Cory Carrier as the hero during different times in his life) aired on ABC, with four TV specials airing between 1994-1996 on The Family Channel, the network now known as Freeform.
https://twitter.com/netflix/status/1590796529325182977
Chris Rock will make history as the first artist to perform live on Netflix. The actor, writer, director, and comedian will take the stage in the company’s first-ever live, global streaming event. It is scheduled to stream in early 2023. This will be Rock’s second stand-up special at Netflix. The first of which, Chris Rock: Tamborine, hit the streamer in February 2018. The company’s 2022 Netflix Is a Joke festival was the streamer’s biggest live, in-person event, selling more than 260,000 tickets, featuring over 330 comedians performing 295 shows across Los Angeles.
Production has begun on HBO’s True Detective: Night Country, starring Jodie Foster who also executive produces the latest installment in the anthology series. The series also stars Kali Reis, John Hawkes, Christopher Eccleston, Fiona Shaw, Finn Bennett, Anna Lambe, Aka Niviâna, Isabella Star Lablanc, and Joel D. Montgrand. Issa López (Tigers Are Not Afraid) serves as showrunner, writer, director (all episodes), executive producer. Logline: “When the long winter night falls in Ennis, Alaska, the eight men who operate the Tsalal Arctic Research Station vanish without a trace. To solve the case, detectives Liz Danvers (Foster) and Evangeline Navarro (Reis) must confront their pasts and the dark truths lying underneath the Arctic ice.”
A TV series adaptation of Good Night, And Good Luck, the 2005 movie directed by and starring George Clooney opposite David Strathairn, who played newsman Edward R. Murrow, is currently in development at AMC Networks. Jonathan Glatzer will executive produce and show-run the six-episode series, with Clooney taking an executive producer role. While it’ll be inspired by newsman Murrow’s story, Glatzer said in a statement, they’ve “expanded the world to show how the division and hysteria of the times seeped into every aspect of daily life.” According to the press release, the series “follows Sy Steingartner, a young cameraman for [Edward R.] Murrow’s ‘See It Now,’ who is forced to juggle his admiration for Murrow with his own ambition. With the CBS brass pushing an anti-Communist Loyalty Oath on Murrow and his staff, Sy has an opportunity to rise straight to the top, but only by betraying his mentor in the process. With wit and keen observation, the series confronts how we respond to chaos and the values that pull us through.”
(Photo by Warner Bros. Pictures)
Get ready for more Pennywise the Clown. A prequel series to Stephen King’s It, is now in development at HBO Max. Welcome to Derry, the working title for the project, is set to take place in the 1960s and explore the timeline leading up to Andy Muschietti’s 2017 adaptation, IT: Part One. After years of speculation regarding the origin of King’s iconic monster, it is said that the prequel series will delve into the origin story of everyone’s favorite demonic, child-eating clown. Muschietti will executive produce the series, along with Barbara Muschietti and Jason Fuchs. Fuchs and Brad Caleb Kane will serve as co-showrunners. And, if the project moves forward to a series order, Andy will step in to direct the first episode. (Variety)
Forever, based on Judy Blume’s groundbreaking 1975 novel, will be reimagined by executive producer Mara Brock Akil (Girlfriends, Black Lightning) for Netflix. The updated project will explore “an epic love story of two Black teens exploring romance and their identities through the awkward journey of being each other’s firsts.”
Netflix is bringing reggaeton to the platform in the form of Neon, a new eight-episode comedy series from creator Shea Serrano, with Max Searle serving as showrunner. The series will star Tyler Dean Flores, Emma Ferreira, Jordan Mendoza and Courtney Taylor will star. Neon will follow three friends who move from small town Florida to Miami to follow their music industry dreams of making it in the world of reggaeton.
Fox has ordered Universal Basic Guys/The Hoagie Bros. (wt), an all-new animated series from Adam and Craig Malamut (Sports Friends, Game of Zones, The Champions). In the program, brothers Mark and Hank Hoagies suddenly find themselves unemployed when the Glantontown Hot Dog factory switches over to automation. Thankfully, their hometown put a Universal Basic Income program in place, granting everyone in Glantontown $3,000 a month, no questions asked. Now, Mark, Hank and the rest of their pals have once again found themselves living as kids in the summertime, chock full of free time and stupid ideas. As the press release states, “this is a show about men trying to find purpose in a world where they’re no longer needed.
This Is Us alum Mandy Moore will star in and executive produce Hulu’s Twin Flames which tells the true story of two women seduced by the online teachings of a couple who preach that everyone has a soul mate called a “Twin Flame” and must do whatever it takes to be with that person. (Deadline)
Queen of the Jungle is a Latinx family drama currently in development at AMC. It centers on the estranged granddaughter of the Cortez family, which owns the largest eco-luxury hotel real estate empire in Costa Rica. After her grandfather dies, she unravels her family’s dark past. (Deadline)
Social media star Benito Skinner is developing Overcompensating, a comedy series inspired by his 2018 comedy stage show, at Amazon. Singer-songwriter Charli XCX will provide music and executive produce. (Variety)
Subscribers of Peacock’s Premium Plus service will soon have 24/7 access to their local affiliate NBC station through the streamer’s homepage. Officially launching on November 30, the livestream channel will be available across all 210 affiliate markets, and will present NBC’s full lineup (all in real-time), including local news, sports, and weather, along with favorites like TODAY, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and NBC primetime programming. Customers looking to upgrade can learn more at http://peacocktv.com/Local.
A 24-foot piece of the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger was discovered in the waters off the coast of Florida during production of History Channel’s new series The Bermuda Triangle: Into Cursed Waters. This marks the first major find of the shuttle’s wreckage in more than 25 years.
“The significance of this large section of Challenger’s structure was readily apparent,” said underwater explorer Mike Barnette, who led the team that made the discovery. “We recognized the necessity of bringing this find to the immediate attention of NASA. The site, which is outside of the Bermuda Triangle off the Florida coast, marks the loss of seven brave astronauts — fellow explorers — and the Challenger disaster was a tragic setback for America’s space program. But from this horrific event, important lessons were learned that have ultimately led to remarkable advances in space exploration.”
The full exploration will include expert commentary from Mike Ciannilli with NASA’s Office of Safety and Mission Assurance, and will be chronicled as part of the six-part series, which will premiere on Tuesday, November 22 at 10 p.m. on The History Channel.
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Spoiler alert: The following contains plot details for Andor episode 10, “One Way Out.” If you haven’t watched the episode and wish to avoid spoilers, stop reading here.
Nevertheless, the experience is a formative one for Cassian and, as Luna shared with Rotten Tomatoes when we spoke with him about the episode, the beginning of a pivot for the character as he moves inexorably closer to the sunrise depicted in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Beyond that, the actor also discussed how the script read, what guest star Andy Serkis brought to the story as Kino Loy, and the struggle Cassian continues to face despite his awakening in the last few episodes.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Erik Amaya for Rotten Tomatoes: Episode 10 was just phenomenal. Did it read that way in the script, or did it start to feel that way when you’re actually there on set dramatizing a prison break?
Diego Luna: Definitely on the page you could tell, s—; this point is really important. But also, I had the same feeling reading [episodes 3 and 6]. I think those, because it’s the big move and it’s the closing of something. It’s the learning [moment] and the meeting or the goodbye with the character.
But first, I knew on page that this was really important in order to shape Cassian Andor, to understand where it comes from, where the commitment comes from, where the clarity comes from. The learning in that prison is “you can’t go back.” Once you know life means so little to them, once you know that they’re willing to sacrifice anyone because you are nothing to them, it triggers something [in Cassian].
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
The prison truly reveals something to him?
Luna: I believe that everything about that prison makes you understand the complexity and the size of the Empire. It’s this idea of the best prison is where you [the prisoner] are the most productive, and the less of a unique individual. [Outside, it’s] this thing that they can’t ever take away from you, that you are unique, that you are specific, that you are who you are. Well, over in the prison, you are just a number. You’re just another white suit building something that is worth a lot and means a lot, but not to you, and you’ll never get to experience [that meaning].
This idea of a prison goes against every image you’ve made of prisons. It’s perfectly clean. They need you healthy, strong. They need you to believe. They need to lie to you. They need you to believe in that little number you see there every day, [your release date]. They build this fantasy of a way out that doesn’t exist; therefore, you’re always working for them. That whole place shows you how much can you be dead while you’re alive.
For me on the page it was like, this is the moment. The end of [episode] 10 is the moment when he does that jump. He’s never going to be afraid of jumping anywhere ever again.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
And shooting the episode?
Luna: I can do all the work I have to do to understand who my character is and make the choices I have to make. I can analyze the pages, but something happens when you get on set and you find an actor in front of you portraying a character that is supposed to mean something to you. So much of this story is about who he meets on that journey that gets him to the place where he is willing to sacrifice everything. That can be on the page, but there’s a piece of it that doesn’t come until someone portrays that role.
I didn’t know until I met Andy Serkis how important it was going to be for Cassian to see the possibility of transforming, to see someone waking up [after they] created so many barriers as Kino had. If you can go through that and touch what’s there, if you scratch and find the real person there, he can turn and become as committed as needed in order to bring change. Seeing that capacity we all have portrayed by this man, that’s the example Cassian witnesses there. He finds a way. That’s a moment where he thinks, There might be something in me that can make me trigger things and [turning] someone that was so against me and what I wanted to do and what I wanted to put together here with this bunch of people.
That is something Cassian learns of himself in that prison that I think helps him think big, think he could put together a team. He can do what then we see him do in Rogue One at the end where he puts together a team to support the decision Jyn Erso [(Felicity Jones)] made.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Although we know he will ultimately stand his ground, this slightly younger Cassian has a tendency to run from things. So it’s interesting to see him running again, but just by the necessity of the situation, it is a victory. Is this the beginning of him running toward something as opposed to running away?
Luna: Definitely. Yeah, and also, it’s different. You have to remember he is a spy at the end. He confronts in a different way, and [in that mode] you learn not be around when you’re not needed, and learn from what you see and move on. It’s a different mentality. In a rebellion, you need the frontal soldiers, definitely, but you also need [someone like Cassian] being a spy. It’s a different thing, and you can tell by looking at Luthen Rael [Stellan Skarsgård]. The first thing Luthen says is, “I came for you. Now we have to run. I got what I needed from here. It’s not about us showing them how it’s done. It’s about us disappearing from the breach. Let’s get out of here.” That’s how everything starts, and he’s learning from the best.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Luthen has that amazing scene in this episode in which he says, “I burned my life to make a sunrise I’ll never see.” It feels so resonant considering where Cassian ends up. Is he at a place where he can contemplate burning himself for something, or is there still a ways to go for that?
Luna: Not yet. Not yet. There’s still a lot to go. I think this season is about an awakening to find the clarity and the commitment, but there’s still doubts. There’s still a struggle to, again, let everything go.
When we find Cassian [as a child], he already comes from losing everything. When you see a community of young people in the middle of the jungle, you go, “Well, there’s loss involved, definitely, here. They’re starting from scratch. What is this?” Then you see that everything is taken away from him again and he rebuilds his life. We find him on Ferrix with a mother that chose him and the absence of the father that chose him.
So, he’s a guy that’s perpetually been forced to let everything go. And here he is again being asked to do that, but now for a reason. Now consciously, now not to escape, not to hide, but to confront. But again, it’s a struggle for someone that actually, finally, builds relationships, has a mother, has a beautiful, fun and lovable droid that is with him and follows him everywhere; has friends that lend him stuff, that still believe in him even though he owes everyone something. That’s why I think that prison is so, so crucial. He ends up in prison just because he was in the wrong place at the wrong moment, not even because of what he has done. No one knows who he is. No one cares.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Is he aware that the Aldhani operation allowed the Empire to extend the prison system, extend sentences, and create the perpetual workhouses?
Luna: Definitely. He realizes he’s been participating in something without actually choosing that is changing the game. Maarva [(Fiona Shaw)] says that. It doesn’t even have to get to as far as the prison. When he comes back, Maarva says, “What happened on Aldhani has changed my perspective on what am I going to do with my years to come. Whatever I have left of life, I’m going to fight and dedicate it and remind these people that change is possible and change will come.” The beauty is that after the prison, that changes [for Cassian, too.]
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Before, decisions were made in terms of surviving or moving out of the way when things are going to get bad — or being in one place where he thought he was doing one thing and it ended up meaning something else. This season is also about growing up. It’s like designing your future. You have to build what’s there for you. You have to choose. It’s about choosing. It’s about having the freedom of choosing, of making a choice, and not being just forced, and that just comes with the consciousness of what you are capable of. I think that doesn’t come [for Cassian] until the prison.
96%
Andor: Season 1
(2022)
new episodes launch on Wednesdays on Disney+.
On an Apple device? Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Apple News.
The first three episodes of Andor are out in the wild, streaming on Disney+, and the program clearly continues the viewpoint of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and the show’s executive producer, Tony Gilroy, who wrote the film. The galaxy here, however, is a little colder, grayer, and wetter. The streets and gantries Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) walks are grimier and, somehow, more complicated than the mainline Skywalker Saga. His is a world where the good guys can do bad things, the Empire is not a monolith, and (so it seems) even a kidnapping can lead to a net good.
And though the first three episodes represent a nearly complete adventure, it is only the beginning of Cassian’s journey. We may know the end of his path, but as the following analysis of the debut episodes illustrates, there is still plenty to discover about the title character and his relationship to the galaxy far, far away.
Spoiler alert: The following reveals details about the first three episodes of Disney+ series Andor. If you have not watched the episodes and want to avoid spoilers, stop reading here.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
In the end, it was a smart choice to debut the program with the first three episodes. Although we’re reluctant to say it felt like a movie, the episodes certainly feel like a single unit of story. As Gilroy put it back at Star Wars Celebration, the episodes cover “the worst day” of Cassian’s life and a pretty good reason to enlist with an apparent Rebel — it means a quick way off of Ferrix — but the plot point may not have been as effective had these first episodes been released across three weeks.
Certain questions we had in the first episode — like whether or not Bix (Adria Arjona) was also Kenari and if Cassian had the part he offered her contact — are quickly answered in the subsequent installments. Would those questions have proved more intriguing if we had to wait an extended period of time to learn the answers?
(Photo by Des Willie/Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Meanwhile, the way these three episodes work as their own story arc suggests the rest of the season will do the same, with the next three concerning wherever Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård) takes him and the remaining six episodes after that also breaking into three-episode increments. Sure, each episode leads Cassian closer to become a true Rebel agent, but building it in four three-episode arcs comes with a certain aesthetic satisfaction.
George Lucas’s initial idea for an extended story universe consisted of a 12-film cycle; although, as details of his quickly-sketched plan emerged, it became clear that the idea more resembled the James Bond pictures than a tightly-plotted saga with every fourth film devised as, essentially, a Star Wars Story to fill in info on the Jedi and other aspects of the universe. Based on all the available material on the subject, what we now call “The Skywalker Saga” didn’t come into crystal clear view until the 1980s. At that point, largely thanks to the Original Trilogy, the notion of a three-episode structure seemed the most natural way to plan a Star Wars tale — or, really, any film saga. Thus, the saga was expected to be a trilogy of trilogies.
So, we’re not overly surprised Andor is utilizing a similar structure, but we may have to wait until episode 6 to determine if the first season is using the format effectively.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Although various Star Wars Expanded Universe novels and video games have explored the presence of corporate entities in the galaxy (Star Wars: The Last Jedi also alludes to them being the real winners in a prolonged conflict), Andor feels like the first time the relationship between private companies and the Empire is really being explored (although, it is always possible Star Wars Rebels touched on this as well). As Sgt. Linus Mosk (Alex Ferns) says in episode 2, “Corporate Tactical Forces are the Empire’s first line of defense.” That is a very compelling new wrinkle to the Imperial Era.
As established in episodes 1 and 2, Ferrix is in the Morlani system, a part of the Preox-Morlana Corporate Zone. The Preox-Morlana Corporation, apparently headquartered on Morlana One, not only mines resources for the Empire, but acts as an administrative and law enforcement body on the Empire’s behalf within the zone. This is a fairly new approach for Star Wars, where Imperial garrisons are plentiful and Emperor Sheev Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) enjoys showing off the might of his army. It nevertheless reflects an understandable reality within Imperial rule; why send all the necessary personnel, munitions, supplies, and officers to patrol a work site when the company directly in charge of the work will do it for you? As the Empire is an acknowledged fascist state, its close ties to industry should be a bigger deal. And though Syril Karn (Kyle Soller) botches his big operation on Ferrix, it will be interesting to see if the Imperial Security Bureau follows up on his hunch about Cassian.
Also, it should be said, that Karn is the worst kind of fascist: a true believer. Or, at least, the first three episodes suggest to us that he truly believes in the concept of order as outlined by Imperial propaganda. As we mentioned in our Andor preview, Soller said there is a “question mark” over the character’s head, and his apparent devotion to the Empire could curdle across the series.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Another good thing about releasing three episodes at once: we get the full picture of Kassa’s (Antonio Viña) departure from Kenari.
As Fiona Shaw, who plays retired scrapper Maarva Andor, mentioned when Rotten Tomatoes spoke to her about the series, “We begin to understand that she is Cassian’s mother. But, of course, they’re a strange pair because she wasn’t always Cassian’s mother.”
And while it is unclear if we’ll get more flashbacks to their time together on Ferrix, the circumstances of Kassa’s displacement from Kenari is a big deal for his older self, as evidenced by the search for the sister he left behind.
It leads to a couple of big questions: What happened on Kenari? And why are people from that world so unusual? At Celebration, Gilroy said Cassian’s homeworld was strip-mined by the Empire — or was it the Preox-Morlana Corporation? — and that the series would begin with Cassian seeing his second world colonized in a similar manner. Also, was Kassa part of a kidnapping somehow turned good?
From the glimpses we saw in the flashback, Kenari seems to be devoid of adults — perhaps they all went to fight in the Clone Wars? That conflict is clearly still happening when Maarva and Kassa meet. The ship they both investigate happens to be filled with CIS (or Separatist) soldiers who appear quite willing to kill the local population. Then again, so do the Republic soldiers — and even Maarva and her husband, Clem Andor (Gary Beadle), for that matter! But considering it is a CIS ship that crashes, will the Old Republic cruisers in orbit turn around and just firebomb the planet to eliminate any perceived threat? Will that leave Kassa as the presumed only survivor of Kenari, who happens to dislike the Republic and the Empire?
We asked Shaw if Maarva senses a difference between the Republic and the Empire. She said, “There’s always somebody annoying them, and they don’t really care what the name of person who is annoying them. Somebody is interfering with their freedom.”
So, it is possible any galactic government will be met with the same disdain by both Andors. But does it mean the Republic committed some sort of war crime above Kenari? We doubt Gilroy would ignore the possibility, but the more likely answer is an eventual appearance by Imperial Star Destroyers in the Kenari system during the 15-year gap between the flashbacks and the present-day story.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Meanwhile, Kassa grew up to be the exact sort of man Luna suggested he would be — someone incapable of the sacrifice he ultimately makes. Although Luna’s charm makes him inherently likable, Cassian is a troubled young man. As Arjona suggested at the D23 Expo two weeks ago, there is some unpleasant history between Bix and Cassian despite her willingness to help him. It is clear he owes nearly everyone in town something, be it credits or a favor.
“No mother would be pleased if their son doesn’t pay back the money [he owes],” Shaw said of the man we meet in these first episodes. “I think she’s vulnerable because he tells her one thing and she feels it’s not entirely the truth. She doesn’t know who knows what.”
She also noted that while Maarva instigated the original lie — that he is not from Kenari — to protect him, it’s Cassian’s attempt to find out the truth about his sister that leads to their troubles in the first trio of episodes.
“There are all these circles of trust, which is very much what the series is about. It’s about trust and distrust, betrayal, shock of betrayal, and the hope that some good values can exist in between all of that,” she added.
But beyond those obvious differences in the character between film and series, there is one other thing we want to point out about Kassa of Kenari: killing Preox-Morlana security officer Verlo (Stephen Wight) messed him up. It is a huge contrast from the callous way he offs his contact in Rogue One, and we think his regret about the incident will inform him for the next nine episodes. At some point, he will pivot, and we expect that change will be one of the most tragic things about him.
Also, we can’t help but think Kenari is, in some way, a tip-of-the-hat to Kenner, the former Cincinnati-based toy company that made Star Wars toys throughout the late 1970s and ’80s.
To wrap up this exploration of Andor‘s first three episodes, we have a few newly-arising questions and some observations:
— While we may not meet K-2SO (Alan Tudyk) this season, Cassian’s rapport with droids is established via Maarva’s helpful assistant, B2EMO (Dave Chapman), an interesting character as it has reservations about lying to Maarva about Cassian’s whereabouts and activities. Is K-2’s candor ultimately the result of working for a constant liar?
— Why doesn’t Kassa like his own reflection? It is easy to think why Cassian might dislike his own visage, but what could he have done as a boy to inspire such self-loathing? As mentioned in Rogue One, Cassian has been in the fight since he was eight, so it is possible Kassa has already committed some dark thing that can only be righted by an ultimate sacrifice.
— Did Timm Karlo (James McArdle) deserve to die? Sure, he was jealous of Cassian’s casual way with Bix and suspicious of the guy’s intent. Sure, he called down the fire from Preox-Morlana security. Also, he seems to treat Bix as possession more than a person. But was it necessary to kill him? Consider this more of a philosophical brain teaser about Star Wars morality.
— In episode 2, Bix takes off her jacket in a suggestive manner and is seen dressing the morning afterward. It is a surprising depiction of intimacy in the Star Wars universe, which tends to tone down physicality (certain kisses notwithstanding) for something more ethereal. It is consistent, though, with Gilroy’s assertion that his characters are fully-drawn characters.
— Episode 1 features the first on-screen use of the BBY (Before the Battle of Yavin) calendar in a live-action Star Wars project. It is particularly useful here as it is, essentially, a countdown clock to Rogue One, which happens in close proximity to the original Star Wars film and its climatic Battle of Yavin.
— The interesting juxtaposition of Cassian’s exploits as a young adult with Kassa’s misadventures as a child and Rael and Maarva taking Kassa off-world suggests the past 15 years of his life marked the start of a sort of second childhood. It also suggests that childhood is well and truly over.
96%
Andor: Season 1
(2022)
new episodes premiere on Wednesdays on Disney+.
On an Apple device? Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Apple News.
Andor, the long-awaited Star Wars series starring Diego Luna as his breakout Rogue One: A Star Wars Story character, arrives Wednesday on Disney+. The second of two shows announced for the service back in 2019, it took much longer to develop and produce than The Mandalorian. It is something different, while also still firmly a part of the Star Wars universe.
Viewers who aren’t plugged into the latest Star Wars news and rumors online may be going into the series with a different set of expectations, so we’ve put together a dossier of the five most important things to know about the show before you watch.
(Photo by ©Lucasfilm 2016)
Although Star Wars is known for doing prequel stories, one of the major points the cast and crew of Andor often reiterate is that it is set before Cassian Andor’s appearance in Rogue One — five years to be precise. Now, considering the events of Rogue One, it is clear why it has to be a prequel story — spoilers for those who have not seen the movie – Cassian dies alongside Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) on Scarif after they successfully transmit the Death Star plans to the Rebellion.
The definitive status of Cassian’s final days has been something Andor executive producer Tony Gilroy has been discussing ever since he took over development duties on the program. Last July, he told reporters at the Television Critics Association’s summer press tour that, ultimately, the fact people know how Cassian dies is not important to the series.
“We’re all going to die and we’re all in a prequel,” he said, adding that knowing how Cassian dies does not prevent people from enjoying Rogue One on repeat viewings. “If you love it, because you’re watching it again, you’re invested in it.”
(Photo by Walt Disney Pictures)
Of course, Cassian’s ultimate sacrifice is itself a starting point for the series.
“This guy gave his life for the galaxy, right? I mean, he consciously, soberly, without vanity or recognition, sacrificed himself. Who does that?” Gilroy asked in a Vanity Fair article earlier this year. So, as opposed to Star Wars’ tradition of putting its heroes in physical jeopardy, the series explores the why of Cassian’s choice.
And, as Gilroy told the audience at Star Wars Celebration in May, that question will also lead up to moment he shoots his informant at the beginning of Rogue One.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
The first 12-episode season will cover one year of Cassian’s life — the fifth year prior to his Rogue One choice, to be exact. “I’m going to challenge everything you think about Cassian,” Gilroy said at the TCA press conference. And as he told us at Celebration, “[When] you see Cassian in the five years before Rogue One, you wouldn’t believe he was capable of what he did [in the film].”
“It’s about him being really revolution-averse, and cynical, and lost, and kind of a mess,” Gilroy said in the Vanity Fair article.
This particular year, five before the Battle of Yavin (or BBY as the Star Wars calendar would have it), is a big one for the Empire. As Gilroy explained, the Empire is expanding. Its ultimate weapon is nearing completion. And just as Cassian’s homeworld was destroyed, Gilroy said, “we see another planet that’s completely taken apart in a colonial kind of way.”
Considering the scope of the series, it is unclear if this world is one we’re yet to see or Ferrix, the planet Cassian appears to call home in the first three episodes. There, we meet Bix Caleen (Adria Arjona) and Maarva Andor (Fiona Shaw) — Cassian’s mother — among others in a fully-realized Star Wars community. The sights and sounds of the town Cassian wanders will feel familiar to those who’ve grown accustomed to Tatooine settlements or spent time at the Black Spire Outposts in the California and Florida Disney parks. But a key difference will also become apparent, and that contrast may be the reason it becomes, as Gilroy teased, “radicalized.”
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
As Shaw noted when we spoke to her recently, there are plenty of reasons for the “industrial community” on Ferrix to become radical. “Like everybody else outside the powerful Empire, they’re not well off. They just survive,” she said. Nevertheless, there is some symbiosis as the people mine resources and sell recovered system from older ships back to the Empire.
Of Bix, Arjona told reporters in August that she is “bold, yet really deep inside, she’s incredibly loyal and compassionate and cares a little too much for the people around her.” At the D23 Expo in September, she added that her loyalty to Cassian may also have an aspect of “broken trust” to it.
Shaw, meanwhile, told us Maarva is “a very old, very sick person” when viewers first meet her in the series, but it will soon come into focus what a “strange pair” she and Cassian really are.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Although Cassian takes up the greater part of the screen time across the first three episodes, he is not the only character viewers will become familiar with. In terms of established characters, Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly) provides not only a link to the mainline Skywalker saga and the animated Star Wars Rebels, but also a vital look into politics on the galactic capital–world, Coruscant. Beyond that, Mon Mothma’s part in the program represents a major chance to further develop her as a character. At a press conference in August, O’Reilly mentioned “each time we’ve met her, we’ve met this kind of composed, regal, dignified woman,” but Andor offers a “story [that] is so very different … she is still that very dignified senator, but for the first time, we get to see the woman behind the role. We get to see a private face of Mon Mothma.”
As Gilroy told Vanity Fair, “Her story will run parallel to the title character, whom we know will eventually become one of her key agents,” but he subsequently told fans at Celebration that it might be “some time” before the two characters actually cross paths.
Also, as teased in the various trailers, Forest Whitaker will return as Saw Gerrera, another character whose life ended in Rogue One. Of course, thanks to appearances in Rebels, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and the Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order video game, we know he is a particularly active Rebel whose tactics generally seem on the outs with the emerging structure of the Alliance. Perhaps this appearance will cement why the organization and he remain at odds.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Another character we expect to become important is Syril Karn (Kyle Soller), a security officer in the employ of the business concern near Ferrix. One of the big questions we expect viewers to ask is whether or not he is a true believer in the cause or a career-minded opportunist. The Empire and its adjuncts seem to feature both types in equal numbers, and as Soller suggested in August, he could be in for some soul searching.
“[He has] a big question mark over him,” the actor said. “He could go either way. He could go into the Empire. He could go into the Rebel Alliance. And he’s got a lot of gray area.”
The question of loyalty is something we can also ask of Dedra Meero (Denise Gough), a member of the Imperial Security Bureau primed to be a major thorn in Cassian’s side. Although, from our earlier glimpses of her, we’re more interested in her being a window into the Empire’s security apparatus. Gough herself noted the ISB is a “male-dominated world” during a press conference last month, but Dedra is “incredibly ambitious and meticulous” in her aims to raise through the Bureau’s ranks.
“She sees [what others] are missing [and] what is happening,” she added.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Of the two antagonists, Gilroy said, “They’re regular people. They go to work. They compete at work. They are careerists. They are insecure. They are vulnerable. They are complicated. And they’re a huge part of our show.”
Luna added, “It is quite unique to have the chance to visit this universe with this amount of attention to detail and with this intimacy.”
And though it may seem strange to devote time and care to the bad guys, Gilroy told Rotten Tomatoes during Star Wars Celebration, “I treat [all my characters] the same.” He has to love them even if they fall to dark side, adding, “if you’re going to write fifteen-hundred pages or 24 episodes of a show, you better have some really important people on the [opposing side].” He also said it is “pretty complicated to be in the Empire.”
(Photo by Des Willie / Lucasfilm Ltd.)
The Star Wars series on Disney+ have become famous for their use of a technology Lucasfilm calls “StageCraft,” but is known elsewhere as The Volume. It is, essentially, a giant wrap-around television which allows an empty soundstage or partially built set to become a full Star Wars environment. This generally creates a convincing sense of Star Wars scope and makes Star Wars television a more financially feasible proposition.
So, naturally enough, Gilroy did not use it for Andor. Although, he insists the choice was down to location and the availability of the StageCraft tech.
“We were making our show in London [and there was no Volume available],” he explained at the TCA press conference in July. “The technology is extraordinary. My God, it’s going to become a larger and larger force in all filmmaking.”
Another concern: the workflow did not allow the production to jump between locations and a Volume stage.
“Believe me, there are some things we wish we could’ve done on the Volume and they might’ve been simpler [to film],” he said.
(Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
And though it may be a practical concern, it also leads to a show that maintains the slightly darker Star Wars feel of Rogue One.
“The width and breadth and ambition, visual ambition and traveling ambition of the show is huge,” Gilroy added. “I mean, we have 211 speaking parts.”
Shaw also appreciated having a fully-realized set to interact with: “[It] was just stupendous that it was so real and so entirely textured — strange plants that get watered very rarely under a strange window that is made out of a bit of a spaceship against walls that are made out of metal and lots of screws and a door that has very modern opening, but actually vaguely works. And outside, there are gullies and gutters and chutes and water spouts all made from all metal.”
Although she mentioned spending some time on a green-screen stage, she said it was “very inspiring to be around” the sets.
(Photo by © Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / Lucasfilm Ltd. /Courtesy Everett Collection)
While the first season expands on Cassian’s life five years before its end, the second season will pick up the pace. Gilroy said at Celebration that season 2 will cover the final four years of his life, but, as he later explained to reporters in July, “every three episodes will move one year closer [to Rogue One].”
In terms of real-world practicality, Gilroy mentioned this plotting occurred because the program’s directors shoot in three-episode blocks. Also, there is a narratively satisfying resonance in every three episodes being a mini-story onto itself. Granted, it remains to be seen if Andor’s first year will use a similar structure.
The change in pace also means fans of Rogue One robot K-2SO, pictured above and voiced by Alan Tudyk, will have to wait to discover how and when he linked up with Cassian.
“It’s a story that, ultimately, we have to [tell] and we’re really are eager to tell, and we have a very interesting way, we think, to do it.” Gilroy teased.
(Photo by © Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / Lucasfilm Ltd. /Courtesy Everett Collection)
Also, if we can speculate, it is possible the second season may see guest appearances from other established Star Wars characters like Bail Organa (Jimmy Smits) and live-action versions of the Rebels characters (who are starting to be cast thanks to the in-production Ahsoka series).
Gilroy seems to like his corner of the Star Wars galaxy to himself, but these five years of Cassian’s life coincide with the Rebellion ramping up into a force capable of attacking Scarif in Rogue One and the Death Star in the original Star Wars. So, it may yet prove to be a galaxy of star cameos for Cassian Andor.
96%
Andor: Season 1
(2022)
premieres with its first three episodes on Wednesday, September 21 on Disney+.
On an Apple device? Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Apple News.
Andor, a darker tale in the Star Wars saga, is a prequel to 2016 film Rogue One, which stars Felicity Jones as Jyn Erso and Diego Luna as Cassian Andor. Where that entry in the universe revealed Jyn Erso’s youth and recruitment to the Resistance, the new Disney+ series tells Cassian Andor’s transformation from post-war survivor to rebel spy. On whether he maybe has a friendly rivalry with fellow Star Wars universe member Pedro Pascal (The Mandalorian), Luna says he “couldn’t have a rivalry with that man — he’s just pure love…It’ll be the opposite. I’m sure we’re going to go out and get drunk and talk about the experience and how crazy it is sometimes.” Showrunner Tony Gilroy and the writing team kept the cast grounded in the story “that just happens to be in a galaxy far, far away,” Adria Arjona, who plays Bix Caleen, told Rotten Tomatoes correspondent Naz Perez. Luna, Arjona, and fellow cast members Genevieve O’Reilly (“Mon Mothma”), Kyle Soller (“Syril Karn”), and Denise Gough (“Dedra Meero”) revealed their favorite ‘Star Wars’ moments and more when Rotten Tomatoes caught up with them.
96%
Andor: Season 1
(2022)
premieres on Wednesday, September 21 on Disney+.
