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browneyess · 2 months

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Let’s talk about Din’s side-story/show takeover in The Book of Boba Fett. Personally, I really liked the show! It definitely wasn’t great, but it had potential. However, what they did with Din and Grogu was horrid. Yes, it was cool, but they didn’t need to put that in an entirely different show. The only reason I can think of as to why the directors did that is to bring back Grogu faster, their biggest money grab. Disney is all about that marketability! I hated that so much. Another reason they might have brought Grogu back so quickly is that some people watch The Mandalorian for Grogu or just really love the character. Without Grogu, The Mandalorian was sure to have viewership rates drop. However, the show is called The Mandalorian, not The Mandalorian and Grogu (although the same title is being used for the movie to be released in 2026). It's bout the Mandalorian, not Grogu. While its plot is heavily supported by him, he’s not a keystone in it. The show can function just fine without Grogu. However, Din cannot!

Disney completely breezed over the two years Din and Grogu were apart. Two years. And you know what Disney does? They don’t acknowledge it! They don’t even hint towards the fact that Din was definitely mentally struggling without Grogu; he helped him in more ways than one. I’m going to be honest before I rewatched it, I didn’t remember how season 3 started. However, I do know how it should’ve started:

Season 2 ends with Grogu being taken away by Luke. The elevator door shuts and boom, that’s it. End of the season. The writers of the show could’ve taken advantage of that and started season 3 in the same place they left off. The poor writing left out so much important information, like what did Din do after he took off his helmet? Did he put it back on and act like nothing happened? How did the others react? How did they move on from that whole ordeal? Season 3 could’ve started with that. It could’ve explained everything that happened post-season 2: Din’s handling of being alone/an apostate, how he moved on/coped, what he did afterward (did he return to bounty hunting (TBOBF confirms that he did), or did he go on hiatus and/or hide somewhere?), etc. It’s so infuriating to me that Disney breezed over the fact that Din was definitely mentally struggling. The way they wrote Din’s part of The Book of Boba Fett and season 3 made it seem like those two years of grieving never happened. Don’t you think Din would be, oh I don’t know, maybe a little overprotective/clingy over Grogu? Perhaps even salty toward the Jedi! I know for a fact he’d hold a grudge against Luke/Ahsoka/other Jedi for taking his boy away from him. This isn’t DIN DJARIN, this is BIN JARRIN. UGH.

While season 3 could’ve delved into Din’s recovery from losing Grogu, it also could’ve taken advantage of the obvious doorway to introduce more flashbacks. In the entire show, we only get a single flashback, and it only explains what happened to Din’s family, how he became a Mandalorian, and why he dislikes droids so much. It is great that they did that! Although, they are severely lacking in a lot of other important backstory parts: how Din adapted to being a Mandalorian, his relationship with the other Mandalorians (Paz Vizsla and the Armorer especially—maybe some non-introduced characters?), what inspired him to be a bounty hunter, etc. etc. Oh my God, the possibilities for season 3 are genuinely endless, and it pisses me off to no end that they didn’t seize such a good opportunity.

Din’s part in The Book of Boba Fett and season 3 would be better off as season 4, of course, with better writing.

Genuinely there should be more focus on Din's obvious anxiety and trauma. They could have gone in so many directions with it and instead just brought Grogu back. I really wish they’d shown us Din fresh after losing Grogu because I feel like his separation anxiety would be insane (as loss can make that more prone to happen! And Din is no stranger to losing things at a young, impressionable age!). He literally watched his parents die. I feel so bad for him because he finally found an anchor in his life, and then this random blond-ass twink pulls up and is like, “Come with me.” Or something, I don’t know. And then Din takes off his helmet??? For Grogu??? And then that’s it—they literally don’t acknowledge it whatsoever. Like, what do you mean he’s a human with emotions and struggles! 😂 Never heard of her!

He didn’t trust droids for over half his life because of trauma, and I feel like there’d be other things he’d have bad anxiety over too (like Grogu and his attachments). Can we get more of that, please? Even still, he doesn’t trust droids. In season 3, he asked for IG-11 specifically, despite him being literally offline. He still tried to get him back, and it wasn’t until IG-11 REALLY went out of commission that he had to settle for R5-D4. Then in episode 6, Bo said, “Do any of them look suspicious?” and he replied, “All of them look suspicious” because the droids they were looking at specifically were battle droids—the kind that killed his parents. So obviously, he holds a grudge against that model. But I know for a fact he was uncomfortable on Plazir-15 because of the extensive droid staff.

The way they skipped over those two years gives Din Djarin’s character the impression that it meant nothing to him. Or—it went by so fast, he didn’t even realize. Whatever it was, it was a poor writing decision. Din’s character is beautifully complex, but the writers aren’t putting in the effort to even consider that.

Without Grogu, I feel like Din would be a lot different. More cold and quiet than he was before; how he was at the beginning of season 1 and The Book of Boba Fett chapter 5, "Return of the Mandalorian." He’s distinctly more dry in replies and more focused on his job than anything. The Book of Boba Fett at least gave us a little bit of Din without Grogu, but that didn’t even last long because the following episode Din goes to see Grogu. As much as I love Din and Grogu’s relationship, I feel like Din trying to move on—emphasis on trying—would make a good episode. Like trying to do a job, fresh from becoming an apostate and losing Grogu, and he just can’t focus with everything that had just happened.

A detail I love in The Book of Boba Fett chapter 5, "Return of the Mandalorian," are two things that remind Din of Grogu: the beskar chainmail wrapped in a way that it kind of looks like Grogu’s head, and the green Rodian child. As much as Din would like to move on, he simply can’t because everything reminds him of Grogu. Also, he literally had the Armorer break down the spear to make into a gift for a “special foundling,” and he wanted to see Grogu. They even talked about how Jedi aren’t supposed to have attachments, but the Mandalorian Creed is built on attachments. While Din wants to keep Grogu, he knows he can’t because that’s not what Grogu can have. He’s destined to be a Jedi; there’s no dodging that.

Adding to that, without Grogu, I feel like Din would be a lot different. More cold and quiet than he was before; how he was at the beginning of season 1 and The Book of Boba Fett chapter 5, "Return of the Mandalorian." He’s distinctly more dry in replies and more focused on his job than anything. The Book of Boba Fett at least gave us a little bit of Din without Grogu, but that didn’t even last long because the following episode Din goes to see Grogu. As much as I love Din and Grogu’s relationship, I feel like Din trying to move on—emphasis on trying—would make a good episode. Like trying to do a job, fresh from becoming an apostate and losing Grogu, and he just can’t focus with everything that had just happened.

Considering how deeply Din's life has been affected by Grogu, his attempts to move on would undoubtedly be fraught with difficulty and reminders of their bond.

Din’s journey without Grogu could have been an opportunity to delve deeper into his role as Mandalore and how he navigates that responsibility amidst his personal loss. This aspect of his character and the dynamics within the Mandalorian community could have added rich layers to the story. Instead, the show has overlooked these potential storylines, focusing more on quick resolutions rather than exploring the depth and complexity of Din’s situation.

In general, I want to see more of Din’s attachments—past and present. That’s what their culture is built on, right? It might be the lack of scenes he has with other Mandalorians, but he seems kind of distant from a lot of them (though the general plot of the show hasn’t really allowed us to see those connections in the past). The Mandalorian culture is built on attachment and trust, which contrasts with the Jedi.

Seeing more of Din’s anxiety and how he handles his attachments would add so much depth to his character. His journey is filled with loss and trauma, and exploring these aspects would make for compelling storytelling. Season 3 could have delved into his struggles with trust and connection, especially in the wake of losing Grogu and becoming an apostate.

If you read this far, thanks! You're a real one.

#pedro pascal #din djarin #the mandalorian #mandalorian #the mandalorian season1 #the mandalorian season 2 #the mandalorian season 3 #the mandalorian s1 #the mandalorian s2 #the mandalorian s3 #star wars #star wars series #opinion and review

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jenniferdarjeeling · 3 months

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Some observations and thoughts about The Mandalorian Season 2

I've been rewatching The Mandalorian season 2 and have noticed so many things I never caught the first time around.

One of the bigger things thus far is from "The Believer". What I always loved about the show is how confident, steadfast and human Din Djarin is. Literally, the man is stuck wearing practically paper Empire armor when facing the pirates, runs out of ammo, and still gets the job done.

He's ran headfirst into heavy gunfire multiple times on the show, been in pretty deadly situations, but never let it show. He never faltered.

Yet, the moment he takes off the helmet and encounters Valin Hess, he stumbles. He does, to his credit, try, asserting himself through his lie, but it crumbles so quickly. So fast that Mayfield, who was afraid Hess would recognize him, steps in to save him.

Din's vulnerable, unsure and losing every inch of that persona we've seen since the show began. Yet Mayfield, who had been aiding Din up until this point, easily takes control of the situation. Yes, he was ex-Empire and knew enough to try to diffuse the situation, but Din remained defenseless and practically helpless. He couldn't even come up with a fake name.

I thought that was such a minor yet compelling detail, whether intentional or not. It showed a side to Din we hadn't seen before, which makes him all the more likable and relatable. I cannot express how important it was for that detail to be shown.

Also, bonus points for the scene where Din removed his helmet. It wasn't drawn out with an epic score building in the background. It was quick yet effective, which made it all the more powerful.

When the helmet wouldn't suffice and he only had seconds to remove it, or else lose his one chance to find Grogu, Din didn't think twice nor have a single look of regret. That is one of Pedro's major strengths as an actor that most don't have and can't do. He can completely emote without needing to speak nor move.

If it weren't for the season finale, "The Believer" would probably be the best episode of season 2.

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