Where do you think The Mandalorian is going in season three? Thanks again to Noom for sponsoring this video. Click here to take the free online evaluation: bit.ly/noom_wisecrack
@@doctorwhofan-if7vx Filoni has said that over reaching story arches of the heroes are to finally let go of ego. The appeal of the lone, insular existence on the fringes of society isn't going to appeal to him anymore. He has found purpose in helping others. He is now selfless when his character was initially selfish.
It’ll probably be about Mando having to choose loyalties now that his quest is complete. His companions don’t all see eye-to-eye, you may notice, so I’m willing to bet he’ll have to make such a choice during the season 3 climax.
I think what works about Mandalorian is how Mando constantly gets involved in some of Star Wars’ biggest hits and doesn’t care about any of them. He just wants to protect his son, so the fan service becomes a means to an end.
Oh, here is a Dark Saber that allows to rule Mandalor and mandolorians, one of the greatest warriors in the Galaxy. To hell, wanna take? It’s yours It was so natural of him to just be ready to give it with no back thought. Loved that moment
@@antonknirenko2899 I loved how he just kept ignoring Moff Gideon jabbing at him about how little he understands the significance, he's just "shut up, don't care about you anymore, your word doesn't mean anything, she can have it". It's like he's rolling his eyes under helmet and I can hear it
@@mikejohnstonbob935 not at all, he was an orphan taken in by the Mandalorians, taught to fight at a very young age and thus far has only been seen getting better. Forrest wasn't even a war hero in the conventional sense, Din is a fighter, Forrest could run really fast so he saved some dudes...
Mandalorian to me is the most logical continuation of the last 6 films. The repercussions of the fall of the Empire and seeing the Republic and it's citizens deal with the aftermath, and seeing that they still have work to do to regain some semblance of order not suppressed in draconian fashion was the best narrative course Favreau and Filoni have chosen.
@@benvoliothefirst George wanted to double down on explaining the force, and didn't want to go into the Shakespeare direction. I mean think about it Phantom Menace is Hamlet/MacBeth, Attack of the Clones is sort of Romeo and Juliet, and Revenge of the Sith is Julius Caesar. The only problem is he change to Christopher Lee in the second one instead of doubling down on him playing a Claudius/Duncan character.
There is a lot of western elements in Japanese media if you're interested. Samurai films are basically identical in story structure, and anime like Cowboy Bebop and Space Dandy are famous for their western elements
Jon Favreau has confirmed that the show is heavily inspired by the classic Japanese manga "Lone Wolf and Cub" as well as classic westerns as mentioned.
The Mandalorian is a rare show with a religious fundamentalists as the lead, who mainly encounters people with different ideologies (in this case, less rigid mandalorians), and listens to them.
At the end of his journey, i'd love for him to retain most of his creed ideology around his honor and word. become a bridge between the old and new ways.
Well it’s an interesting creed because it only applies to Mandalorians. So he’s not trying to push his ideas onto everyone, just Mandalorians and those who intersect with that world. So yeah, it’s cool to see him be so open minded with the Tuskens for example. (Though they themselves are a masked people, so maybe he feels empathetic towards them for that reason)
@@IN-tm8mw The issue here being that the "old ways" here seem to be an ahistoric projection of fundamentalist beliefs into the past. It's a breakaway sect of Mandalorians who dropped out of the shifting system of Clan structures and civil wars that developed towards a more open and unified Mandalore, right until they picked a fight with the Empire they couldn't win and were scattered among the stars. Never taking your damn helmet off is a really stupid idea, which is why nobody would do it unless it was drilled into them as a core belief. There may have been a thing in that direction, historically. That they would not take them off around strangers because they were an isolated, hostile society of warrior clans that didn't interact with the outside much, making it a non-issue. But as a kind of enclave in outsider societies it's a giant issue, which means it must be a very big deal so everyone would always observe it. We have seen that most Mandalorians have very much for a long time engaged with people face to face unless in battle. And Din has found out very thoroughly how counterproductive his traditions could be, how much he alienates others by never being a full person to them due to the helmet. What I see him do is try to write forth the history of his people and find a way into the future rather than cling to the past. End the clan system that promoted infighting, find if Mandalore can be resettled, probably accept that being outside the galaxy is not a good idea because it means you have no allies on the big scale. They are few enough as they are, dwindling in exile only means their creed will be lost. He managed to get cooperation between settlers and Tusken going, so I guess he can manage his people's remnants, now that he has the Darksaber.
Yes! That's (part of) the reason why the last episodes of season two were so spectacular! Mando realizing that by sticking rigidly to his religion, he was actively harming both himself and others around him. When he took off his helmet at the Imperial base (and again when saying good bye to Grogu), that was the turning point for his character. He's matured both religiously, and as a person. I may have only just gotten around to watching it a couple weeks ago, but the show has amply displayed its directing and writing genius throughout, and I can't wait to see how Mando continues to grow.
Worked well with his character. He hadn't given a damn until he learned how significant this refinery was to a repeat of what made him desert in the first place. It was no longer only the architect that had to die, but his dream if he wanted to live with himself. I was like "damn, dude."
I thought there was a huge missed opportunity to have Mayfield tempted with a return to the Empire. It would have meant a lot more jeopardy and suspense as we wait to see which way his conscience falls. At the very least we should have seen more of the Mayfield from the first series where he was completely ruthless and would betray without hesitation. I thought they rushed his redemption by making it about pure revenge.
@@questor55 betraying criminals and attacking the republic or the empire is different from rejoining a corrupt government. With the way they displayed his character, the empire tempting him would make no sense.
@@BillBilliamson if you could have wrote it better, by all means! Seeing Mayfield, a broken man face to face to the person that killed his former life as if it was nothing. With canon Star Wars lore with operation: cinder that is his pain. What whoopdiedoo could you think could have been better?
I'm hoping her watching Mando take his helmet off makes her just accept the Saber and we skip right over some forced conflict between the two. The tension next season should just be over keeping it a secret that she didn't get the saber through combat.
That's also (perhaps unintentionally) a comment on religion as well: _my_ religion always has entirely rationale reasons for the things we do. _Your_ cult just does some weird-ass shit. To put it in contemporary terms: Catholic: Having to pray five times a day facing a specific direction is kind of dumb. Muslim: Says the person who has to regularly engage in ritualistic cannibalism.
Something else was how The Mandalorian showed us a different aspect of the Tusken Riders. While they were generic wild men bad guys in the movies, The Mandalorian shows us a proud race of people that have been living with little to no technology in their planet and have been fighting against others that have been taking over it. Basically, Tusken Riders were portrayed then and now in the same way that native americans were portrayed in westerns then and now.
I think the Mandalorian did really well and felt like "star wars" because it went back to its western and samurai roots. The new trilogy sucked and felt empty because they copied the marvel movie format, which is not star wars. Super hero movies are AWESOME but star wars is not a super hero series.
I love the fact that this series explores fatherhood as well, and builds a father-son relationship out of any genetical bond. It shows how emotions can overflow an otherwise emotionless character, and change him.
something interesting about Mando is that, as he gets further away from his home and old ways, the friendlier he becomes. The episodes with geko-mama are the perfect example, since this are about having a last chance for a happy future, we see him trying to make a few (bad) jokes, talking with, and being more flexible in some regards (he accepted being a taxi in the first place) And this pays him of at the season 2 finale, when he got allys that know how important the kid is to him and want to help him
Err....only he is NOT dead. Cara Dune report "he is dead" to repay him for his help and BECAUSE she saw that Mayfield also had come "to hate" that the empire means to an end were so wicked and cruel towards inocent people. Cara didnt wanted to put him in jail again for that reason. Mayfield escaped and who knows where he is, but we may see him again. I hope.
So to summarize things the Mandalorian did the “Kill the past” thing last Jedi did properly. Because they didn’t kill the past they just chose what to carry with them and what to leave behind. They never forgot it or denied it. Merely chose to move onto something new. All the while clinging to what’s most important from their pasts. Mando still has a great deal of pride in how he was raised even if he is slowly choosing which parts to let go. And what’s more important then them. Not his life but the life of one he cares deeply for and their happiness. Asoka left the order and denies it. But she still holds to the morals her master taught her before his own fall . The past is never truely gone nor should it be. You just have to know how to pack
Ryan Johnson seems like a filmmaker who like mystery and possibly horror, but somehow got to do Star Wars. JJ is just a fanboy who only made one good film that was an homage to horror movies and Tokusatsu, but got to do both Star Wars and Star Trek. I think both film makers failed to capture the essence of Star Wars being a Space Western/Samurai film first and a Sci-fi Fantasy Space Opera second.
@@KRYMauL Agree with your take on JJ, strongly disagree with you saying Rian didn't capture the essence of Star Wars. Star Wars is silly, adventurous, full of movie clichés, a coming-of-age hero's journey, and makes relevant political/social statements. I can't imagine George Lucas not loving The Last Jedi tbh.
@@ZacLJones From what I heard George wasn't the biggest fan of the sequels because they went off to create their own story. Also, I think Star Wars is more a Space Western/Samurai that deals with different problems.
@@KRYMauL Yeah George did have plans for Luke to be exiled by himself and unwilling to get back into the fight, but his movies were mostly going to go deep into the specifics of how the force works, which TLJ touched on very briefly, and that's all we got. Definitely. George loves old cinema, Star Wars references: Western films, Samurai films, WWI/WWII films, heist films, old sci-fi serials for kids, etc.
I loved those two, not just for comedic effect, but because they're pretty remarkably representative of how bored soldiers pass time. When I was in the reserves, we had a motto, "hurry up and wait". There is a lot of waiting in military life.
I think that's why The Mandolorian hits so deeply. A lot of us at some point in life have to have a reckoning with the past. Whether that be an event or beliefs, we all come to that crossroad to determine on a personal level if we're going to continue adhering to it, or discard it altogether as the next step forward.
I would argue a lot of the themes we see in The Mandalorian were also explored in The Clone Wars. Dave Filoni and his characteristic cowboy hat is involved in both shows.
There's definitely a specific Sergio Leone 'spaghetti western' influence as well, and you definitely hear it in Ludwig Goransson's score and the Ennio Morricone influences there.
It would be great if Mandalorian inspired a younger generation to check out old Westerns (and newer ones too). The Magnificent Seven ('67), True Grit (both versions)The Outlaw Josey Wales, Jeremiah Johnson, and even Unforgiven, or the modern Wind River need to be seen by younger people.
I personally started watching old western serials because of The Mandolorian. Two major ones are Have Gun Will Travel and Wanted Dead or Alive. I didn't realize old western serials went into so many gray areas throughout their run.
Well one is made by industry favoured directors, to make money. And the other is made by Star Wars veteran directors, to make great art. It's not comical, it's just sad.
This is a tricky one, because unlike The Last Jedi, The Mandalorian isn't afraid to reject its prior philosophies and move forward with something new. It probably helps that it doesn't use nihilism to do this, but rather sets it up as a flawed viewpoint and then deconstructs it in a more positive light. In the same way Din has to learn to reject the impractical extremist version of the culture he was raised on, the show rejects the individualistic, hedonist mindset of the revisionist western and its deeply troubled protagonists for a practical loyalty to those you care about, rather than those who wear the same badge as you. Even Cara, who straightens out and joins up, can't help but look the other way for those she might call her friends. This matches the original trilogy, which is often misrepresented as exclusively a space western, when in fact it takes inspiration from a wide variety of classic cinema, from samurai epics to WW2 fighter pilot movies. I can't wait to see how they reverse this again in the future, because it's clear Dave Filoni shares a passion with George Lucas for planning out stories years in advance. They seem to be setting up for a commentary on leadership. Whether it's the long term skills it gives you or the toll it takes, we'll have to find out
Unlike The Last Jedi, The Mandalorian was 2 seasons of 4+ hour content. Literally, everything in the Last Jedi is in The Mandalorian...having some more time to throw in a bit more sugar so you can swallow the same pill doesn't make it more genius. It's rather clear Disney proper still holds the ideals for the future of Star Wars present in The Last Jedi...they are just retooling what was presented in different ways because, it's very clear, the hangups weren't just about the plot...it was about identity, current politics, and the speed at which the change occurred. The reason The Last Jedi couldn't "reject its prior philosophies and move forward with something new." was entirely because of the pushback from fans who felt change was at its core a fallacy and not allowed in the franchise "Luke Skywalker isn't X". It definitely changed the formula and set the stage for something new...but it's 2 hours. Moving Star Wars from The Force Awakens...which was a statement of glorification of what existed in the OT...to saying we need to move on...can't happen in 1 movie when the series is this long. If Rian Johnson got a whole series, we'd be in the same situation, praising him. The only problem was that Disney wasn't willing to commit to their philosophy after TLJ, TLJ itself did a great job of presenting a critique and then presenting a new way to move the plot forward outside the constructs of previous entries.
@@magvad6472 What would you say TLJ's final message is after Luke returned to perpetuate the conflict between the Light and and Dark Side that he'd been trying to teach Rey was wrong then? I hadn't meant to imply that movie's failure was caused by TROS reversing direction. I believe that merely solidified it. Star Wars historically works in a structure of arcs or acts, giving each each idea equal time to be explored. In that way, it was kind of set up to fail by what came before as well. The idealistic whiplash between the glorification and deconstruction of the universe was incredible jarring. The Mandalorian does the inverse, starting with an Outer Rim left to rot by the actions of our heroes, and then dedicating equal time to building a more practical lifestyle from the ashes. I don't think it's the extra runtime that makes The Mandalorian shine, but how it makes strategic use of it to divide its messages into focused acts. It's difficult to look at The Last Jedi as its own product apart from the movies preceding and following it because everything Star Wars has always worked in a multi-act structure, so as fans we've been trained to think that way about its storytelling. Even in that light though, I struggle to see what the takeaway is, because everyone's actions seem to drive home the morals of the original trilogy, not the new ideas in The Last Jedi
@@ThreeProphets Well, not really. The point of the Last Jedi was to redefine what 'balance' truly meant in the force. It isn't the darkness destroying the light, and (unlike what all the movies that came before tell you) it isn't the light destroying the darkness. In their final standoff, Luke has gained this understanding and, as he looks at Kylo, he doesn't see an enemy or something to be destroyed; he sees his mirror image, his counterpart on the other side. With this understanding, he is able to win the battle not with a physical struggle but instead an ideological one and die in peace knowing that he has carried out his part. Because as much as Kylo wants to kill the past, he is unable to learn from it or understand it and so is cursed to relive it. I would say that Mando has done a very good job of putting these abstract concepts into practical characters and plots, but we need to recognize that it was really the Last Jedi that started this shift.
I think our favorite Mando is destined to rise to become the new Mandalore. The Dark Saber will stay with him I think. He knows the ancient ways his kind abandoned. He is confronted with the flaws of both modern Mandalorians and the flaws of past ones he represents. As he finds his way through the story's conflict he'll also find his own creed and religion. That strength is what the Mandalorian people need to rebuild. Not someone like Bo-Katan who would rebuild what has already been broken and proven flawed. She also has flaws of herself but while she starts to aknowledge her shortcomings Mando is becoming more and more aware of how strong and noble he really is. Anyway, I think it'll be real fun to see what the future holds.
And I think you’re right that the show outright “kills the past” as the video interprets. There are still many great points but I think that the binary oppositions of past and future are in a more grey zone, like you said being that Din Djarin will take from both. Also it feels like Cara Dune is doing something similar by being a marshal for the new republic, accepting an imperfect but new system that still, in a way, reflects her past from the old rebellion than just being a mercenary.
And the best part of literally EVERYTHING you discussed, we are shown all of this through Mandalorian, not simply told in blunt narrative or dialogue. It is all woven seamlessly into the story. And that is what makes Mandalorian the greatest chapter in Star Wars so far.
When Ashoka talked about a Jedi coming out I wasn’t expecting who came just based on the actors age but I really thought it was gonna be cal kestis from fallen order. I mean they casted an actor and he did all the mo cap work so he could easily transfer that character to live action easy
They casted an actor for Force Unleashed 1 & 2. Mo-cap is the most cost effective way of getting high quality acting translated to video game characters, you'd do this regardless of whether you plan to tie in any live action stuff. Besides they easily brought in Katee Sackhoff without any struggle then changed Ashoka's actress. Luke was the only real choice at this stage, someone like Cal would need to be explained and the story isn't about that, someone like Mace would be more recognized but need equal amounts of exposition. Luke is able to fit in without needing to be justified, so works where these other characters couldn't for the story it seems they are trying to tell.
I think Cal would be reserved for the rumored Luke Skywalker Series or Ashoka Series. If EA would let Respawn make Jedi Fallen Order 2-3 if he is still alive ofc then Cal would slowly be transitioned to the TV series. I think Cal (If alive) would be recruited by Luke to make a restore a newly reformed Jedi Order.
Mandalorian works because it pulls from the INSPIRATIONS BEHIND Star Wars...rather than being self referential like the sequels...that was solely inspired by Star Wars An example Rather than pulling inspiration from Star Wars...the Ashoka episode pulls from westerns and samurai films that inspired Star Wars in the first place Creating a unique yet familiar experience
Except fans didn’t want “inspired by” entries when the Star Wars sequels began. They wanted just Star Wars stuff to wipe their memories of the prequels being bad. And that ignores how the original film was itself a hodgepodge of Buck Rogers, Kurosawa, Westerns and war dramas.
@@benwasserman8223 And then we got the ST, and the only people who seemed to like that were the Twilight Fangirls who've been wandering around since 50 Shades ended.
Great analysis Wisecrack, i honestly felt the weight of Mando's decisions in the final episodes of season 2 and buildup to the that moments were well put just like a clear crumb trail.
The mandalorian didn't kill the past, it saw it, awknowledged it and looked for a way to live with the knowledge that it would always be there...unlike the sequel trilogies that just went "yeah no, forget that, look at this"
In a way they are paying homage to the past some of us grew up with. I myself enjoyed The mag seven, Good bad and ugly with my dad. This show allowed those who felt somewhat slighted by the last three movies redemption that we felt was missed. Not the gender realization but the art of storytelling that was missed. Very insightful post. peace to all.
My father always described the original Star Wars as a "spaghetti western in space." In many ways, I feel this adequately reflects the original inspiration for (and appeal of) the franchise.
I think the Mandalorian is an allegory of our own times. Just like Mando, many people today are being forced reevaluate their way of living. "This is the way," a phrase we hear throughout the story, also places emphasis on the realization that there are many ways, and questions where the line between good and evil exists in our own lives.
Also worth noting, in my humble opinion, that The Mandalorian does wonders reconciling the (admittedly Westernized) Taoist/Buddhist mysticism of the Jedi with a more intimate and immediate understanding of the philosophy. Further, I'd argue that Mando's adoption of Grogu and IG-11's reconfiguration as a nurse droid (both 'hard men' of sorts, taking on 'feminine' roles) and Mando's slowly growing empathy for other beings and his attempts to live quietly speak to Lao Tze's philosophy in a really cool way. The intersection of this paternal figure, who is flawed buy ultimately kind and earnest in his convictions, with Grogu, who represents the mystical aspect of the series, could mean a LOT of cool stuff for the lore. Assuming Disney doesn't screw it up.
This is good but it seems to lack the very strong Japanese cinema/culture influence on the Star Wars films in general - including the Mandalorian with the Lone Wolf and Cub/Shogun Assassin undertones. Perhaps too the way Kurosawa and Japanese cinema in general informed the story arc of Star Wars to begin with (The Hidden Fortress) and the way those films influenced the revisionist westerns to begin with (Sanjuro/Yojimbo)...
Would you stop with the Japanese stuff already? Star Wars mostly draws on Western sources, and I mean Western culture, not the genre. Flash Gordon, 2001, Metropolis, Dune, Westerns which weren't influenced by anything Japanese, The Dam Busters, and yes, the Valerian comics from France.
@@Aristocles22 Read "The Secret History of Star Wars" by Michael Kaminsky. Everything you mentioned, along with Kurosawa and more, influenced the original trilogy.
@Aristocles What if, and bear with me here, Star Wars can be influenced by a number of sources be they samurai films of the 50s, action serials of the 40s, or propaganda films of the 30s It doesn’t lean on one particular reference it’s a cultural melting pot.
@@leer6871 Most of those things were from the West. America, the UK, Germany, France. A few references to samurai movies were there too, but it was almost all from Western European or American sources. This isn't something up for debate, it's a well-proven fact. Flash Gordon and Metropolis aren't Japanese, you know. Neither was The Dam Busters, The Searchers, or Silent Running.
I'm not sure if you watched the Clone Wars, but I feel like the Clone Wars was definitely very similar. The clones were portrayed as if they were droids, only following orders, but the Clone Wars, especially the Umbara Arc, tells us that it's not just good and bad. The Clone Wars definitely paved the way for the masterpiece called the Mandalorian.
The Mayfeld redemption episode was, in my opinion, the best thing about Season 2. The scenes between Mayfeld and Din as well as Mayfeld and the Imperial Officer was some of the best writing I've seen on the show. While I love the action on The Mandalorian, we need more of that.
Mayfield was like DJ in Episode VIII. Both of them thinks that both bad and good are just the same when it comes to war. But Mayfield has the perspective of being the enemy once and witnessing how they're just being used by the Empire compared to the Clone Troopers before them.
The Mandalorian can be a source for learning several things. Among them is; Freedom with responsibility. He was free to do what ever he wanted, but he chose to draw the line at hurting sentient children, or indirectly doing so by completing a job. Steadfastness yet flexibility. Keeping true to himself and to his self-imposed mission to see the child to safety and ultimately to reunite him with his kind. But he was also open to sensible suggestions about other aspects of his life that were not necessarily based on historical truths, plus he was open to trying to understand the bare basics of what the force was about, even if he had no belief in its existence nor any possible way of sensing it, much less use it. Courage, skill and honor. These were displayed throughout the series in various ways. Tough and hard, yet kind and gentle. He is a Mandalorian warrior, and they are tough and hard in just about every aspect. But to the right people, he could be kind and gentle when the situation called for it. The fact it was harder to display them, yet he did so, was only a testament to a sound soul and worthy heart. All these and more can be found in the series. What did you guys find?
I really love how the Mandalorian is marrying the new canon and legends. I think Boba is going to have a new storyline, but Mando’s story might follow a similar path to Boba’s in legends. I was half expecting Boba to come out and save Grogu, killing Moff Gideon and claiming the dark saber, on accident just like Mando. I love you Jon and Dave.
I am looking forward to stories about Jedi -- specifically Jedi, who hold themselves to a high standard of generosity, kindness and service -- who are personally gifted but who are NOT predestined. Not chosen ones, but people with unusual capacity who must figure out how to apply a philosophy of compassion and learning in a complicated world. If with great power comes great responsibility (as I believe), why is that?
Well, if Star Wars hits its best mark as a balanced mashup of western and samurai movies, the next great Star Wars thing should really try a mashup of 60's spy and hong kong kung fu movies in a sci-fi setting.
You kept showing the Dollars triology movies when talking about classic westerns. They are post-westerns, more in your revisionist category than your classic one.
A good video with good points, but saying it "Killed the past" is pretty rich after Luke freakin' Skywalker shows up to save every one of these characters from certain doom. The past essentially saved the Mandalorian in this case.
depending on your view of some creative choices w/ luke and star wars in general as of late, you could argue his mando appearance still 'killed' the past, so to speak. its all a matter of perspective, its important to remind myself of this
Would you ever make a BTS of how you make these video essays? The critical thinking behind them blows my mind every time. I feel like we could learn about life from your process
It's not just one person doing the research and giving his insight. There is a production team of academics, writers, editors, producers, directors, and videographers working behind the scenes. More and more of UA-cam is becoming this. To Wisecrack's credit, it at least provides production credits. All channels should be required to do the same. Written by: Ross McIndoe Hosted by: Michael Burns Directed by: Michael Luxemburg Video Title Card by: Amanda Murphy Editing by: Mark Potts Produced by: Evan Yee
This analysis is more proof (to me) that even if TLJ didn't do it perfectly, it had the right idea: examining legacy and moving beyond it. TROS truly dropped the thematic ball
Last Jedi was hideous. You can't "move beyond" the past in that way; it always happened and nothing will change it. The key is not to kill it or forget it, but to learn from it. Trying to kill the past only ensures that you will repeat the same mistakes again and again. Ironically, the only way to be free from the bad parts of the past is to always remember them and heed their lessons.
SPOILERS for Season 2 of Mandalorian: Like most Western heroes, Mando is definitely a character founded on a objectivist perspective. What makes this character compelling for me is that he is beginning to see the cracks of his beliefs. I don’t believe the character will ever change from that philosophical system, but it will be interesting in how he moves forward without Grogu, especially since Grogu was the lynchpin is character arch. Great video! Kudos to Ross and Michael!
Me in 2019: Mandalorian? Lol another Star Wars crap Me in 2020: Explaining how it nails Favreau and Filoni nailed Leone, Corbucci, and revisionists....
Well, there're still several good George Lucas' ideas in the Mandalorian (let alone the character growth, depth, aesthetics, etc; all at which which the sequels failed miserably) such as the concept of family and redemption arcs. Redemption and change with Vader, redemption with several characters like the robot, Mayfield, etc and change with Din himself. TLJ was so obsessed with his own pretentiousness that might have been an okay movie elsewhere with other people but was a disastrous SW movie instead. Bandwagoning to the kill the past idea for its own sake hasn't done anything good to it. Why don't we all learn from the past instead of being obsessed with killing it? There are good old ideas that should come back as well as some new great ones to look forward to.
TLJ is so weird to me as a film as there is that dual messaging of destroy the past or learn from it and it infuriates me every time I watch it. Objectively, Luke and Ben aren't wrong the Jedi were too focused and dogmatic to do any good in the galaxy which is how Palps rose to power and eliminated them. In that case, why not actually end the Jedi and actually burn those books down. Why not actually end the Rebellion/Resistance and let the First Order retake the galaxy. Why not actually break the Anakin saber and have it shattered completely beyond repair. Why reset the board for 9? Ignoring the fact that Luke would not even think about killing his own nephew, I disliked making Ben the main villain for the sake of "surprising the audience" and robbing him of the actual opportunity of a redemption arc as well. After following the stories that were released around and before the same time as TLJ, there seemed to be an idea that the option of grey jedi was really going to be a big part and theme of 8 and it really was just a huge wasted opportunity of a movie.
@@cpudude30k I'm sorry, but there is no dual message. Actually, The Last Jedi performs against moral relativism: Yeah, the Jedi fucked up, but it doesn't mean they should end: It was a Jedi master who was responsible for the training and creation of Darth Vader, but it was a Jedi master who saved him. Yeah, the Rebels do dirty things, but it doesn't mean it is the same thing as the First Order. Both Rey and Finn go through this similar journey of ambiguity and eventually they choose the to fight for the right thing. It's about the restoration of good after failure. There's no "I'm on the fence." Do or do not. There is no try. Also, Grey Jedi could never be a thing because the Jedi fight for the light. Yes, there's darkness within us, but we confront it, we don't let shake hands with the light side, because the dark side will eat the light side alive if that happens. It doesn't there mean there aren't grey individuals, but it's not possible in canon to have Grey Jedi. This is probably why they never approved Trevorrow's Episode IX.
@@JGPRIME25 There are a buttload of grey jedi in the now legends EU, Luke even went darkside for a minute. Glad you brought up Finn because his arc is garbage in 8. You mean to tell me the indoctrinated child soldier is just learning that war is bad and he has to learn the exact same lesson from 7 again? Give me a break. Did not even acknowledge the core flaw of Luke's characterization.
@@cpudude30k EU is gone. A tragic event to be sure but somewhat inevitable, even if Lucas stayed at the helm. For it all it did, revitalizing star wars after the originals and showing Lucas star wars was still relevant, leading to the prequels and being a multi generational mythos, not afraid to tell any story.... It had some really dumb ideas, Grey jedi being one of the dumbest. As a youngster thinking of a good guy using dark side powers sounds awesome but now it makes no sense. This all relates back to what the Balance of the Force means; spoiler alert, this is nothing new but hey it has to be said. The light is all about selflessness and the dark about selfishness. For a jedi to use the dark side they must tap into their selfish emotions. To do so isn't "edging the line but never crossing it", that is "actively courting your selfish desires to get what you want." When that happens you cease to be a jedi of any kind and begin your path to evil. The force is naturally light and balance isn't equal light or dark but coming to the understanding that everyone will have their differences and their own selfish desires, which we must each battle day by day. So for a Grey jedi, whose whole premise is to serve the will of the force and not any person, to use the dark side makes no sense. Now you might say that ahsoka or qui-gon jinn are Grey jedi, but that is *drumroll* false! Ahsoka is a disillusioned individual who gave up the title of being a jedi to actually pursue what it means to be one in the truest form, even if she won't admit to it. Qui-Gon is similar, seeking to do the will of the force in all things, at the expense of being at odds with the order. See these two aren't outliers and outcasts of the order because they tap into a darker aspect of the force or bend the rules but because they know the truth of how to be a true jedi. See, the chosen one had to destroy the jedi along with the sith not to even the numbers or keep the two sides in conflict but to show the jedi how to serve the light again. The jedi of the prequels thought that the only way to serve the light and be selfless was to control oneself and detach from your emotions completely, especially love. Vader fulfilled the prophecy by saving Luke and showing the jedi that love was the will of the force and the light, not destroying the emperor. Anyone could have killed sidious, Yoda, windu, or *sigh* rey skywalker but only vader could redeem the jedi, by showing his son luke how by example and changing what it meant to be a true jedi forever. Thats why Luke did a 180 from TLJ to ROS, because Yoda reminded him that the jedi didn't need to end but to change and recommit themselves to the light. Thats why luke's advice to rey changes from "jedi bad, I'm sad" to "being afraid of who you are and what you might do is literally has the problem along, so don't fall into the same trap." And that's why Ben solo is the best part of the sequels because he became the heir of vader not by matching his power, (cause no one but Luke can do that), which is what he thought he needed as kylo ren, but by learning the lesson his grandfather learned too late save his wife but not too late for ben: how to love selflessly and achieve a power only granted to those fully immersed in the light: cheating death. And that is the story of star wars. Now I ain't giving any credit to Kennedy, JJ, or Ryan for this or saying this is the actual message the sequels are trying to tell because there is no message but thats how I rationalize the sequels. So thanks for coming to my Ted talk.
@@malachiphoniex8501 here's the thing if you watch and read the other shows/books around and before tlj releases, they were teasing grey jedi pretty hard. We had the bendu, the middle from rebels most prominently. The main focus and idea being there is no light and dark, only the will of the force and knowledge of it. It does not matter how you manifest it but what you use it for. Speaking to legends material that is what the core character of kylo ren and the outline of 9 come from. It's frustrating that rather than commit to their claim that they were creating all new stories, they basically adapted dark empire for the finale. So they could pull and adapt as much as they wanted and chose not to.
Great video! My only quibble here is I feel like you overgeneralized the point here at 4:39, because I read that comment more as a specific comment on indigenous people vs. colonialism, NOT "all ordinary people are treated exactly the same by people in power." I can see why you might draw that conclusion from that, but I believe it was an intentional comment on indigenous populations (such as the remaining tribes in the Brazilian Amazon, as well as the American tribes in N and S America)
Disney: Let the past die; kill it if you have to. Fans: Fuck you, we love everything before this fucking movie. We love the past! Disney:...INTRODUCING THE HIGH REPUBLIC! Fans: Naw, naw, naw. Not old enough. Go back to the Old Republic...you made Revan canon again. Do Revan!
@@NhBleker We've seen what, one comic and a book? Give it some time. Kennedy is on her way out soon, and I'm sure Lucasfilms will be a million times better without her pulling the company and the entire franchise down.
On a side note - I don't really get why you specifically refer to those US' revisionist westerns, while being ignorant of spaghetti (revisionist) western as a whole genre that exactly features what Mandalorian does.
I think Mandalorian is much more than that. Its a master piece and something trully precious...this coming from someone who always hated star wars, and was practically tied to a chair and forced to watch Mando by her best friend. She knew I love western and old samurai movies...and she was like "U GOTTA WATCH THISSS" and she finally converted me to a star wars universe enthusiast. Mando is the best this that happened in 2020.
Personally I see mando and the crew as the last of a generation taught by an older code or morals tried and tested through adversity however living in a world and time where the principals of the past are obsolete and have no place for them. Much like the hero’s of old they too will be stories of a past long forgotten.
Friendly reminder that in the old EU/Legends no-one lived happily ever after either. The Galactic Civil War raged on for another 20 years at least after RotJ. and was then immediately followed up by an extragalactic invasion that retroactively makes the Empire look like the good guys and undermines the entire purpose of the original films. Also, too many Palpatine and Luke clones.
The light/dark duality was always an aspect of the force- not the characters. It's like this guy had a stroke and forgot who Han, Chewie, and Lando were.
Where do you think The Mandalorian is going in season three? Thanks again to Noom for sponsoring this video. Click here to take the free online evaluation: bit.ly/noom_wisecrack
I think the Mandalorian will help take back Mandalore
fuck all that. it needs to kill the future
@@doctorwhofan-if7vx Filoni has said that over reaching story arches of the heroes are to finally let go of ego. The appeal of the lone, insular existence on the fringes of society isn't going to appeal to him anymore. He has found purpose in helping others. He is now selfless when his character was initially selfish.
Grogu has to make a light saber at some point. I'm hoping to see that.
It’ll probably be about Mando having to choose loyalties now that his quest is complete. His companions don’t all see eye-to-eye, you may notice, so I’m willing to bet he’ll have to make such a choice during the season 3 climax.
RIP Migs Mayfeld who died in a refinery explosion on Morak.
Yeah, gonna miss that guy. It'd be a shame if he'd gotten one of those Disney+ shows.
@@Crick1952 I hope he does. Surprisingly the best character this season. Bill Burr truly killed that role.
@@Chas-OTE impossible, Mayfield has died a heroic death. He will be remembered, but sadly, he will not return
@@psteeg3551 star wars is famous for prequels.
At least it was quick. More than most deaths can say
I think what works about Mandalorian is how Mando constantly gets involved in some of Star Wars’ biggest hits and doesn’t care about any of them. He just wants to protect his son, so the fan service becomes a means to an end.
Oh, here is a Dark Saber that allows to rule Mandalor and mandolorians, one of the greatest warriors in the Galaxy. To hell, wanna take? It’s yours
It was so natural of him to just be ready to give it with no back thought. Loved that moment
@@antonknirenko2899 I loved how he just kept ignoring Moff Gideon jabbing at him about how little he understands the significance, he's just "shut up, don't care about you anymore, your word doesn't mean anything, she can have it". It's like he's rolling his eyes under helmet and I can hear it
So Din is like Forrest Gump? A Savant War Hero?
@@mikejohnstonbob935 Pretty much yeah.
@@mikejohnstonbob935 not at all, he was an orphan taken in by the Mandalorians, taught to fight at a very young age and thus far has only been seen getting better. Forrest wasn't even a war hero in the conventional sense, Din is a fighter, Forrest could run really fast so he saved some dudes...
Mandalorian to me is the most logical continuation of the last 6 films. The repercussions of the fall of the Empire and seeing the Republic and it's citizens deal with the aftermath, and seeing that they still have work to do to regain some semblance of order not suppressed in draconian fashion was the best narrative course Favreau and Filoni have chosen.
Well this was the direction George wanted to go in.
@@KRYMauL And he did SUCH a good job with the prequels... /s
@@benvoliothefirst George wanted to double down on explaining the force, and didn't want to go into the Shakespeare direction. I mean think about it Phantom Menace is Hamlet/MacBeth, Attack of the Clones is sort of Romeo and Juliet, and Revenge of the Sith is Julius Caesar. The only problem is he change to Christopher Lee in the second one instead of doubling down on him playing a Claudius/Duncan character.
They ruined Mandalorians. They steal elements from the EU and then butchered them until they're not recognizable anymore
as man who grew up on westerns the way this show implements the same type of storytelling is quite impressive to me
Yah, i remember being a kid and loving westerns so much. Adventure stories is what i called them then.
I almost missed a lot of those symbol. I am glad I watched it multiple times.
Western is a classic that’s losing its audience at this time so it’s great that media like this kept it alive
GODLESS did it best tho.
There is a lot of western elements in Japanese media if you're interested. Samurai films are basically identical in story structure, and anime like Cowboy Bebop and Space Dandy are famous for their western elements
Jon Favreau has confirmed that the show is heavily inspired by the classic Japanese manga "Lone Wolf and Cub" as well as classic westerns as mentioned.
Daigoro! Be brave!
This is the way.
Everything makes perfect sense now.
Thank you urokodaki for your knowledge
Westerns have a tradition of stealing from Japanese film, as George Lucas did when writing his films.
The Mandalorian is a rare show with a religious fundamentalists as the lead, who mainly encounters people with different ideologies (in this case, less rigid mandalorians), and listens to them.
At the end of his journey, i'd love for him to retain most of his creed ideology around his honor and word. become a bridge between the old and new ways.
@@IN-tm8mw I did not know I also wanted this, until I read your comment. That would be perfect.
Well it’s an interesting creed because it only applies to Mandalorians. So he’s not trying to push his ideas onto everyone, just Mandalorians and those who intersect with that world.
So yeah, it’s cool to see him be so open minded with the Tuskens for example. (Though they themselves are a masked people, so maybe he feels empathetic towards them for that reason)
@@IN-tm8mw
The issue here being that the "old ways" here seem to be an ahistoric projection of fundamentalist beliefs into the past.
It's a breakaway sect of Mandalorians who dropped out of the shifting system of Clan structures and civil wars that developed towards a more open and unified Mandalore, right until they picked a fight with the Empire they couldn't win and were scattered among the stars.
Never taking your damn helmet off is a really stupid idea, which is why nobody would do it unless it was drilled into them as a core belief.
There may have been a thing in that direction, historically.
That they would not take them off around strangers because they were an isolated, hostile society of warrior clans that didn't interact with the outside much, making it a non-issue.
But as a kind of enclave in outsider societies it's a giant issue, which means it must be a very big deal so everyone would always observe it.
We have seen that most Mandalorians have very much for a long time engaged with people face to face unless in battle.
And Din has found out very thoroughly how counterproductive his traditions could be, how much he alienates others by never being a full person to them due to the helmet.
What I see him do is try to write forth the history of his people and find a way into the future rather than cling to the past.
End the clan system that promoted infighting, find if Mandalore can be resettled, probably accept that being outside the galaxy is not a good idea because it means you have no allies on the big scale.
They are few enough as they are, dwindling in exile only means their creed will be lost.
He managed to get cooperation between settlers and Tusken going, so I guess he can manage his people's remnants, now that he has the Darksaber.
Yes! That's (part of) the reason why the last episodes of season two were so spectacular! Mando realizing that by sticking rigidly to his religion, he was actively harming both himself and others around him. When he took off his helmet at the Imperial base (and again when saying good bye to Grogu), that was the turning point for his character. He's matured both religiously, and as a person. I may have only just gotten around to watching it a couple weeks ago, but the show has amply displayed its directing and writing genius throughout, and I can't wait to see how Mando continues to grow.
Loved Mayfield's redemption arc.
"We all need to sleep at night."
Worked well with his character. He hadn't given a damn until he learned how significant this refinery was to a repeat of what made him desert in the first place. It was no longer only the architect that had to die, but his dream if he wanted to live with himself. I was like "damn, dude."
I thought there was a huge missed opportunity to have Mayfield tempted with a return to the Empire. It would have meant a lot more jeopardy and suspense as we wait to see which way his conscience falls. At the very least we should have seen more of the Mayfield from the first series where he was completely ruthless and would betray without hesitation. I thought they rushed his redemption by making it about pure revenge.
@@questor55 betraying criminals and attacking the republic or the empire is different from rejoining a corrupt government. With the way they displayed his character, the empire tempting him would make no sense.
Yeah, it’s sad that he died
@@BillBilliamson if you could have wrote it better, by all means! Seeing Mayfield, a broken man face to face to the person that killed his former life as if it was nothing. With canon Star Wars lore with operation: cinder that is his pain. What whoopdiedoo could you think could have been better?
Bo Katan: Heh the Children of the Watch are a cult with ancient views
Also Bo Katan: Noooo I can't just accept the Darksaber, it's tradition!
She is technically part of Death Watch which is also a cult that went to war with Mandalore proper.
I'm hoping her watching Mando take his helmet off makes her just accept the Saber and we skip right over some forced conflict between the two. The tension next season should just be over keeping it a secret that she didn't get the saber through combat.
That's also (perhaps unintentionally) a comment on religion as well: _my_ religion always has entirely rationale reasons for the things we do. _Your_ cult just does some weird-ass shit. To put it in contemporary terms:
Catholic: Having to pray five times a day facing a specific direction is kind of dumb.
Muslim: Says the person who has to regularly engage in ritualistic cannibalism.
@@Ryuksgelus I'm just hoping the matriarch comes back. It's such a shame to let that awesome armor go to waste
@@Ryuksgelus wait a second, what if... there's an idea forming here... ......nope nope I lost it. Damn, I could have sworn there was a good idea there
Something else was how The Mandalorian showed us a different aspect of the Tusken Riders. While they were generic wild men bad guys in the movies, The Mandalorian shows us a proud race of people that have been living with little to no technology in their planet and have been fighting against others that have been taking over it. Basically, Tusken Riders were portrayed then and now in the same way that native americans were portrayed in westerns then and now.
The tuskens finally got the fremen treatment!
they were portrayed like that in Kotor...then if you listened to the wise HK-47 you just slaughtered them all.
@@manuelaparcedo417 Statement: The meatbags had it coming, master
As others said, they were first made into a real race of people in the game Knights of the Old Republic
Tusken Raiders.*
Or just "Sandpeople."
I think the Mandalorian did really well and felt like "star wars" because it went back to its western and samurai roots. The new trilogy sucked and felt empty because they copied the marvel movie format, which is not star wars. Super hero movies are AWESOME but star wars is not a super hero series.
And the fact that they totally stripped the happy ending of episode 6 ;-;
I love the fact that this series explores fatherhood as well, and builds a father-son relationship out of any genetical bond. It shows how emotions can overflow an otherwise emotionless character, and change him.
something interesting about Mando is that, as he gets further away from his home and old ways, the friendlier he becomes. The episodes with geko-mama are the perfect example, since this are about having a last chance for a happy future, we see him trying to make a few (bad) jokes, talking with, and being more flexible in some regards (he accepted being a taxi in the first place)
And this pays him of at the season 2 finale, when he got allys that know how important the kid is to him and want to help him
I just love how mando doesn't know he's in star wars
Holy hell that's the perfect way to describe it compared to the sequels
Poor Mayfield, dying in an explosion like that.
Such a shame, giving his life like that.
rip mayfield
At least it was quick
Err....only he is NOT dead. Cara Dune report "he is dead" to repay him for his help and BECAUSE she saw that Mayfield also had come "to hate" that the empire means to an end were so wicked and cruel towards inocent people. Cara didnt wanted to put him in jail again for that reason. Mayfield escaped and who knows where he is, but we may see him again. I hope.
@@shalotstage his sacrifice will not be in vain
I want a series that's just Bill Burr's character going around challenging everyone's worldviews.
"It's Boba Fett! And he's got himself a LAY-DEE!"
He already does that every time he’s in front of a mic.
Honestly the best scene of the season from a writing perspective.
Just watch his stand up
Its pretty cool how they made his character similar to his stand-up personality
The Mandalorian is a western made tokusatsu. And I think is amazing.
Maybe I’m understanding tokusatsu as the more strict meaning cuz I don’t see the resemblance.
What is a “takusatsu”?
@@Etticos. that was a typo, my bad
Read this as tonkotsu, please forgive me
Its not a tokusatsu, its western with old samurai tropes like the lone wolf and cub, yojimbo and basically every akira kurosawa samurai film.
So to summarize things the Mandalorian did the “Kill the past” thing last Jedi did properly.
Because they didn’t kill the past they just chose what to carry with them and what to leave behind. They never forgot it or denied it. Merely chose to move onto something new. All the while clinging to what’s most important from their pasts.
Mando still has a great deal of pride in how he was raised even if he is slowly choosing which parts to let go. And what’s more important then them. Not his life but the life of one he cares deeply for and their happiness.
Asoka left the order and denies it. But she still holds to the morals her master taught her before his own fall .
The past is never truely gone nor should it be. You just have to know how to pack
Ryan Johnson seems like a filmmaker who like mystery and possibly horror, but somehow got to do Star Wars. JJ is just a fanboy who only made one good film that was an homage to horror movies and Tokusatsu, but got to do both Star Wars and Star Trek. I think both film makers failed to capture the essence of Star Wars being a Space Western/Samurai film first and a Sci-fi Fantasy Space Opera second.
"That's how we're gonna win. Not fighting what we hate. Saving what we love." -Rose Tico.
@@KRYMauL Agree with your take on JJ, strongly disagree with you saying Rian didn't capture the essence of Star Wars.
Star Wars is silly, adventurous, full of movie clichés, a coming-of-age hero's journey, and makes relevant political/social statements. I can't imagine George Lucas not loving The Last Jedi tbh.
@@ZacLJones From what I heard George wasn't the biggest fan of the sequels because they went off to create their own story. Also, I think Star Wars is more a Space Western/Samurai that deals with different problems.
@@KRYMauL Yeah George did have plans for Luke to be exiled by himself and unwilling to get back into the fight, but his movies were mostly going to go deep into the specifics of how the force works, which TLJ touched on very briefly, and that's all we got.
Definitely. George loves old cinema, Star Wars references: Western films, Samurai films, WWI/WWII films, heist films, old sci-fi serials for kids, etc.
The two troopers on bikes had some *major* "TROOPS" vibes.
Why isn't that a real show yet?
That was the best thing on the internet back then.
“Or I’m gonna shoot’cha alrigt?” Lol.
@@MasterOrona it turned into I.M.P.S Relentless.
I loved those two, not just for comedic effect, but because they're pretty remarkably representative of how bored soldiers pass time. When I was in the reserves, we had a motto, "hurry up and wait".
There is a lot of waiting in military life.
Also got vibes of Red vs Blue. Almost surprised one of them didn’t ask why they were there.
I think that's why The Mandolorian hits so deeply. A lot of us at some point in life have to have a reckoning with the past. Whether that be an event or beliefs, we all come to that crossroad to determine on a personal level if we're going to continue adhering to it, or discard it altogether as the next step forward.
Wow. Bill burr is actually in this. I thought that was a joke. He’s perfect
I would argue a lot of the themes we see in The Mandalorian were also explored in The Clone Wars. Dave Filoni and his characteristic cowboy hat is involved in both shows.
poor mayfeld died in that explosion after his redemption
Such a shame
There's definitely a specific Sergio Leone 'spaghetti western' influence as well, and you definitely hear it in Ludwig Goransson's score and the Ennio Morricone influences there.
God, Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni are so good at this. Great video!
It would be great if Mandalorian inspired a younger generation to check out old Westerns (and newer ones too). The Magnificent Seven ('67), True Grit (both versions)The Outlaw Josey Wales, Jeremiah Johnson, and even Unforgiven, or the modern Wind River need to be seen by younger people.
+Jim
#FACTS
I personally started watching old western serials because of The Mandolorian. Two major ones are Have Gun Will Travel and Wanted Dead or Alive. I didn't realize old western serials went into so many gray areas throughout their run.
@@jmrtnez Yeah Westerns are sometimes mischaracterized as morally simplistic. Shane (1953) is another good example of why even the older ones are not.
It's almost comical how bad the new movies are and how great The Mandalorian is by contrast. But whatever, I'm just happy we got Mando
Well one is made by industry favoured directors, to make money. And the other is made by Star Wars veteran directors, to make great art. It's not comical, it's just sad.
This is a tricky one, because unlike The Last Jedi, The Mandalorian isn't afraid to reject its prior philosophies and move forward with something new. It probably helps that it doesn't use nihilism to do this, but rather sets it up as a flawed viewpoint and then deconstructs it in a more positive light. In the same way Din has to learn to reject the impractical extremist version of the culture he was raised on, the show rejects the individualistic, hedonist mindset of the revisionist western and its deeply troubled protagonists for a practical loyalty to those you care about, rather than those who wear the same badge as you. Even Cara, who straightens out and joins up, can't help but look the other way for those she might call her friends. This matches the original trilogy, which is often misrepresented as exclusively a space western, when in fact it takes inspiration from a wide variety of classic cinema, from samurai epics to WW2 fighter pilot movies. I can't wait to see how they reverse this again in the future, because it's clear Dave Filoni shares a passion with George Lucas for planning out stories years in advance. They seem to be setting up for a commentary on leadership. Whether it's the long term skills it gives you or the toll it takes, we'll have to find out
Unlike The Last Jedi, The Mandalorian was 2 seasons of 4+ hour content. Literally, everything in the Last Jedi is in The Mandalorian...having some more time to throw in a bit more sugar so you can swallow the same pill doesn't make it more genius. It's rather clear Disney proper still holds the ideals for the future of Star Wars present in The Last Jedi...they are just retooling what was presented in different ways because, it's very clear, the hangups weren't just about the plot...it was about identity, current politics, and the speed at which the change occurred.
The reason The Last Jedi couldn't "reject its prior philosophies and move forward with something new." was entirely because of the pushback from fans who felt change was at its core a fallacy and not allowed in the franchise "Luke Skywalker isn't X". It definitely changed the formula and set the stage for something new...but it's 2 hours. Moving Star Wars from The Force Awakens...which was a statement of glorification of what existed in the OT...to saying we need to move on...can't happen in 1 movie when the series is this long.
If Rian Johnson got a whole series, we'd be in the same situation, praising him. The only problem was that Disney wasn't willing to commit to their philosophy after TLJ, TLJ itself did a great job of presenting a critique and then presenting a new way to move the plot forward outside the constructs of previous entries.
@@magvad6472 What would you say TLJ's final message is after Luke returned to perpetuate the conflict between the Light and and Dark Side that he'd been trying to teach Rey was wrong then? I hadn't meant to imply that movie's failure was caused by TROS reversing direction. I believe that merely solidified it. Star Wars historically works in a structure of arcs or acts, giving each each idea equal time to be explored. In that way, it was kind of set up to fail by what came before as well. The idealistic whiplash between the glorification and deconstruction of the universe was incredible jarring. The Mandalorian does the inverse, starting with an Outer Rim left to rot by the actions of our heroes, and then dedicating equal time to building a more practical lifestyle from the ashes. I don't think it's the extra runtime that makes The Mandalorian shine, but how it makes strategic use of it to divide its messages into focused acts. It's difficult to look at The Last Jedi as its own product apart from the movies preceding and following it because everything Star Wars has always worked in a multi-act structure, so as fans we've been trained to think that way about its storytelling. Even in that light though, I struggle to see what the takeaway is, because everyone's actions seem to drive home the morals of the original trilogy, not the new ideas in The Last Jedi
@@ThreeProphets Well, not really. The point of the Last Jedi was to redefine what 'balance' truly meant in the force. It isn't the darkness destroying the light, and (unlike what all the movies that came before tell you) it isn't the light destroying the darkness. In their final standoff, Luke has gained this understanding and, as he looks at Kylo, he doesn't see an enemy or something to be destroyed; he sees his mirror image, his counterpart on the other side. With this understanding, he is able to win the battle not with a physical struggle but instead an ideological one and die in peace knowing that he has carried out his part. Because as much as Kylo wants to kill the past, he is unable to learn from it or understand it and so is cursed to relive it. I would say that Mando has done a very good job of putting these abstract concepts into practical characters and plots, but we need to recognize that it was really the Last Jedi that started this shift.
I'm a simple man trying to make his way in the universe.
I see the Mandalorian, I like.
I think our favorite Mando is destined to rise to become the new Mandalore. The Dark Saber will stay with him I think. He knows the ancient ways his kind abandoned. He is confronted with the flaws of both modern Mandalorians and the flaws of past ones he represents. As he finds his way through the story's conflict he'll also find his own creed and religion. That strength is what the Mandalorian people need to rebuild. Not someone like Bo-Katan who would rebuild what has already been broken and proven flawed. She also has flaws of herself but while she starts to aknowledge her shortcomings Mando is becoming more and more aware of how strong and noble he really is.
Anyway, I think it'll be real fun to see what the future holds.
And I think you’re right that the show outright “kills the past” as the video interprets. There are still many great points but I think that the binary oppositions of past and future are in a more grey zone, like you said being that Din Djarin will take from both. Also it feels like Cara Dune is doing something similar by being a marshal for the new republic, accepting an imperfect but new system that still, in a way, reflects her past from the old rebellion than just being a mercenary.
It hit home when Mayfield said "We all have to sleep at night. "
I hope Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni take over lucasfilm asap
"Formerly" know as baby yoda? You underestimate my stubbornness.
Thank you for putting in words what was feeling when watching the Mandalorian, but couldn't exactly describe.
Can the mandalorian be both at the same time, like you said, forging a new path for itself?
Yes and I think it is more than “kill the past” if anything It honors and pushes to something new
And the best part of literally EVERYTHING you discussed, we are shown all of this through Mandalorian, not simply told in blunt narrative or dialogue. It is all woven seamlessly into the story. And that is what makes Mandalorian the greatest chapter in Star Wars so far.
When Ashoka talked about a Jedi coming out I wasn’t expecting who came just based on the actors age but I really thought it was gonna be cal kestis from fallen order. I mean they casted an actor and he did all the mo cap work so he could easily transfer that character to live action easy
Me too
They casted an actor for Force Unleashed 1 & 2. Mo-cap is the most cost effective way of getting high quality acting translated to video game characters, you'd do this regardless of whether you plan to tie in any live action stuff. Besides they easily brought in Katee Sackhoff without any struggle then changed Ashoka's actress.
Luke was the only real choice at this stage, someone like Cal would need to be explained and the story isn't about that, someone like Mace would be more recognized but need equal amounts of exposition. Luke is able to fit in without needing to be justified, so works where these other characters couldn't for the story it seems they are trying to tell.
I'm just here for Ahsoka...
I think Cal would be reserved for the rumored Luke Skywalker Series or Ashoka Series. If EA would let Respawn make Jedi Fallen Order 2-3 if he is still alive ofc then Cal would slowly be transitioned to the TV series.
I think Cal (If alive) would be recruited by Luke to make a restore a newly reformed Jedi Order.
@@jonsmith5058 yeah definitely they do all the mop cap with the actors, jus sometimes they don’t do the fight choreography and he did
It's a real shame about Mayfeld, it would have been cool to see him join the group. Tragic he died in that refinery explosion
Do “philosophy of Soul” and “Tenet: Deep or Dumb?”
I second that
Tenet is dumb because I can’t hear shit and there is no emotional investment. It’s a great conceptual film
I'll be honest I thought Tenet was dumb
Took me a while to warm up to the Mandalorian but, looking back, it really is the best Star Wars material in recent memory.
9:23 - 9:27
Am I the only one who imagined him saying "ow" in a monotone voice at every punch?
Not anymore. 😆
That "gunsomke and mirrors" joke was dope
What is he referencing?
@@rafaelalodio5116 Gunsmoke is a tv western from back in the day
Mandalorian works because it pulls from the INSPIRATIONS BEHIND Star Wars...rather than being self referential like the sequels...that was solely inspired by Star Wars
An example
Rather than pulling inspiration from Star Wars...the Ashoka episode pulls from westerns and samurai films that inspired Star Wars in the first place
Creating a unique yet familiar experience
Except fans didn’t want “inspired by” entries when the Star Wars sequels began. They wanted just Star Wars stuff to wipe their memories of the prequels being bad. And that ignores how the original film was itself a hodgepodge of Buck Rogers, Kurosawa, Westerns and war dramas.
@Aaron Sanders can you elaborate
Great point! George Lucas didn't have anything to build off off, so emulating his movies means emulating his inspirations, not the movies themselves.
@@benwasserman8223 And then we got the ST, and the only people who seemed to like that were the Twilight Fangirls who've been wandering around since 50 Shades ended.
@@magmos6346 And yet its first two entries were better received than the first two prequel films. Still are.
Great analysis Wisecrack, i honestly felt the weight of Mando's decisions in the final episodes of season 2 and buildup to the that moments were well put just like a clear crumb trail.
The mandalorian didn't kill the past, it saw it, awknowledged it and looked for a way to live with the knowledge that it would always be there...unlike the sequel trilogies that just went "yeah no, forget that, look at this"
In a way they are paying homage to the past some of us grew up with. I myself enjoyed The mag seven, Good bad and ugly with my dad. This show allowed those who felt somewhat slighted by the last three movies redemption that we felt was missed. Not the gender realization but the art of storytelling that was missed. Very insightful post. peace to all.
My father always described the original Star Wars as a "spaghetti western in space." In many ways, I feel this adequately reflects the original inspiration for (and appeal of) the franchise.
I think the Mandalorian is an allegory of our own times. Just like Mando, many people today are being forced reevaluate their way of living. "This is the way," a phrase we hear throughout the story, also places emphasis on the realization that there are many ways, and questions where the line between good and evil exists in our own lives.
1:44 "Grogu" will never be as iconic as "Baby Yoda."
Boba Fett’s knee rockets are my new favorite thing
Also worth noting, in my humble opinion, that The Mandalorian does wonders reconciling the (admittedly Westernized) Taoist/Buddhist mysticism of the Jedi with a more intimate and immediate understanding of the philosophy. Further, I'd argue that Mando's adoption of Grogu and IG-11's reconfiguration as a nurse droid (both 'hard men' of sorts, taking on 'feminine' roles) and Mando's slowly growing empathy for other beings and his attempts to live quietly speak to Lao Tze's philosophy in a really cool way.
The intersection of this paternal figure, who is flawed buy ultimately kind and earnest in his convictions, with Grogu, who represents the mystical aspect of the series, could mean a LOT of cool stuff for the lore. Assuming Disney doesn't screw it up.
One of, if not the Greatest Space Western TV Show ever
Thus is such a well produced piece. Well written well presented. Great content, thank you so much.
This is good but it seems to lack the very strong Japanese cinema/culture influence on the Star Wars films in general - including the Mandalorian with the Lone Wolf and Cub/Shogun Assassin undertones. Perhaps too the way Kurosawa and Japanese cinema in general informed the story arc of Star Wars to begin with (The Hidden Fortress) and the way those films influenced the revisionist westerns to begin with (Sanjuro/Yojimbo)...
Would you stop with the Japanese stuff already? Star Wars mostly draws on Western sources, and I mean Western culture, not the genre. Flash Gordon, 2001, Metropolis, Dune, Westerns which weren't influenced by anything Japanese, The Dam Busters, and yes, the Valerian comics from France.
@@Aristocles22 Read "The Secret History of Star Wars" by Michael Kaminsky. Everything you mentioned, along with Kurosawa and more, influenced the original trilogy.
@@Maoilios12 I know. And the highly influential and morally questionable "Triumph of The Will."
@Aristocles
What if, and bear with me here, Star Wars can be influenced by a number of sources be they samurai films of the 50s, action serials of the 40s, or propaganda films of the 30s
It doesn’t lean on one particular reference it’s a cultural melting pot.
@@leer6871 Most of those things were from the West. America, the UK, Germany, France. A few references to samurai movies were there too, but it was almost all from Western European or American sources. This isn't something up for debate, it's a well-proven fact. Flash Gordon and Metropolis aren't Japanese, you know. Neither was The Dam Busters, The Searchers, or Silent Running.
While Cowboys and Aliens wasn't a massive hit, that + Iron Man made Jon Favreau the perfect choice for this
Loved Cowboys and Aliens
I'd like another movie just like it!
Season 1 of Mandalorian followed the Hero's Journey to a T. Haven't thought about Season 2, though.
I'm not sure if you watched the Clone Wars, but I feel like the Clone Wars was definitely very similar. The clones were portrayed as if they were droids, only following orders, but the Clone Wars, especially the Umbara Arc, tells us that it's not just good and bad. The Clone Wars definitely paved the way for the masterpiece called the Mandalorian.
Thumbs up if you caught that “gunsmoke” reference at the end 🤠
You catch references like that the same way you catch a cannonball. To the teeth.
The Mandalorian is the best thing to happen for Star Wars for me.
The Mayfeld redemption episode was, in my opinion, the best thing about Season 2. The scenes between Mayfeld and Din as well as Mayfeld and the Imperial Officer was some of the best writing I've seen on the show. While I love the action on The Mandalorian, we need more of that.
This is the way
Mayfield was like DJ in Episode VIII. Both of them thinks that both bad and good are just the same when it comes to war. But Mayfield has the perspective of being the enemy once and witnessing how they're just being used by the Empire compared to the Clone Troopers before them.
the real badass here is Bill burr ...he's trolling every star wars fan since the beginning
The Mandalorian can be a source for learning several things. Among them is;
Freedom with responsibility. He was free to do what ever he wanted, but he chose to draw the line at hurting sentient children, or indirectly doing so by completing a job.
Steadfastness yet flexibility. Keeping true to himself and to his self-imposed mission to see the child to safety and ultimately to reunite him with his kind. But he was also open to sensible suggestions about other aspects of his life that were not necessarily based on historical truths, plus he was open to trying to understand the bare basics of what the force was about, even if he had no belief in its existence nor any possible way of sensing it, much less use it.
Courage, skill and honor. These were displayed throughout the series in various ways.
Tough and hard, yet kind and gentle. He is a Mandalorian warrior, and they are tough and hard in just about every aspect. But to the right people, he could be kind and gentle when the situation called for it. The fact it was harder to display them, yet he did so, was only a testament to a sound soul and worthy heart.
All these and more can be found in the series. What did you guys find?
I really love how the Mandalorian is marrying the new canon and legends. I think Boba is going to have a new storyline, but Mando’s story might follow a similar path to Boba’s in legends.
I was half expecting Boba to come out and save Grogu, killing Moff Gideon and claiming the dark saber, on accident just like Mando.
I love you Jon and Dave.
I am looking forward to stories about Jedi -- specifically Jedi, who hold themselves to a high standard of generosity, kindness and service -- who are personally gifted but who are NOT predestined. Not chosen ones, but people with unusual capacity who must figure out how to apply a philosophy of compassion and learning in a complicated world. If with great power comes great responsibility (as I believe), why is that?
Wonder why you chose the “ weapons are a part of my religion” quote for that part?
waiting to see what you’re talking about
@@sucemaindex236 their socialists and thus want to take away people's second amendment rights.
Well, if Star Wars hits its best mark as a balanced mashup of western and samurai movies, the next great Star Wars thing should really try a mashup of 60's spy and hong kong kung fu movies in a sci-fi setting.
That'd be superfly!
Got tiny bits of that in TCW
But that sounds great!
You kept showing the Dollars triology movies when talking about classic westerns. They are post-westerns, more in your revisionist category than your classic one.
Yeah. I was surprised he put them with the classics
Baby Yoda killed me with cuteness.
You natural care impulses were hijacked, not every Disney face deserve attention, today it's just tool of capitalism 😁
@@Feefa99 Nah man I serve the Soviet Union.
@@InfinitiSin So you're Russian hacker...
BUSTED!! 😁
@@Feefa99 If only it was so easy to catch one hehe.
it ate fertilised eggs that had developing babies inside them. would you be saying the same thing if it ate a human foetus?
A good video with good points, but saying it "Killed the past" is pretty rich after Luke freakin' Skywalker shows up to save every one of these characters from certain doom. The past essentially saved the Mandalorian in this case.
depending on your view of some creative choices w/ luke and star wars in general as of late, you could argue his mando appearance still 'killed' the past, so to speak. its all a matter of perspective, its important to remind myself of this
@@TheNoviceOAO as per the Moody Blues "Days of Future Past"
Would you ever make a BTS of how you make these video essays? The critical thinking behind them blows my mind every time. I feel like we could learn about life from your process
It's not just one person doing the research and giving his insight. There is a production team of academics, writers, editors, producers, directors, and videographers working behind the scenes. More and more of UA-cam is becoming this. To Wisecrack's credit, it at least provides production credits. All channels should be required to do the same.
Written by: Ross McIndoe
Hosted by: Michael Burns
Directed by: Michael Luxemburg
Video Title Card by: Amanda Murphy
Editing by: Mark Potts
Produced by: Evan Yee
I absolutely love The Mandalorian. I’m not one to give in to Star Wars hype, but this show is good.
This analysis is more proof (to me) that even if TLJ didn't do it perfectly, it had the right idea: examining legacy and moving beyond it. TROS truly dropped the thematic ball
Last Jedi was shit, ROS was just shit on shit
Great ideas are shit without perfect execution
@@christiandauz3742 So the prequels were definitely shit.
I think the same, and don't think TLJ was a bad movie. I actually think it's a pretty good movie. Have to say I'm not a SW fan
@@christiandauz3742 That's your opinion and you're entitled to it
Last Jedi was hideous. You can't "move beyond" the past in that way; it always happened and nothing will change it. The key is not to kill it or forget it, but to learn from it. Trying to kill the past only ensures that you will repeat the same mistakes again and again. Ironically, the only way to be free from the bad parts of the past is to always remember them and heed their lessons.
SPOILERS for Season 2 of Mandalorian:
Like most Western heroes, Mando is definitely a character founded on a objectivist perspective. What makes this character compelling for me is that he is beginning to see the cracks of his beliefs. I don’t believe the character will ever change from that philosophical system, but it will be interesting in how he moves forward without Grogu, especially since Grogu was the lynchpin is character arch.
Great video! Kudos to Ross and Michael!
Also, no mention to Lone Wolf and Cub? Shame!
Me in 2019: Mandalorian? Lol another Star Wars crap
Me in 2020: Explaining how it nails Favreau and Filoni nailed Leone, Corbucci, and revisionists....
Never thought I'd see Mandalorian and El Topo mentioned together
Well, there're still several good George Lucas' ideas in the Mandalorian (let alone the character growth, depth, aesthetics, etc; all at which which the sequels failed miserably) such as the concept of family and redemption arcs. Redemption and change with Vader, redemption with several characters like the robot, Mayfield, etc and change with Din himself. TLJ was so obsessed with his own pretentiousness that might have been an okay movie elsewhere with other people but was a disastrous SW movie instead. Bandwagoning to the kill the past idea for its own sake hasn't done anything good to it. Why don't we all learn from the past instead of being obsessed with killing it? There are good old ideas that should come back as well as some new great ones to look forward to.
TLJ is so weird to me as a film as there is that dual messaging of destroy the past or learn from it and it infuriates me every time I watch it. Objectively, Luke and Ben aren't wrong the Jedi were too focused and dogmatic to do any good in the galaxy which is how Palps rose to power and eliminated them. In that case, why not actually end the Jedi and actually burn those books down. Why not actually end the Rebellion/Resistance and let the First Order retake the galaxy. Why not actually break the Anakin saber and have it shattered completely beyond repair. Why reset the board for 9? Ignoring the fact that Luke would not even think about killing his own nephew, I disliked making Ben the main villain for the sake of "surprising the audience" and robbing him of the actual opportunity of a redemption arc as well. After following the stories that were released around and before the same time as TLJ, there seemed to be an idea that the option of grey jedi was really going to be a big part and theme of 8 and it really was just a huge wasted opportunity of a movie.
@@cpudude30k I'm sorry, but there is no dual message.
Actually, The Last Jedi performs against moral relativism: Yeah, the Jedi fucked up, but it doesn't mean they should end: It was a Jedi master who was responsible for the training and creation of Darth Vader, but it was a Jedi master who saved him. Yeah, the Rebels do dirty things, but it doesn't mean it is the same thing as the First Order.
Both Rey and Finn go through this similar journey of ambiguity and eventually they choose the to fight for the right thing. It's about the restoration of good after failure. There's no "I'm on the fence."
Do or do not. There is no try.
Also, Grey Jedi could never be a thing because the Jedi fight for the light. Yes, there's darkness within us, but we confront it, we don't let shake hands with the light side, because the dark side will eat the light side alive if that happens.
It doesn't there mean there aren't grey individuals, but it's not possible in canon to have Grey Jedi. This is probably why they never approved Trevorrow's Episode IX.
@@JGPRIME25 There are a buttload of grey jedi in the now legends EU, Luke even went darkside for a minute. Glad you brought up Finn because his arc is garbage in 8. You mean to tell me the indoctrinated child soldier is just learning that war is bad and he has to learn the exact same lesson from 7 again? Give me a break. Did not even acknowledge the core flaw of Luke's characterization.
@@cpudude30k EU is gone. A tragic event to be sure but somewhat inevitable, even if Lucas stayed at the helm. For it all it did, revitalizing star wars after the originals and showing Lucas star wars was still relevant, leading to the prequels and being a multi generational mythos, not afraid to tell any story.... It had some really dumb ideas, Grey jedi being one of the dumbest. As a youngster thinking of a good guy using dark side powers sounds awesome but now it makes no sense. This all relates back to what the Balance of the Force means; spoiler alert, this is nothing new but hey it has to be said. The light is all about selflessness and the dark about selfishness. For a jedi to use the dark side they must tap into their selfish emotions. To do so isn't "edging the line but never crossing it", that is "actively courting your selfish desires to get what you want." When that happens you cease to be a jedi of any kind and begin your path to evil. The force is naturally light and balance isn't equal light or dark but coming to the understanding that everyone will have their differences and their own selfish desires, which we must each battle day by day. So for a Grey jedi, whose whole premise is to serve the will of the force and not any person, to use the dark side makes no sense. Now you might say that ahsoka or qui-gon jinn are Grey jedi, but that is *drumroll* false! Ahsoka is a disillusioned individual who gave up the title of being a jedi to actually pursue what it means to be one in the truest form, even if she won't admit to it. Qui-Gon is similar, seeking to do the will of the force in all things, at the expense of being at odds with the order. See these two aren't outliers and outcasts of the order because they tap into a darker aspect of the force or bend the rules but because they know the truth of how to be a true jedi. See, the chosen one had to destroy the jedi along with the sith not to even the numbers or keep the two sides in conflict but to show the jedi how to serve the light again. The jedi of the prequels thought that the only way to serve the light and be selfless was to control oneself and detach from your emotions completely, especially love. Vader fulfilled the prophecy by saving Luke and showing the jedi that love was the will of the force and the light, not destroying the emperor. Anyone could have killed sidious, Yoda, windu, or *sigh* rey skywalker but only vader could redeem the jedi, by showing his son luke how by example and changing what it meant to be a true jedi forever. Thats why Luke did a 180 from TLJ to ROS, because Yoda reminded him that the jedi didn't need to end but to change and recommit themselves to the light. Thats why luke's advice to rey changes from "jedi bad, I'm sad" to "being afraid of who you are and what you might do is literally has the problem along, so don't fall into the same trap." And that's why Ben solo is the best part of the sequels because he became the heir of vader not by matching his power, (cause no one but Luke can do that), which is what he thought he needed as kylo ren, but by learning the lesson his grandfather learned too late save his wife but not too late for ben: how to love selflessly and achieve a power only granted to those fully immersed in the light: cheating death. And that is the story of star wars. Now I ain't giving any credit to Kennedy, JJ, or Ryan for this or saying this is the actual message the sequels are trying to tell because there is no message but thats how I rationalize the sequels. So thanks for coming to my Ted talk.
@@malachiphoniex8501 here's the thing if you watch and read the other shows/books around and before tlj releases, they were teasing grey jedi pretty hard. We had the bendu, the middle from rebels most prominently. The main focus and idea being there is no light and dark, only the will of the force and knowledge of it. It does not matter how you manifest it but what you use it for. Speaking to legends material that is what the core character of kylo ren and the outline of 9 come from. It's frustrating that rather than commit to their claim that they were creating all new stories, they basically adapted dark empire for the finale. So they could pull and adapt as much as they wanted and chose not to.
Great video! My only quibble here is I feel like you overgeneralized the point here at 4:39, because I read that comment more as a specific comment on indigenous people vs. colonialism, NOT "all ordinary people are treated exactly the same by people in power." I can see why you might draw that conclusion from that, but I believe it was an intentional comment on indigenous populations (such as the remaining tribes in the Brazilian Amazon, as well as the American tribes in N and S America)
Disney: Let the past die; kill it if you have to.
Fans: Fuck you, we love everything before this fucking movie. We love the past!
Disney:...INTRODUCING THE HIGH REPUBLIC!
Fans: Naw, naw, naw. Not old enough. Go back to the Old Republic...you made Revan canon again. Do Revan!
The High Republic looks like completely garbage
@@NhBleker We've seen what, one comic and a book? Give it some time. Kennedy is on her way out soon, and I'm sure Lucasfilms will be a million times better without her pulling the company and the entire franchise down.
May I just say that I like the fact that the show is not divisive? It seems that nearly all Star Wars fans like it.
Man. I miss Jared.
I actually really enjoy the seamless transition from space opera to modern western.
Thank you Wisecrack for proving that The Mandalorian is more than just a toy commercial consisting of mindless action and the Disney cute factor.
Tom Riddle No it still is, infact you basically just perfectly described it
Hey it's that guy from the Baby Yoda show
I can tell you this: The Mandalorian is the best Star Wars anything since 1983.
😎👍
I love your analysis on the Mandalorian.
On a side note - I don't really get why you specifically refer to those US' revisionist westerns, while being ignorant of spaghetti (revisionist) western as a whole genre that exactly features what Mandalorian does.
I think Mandalorian is much more than that. Its a master piece and something trully precious...this coming from someone who always hated star wars, and was practically tied to a chair and forced to watch Mando by her best friend. She knew I love western and old samurai movies...and she was like "U GOTTA WATCH THISSS" and she finally converted me to a star wars universe enthusiast. Mando is the best this that happened in 2020.
Me: On my way to take a sad dump cause I've got nothing new to watch.
*Wisecrack Uploaded a New Video*
Me: :)))))))))
Lol, i literally just sat on the toilet and read this comment, hahaha
So did i XD
My man, I am also having a shit. Waddup
Watching Wisecrack while on the toilet. You are all men of class clearly.
Also taking a dump 😄
Empire pilot: "I saw your planet burn. harharhar"
Also Empire Pilot: "Do YoU KnoW HoW maNy PeoPle Died On ThaT BaSes?"
What the Mandalorian is is a good show. I'm happy to have watched it.
Love the video, always appreciate learning some cinema history!
Personally I see mando and the crew as the last of a generation taught by an older code or morals tried and tested through adversity however living in a world and time where the principals of the past are obsolete and have no place for them. Much like the hero’s of old they too will be stories of a past long forgotten.
Friendly reminder that in the old EU/Legends no-one lived happily ever after either. The Galactic Civil War raged on for another 20 years at least after RotJ. and was then immediately followed up by an extragalactic invasion that retroactively makes the Empire look like the good guys and undermines the entire purpose of the original films. Also, too many Palpatine and Luke clones.
exactly. there have been some good aspects like thrawn that filoni is incorperating into canon but as a whole the old EU was just messy
It killed the bad taste of episode IX for me.
The light/dark duality was always an aspect of the force- not the characters. It's like this guy had a stroke and forgot who Han, Chewie, and Lando were.
Could have been a great approach to the new trilogy, with an older Luke training the child in the second film (a reversal of Empire Strikes Back).
Watching the noom advertisement at 4 am shows wisecrack knows their audience