Coming after the really strong Season 1 of The Mandalorian, I was expecting something great from its successor. More action, higher stakes, a faster pace, and maybe some returning characters from other entries in the Star Wars franchise. Well, we definitely got that.
The main storyline of Season 2 is that Mando (I'm still calling him that) needs to find a home for The Child (also known as Baby Yoda also known as Grogu). The season has him travel the galaxy, meeting tons of new and old characters alike while also trying to prevent Grogu from falling into the hands of Moss Gideon, who wants to use his blood for his own nefarious plans.
In terms of positives, Season 2 definitely ups the action and fanservice to insane degrees. Boba Fett, Bo Katan, Ahsoka, and Luke make appearances this season, all having amazing moments of their own while (mostly) not overshadowing the core storyline of Mando and Grogu. I especially liked Boba Fett's role, as I really felt they redeemed the character after his underwhelming portrayal in the original trilogy. The action is also top-notch, as the season packs in tons of crazy shootouts, chases, and fights. The best setpiece this season was probably the shootout during The Tragedy, which really gives Boba Fett and Fennec Shard some serious moments to shine. There are also a bunch of interesting and clever additions to the lore, with my favorite being the reveal that Mando's clan is a bit of a cult.
However, despite all of this style and fanservice, I felt like Season 2 lacked the substance that the first season had. Season 1 didn't have any returning characters at all, and despite its slow middle, it told a more nuanced story about the morally gray members of the Star Wars canon. That same nuance appears in some episodes this season, particularly The Believer, but for the most part, it seems to veer more towards the "good vs evil" perspective that we know the franchise for. I also felt the ending was a bit weaker compared to the phenomenal Redemption from Season 1, with Luke's cameo feeling fairly out of place in such an otherwise small scale story, and the final scene just ending really abruptly in general.
Despite my gripes, I can definitely say that I had a blast going through Season 2, and the show kept me guessing episode after episode what could happen next. There were also plenty of high points throughout the season:
The Heiress: I adored this episode. Bo Katan's appearance was awesome, and the fast pace was welcome after a fairly slow start to the season. There were plenty of neat plot twists like the aforementioned cult reveal and Ahsoka's namedropping, along with some fun and exciting action scattered throughout. It was a lean, tight episode that felt perfectly paced and thought-out.
The Tragedy: Boba Fett's return was everything I could have hoped it would be. He absolutely killed it in the fight scenes, and for once, I feel like I got a genuine sense of his personality. Not to mention the plot twists felt like season finale-material, and Robert Rodriguez's directorial style made this episode one of the most distinct in the series.
The Believer: I think this might have been the best episode in the series to date, despite not being one of the "big cameo" episodes. It's easily the most nuanced in the series, challenging Mando's ideals in some really interesting ways. Bill Burr's character had a lot of depth and development compared to his first appearance, Mando having to take off his helmet was a great moment, the action was fantastic throughout, and we finally got the return of one of the franchise's coolest sound effects: The Seismic Charge.
The Rescue: Despite my many gripes with this episode, I can't deny my sheer shock at actually seeing Luke again, albeit in a shoddy CGI form. The final battle between Mando and Gideon was also really great and tense, even if it was a bit short.
Overall, the fast pace, constant excitement, crazy action, and bucketloads of fanservice made Season 2 of The Mandalorian an absolute joy to watch. However, I think I still preferred Season 1, as it felt a lot more nuanced and satisfying. Still, a must-watch for fans of Star Wars.
4/5 Stars
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