Warning: Minor spoilers for the first episode “The Mandalorian.”
You might jump into the first episode of “Star Wars: The Mandalorian” with the belief that you’re going to see a gritty, harsh show about a bounty hunter. “Star Wars” bounty hunters have always been darker, underserved characters who linger in the shadows, being careful and deliberate in how they act.
And yes, there are parts of “The Mandalorian” pilot that fit that traditional mode. The opening scenes of the show are gritty, harsh and just what you should expect to see. There’s gunfire, physical fights and an off-screen moment where a character gets sliced in half (thankfully you don’t see it).
But the show has a heart, and that’s exactly what it needs if it’s going to be a worthwhile “Star Wars” show and survive in the ongoing era of streaming.
In “Star Wars” lore, bounty hunters are gruff, quiet and mysterious characters. Mandalorians — who wear a specific type of armor and mask, which we learn a little about in this first episode — are almost more mysterious. They never take off their mask or reveal who they really are. They’re meant to slip through the world unseen and unknown, collecting bounties or acting as mercenaries wherever they can.
Our main character — named “The Mandalorian” or “Mando” — does that in excellence. He collects earnings for a job and then moves onto the next one. Several times throughout the show he is asked about his mask, with characters wondering if he’ll ever take it off and reveal himself.
And though we don’t get that moment, we do see two major moments where the Mandalorian reveals he is more than the mask and more than the armor. We learn that he has a soul and a heart, and that he is more than just a mercenary out for blood and bounty.
The first comes during a scene where he watches new Mandalorian armor being welded and forged within a cavern. Sparks flight. Metal melts. The sound of hammer on metal booms and echoes throughout the cave.
And all the while, the Mandalorian sees flashbacks from what appears to be his childhood. His parents carry him around as gunfire blasts through a village. Sparks fly. Wearing a hood, the young Mandalorian watches war wreck havoc on his home. The scenes flash back and forth between that moment and the current time, showing that those past scenes still have an impact on his life. He hasn’t forgotten his childhood. The memories of the past cling to him like armor. There’s surely more to come about his family and what happened to him as a child. We’ve only scratched the surface.
But the fact that we see even a brief moment of his familial life is proof that this Mandalorian is not your run-of-the-mill bounty hunter. He has a deep sense of passion and love that permeates through him. He can wear the armor all he wants, but there’s certainly a sense of vulnerability.
The final five minutes of the show indicates that the Mandalorian’s heart and soul will impact every major decision he makes. After successfully combating a group of thugs alongside fellow bounty hunter IG-11, the Mandalorian is forced to make a choice about the bounty he has come to collect. He can either kill the bounty or keep it alive. The decision he makes to keep it alive (and how he decides to do it) show that the Mandalorian isn’t a heartless monster out for credits and rewards. He has a soul. He cares about the people he’s collecting. He’s not your normal bounty hunter. He is much more.
We shouldn’t be surprised that “The Mandalorian” opener has love at its core. Director Jon Favreau crafted the lovely “Iron Man” series, and had much to say in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s creation — a universe that hinged on uplifting morals, powerful ideals and positive moments. The MCU was a movie series with a heart. “The Mandalorian” is no different.
And we have to remember that this is a “Star Wars” show, and heart is the centerpiece of any “Star Wars” classic. Any science fiction story can put you in the middle of a war in the stars. Plenty of stories bring you to space. Spaceships, laser guns and lightsabers are just aesthetics and glitzy devices to bring you to that world.
But it’s the idea of love and passion and appreciation shared by characters that make “Star Wars” what it is. We fell in love when the young farm boy Luke Skywalker sought a greater destiny. We cared for Han Solo when we knew he cared more about a reward when he rescued Princess Leia. We cheered when Darth Vader tossed Emperor Palpatine down a shaft in the Death Star.
Conversely, we bemoaned the moments of coarse sand in the prequels. We’ve rolled our eyes when Leia floats through space. The dullest moments of “Star Wars” have no heart. The worst moments are simply that — moments. We celebrate the moments of humanity, caring and appreciation more than anything else.
We still have a long way to go for “The Mandalorian.” Episodes will run right through to the end of December. But if the first episode is any indication of what’s to come, the show will be about a bounty hunter with a soul, which can only mean that we’re in for one wild, heartwarming and epic “Star Wars” ride.