ZkinandBonez

Rodney-2187 said:

The Mandalorian has set the bar so high for the other Disney+ series. If this Cassian Andor series is on the same level, then the activities of a Rebel spy could be very interesting. I love Rogue One. I’m anticipating this show more than anything currently announced, even the Obi-Wan series.

Agreed. RO is my favourite of the new Disney era SW movies, and I love the idea of making a show during the height of the Empire’s reign and getting to see the Rebel alliance at its early stages. I loved Filoni’s Rebels, but I love the idea of a darker and more gritty live-action counter-piece. I also feel that all the talk of it being a RO “prequel” is mostly just to put it in context for the casual fans, so I trust that it will be more than just a Cassian Andor origin story (though I’m on board for that part as well), but also a deep dive into the grittier side of the Rebels Alliance.

I’m also really intrigued to read that Stellan Skarsgård is in it. I wonder if he’ll play a bad guy role similar to Werner Herzog in The Mandalorian.

Boba Fett poster and comic cover art by Cam Kennedy:

Diego Luna Confirms Cassian Andor ‘Rogue One’ Prequel Series Is Currently Filming in London
https://www.starwarsnewsnet.com/2020/12/diego-luna-confirms-cassian-andor-rogue-one-prequel-series-is-currently-filming-in-london.html

“Diego Luna revealed the untitled Cassian Andor Rogue One prequel Disney+ series is currently filming.”

“The series will also bring back Alan Tudyk as K2-SO, and has added other familiar faces as well. Genevieve O’Reilly will be reprising her role as Mon Mothma in the series. In addition, a number of new faces will join the cast. Adria Arjona, Stellan Skarsgard, and Kyle Soller are also on board.”

jidaigekijunkie said:

Hey everyone, I was wondering if maybe you could help me with something regarding season 2. I haven’t started it yet but I have a question. I haven’t seen the Clone Wars animated show and I was wondering if it is neccessary or maybe at least recommended to appreciate Ashoka’s appearance in The Mandalorian? Hopefully they give her a good enough standalone introduction so as to not alienate people unfamiliar with Clone Wars.

Wouldn’t hurt of course, but you really can watch the Ahsoka episode without knowing a single thing about her.

Rodney-2187 said:

I’m still in shock over the Razor Crest! I mean, we’re pretty certain Grogu is going to get rescued, but the Razor Crest is dust! I thought it was a signature part of the show. I guess nothing is guaranteed. Don’t get too attached to anything!

StarWarsExplained made an interesting observation that blowing up the ship and Din’s home might be meant to show that he has to change and evolve as he moves forward. A lot of the show so far has been about Din learning to let go of the strict views of his creed and learning of other ways. He learned to respect Vanth, evcen though he took is armor in the end, he managed to get along somewhat with Bo-Katan, he quickly trusted Ahsoka, and now he gave over the armor to Boba Fett. Yes, he had an actual claim on the armour, but he’s hardly a follower of “the way” so Din’s softening up a fair bit. He’s also getting more fatherly with Grogu and even daring to slip his helmet off just a little bit. Destroying his ship and only leaving behind the metal-ball and the spear seems like it’ll be an important moment in his growth as a character.

It wouldn’t surprise me if this season ends with Din, Fett and Bo-Katan fighting Gideon together. Or at the very least something very similar will happen in the next season(s). I still feel like Bo-Katan and Mandalore will play into the story in some way later on, and bringing in a Child of the Watch and the son of a foundling would certainly be a unifying moment for the Mandalorians in general.

I also think its interesting that since we in the last episode we saw the magistrate block Ahsoka’s lightsabers with the beskar spear it’s very likely that Din will use it to fight Gideon and the darksaber.

idir_hh said:

About Tython, was it not an ice planet in the deep core in the Dr Aphra comics? Here it’s in the Outer-Rim. Seems to be a contradiction there.

This episode seems to align much more with how it was in Legends, though I suppose the Aphra appearance could always be retconned as being set during he winter or something like that, or maybe Tython is one of the few SW planets with more than one biome. Then again, Cobb Vanth’s backstory in chapter 9 doesn’t match perfectly with his novel debut, so the live-action stories seem to take certain liberties with canon.

The Outer-Rim comment I don’t know what to make of though. I always got the impression that it was really important that Tython was in the deep core?

Having seen it a second time now, it’s fine. The beginning and end of the episode work really well, but it’s the middle part that feels rushed and too crammed with ideas. Now I don’t really mind any of those ideas (though Fennec’s machine mid-riff is a bit silly, though hardly the weirdest we’ve seen in SW), but a few more minutes or a bit of tweaking to the script would have helped.

It’s the action scene that feels off to me. Fett’s fighting choreography is quite good, but everything else just feels so much more fake than what we’ve seen before. CG looks like it belongs in a series with less of a budget to me, and it’s really weirding me out. Perhaps Rodriguez is more of a “we’ll fix it in post” type of director and therefore some of the effects feel more rushed? Or maybe it’s simply harder to “hide” CG in such a bright setting? Previous episodes have been fairly dark and moody after all. Does anyone else feel the same way?

Either way though, it has me excited for the next two episodes, so it clearly did its job well enough.

idir_hh said:

It looked like an ambitious student film shot on a hill somewhere in California. Sorry for the harshness but this was nowhere near what we’ve come to expect from this series.

The story was extremely rushed. One second you’re with Ashoka, the next you’ve already reached the temple and you’re negotiating with Boba Fett, who then suddenly cares about the child? It felt like 3 episodes squeezed into half an episode. Don’t even get me started on the dialogue.

I think this episode makes a good case for Favreau needing to allow other writers to take the load off of him.

I haven’t seen too many Rodriguez films, but I kind a got a Spy Kids vibe from it. Is that a weird comparison? It had that sunny and “campy” feel to it. I’ve only seen a few other of his films, and I can’t say I’m much of a fan of either, so maybe this is just what his style is like? All I know about his career in general is that he fluctuates between campy kids films and really hard R retro exploitation, so maybe his interpretation of SW simply falls in the former category?

I personally wouldn’t call it a bad episode, but its not one I’m likely to return to very often.

Without going into spoilers I will at least say that a lot of unexpected things happened in this episode (plus a few expected things). I was actually surprised at just how much did happen. There was a lot of payoffs and new set-ups here.

I personally thought the episode was a little oddly directed, though. It’s mostly nitpicking, but it felt much more like a Marvel film, and less like the previous episodes, but this might just have to do with Rodriguez relying much more on CG (which was very obvious in this episode IMO). Some really solid action choreography though, which is exactly what I’d expect from Rodriguez. But it did overall just feel a little off.

Overall though, I’d say it was a solid enough episode, but it felt a little busy and more like a turning-point in the plot rather than a self-contained story like most episodes has been so far. That’s obviously a necessity for series like this, but it was a bit rushed.

SPOILERS

I honestly did not expect Din to reach Tython this early, and bringing back both Fett and Fennec for this episode seemed really odd at first, but it worked quite well I think. Having Din now travel with Fett is, I suppose, something that will thrill some fans and probably annoy others. Either way though it was fun seeing Fett get to properly show off his fighting for a chance. I mean, let’s be honest, OT Fett didn’t really do much more than stand around looking cool (and fall into the Sarlacc). I was a bit surprised so see that he still had possession of Slave I, which makes me wonder why he stayed on Tatooine for 5 years and never wet after Cobb Vanth. It wouldn’t surprise me of Vanth returns as well, so we’ll probably get some kind of explanation down the line.

Also, my suggestion that the Famuyiwa episode might bring back Mayfeld turned out to be true. I really liked Chapter 6, and Famuyiwa’s episodes in general, so I’m looking forward to next weeks episode.

Minor spoiler, but the scene in question is in the thumbnail so…
We get confirmation that the medallion Cara Dune got two episodes was basically a badge that made her an official New Republic Marshal. It’ll be interesting to see how that plays into things in future episodes.

SandMTV said:

If George Lucas confirms her death on Felucia in the canon continuity just like her legends counterpart.

Well, TCW was Lucas canon, and its one of the cornerstones of the new continuity. Plus Lucas doesn’t really have much of a say in the new canon, so it really depends on the new writers/producers. And having Barriss suddenly sent on a mission to Felucia after betraying the Jedi Order would be pretty far fetched. Her dying on Felucia in Legends was a hold-over from the ROTS comic adaptation, which also contained the deleted Quinlan Vos death scene, etc.

SandMTV said:

Bariss dies on Felucia in Order 66.

In Legends continuity, yes. However in the current canon there’s no story explaining how she died. Her last chronological appearance had her imprisoned on Coruscant after she was involved with a bombing at the Jedi Temple.

There’s a lot of fan theories that she became an Inquisitor after order 66, so it’s possible that she’s alive during the OT or the events of The Mandalorian. Since she and Ahsoka were close friends before her betrayal there’s a lot of potential stories to be told in future series (or at least in some novel or comic).

https://www.starwarsnewsnet.com/2020/12/new-ahsoka-tano-posters-coming-soon-from-trends-international.html

It certainly would have been interesting to see, but I’m personally quite happy with what we got. 90’s SW is one of my favourite eras in the EU, especially the two stories you mentioned.

However, Marvel recently(ish) released issue #108 “Forever Crimson” which is as a sequel to both the Valance story-arc and the Crimson Forever story from issue #50. It also included Jaxxon for good measure. Hardly a masterpiece, but I quite liked it.

Rodney-2187 said:

Will there be another Gallery documentary after this season? I sure hope so.

Yes, December 25th.

https://whatsondisneyplus.com/disney-gallery-the-mandalorian-season-2-coming-soon/

dgraham414 said:

Isn’t there something in Legends about Ki Adi Mundi having tons of kids since his species was dying off?

Yes, his species had a very low male birthrate so he was given a rare exception by the Jedi Council. He also had five wives apparently.
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Ki-Adi-Mundi/Legends#Establishing_home_and_family

screams in the void said:

wow ! That photo of Charles Dance looks spot on for Thrawn . Is that a personal photo of him or from his role in a movie ?

I just googled Charles Dance and came across it randomly, but from what I’ve gathered its from a 1989 biopic called Goldeneye where he played Ian Fleming.

screams in the void said:

While watching Game Of Thrones , I thought he would make a great Imperial villain for Star Wars , but never considered him for Thrawn , as Tywin Lannister commanded respect through fear ,whereas those under Thrawn respected him out of Loyalty and his willingness to stand up for them .( The ensign he had Rhuk execute in Heir to the Empire notwithstanding ) .

Agreed. He’d make a great Moff. Or a villain of any SW era really.

screams in the void said:

I think the audio book narrator that imitates Mikklsen that Bonez mentioned is Marc Thompson . Marc Thompson actually did his own take on Thrawn before that in the 2oth anniversary audiobook of Heir To The Empire ,and I thought he did an awesome job on all of the male characters in that one. He later changed his voice to impersonate Mikklsen after Thrawn debuted on Rebels .

Ah, I didn’t know it was the same guy. I haven’t heard any Heir to the Empire audiobook versions yet, so I’ll have to check out the 20th anniversary version at some point (I do have the hardback though, with all the little BTS notes in the margins).

Rodney-2187 said:

How about Charles Dance?

A bit old perhaps (how old should Thrawn be during the Mandalorian?), but a few decades ago he definitely had the right face for the character.

I think there’s a decent amount of leeway with the face overall though, and I think the eyes and especially the voice are the two things that’s really important when it comes to casting Thrawn. Not counting the audiobook voice-actor that imitates Mikkelsen’s performance, the only two Thrawn voices that has worked for me is Lars Mikkelsen and the voice-actor from the audiobook version of Outbound Flight (couldn’t find his name). Both have very calm and measured performances. Other attempts have seemed to stereotypically British or just generic tough-sounding bad guy.

screams in the void said:

for me it’s not so much an interest in seeing a famous actor playing the part , it’s more about Brosnan’s aristocratic voice and demeanor . Coincidentally , the fact that he pays an Art thief in The Thomas Crown Affair , helps too , as Thrawn has a penchant for art. And , I think Mikkelsen probably will play him in live action , and the glowing red eyes and blue skin were enough to emphasize that he was an alien to me . Although , I always pictured him without pupils , as depicted in the Heir To The Empire comics adaptation . If Mikkelsen does play him , and they have to go with the arches , I hope they do make them a lot more subtle.

Right, I see what you mean. First character that pops into my mind when I hear Brosnan is Bond, but he obviously has more range than that. I still don’t see him doing such a menacing character though, at least not to the extent required for Thrawn. Either way I’d think an actor known for villains or anti-heroes is the best choice. When I first read the Thrawn trilogy (a couple of years before Mikkelsen did the animated version Rebels) I imagined someone like Benedict Cumberbatch. In hindsight not necessarily who I’d considered ideal for the role, but at the time it made a lot of sense as his version of Sherlock is both intellectual and sophisticated while also a little bit unhinged at the same time.

A side note to Thrawn being “aristocratic”: one thing that I love about Mikkelsen’s Thrawn voice is his subtle, but still noticeable Danish accent hiding underneath British accent we associate with the Imperials. Since Thrawn is an outsider, and the only non-human Imperial, it makes so much sense for him to not have a perfect British accent. His sophistication also has more to do with intellect and discipline, as opposed to the simple snobbishness of most high ranking Imperials. And you get a sense of all of this not just through Mikkelsen’s performance but also through Filoni simply casting a Danish actor.

I’m still 50/50 on the eyes though. On the one hand I love the simplicity of the empty red-glowing eyes, but at the same time I can understand why filmmakers wouldn’t want to remove the pupils of such an important character. I’d probably make the same decision myself as eyes are really important in live-action. It’s the kind of thing that sound great on paper, would have been creepy in real-life, but I don’t think it would translate too well to film/TV.

jedi_bendu said:

screams in the void said:

so , do you think we will finally get to see Thrawn in live action in this series ? If so , who would be the best choice to play him ? I always picture James Bond era Pierce Brosnan in the role when I read the original Thrawn trilogy from the early 90s.

I don’t think we’ll see live-action Thrawn in The Mandalorian, because it would ruin the opportunity for the Star Wars Rebels sequel story that’s been set up (same goes for live-action Ezra Bridger - I can’t see it happening), but if any show could pull off a good live-action version of the character, this is it. My vote is for Lars Mikkelsen because he provided such a chilling and iconic voice in Rebels; a few prosthetics maybe on a sharper chin, and he’s there.

I agree that it should be either Lars Mikkelsen or someone very similar to him. I understand the interest in seeing famous movie stars like Brosnan in the role, but I honestly don’t think actors like that really has what it takes to pull off a menacing character like Thrawn. Mikkelsen has already played a supergenius psychopath in an episode of Sherlock, so Thrawn shouldn’t be a problem. With some small prosthetics and a change in hairdo I think he’d look perfect for the new canon version of Thrawn.

I also get why people don’t like the so called “McDonald’s arches”, but I think it was clever of *Rebels to emphasize that he’s an alien by adding a slightly unnatural shape to his head, as well as accentuating his “high brow” look as it were. Animation obviously exaggerates these things, but I think some subtle arches could work really well in live action. I didn’t like them at first either, but now when I go back to a lot of old Thrawn art he just looks oddly too human too me.

The clone trooper helmet and the Fulcrum logo is a nice touch. I think this is the first character poster to include little easter eggs.

https://www.starwars.com/news/mando-download-chapter-13-the-jedi

Rodney-2187 said:

Only three episodes left. Who is the next director? We still haven’t seen episodes from Robert Rodriguez or Rick Famuyiwa. I’m guessing either Filoni or Favreau directs another.

Famuyiwa is listed as the writer of Chapter 15 so it’s likely he’ll direct that one as he both wrote and directed Chapter 6 last season). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mandalorian#Season_2_(2020) I wonder if this means they’ll bring back Mayfeld, Xi’an and Burg? Though it seems a bit odd for the second-to-last episode of the season to bring back this particular story-thread, so maybe they’re saving them for another season. Either way though, I’m glad to see Famuyiwa direct at least one episode as his two were among my favourites from the last season.

I’d completely forgotten that Rodriguez was confirmed to direct an episode so now I’m really curious too. Chapter 14 & 16 are both written by Favreau, so it could be either of them. Just a guess really, but Waititi was the “biggest” director in season 1 so maybe they’ve similarly saved the season 2 finale for Rodriguez?

I really like the episodic nature of the show, but as I’ve said multiple times in this thread before, I’m fairly old school and not a fan of modern 100 hour movies chopped up in 45 min parts type of narratives that have been so common since GOT. I’d be completely on board with a live action version of the formula used by TCW where each episode tells its own partially connected or completely stand-alone narrative following multiple characters across the SW galaxy. As there is some plot development regarding Grogu in The Mandalorian I don’t mind if most episodes focus on their own little mini narrative on some new planet with new characters (to most viewers anyway). The great thing about the SW galaxy to me is that there’s so many potential small-scale stories to be told and that’s why I’ve loved this season. I like the idea of Din and Grogu being the throughline in all of these mini stories; such as Cobb Vanth teaming up with the Tuskens to kill the Krayt Dragon or Ahsoka freeing the town on Corvus. Ditto on season 1 episodes like Sanctuary and The Prisoner. And so far in season 2 we’ve had two episodes that mostly deal with the main story arc, and we have three episodes left, so I don’t think this season will be too different from season 1. Obviously season 1 introduced the main conflict with Grogu in multiple episodes, so they didn’t have too much time for self-contained stories, but overall I think it’s been quite consistent. And we don’t know what their plans are for the next couple of seasons, so when the show is over we might even have more “plot episodes” than “filler episodes”.

I still suspect that this show is going to be very similar to Rebels in that the first season was fairly self-contained, season two went all over the galaxy and introduced a lot of familiar characters, and then season three became more focused and gradually built up to the last season which was pretty much one long story arc divided into episodes. That might not be to everyone’s taste, but I’m on board with that.

I generally someone who defends the idea that SW is fantasy and not proper sci-fi, but EC Henry’s latest video makes some interesting observations about how ANH was much more “scientific” than what SW later evolved into. He’s doesn’t mention the early drafts, but it’s interest in hindsight how the they seemed to flip between sci-fi and fantasy ideas, until Lucas finally settled for a somewhat more fantastical approach and then doubled down on the idea in the following films.

Star Wars is More Scientific than You Realize
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEPM-Bqc8fQ - from the EC Henry YouTube channel (5 mins long).

A lot of people have mentioned the Kurosawa (specifically Yojimbo) vibe of the latest episode, but having rewatched it several times now it occurred to me that there’s a lot of Hayao Miyazaki’s Princess Mononoke in it as well, especially in the final confrontation. The village reminds me a lot of Irontown, Ahsoka jumping around the rooftops was very similar to San attack on the town, and the magistrate is very similarly dressed as Lady Eboshi and they both have a military enforcer. (As a side note, the Lothwolves from Rebels are also were similar to the Mononoke wolves.)

I’ve also heard people say its very similar to Avatar: The Last Airbender which Filoni worked on pre-TCW, but I haven’t seen any of that series so I can’t really comment on that.

And this might be a bit of a stretch, but the gas-mask soldiers reminded me a lot of the soldiers from Ralph Bakshi’s Wizards.

Overall though this episode had a strong 70’s / 80’s type of sci-fi vibe to it that I really liked, especially the music which gave me Blade Runner vibes more than once. I completely agree with timdiggerm that this episode was a pretty great combination of elements from all SW eras, but also adding new-ish sci-fi/fantasy elements that fit the SW mold. The latter has already been discussed a lot regarding this series, but I think this episode this it especially well.