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The Mandalorian: 7 questions following the series premiere

ByIsaiah De los Santos|

After a thrilling start and surprising end to the first episode, here are some questions about how The Mandalorian moves forward.

The first episode The Mandalorian came out guns blazing, introducing viewers to a world and story that begs to be explored. Following the ending — which included an especially intriguing surprise reveal — I have some questions about what transpired in the series debut, and where the show goes from here.

Warning: Major spoilers ahead for Episode 1 of The Mandalorian.

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1.  What is the Mandalorian’s backstory?

While some questions have clear answers, this does not. It was stressed coming into The Mandalorian that this was an entirely new character, which left our minds up to imagination about where Pedro Pascal’s lead character hails from.

Early in the episode we at least got a glimpse of what seems to be a troubled past. A flashback shows a young boy — likely the Mandalorian — dodging an attack of some sort with his family; they eventually hide him in a safe place and flee.

This brief insight into what the Madalorian has been through tells viewers that his past is likely not a happy one, but an impactful one for sure.

2. Is IG-11 really toast?

At the end of the episode, the Mandalorian disposes of IG-11 with a shot to the head after the bounty droid wants to execute baby Yoda (more on that later). We see IG-11 crumble to floor, and that seems like the end to IG-11’s brief story.

But is there a chance the droid is still alive, or comes back to life? I’m hesitant to write off IG-11 completely since the droid featured so prominently in the show’s marketing campaign, often alongside the main character and Cara Dune, who we’ve not seen yet.

Maybe the Mandalorian will salvage the droid and form a bounty-hunting group. Although IG-11 would need some reprogramming to stop the droid from carrying out its mission of executing baby Yoda.

3. Will we see more of Kuiil?

One of Episode 1’s highlights is the introduction of Kuiil, an Ugnaught hermit who helps the Mandalorian on his mission to find baby Yoda. With the Mandalorian defying orders, I wonder if Kuiil might play a part in helping the lead character navigate his way off the planet.

I’d take any way that gives us more of “I have spoken.”

4. When do we see Gina Carano and Giancarlo Esposito’s characters?

The episode passed with appearances from Carl Weathers and Warner Herzog, but Gina Carano and Giancarlo Esposito were both absent. Given the introductory nature of the first episode building up the Mandalorian’s background and it only running for about 40 minutes, it makes sense to save some possibly substantial characters for the meat of the season.

The ending of Episode 1 points to how Carano’s Cara Dune and Esposito’s Moff Gideon might come into play. Dune will likely help the main character on his detour with baby Yoda, while Gideon could be part of forces sent to recover the “asset.”

5. Was Boba Fest really hidden in the first episode?

The Mandalorian certainly takes inspiration from Boba Fett, but was it possible that the bounty hunter was in the shadows of the first episode? Erik Davis of Fandango pointed out a figure matching Fett’s unique armor colors in the earlier part of the series premiere:

I don’t believe Fett’s return would only be hinted at as subtle easter egg, but it also fits as a light nod to the bounty hunter without taking attention away from the new character.

6. Are we about to learn more about Yoda’s species?

All signs point to a resounding yes. The surprise reveal at the Episode 1 brought a baby Yoda into the Mandalorian’s life, and now viewers are in a prime position to learn more about a species with little known background.

I’m excited to dive into Episode 2 to spend more time with baby Yoda, and also see how the lead character interacts with the unique creature.

7. What tools does the Mandalorian have at his disposal?

Another aspect to look forward to throughout the season is the weapons that the Mandalorian utilizes on his journey. After all, some (maybe lots) of Boba Fett’s coolness comes from his various gadgets, like the jet pack and rocket launcher.

In Episode 1 we saw the new bounty hunter use his large rifle-looking weapon (which has been dubbed the Amban phase-pulse blaster) to fire a charge of energy against the Ravinak on the ice planet in the opening.

This particular weapon looks imposing with its long design and rifle qualities, like a scope that the lead uses for recon. I wonder if the blaster has more long-range capabilities we might see during the season.

In the main shootout scene alongside IG-11, the Mandalorian used a standard blaster and a grapple gun to eventually clear the guards out. And Pedro Pascal’s character also busted out his flamethrower in a last-ditch effort against the wild blurggs he encountered, but the flamethrower was more theatrical than useful.

I’m intrigued to see if the Mandalorian uses any unique tools to blast his way out the inevitable sticky situations that are sure to arise in Episode 2 and beyond.

Episode 2 of The Mandalorian will premiere this coming Friday on Disney+.

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