The Mandalorian started out as a Star Wars gunslinger story about a lone wolf who takes on a contract from the Imperial remnants, only to be caught up in more than he bargained for. As the series progresses, audiences have learned more about the mysterious and adorable Child and how it is tied into the Force.
That means that the iconic and enduring Jedi are on the move in The Mandalorian, and audiences have already caught a glimpse of this in recent episodes. Now, the question is how far the show will go when featuring Jedi, and in what capacity. Their presence could be a boon for the show, or a curse.
For: It Could Broaden Star Wars Appeal
Some Star Wars fans were a little put off by the introspective nature of The Mandalorian and its focus on a single character. After all, Mando himself exists primarily outside of the known galaxy and tends to hang about on the outer rim, which is a bit dead these days given the fall of the Empire.
Bringing Jedi into the fold could be a way to tie The Mandalorian in ever-closer to the core systems where much of the action is now taking place. Viewers have seen a New Republic presence in the show several times already. Where it goes from there is anyone's guess.
Against: It Would Take The Focus Away
The same slightly polarizing theme of The Mandalorian is also its greatest strength. Though it remains to be seen what happens when Mando eventually parts with the Child, it's safe to say that any future adventures will maintain focus primarily on him.
With Jedi thrown into the mix, Mando could either become a fixture of their fledgling new order, or an antagonist against them. Realistically, any overabundance of focus on anything Force-related would probably have dire consequences for the narrative.
For: It Could Tie Into Past & Future Star Wars Lore
Having Jedi in The Mandalorian could go a long way between connecting two entirely separate eras of Star Wars lore. With Boba Fett now officially back in the mix thanks to his armor making an appearance, there's plenty of opportunity to call upon Clone Wars-era Star Wars as well as Imperial era shenanigans.
This could form a vital link for Star Wars fans, since this is the first officially canonized material to touch on life after the Empire so soon after it had fallen. The galaxy is still rebuilding, the New Republic is exactly that, and Jedi are just beginning to rise from the ashes of Order 66.
Against: The Story Could Get Out Of Hand
A trademark of nearly every successful show is the tendency to "jump the shark" at one point or another. This usually happens when writers either run out of material, write themselves into a corner a la Lost, or try to one-up a previous season's big moment.
For now, the series seems to be trucking along beautifully with Moff Gideon's big Darksaber reveal at the end of season one. The Jedi are coming, but the size of their presence and the scope of their role in the overall story could determine if things go off the rails or not.
For: It Could Dive Into KOTOR Territory
This is a big one, and veteran Star Wars fans know why. The Mandalorians and the Jedi have a long, complicated, and antagonistic past. Four thousand years before Luke Skywalker's time, the Mandalorians nearly defeated the Old Republic in a bloody campaign of destruction.
The roots of their conflict are long and deep, and the Clone Wars animated TV series helped bring some of that back. A Mandalorian-centric show such as this one has every opportunity to pull the curtain back and finally go into detail about their thousands-year long culture and history, and how Jedi factor into it.
Against: It Could Cause Major Plot Holes
Any time writers begin inserting elements into a story in order to court viewers, risk becomes an issue. The Mandalorian will need to be extremely careful how it integrates Jedi into the story, lest it fall victim to the kinds of plot holes fans saw between the original trilogy and the prequels.
Ahsoka Tano is back, and her recent appearance in the delayed final season of The Clone Wars helps situate her perfectly into the story. From here on out, the writers will need to make sure they aren't stepping on any rakes when it comes to how the Jedi progress from this era to the Disney sequel trilogy.
For: It Could Create A Darth Maul Connection
As mentioned before, the Mandalorians and the Jedi have a tumultuous relationship dating back thousands of years, to the time when fallen Jedi Darth Revan participated in the war between the Mandalorians and the Republic. He personally battled Mandalore in one on one combat while Jedi General Meetra Surik activated a superweapon known as the Mass Shadow Generator, instantly killing tens of thousands of people.
In The Clone Wars, the iconic Sith Lord Darth Maul dueled Mandalorian Death Watch leader Pre Vizsla for control of the planet. This granted Maul the Darksaber, a Mandalorian/Jedi weapon which has since popped up in the show. Failing to pursue a Maul sub-plot here would be a missed opportunity.
Against: It Could Create A Luke Skywalker Connection...And Fail
Since The Mandalorian takes places only a scant few years after the destruction of the second Death Star and the fall of the Empire, Luke Skywalker is very much alive and ready to rebuild the Jedi Order. How this plays out over the course of the series remains to be seen, but it's entirely possible that viewers will see Mark Hamill reprise his role (with some facial de-aging technology) for a cameo appearance.
Trouble is, this singular move could spell a lot of problems for The Mandalorian, especially if audiences love what they see and want more. It's a Catch-22 situation that might be better left alone, but given the massive fan uproar over Luke, Leia and Han's squandered appearances in the Disney sequel trilogy, it's tempting to say the least.
For: It Could Tie The SW Universe Together If Done Right
The Mandalorian is a story about outlaws in the wild west of space - namely the Outer Rim. With the Empire defeated, it might be hard to tell a lot of memorable stories at a time when the galaxy is finally experiencing peace, freedom and prosperity. That means The Mandalorian could start inching ever inward into core world territory.
Simultaneously, it could also go the other route and explore the Unknown Regions where a vast amount of stories are just waiting to be told. If the writers govern themselves accordingly, The Mandalorian could tie in nearly every aspect of the Star Wars universe without overloading on any one particular part.
Against: It Could Simply Become Boring
While it's hard to imagine Star Wars fans getting bored with the mysterious aspects of the Force and those who wield it, that is still a distinct possibility. A huge reason for The Mandalorian's enormous success is that it feels very much like Star Wars, while still offering something completely new for the long-time fans to appreciate.
Bringing Jedi too deeply into the equation could bring audiences right back to territory that has essentially been done to death at this point. There's more to Star Wars than Jedi and Sith, and although they're one of the most fascinating aspects of the franchise, they do have their place. It's hard to tell if The Mandalorian is that.