The Mandalorian does battle against a pair of Trandoshans in a new image from the upcoming Star Wars TV show. Before fans see how the Skywalker saga ends this December in The Rise of Skywalker, they'll be making a return trip to the galaxy far, far away this fall with The Mandalorian. Premiering on the Disney+ streaming service in November, it's the first live-action Star Wars series and a key part of the franchise's future moving forward. Lucasfilm is so excited by what they have, they're already starting work on season 2.
During the 2019 D23 Expo in August, viewers got a taste of what's in store with the first Mandalorian trailer, teasing a wild ride through the galactic underworld. Prior to the preview, the only Mandalorian marketing that existed was a collection of still images showcasing the new cast of characters that'll populate the show. Today, there's another new photo from the series - one that reveals some classic Star Wars aliens in the process.
Appearing in EW is a still taken from an action sequence where the titular Mandalorian fights against two Trandoshans on an unknown planet. Check it out in the space below:
Longtime Star Wars fans know the most famous Trandoshan in canon is Bossk, a bounty hunter who made his first onscreen appearance in The Empire Strikes Back and was later referenced in Solo: A Star Wars Story. EW notes that neither of the Trandoshans seen here are Bossk, meaning viewers are going to see new members of the classic species. It's similar to how Taika Waititi is playing a character named IG-11, not famous bounty hunter IG-88 on the show. Seemingly, part of The Mandalorian's approach is to tap into fans' nostalgia for well-known iconography and put a fresh spin on it. Jon Favreau even admitted one of the reasons he created the series was to capitalize on Boba Fett hype. Since there isn't a Boba Fett spinoff movie on the way any time soon (and he won't be appearing on the Disney+ show), The Mandalorian is the next best thing and should give people their bounty hunter fix.
Telling a story set between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens, in the aftermath of the Empire's downfall, The Mandalorian has the potential to be a different kind of Star Wars story, exploring a lawless time and an underserved corner of the universe. Bounty hunters and scoundrels are as much a part of Star Wars lore as Jedi and the Force, but they've always had more of a supporting role in the grand scheme of things (Solo notwithstanding). It'll be interesting to see how The Mandalorian plays out and if it can resist taking the easy fan bait available. Hopefully, it enriches the franchise mythos and shows Disney+ is a great tool as it continues to grow.
Source: EW