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The Mandalorian holding the Child, aka Baby Yoda.

‘The Mandalorian’ Season 2 Might Surprise Fans of the Animated ‘Star Wars’ Shows

Rumored appearances of characters from 'Star Wars: The Clone Wars' and 'Star Wars: Rebels' has fans excited for the upcoming season of the Disney+ show.

Season two of the hit Disney+ series, “The Mandalorian,” is coming back in October of this year.

The Western-inspired “Star Wars” show, set several years after “Return of the Jedi,” will continue the story of the titular character, the Mandalorian — or Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) — and, of course, the Child, whom many refer to as Baby Yoda. Also returning to the upcoming season are Cara Dune (Gina Carano), Greef Karga (Carl Weathers) and the villainous Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito).

With rumors and official news of several fan-favorite “Star Wars” characters appearing in the new season of “The Mandalorian,” there is an endless number of storylines that could play out throughout the show’s second season.

Fans are anxiously waiting to go on the Mandalorian’s next galactic adventure, so here is everything we know and things we can expect in the upcoming season.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JConWy3ZVU8

The Appearance of Ahsoka Tano

One of the most talked-about surprises of season two of “The Mandalorian” is the casting of Rosario Dawson as Ahsoka Tano, a popular character from the animated series “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” and “Star Wars: Rebels.”

Tano, once a Jedi, was expelled from the Jedi Council and became a secret agent during the Rebellion Era, which takes place long before “The Mandalorian.” The last time fans saw Ahsoka, she and another “Star Wars: Rebels” character, Sabine Wren, went off to find Ezra Bridger, the protagonist of the animated show.

Because the ending of “Rebels” takes place years before “The Mandalorian,” it is possible that Tano will only make a short cameo, running into Djarin in her quest to find Bridger. But she could also play a bigger role in the series, since she, like the Child, is a user of the Force.

Throughout the first season of “The Mandalorian,” we learn of the strong Force abilities of the Child. For those unfamiliar with “Star Wars” lore, one of the abilities that Force users can activate is the sensing of other Force wielders. Tano’s appearance in the show could signify the Child’s future, in which she could teach him the ways of the Force.

The Appearance of Boba Fett

Temuera Morrison, who played the deadly assassin Jango Fett in 2002’s “Attack of the Clones,” will be returning to the “Star Wars” universe in the upcoming season, playing the silent but dangerous Boba Fett, who is a clone of, as well as the son of, Jango (I know, it’s a bit confusing).

As fans recall, Boba Fett seemingly died falling into the Sarlacc pit in “Return of the Jedi.” While many do not know of Fett’s fate, the casting of Morrison tells fans that he may indeed still be alive.

Fans have speculated that Fett has already made a small yet discreet appearance in the first season of “The Mandalorian.” In the last minutes of the fifth episode, a mysterious figure approaches the body of the assassin Fennic Shand (Ming-Na Wen). The clue that may have given Fett’s identity away is the distinctive sound of spurs, which are also heard in his debut in “The Empire Strikes Back.”

Fett’s appearance could signify a minor antagonist for Djarin due to the fact that they are both Mandalorian-armored bounty hunters. He may also pose a threat to the protagonist, as there could be a bounty on the Child, who is under the protection of Djarin.

The Lore Behind the Darksaber

“Star Wars” fans were shocked to see the appearance of the Darksaber being wielded by Moff Gideon in “The Mandalorian” season finale. The Darksaber is a one-of-a-kind black-bladed lightsaber created on the planet Mandalore. Passed down from generation to generation, the Darksaber signified the ruler of Mandalore by the person who possesses it.

In the last episode of “Star Wars: Rebels,” the saber was in the possession of Bo-Katan Kryze, who was also announced to appear in season two of “The Mandalorian,” played by her “Rebels” voice actor, Katee Sackhoff.

In the very first episode of “The Mandalorian,” we learn of the Great Purge, an event in which the Galactic Empire invaded Mandalore and killed many of its inhabitants, forcing many Mandalorians to operate in secrecy. It’s possible that Gideon somehow beat Kryze in combat and acquired the Darksaber in the process.

With Sackhoff’s casting in “The Mandalorian,” perhaps fans can expect to see Kryze taking back what was rightfully hers. In “The Clone Wars,” along with “Rebels,” fans watch as an alliance is built among the aforementioned Tano, Wren and Kryze, so they may be in for a surprise and will possibly see the trio fighting together in live-action.

Although only appearing in the last two episodes of the first season, Moff Gideon is guaranteed to play a much larger role in the upcoming season. Fans know that he contacted the mysterious character known only as the Client to hire the Mandalorian to obtain the Child.

While the Client met his demise in the season finale, Gideon is likely to continue his hunt for the Child, possibly to learn and extract its Force abilities.

The Return of Mayfield and Other Mercenaries

Returning to “The Mandalorian” for season two is Mayfield, played by Bill Burr. The mercenary was introduced in the sixth episode, “The Prisoner.” At the end of the episode, Mayfield was imprisoned by the Republic, along with Xi’an and Burg, two other bounty hunters.

The announcement of Burr’s reprisal of the character may indicate more issues for Djarin, as the Mandalorian planned for the capture of the villains of the episode. They may break out of prison to either kill Djarin or kidnap the Child as retribution.

More Backstory of the Mandalorian’s Allies

Alongside the Mandalorian and the Child are Cara Dune, the former shock trooper who turned mercenary, and Greef Karga, Djarin’s former boss who turned foe and then turned into an ally.

While fans did not learn too much about Dune and Karga before the events of “The Mandalorian,” they could be getting more glimpses into the lives of Djarin’s team members, like how Djarin and Carga form their alliance. Fans can expect the four to be hunted by Gideon and his forces after a failed assassination attempt against him.

With the addition of so many familiar faces, “Star Wars” fans can hope that they will not overshadow the true protagonist of the show, the Mandalorian himself. While season one of the series had bits and pieces of plot placed throughout each episode, it was not wholly cohesive in terms of story.

These pieces, however, will hopefully create a more established storyline in season two, tying each episode to the next. There is no doubt that the new season of “The Mandalorian” will be great, as fans follow the Mandalorian and the Child on their continued adventure.

Chris Dang, University of California, Riverside

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Chris Dang

University of California, Riverside
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From Orange County, California, Chris Dang has always enjoyed the big (and small) screen. He one day wants to work in the entertainment industry as a TV writer.

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