The year is 2015. After a gap of ten years, Star Wars is set to make a triumphant return to the big screen in the form of JJ Abram’s The Force Awakens. The ‘Chewie, we’re home’ teaser trailer has sparked hope in even the most jaded Star Wars fan and excitement is at a fever pitch. Everyone and their grandma is planning to watch the film at least a few times.
And then there was me. I had, for the first time, started to intensely keep up with movie discourse in 2014 but was watching all this Star Wars excitement as an outsider because I had never seen the original films, never grown-up with the prequels. Like everyone else though, I knew that I would be watching The Force Awakens in the cinema. There was nothing else for it. I would have to catch up.
And so, I did. I watched the original Star Wars trilogy in preparation and enjoyed them. Nothing more, nothing less. The Force Awakens, meanwhile, massively captured my attention in large part thanks to its refreshing main character, Rey. She was my Luke. Her introduction as a scavenger on Jakku is still one of my favourite sequences in the franchise. Then, there was how polished everything looked. Director JJ Abrams’ work on the 2009 Star Trek reboot had similarly revitalised that franchise and I enjoyed the visual flair he brought to the table. I had also never seen a movie blend practical effects and CGI like TFA, not since the last few Harry Potter’s certainly and this heightened the perfect blockbuster experience of being whisked away to another world (I miss going to the cinema, can you tell?).
All in all, I recognised that I was becoming a casual Star Wars fan and things were great. (Luckily, I was not on Twitter at the time, so most of the overbearing discourse around the film flew over my head – all I knew was that some people believed the film to be too derivative of A New Hope and that Rey was a 'Mary Sue', a term referring to female characters with no weaknesses, and whose irritating and misogynistic overuse I wasn't overly familiar with in 2015. Ah, simpler times they were.)
The following year, Disney launched their short lived ‘A Star Wars Story’ franchise (which sought to tell peripheral stories outside of the sequel trilogy) with 2016's Rogue One, a prequel following a group of rebels as they steal the plans to the first Death Star. Opinions on the movie were largely positive and I still find it to be one of my favourite movies in the franchise. From the very beginning, I enjoyed the grounded, grittier world that it presented and the third act battle on the tropical beaches of Scarif was (and remains to be) absolutely enthralling. My status as a casual Star Wars fan continued to solidify.
2017 rolled around, and with it, the magnificent trailer for Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, showing off its gorgeous cinematography and teasing Rey’s next chapter of Jedi training. I went in with high expectations and unfortunately, they were not met. I just found the film… boring. Yes, the force bond between Rey and Kylo Ren was a highlight of the film, but I did not yet have a familiarity with the franchise lore to understand the intelligence of the ‘let the past die’ theme that runs through the movie and the resistance's plotline was incredibly underwhelming. Though I have recently come to appreciate parts of The Last Jedi (more on that later), in 2017 it stopped my Star Wars interest in its tracks. And this was mostly because of the hyperbolic and at times vitriolic discourse that surrounded the film. All the horrible hatred towards director Rian Johnson for supposedly RUINING ALL THE STAR WARS, 'SJW agendas' and the actual bullying towards both Daisy Ridley and Kelly Marie Tran was exhausting to see, especially as someone who wanted to enjoy Star Wars for what it was – a fun blockbuster experience set in a galaxy far, far away. It's such a shame that a vocal minority of Star Wars fans continue to drench the SW community in negativity, and for me in 2017, I didn't have any interest in hearing any more about it.
Solo - the second 'A Star Wars story'- flew into cinemas after a troubled production and then swiftly flew out. I wasn't fussed about missing it- a sentiment that was shared even among more diehard fans due to a general feeling of Star Wars burnout and continued doubts as to Disney's intentions with the future of the franchise. (It’s unfortunate that that film didn’t get developed in the Disney+ streaming service era to be fair, as it would have perhaps worked better as a TV show. In any case, I am glad we’re getting a Lando Calrissian series because Donald Glover was the one bright spot in Solo).
In 2019, the confirmed return of JJ Abrams to direct Episode IX was a small glimmer of hope for those losing patience with the Disney era of Star Wars. Personally, I was awaiting reviews before deciding to shell out money on cinema tickets. And, reader, the reviews were not good. And so, Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker came and went, and I was left to simply observe the hugely negative discourse from a distance. It seemed that my short-lived Star Wars journey was dead. I had cut myself off from the Force, so to speak. Star Wars movies were to me what the Jedi were to Luke at the beginning of The Last Jedi (and what coherency is to this metaphor).
Disney’s much hyped streaming service, Disney+, launched in America in 2019. The Mandalorian, Star Wars' first live action series, began its life on the platform as their only high profile original content. Baby Yoda memes flooded my social media timeline and I was mildly intrigued but nothing more. By the time the streaming service launched in the UK in 2020, I was genuinely interested in watching the show but didn’t want to pay a subscription for one title that I wasn’t hugely passionate about. I waited until 2021's WandaVision to sign up- as a massive Marvel fan, I wasn’t about to miss its premier for anything.
The first couple of episodes of The Mandalorian were fine if a little cold, but I became steadily more invested in the show as it progressed and I was able to fall in love with its mysterious main character and his bond with 'the Child'. It worked out rather well for me that I had two whole seasons to binge because the journey of watching the titular bounty hunter embark on adventures every week while bonding with Baby Yoda was a really entertaining and effortless binge . By the time I finished the show, and without the burden of fan discourse to influence me, I was convinced that I had watched one of the best Star Wars stories.
I could praise the show for ages so I'll try to keep it brief. The music by Ludwig Göransson, different to anything in the franchise but all the more masterful for it. The combination of voice and physical acting to bring to life a character whose face we seldom see (seriously- Pedro Pascal's voice carries so much charisma it's insane). The innovative use of LED screen technology and practical effects to bring to life each planet and creature. Creator Jon Favreau's clear vision for a homage to traditional Spaghetti Western/Samurai stories is so palpable in every episode and it was also nice to see notable names getting the chance to direct Star Wars stories, with the likes of Taika Waititi, Bryce Dallas Howard, Robert Rodriguez and Peyton Reed helming various episodes. And then there's Baby Yoda. Innocent, sweet, too-adorable-for-this-world Baby Yoda. Seldom to say, he has my heart.
Having said that, my first watch of the show was through cynical eyes. I loved so much of the show that I really wanted *more* of the bond between Mando and Grogu, less of the derivative weekly adventures and less video game 'fetch quest' style plot mechanics. My opinion of the show grew more positive in hindsight as the cloud of cynicism faded. Yes, every single episode involves Din Djarin making a deal to get something and then being directed to his next adventure at the end. So what? If it allows for cute Baby Yoda hijinks, interesting worldbuilding and compelling characterisation, who cares?
And then there were the Easter eggs in the show. On first watch, these callbacks didn’t always work for me perhaps because of my previously established disillusionment (how dare that wannabe bounty hunter sit in Han Solo’s seat in the cantina?! And why is the legendary Jedi Ahsoka Tano so useless by the end of her episode?). Now, though, I appreciate that the show draws on the mythology from the original trilogy beautifully (for the most part). Especially in regard to the Jawa's, Sand People, leftover Imperial troops and of course the Mandalorians themselves.
The show benefits massively by leaving the overdone legacy of the Jedi to one side. Our main character barely knows what a Jedi is. The mythology of the show therefore does not come from the fight between good vs evil, but the more mystical idea of a lone warrior journeying from place to place and forming a bond with an innocent creature. Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni’s space western/samurai inspired vision really springs to life here, while also fitting in perfectly with the more gritty side of the original trilogy's game changing world-building.
The Easter eggs in the show were the spark ("that'll light the fire…") that made me want to delve deeper into the Star Wars universe. Suddenly, I wanted to go back and watch the prequels to understand where the clones had come from, the original trilogy to understand why Boba Fett became so popular (no answers to that one I'm afraid), the sequel trilogy to see if there were any clues as to how the First Order came about, and even the animated Clone Wars show – that I had had absolutely no desire to watch previously- in order to understand the history of Mandalore and Ashoka Tano's arc. Where before all the miniscule Easter Eggs in Star Wars made the films frustratingly inaccessible, their integration into the fabric of The Mandolorian now piqued my curiosity.
I therefore started by finally finishing the prequel trilogy for the first time. Though I didn't like them on the whole, I was still able to enjoy learning about the origin of the clones (for the love of god can someone please explain why the Jedi are okay with the idea of clones?) and Boba Fett (more on him later). Revenge of the Sith introduced me to the Order 66 event- which was the order for the Jedi to be executed issued by Palpatine- an event that I understand will be explored in further detail at the end of the Clone Wars TV show which I am in the middle of watching. The thought of seeing the effects of Order 66 now excited rather than daunted me, especially considering how Marvel are able to explore events like the Blip from multiple character perspectives. Notably, Agents of SHIELD got to explore the emotional implications of Captain America: Winter Soldier's Hydra twist to great effect. It led to some incredible storytelling for the show. The possibility of exploring the ramifications of major Star Wars events on ‘regular’ characters has been explored a little in The Mandalorian but now I’m even more intrigued as to where it could go.
With each rediscovery of Star Wars lore, seen through fresh eyes, I was more and more excited to see how stories and characters could arise from them. I was now beginning to appreciate what Star Wars was outside of all the extensive Wiki pages and encyclopaedic knowledge that the more toxic side of the fanbase uses to gatekeep new fans. The best parts of world building aren’t the extensive details- it is the ability to balance deep mythology with fun and compelling character work. And that's what The Mandalorian does so beautifully. It uses its sci-fi, lived-in setting to enable fun character and action beats.
Therefore, my Star Wars marathon allowed me to enjoy more things about the films I had already seen:
Solo's portrayal of the oppressive might of the Empire as well as the criminal underworld was a great complement to the original trilogy
Rogue One’s depiction of the rebellion is still the best I have seen and let me tell you that Darth Vader scene hits different now with Anakin's entire arc in mind. As does the very concept of the Death Star flaw arising as an act of love from father to daughter (again, the latter idea takes a mundane plot contrivance and enriches it with character based emotion)
George Lucas' original vision in 1977's Star Wars seems even more revolutionary now. The worn, lived-in but futuristic feeling of the tech is so charming and something that I took for granted previously.
The Last Jedi is the film for which my opinion shifted the most during my marathon. I still maintain that the Canto Bight and resistance storyline is underwhelming. But, everything that Rian Johnson wants to thematically say about the legacy of the Jedi as well as Rey’s past is really intelligent and unique. The cinematography is probably the most stunning Star Wars has ever been.
And then I came back to The Mandolorian, watching the show for a second time within months of my first viewing. Long story short, I am firmly in the fan club for the show now and each episode felt like a joy to watch, leaving me craving more. The music felt even more iconic, the visuals even more of a love letter to the original trilogy. A second watch just solidified my status as a Pedro Pascal fangirl and I have now quested myself to watch everything he has ever done. Baby Yoda is just too adorable for words.
Then, there were the final few episodes of the second season. Boba Fett's action sequence was incredibly cool, and I now watched it with the benefit of knowing his backstory (I would also argue that that the show is the only time he's been cool). The thrill of the penultimate episode, 'The Believer', with Din Djarin forced to show his face while also bouncing off of Bill Burr's ex-Imperial sharpshooter-turned-criminal Mayfeld was even better upon rewatch, both furthering Din's bond with Grogu in demonstrating how far he is willing to bend his ideology but also delivering a tense, action packed episode that is possibly my favourite in the season.
Luke Skywalker's appearance in the finale of the season was now incredibly exciting, similar to my newfound love for the Rogue One Darth Vader hallway scene. Fan service was beginning to genuinely excite me for the first time. However, I think what’s even more amazing is that the show manages to outshine even that cameo with the emotion of Din saying goodbye to Grogu, which for me is the most emotional of any Star Wars scene. It demonstrates that the franchise can deliver both crowd-pleasing fan service but also fantastic new stories, as long as creators are allowed to run with their vision.
Going forward…
I do worry that The Mandolorian will get overly caught up in the multi-season crossover event it seems like Disney are building up to. We now have the threat of an Admiral Thrawn, the fate of Mandalore, the rise of the First Order all at play during this era and it’s all becoming a little bigger than the simple tale of a bounty hunter with a heart of gold that I fell in love with. I’m also worried about watching the upcoming third season 'live', as it means having to deal with the overwhelming fan discourse that I still believe hinders enjoyment of Star Wars rather than encourages it. (For example, it was only after I watched both seasons that I heard that there was controversy over Grogu eating the Fish lady's eggs or backlash against Dave Filoni forcing his Clone Wars characters into the story. Without knowledge of those critiques I was perfectly happy smiling at Grogu’s cute hijinks and being intrigued by the different factions of Mandalorians.)
However, given Jon Favreau’s strong vision for the show so far, I am choosing to be optimistic for Star Wars going forward, even if the number of upcoming series announced is still a little overwhelming for me. I am hugely excited to see the return of Din Djarin in this year's The Book of Boba Fett, a show that I might not have checked out were it not for the rumour that my favourite Mandalorian was set to return in it.
TL;DR
Din Djarin is my favourite Star Wars character; I’m a newfound fan of Pedro Pascal; want to adopt Baby Yoda and have now fully appreciated why everyone is obsessed with these space movies with laser swords. So, even though I may not know my AT-AT's from my AY-TEE AY-TEE's or the name of every Glup Shitto out there I’m finally beginning to fill in my gaps in the larger narrative of this wonderful galaxy far far away. Disney may not have figured out how to plan its Star Wars movies but so far I am hugely excited about their vision for guiding the franchise forward on the small screen.
Thank you for getting to the end of this Star Wars stream of consciousness, you can follow my social media for more articles and reviews like this. You can also find my Letterboxd here, where I have shared even more random Star Wars thoughts.
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