The Mandalorian is the latest entry in the Star Wars mythos, but unlike most of the films, this show aims to give us a glimpse of this universe’s criminal underbelly. Typically only explored in video games, comics, and novels, The Mandalorian is a noticeably darker tale. Starring Pedro Pascal, Taika Waititi, Gina Carano, and Giancarlo Esposito, this will be the first Star Wars show made exclusively for Disney+.
Here’s what you need to know when The Mandalorian releases on November 12.
The Mandalorian Timeline
Much like The Clone Wars animated series, The Mandalorian seeks to explore a time gap between films. Set several years after the events of Return of the Jedi, The Mandalorian takes place during the aftermath of The Empire’s defeat. With The First Order still in its infancy, The Mandalorian is set in what we assume is The Outer Rim. Given how lawless this section of space typically was, it makes a perfect setting for a criminal-focused show.
We do know that the remnants of The Empire will be involved in some capacity, as Giancarlo Esposito will be playing a high ranking Imperial official. During the trailer, we not only see Stormtroopers, but hear the unmistakable sound of an AT-ST Imperial Walker. There’s also a brief glimpse of Super Battle Droids and Separatist fighters, which suggests that the planet this show takes place on was once invaded by the droids during The Clone Wars.
The Larger Picture
While The Mandalorian may look like a Boba Fett knock-off, the show actually connects to a larger storyline that was established during The Clone Wars television series. For the unfamiliar, Mandalore was a planet located in The Outer Rim that suffered a devastating civil war. After being rebuilt, the planet and its population remained neutral during The Clone Wars.
This position was met with conflict thanks to an organization called Death Watch. Desperate to return Mandalore to its warrior ways, the group struggled and attempted to regain control of the planet. What followed was a series of conflicts, battles, and even leadership changes throughout the show. Going into any more would spoil some terrific moments from the series, so make sure to watch up on The Clone Wars before The Mandalorian releases.
The Mandalorian Armor
In the show, the armor that The Mandalorian wears is considered some of the best in the galaxy. Used frequently on Mandalore by numerous soldiers, the armor is able to withstand blaster fire, which can be seen in the most recent trailer. Typically, this armor was coupled with a jetpack, but this doesn’t appear to be the case in the show.
Of course, most recognize will recognize this armor as the gear that the bounty hunter Boba Fett wore. Currently, we have no idea if Boba Fett is alive or dead following is untimely fate in The Return of the Jedi. Despite the previous canon seeing Boba Fett escaping the Sarlacc Pitt, Disney has not clarified if this character is alive or dead in the new canon.
IG-11 and the Assassin Droids
IG-11 is one of the many new characters set to debut in The Mandalorian. Voiced by Taika Waititi, this droid is described as “like a child,” since he doesn’t know how to lie or what sarcasm is. Initially, many believed that this droid was actually IG-88, which was the famous assassin droid that showed up in the background of The Empire Strikes Back.
One of five identical droids created by an organization called the Banking Clan, these robots slaughtered their creators upon activation and fled into the galaxy. They are believed to be supremely deadly and efficient in combat. However, we don’t know if IG-11 was apart of this group or if he is simply a different model of IG.
These droids have popped up in a variety of different Star Wars stories including The Clone Wars, Darth Maul comics, Star Wars: Galactic Defense video game, and Star Wars: Rebels.
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