The Mandalorian arrived on our screens for the first time last November, but sixteen chapters in, and it's fair to say that we're every bit as invested in the story of Din Djarin and Grogu as we once were characters like Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and dare we say it, Rey and Kylo Ren. Season one of the Disney+ series opened the door to a new style of storytelling in a Galaxy Far, Far Away, and while there was quite a bit of what's often been described as "filler," each and every one of those chapters was an absolute blast. However, season two not only managed to top what came before, but it delivered a truly fan-pleasing, unmissable return to the Star Wars Universe with each episode (well, mostly) leaving us with lots to talk about and some jaw-dropping moments.
Kicking off with Jon Favreau's blockbuster episode, the season introduced us to Timothy Olyphant's Cobb Vanth, a character we immediately find ourselves gravitating towards and desperate to see more of. Memorable guest stars proved to be recurring theme this year, though your mileage may have varied with Chapter 10's "Frog Lady." That episode proved to be the season's weak point, because while it was loaded with plenty of adorable moments featuring The Child, even something as unique as a horror-inspired take on the franchise underwhelmed due to it doing so little to move the story forward after that incredible opener. Thankfully, that was it for "filler" this year because Peyton Reed's effort was followed by a standout instalment from Bryce Dallas Howard which featured Katee Sackhoff making her live-action debut as Bo-Katan Kryze. Carl Weathers took over directing duties next in an episode which dropped some huge reveals about Moff Gideon's plans and plenty of action (we'll also never be able to look at macarons the same way).
In Chapter 13, Dave Filoni appropriately stepped back behind the camera to bring Ahsoka Tano to life in a live-action setting alongside actress Rosario Dawson. She delivered a pitch-perfect take on The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels character in an episode that leaned heavily into the samurai movies that inspired George Lucas once upon a time. The pace never slowed down in the second half of the season, and Robert Rodriguez surprised us all with an episode that was part-extended action sequence and part-"Oh my God, it's Boba Fett!" Temuera Morrison was incredible as the older, weathered version of the bounty hunter, and seeing the character alongside Pedro Pascal's Din Djarin was simply mind-blowing. Talking of Pascal - who was extraordinary from start to finish once again - he really got to show his stuff in a the next, ectremely exciting episode from Rick Famuyiwa which brought back Bill Burr's Mayfeld and gave us yet another character to fall in love with.
The finale, meanwhile, saw Reed redeem himself in a huge way. Pure, classic Star Wars from start to finish, this one left us in tears. That was partly due to an emotional, wonderful ending, but also because of Mark Hamill's return as Luke Skywalker for a sequence we've been waiting to see since Return of the Jedi was released in 1983. This, ladies and gentlemen, was a masterpiece, and Giancarlo Esposito once again cemented himself as an actor who plays an antagonist better than anyone. Talking of the cast, it's impossible to say anything bad about the actors Lucasfilm has turned to for the series, and while the odd guest star can be a tad wooden, there was no one bad enough that it's worth naming names!
It's clear after watching season two of The Mandalorian that executive producer Jon Favreau has found the right balance of new and old with this particular Star Wars story, pleasing longtime fans and creating new ones thanks to accessible, enjoyable storytelling. There's something special about this series that was missing from the sequels, and while this batch of episodes leaned a little more heavily into the wider Star Wars Universe, those cameos and references weren't what kept us coming back each week; the story of Din Djarin and Grogu (what a name!) is what's been most compelling from day one, and that continued this year. It's impossible not to talk about the Disney+ series without making mention of Ludwig Göransson beautiful score that, quite honestly, is every bit as incredible as the work John Williams has done on the franchise. "The Volume" is also an incredible piece of technology which has been a game-changer for this series, and Hollywood as a whole, and it may prove to be part of this show's legacy that even outlives the characters themselves.
The best thing to come out of the Disney-owned era of Lucasfilm, and easily one of the best Star Wars stories ever told, The Mandalorian's second season exceeds all expectations to deliver eight episodes of pure joy for fans of this Galaxy Far, Far Away.
Check out our reviews of each season two episode of The Mandalorian below:
The Marshal
The Passenger
The Heiress
The Siege
The Jedi
The Tragedy
The Believer
The Rescue