The Mandalorian and Grogu is finally fixing one of the biggest Star Wars problems since the sequel trilogy ended. When Din Djarin made his debut in The Mandalorian, it was with a rule that took long-term viewers by surprise: apparently now, despite The Clone Wars and Rebels, Mandalorians were forbidden from removing their helmets. We eventually learned this was because Din is part of a cult called the Children of the Watch, an extremist faction who ascribe to ancient traditions.
The Mandalorian seemed to be setting up Din Djarin’s leaving the Children of the Watch. After all, in The Mandalorian Season 2 he removed his helmet out of love for Grogu, acknowledging the depth of his personal connection with Baby Yoda. Season 3 took a different direction, with Din swiftly redeeming himself when he bathed in the waters of the Mines of Mandalore. But we’re now headed for a different world, one where Din Djarin is on the big screen, and the helmet is coming off.
In truth, the helmet rule was probably a convenient excuse for a very different problem; Lucasfilm had cast Pedro Pascal as Din Djarin, a very busy actor who wouldn’t always be free for filming. The role is actually shared between Pascal, Lateef Crowder, and Brendan Wayne. But Pascal is understandably much more interested in clearing up his schedule for a theatrical release like The Mandalorian and Grogu, and he’s been a major part of the film’s marketing from the outset. Din Djarin is clearly about to be unmasked.
This, unfortunately, leaves Lucasfilm in something of a bind. The studio doesn’t want a repetitive plot where Din Djarin allows his helmet to be removed and then heads back to the Mines of Mandalore again. Besides which, there’s no dramatic weight to that anymore; Mandalore has been reclaimed at the end of The Mandalorian Season 3, meaning the whole “redemption” plot would be about as significant as dropping in for a pint with some friends. If Din is going to be unmasked in The Mandalorian and Grogu, then the mythology needs to evolve.
New clip from ‘THE MANDALORIAN & GROGU’.
In theaters on May 22. pic.twitter.com/D398UpUGkq
Recent marketing for The Mandalorian and Grogu has finally revealed the twist. This new clip shows the Hutt twins mocking Din Djarin for letting them remove his helmet, noting he will be shamed. “Not if you all die,” Din replies, a threat with massive significance. The clear implication is that being unmasked is not the problem for Din; it is the face he unmasked and left the people who saw his face alive. This is a smart call, because it immediately raises the stakes in any scene where Din Djarin is unmasked; it means he’s now playing to kill, and must figure out how to end everyone else in the room.
This twist fits with Mandalorian culture, too, which has always tended to be militaristic and conflict-based. That’s particularly true for the Children of the Watch, who believe in the “Old Ways” of open war, and it’s easy to imagine them approving of a rule like this. The subtle change also means Din Djarin can be unmasked in the movie, Pedro Pascal can appear prominently in the various trailers for The Mandalorian and Grogu, and it doesn’t break the lore or lead to repetitive, low-pressure plots. It’s a seriously smart call from Lucasfilm.
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