Why The Mandalorian Season 2 Has Us Worried

The Mandalorian's inaugural season was groundbreaking for several reasons. First and foremost, it marked the arrival of the first-ever live-action Star Wars TV series. Its story doesn't center around the Skywalker family, the larger galaxy-wide conflict, or even the Jedi — a rarity in major Star Wars media. It is a breath of fresh air into a franchise that's always been fairly linear. It also makes numerous references and nods to the existing Star Wars universe — while also providing some unforgettable surprises.

The biggest shock season 1 had to give was the reveal of "The Child" — best known on the internet as Baby Yoda. The arrival of the little green enigma sent the Star Wars fandom into a state of pandemonium, and the fact that it was hidden so well for so long is incredibly impressive. In the age of social media, that kind of secrecy doesn't work out very often for such a highly-anticipated project.

The masterminds behind the second season of The Mandalorian appear to have already given up on keeping its surprises intact. That might be understandable — the little green cat is out of the bag now, after all — but various casting leaks and plot rumors run the risk of hurting the show more than they will help it. It isn't enough to ruin the upcoming episodes, but it could very well drag down the thrill of new episodes so that they don't reach the heights of their predecessors. While waiting for The Mandalorian season 2 is exciting, we do have cause for concern.

As rumors have suggested, The Mandalorian's second season cast list is star-studded. First came reports that Clone Wars fan favorite Ahsoka Tano was on her way to live-action, supposedly played by Rosario Dawson. Then there was the announcement that Jango Fett himself, Temuera Morrison, would return to Star Wars to play an aged Boba Fett. Other sources claim that legacy characters such as Captain Rex, Bo Katan-Kryze, Sabine Wren, and Hera Syndulla could potentially join them. If there's any credence to all these rumors and reports, this season could be huge.

Still, while the possibilities are enticing, one can't help but feel as though this season will suffer from the leaks. Letting so much information get out so far in advance goes in direct opposition to what made discovering The Mandalorian so exciting. Fans tuned in to find out not only where the story would go, but who would turn up next. Surprises like Baby Yoda gave the series an additional edge to keep viewers tuned in — which meant they had to stay under lock and key.

Before The Mandalorian debuted on Disney+, there wasn't even a hint that the show would include an infant of Yoda's species. Promotional material, merchandise, and even supposed "inside sources" online had nothing to say about it. When the first episode finally dropped and fans got their first glimpse of the adorable puppet, it set the world ablaze — and that surely was due, in part, to the little womp rat's surprise entrance in the premiere's twist ending. The demand for further information about Baby Yoda and when to expect plushies and t-shirts became the talk of the entire internet. It truly was lightning in a bottle, and it's starting to seem like season 2 will lack that kind of hysteria.

On one hand, it makes sense to let this information out into the world. It generates buzz about the upcoming season and allows for merchandise to hit the market without spoiling anything. After all, the lack of Baby Yoda products reportedly cost Disney an upwards of $2.7 million during last year's holiday season. Given The Mandalorian's warm reception and marketing potential, one would assume they'd hate to make that mistake again. 

Season 1 of The Mandalorian may have offered some impressively tight storytelling, but it also introduced plenty of elements that could threaten to take attention from its title character as the series continues. The man we'd eventually come to know as Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) is understated and introverted, to the point that he risks playing second fiddle to the colorful characters around him. The program still centers around him, of course, but there's a reason that fans jokingly refer to The Mandalorian as "The Baby Yoda Show" — many ended up watching solely for him.

The Mandalorian runs the risk of becoming an afterthought in The Mandalorian, as crazy as that sounds. In season 1, he only had one spotlight-stealer to contend with. Djarin could face far more famous characters in season 2 like Ahsoka and Fett who could easily kick him to the curb with fanservice. Focusing on so many established favorites could stunt Djarin's growth as a character and hurt his popularity. It is great to tune in expecting surprises and cameos from across the Star Wars universe, but the core of the series should still be telling an engaging narrative about the titular bounty hunter.

Of course, The Mandalorian's dream team of storytellers has certainly earned our trust, and there's a good chance season 2 has even bigger surprises in store than the production is letting on. We'll have to wait until Mando returns to Disney+ this October.