*SPOILER WARNING*

This article will contain spoilers for The Mandalorian up to episode 5 of season 2.

Many Star Wars fans have not been pleased with the direction Disney has taken the franchise. The sequel trilogy has largely been the source of fans’ despair due to the change in director midway through the trilogy. This is causing some fans to lose faith and distance themselves from the franchise. Disney’s style of cranking out new content did not appeal to the hardcore fans, and the disapproval from the fans can be seen in the decline of box office numbers whenever a new film is released. Disney seemed to be stuck, but the creation of the show The Mandalorian on Disney+ has brought fans back and has increased the amount of positive publicity Star Wars is receiving. Has The Mandalorian been the saving component of Disney Star Wars?

The Mandalorian has seen positive reviews from both fans and critics. According to rottentomatoes.com, the series so far has received a score of 93% rotten tomatoes and an average audience score of 87%. These scores are significantly higher than the scores the sequel trilogy received: an average of 77.67% rotten tomatoes and an average audience score of 71.33%. The original trilogy had the highest ratings out of all 3 trilogies with an average score of 89.33% rotten tomatoes and an average audience score of 95.67%. The prequel trilogy received the lowest ratings with an average rotten tomatoes score of 65.67% and an average audience score of 60.33%. The decrease in ratings since the original trilogy makes some people question if the Star Wars franchise has been declining for multiple decades and the new Disney trilogies have allowed for a light to shine on the declining franchise. I personally do not believe this is the case, I believe most people fell in love with the original movies, and the newer movies were just slightly worse; therefore, they received lower ratings. Obviously, reviews from one source are not a sufficient reason to claim that The Mandalorian is the saving component of Disney Star Wars, but it is definitely a start.

The Mandalorian has numerous aspects that spark audience interest including one of the cutest characters in the Star Wars universe: Grogu. Up until episode 5 of season 2, Grogu had been referred to as the child in the tv show but was given the name Baby Yoda by the public. Protecting Grogu and delivering him to someone of his species is the main premise of the show, therefore he was a central part of every episode. Despite never saying a word, Grogu wins over the hearts of viewers and because of this, Disney was able to sell millions of dollars worth of merchandise. Another aspect of the show that sparks audience interest is that a new episode is released every Friday morning at 12 AM P.T. Episodes typically end on a cliffhanger, so viewers are enticed to tune in when a new episode is released. Ending an episode on a cliffhanger also makes viewers want to predict the events of upcoming episodes which helps keep the show relevant and helps the show stay in conversations longer than releasing all the episodes at one time would.

Additionally, the show consists of many new characters that were never in the Star Wars universe but also includes characters from other shows and movies. For instance, Ahsoka Tano and Bo Katan make appearances in season 2 and they were both cast in the animated shows Star Wars The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels. Boba Fett has also made numerous appearances in season 2. The Mandalorian has done a good job at giving backstory to the new characters but also incorporating supporting characters that help fill in some of the plot holes left by the sequel trilogy. The supporting characters are not overpowering but act as a sense of fan service. The blend of returning and new characters in the show is very refreshing and they compliment each other very well leading to positive remarks from most of the community.

To say The Mandalorian is the saving component of Disney Star Wars is definitely a stretch, but it is pretty obvious that it is the best-received content Disney has put out. A third season of the show has been confirmed and a fourth may be on its way, but as long as the show continues to crank out quality episodes, it should continue to see positive reviews from the media and fans. Who knows where the directors will take the show, but I’m sure thousands if not millions of people will continue to enjoy the ride.