The Mandalorian: The Tragedy. All references and quotes from the Star Wars saga
Especially for a presence that fans were waiting for with anxiety. It is now undeniable that The Mandalorian, in this second season, is focusing a lot on the nostalgia effect, taking advantage of the return of beloved characters to give further substance to the Star Wars narrative system. Operation that inevitably leads to numerous references and citations of the saga itself.
ATTENTION: The following contains a series of important spoilers on the thirteenth episode of The Mandalorian
When a Mandalorian is not enough
It goes without saying that The Tragedy has a particular fascination for the long-awaited return of a character that Star Wars fans are particularly attached to: Boba Fett. For years the quintessential Mandalorian, Fett was given up for dead in the first part of Return of the Jedi, but after years of doubting and perplexing his whereabouts in The Mandalorian we have had proof that the bounty hunter played by Temuera Morrison is still alive.After suspecting his presence in The Gunslinger, we saw his face in The Sheriff, after his armor had reappeared. It is precisely to regain possession of the latter that Fett sets out on Din's trail, joining him on Tython, while Grogu is performing the ritual that should attract a Jedi master to him. And what way to announce Boba Fett's return if not to let him enter the scene aboard his Slave I?
Fett's famous spaceship is an unmistakable detail of the character, ever since his first appearance in The Empire Strikes Back, when the bounty hunter was on the trail of Han Solo. Only with the prequel trilogy did we discover that the spaceship was a paternal legacy, when Jango Fett appeared, the matrix from which Boba Fett was created. Let's not forget, in fact, that Boba is a clone, born inside the Kamino laboratories, as seen in Attack of the Clones.
In The Tragedy, Boba gives us several quotes from the Star Wars saga. In addition to the weapon he initially fights with, a typical Tusken gaffi cane, in a single sentence the bounty hunter gives us good references to the saga.
“I try modestly to make my way through the universe, like my father before me "
The first part of this sentence was uttered by Jango Fett in Attack of the Clones, during an interview with Obi-Wan in the Kamino clone factory, before a crash on the landing pad of Slave I.
Finally, it's hard not to feel a tremor in the Force when Boba quotes none other than Luke's words in Return of the Jedi.
Another aspect of the Fett family to consider. For a long time, Jango had been portrayed as some kind of renegade who had simply stolen Mandalorian armor. In Boba's words, however, we discover that Jango participated in the Mandalorian civil war, which took place years before The Phantom Menace.
The Empire is back
It is hardly a surprise for the spectators of The Mandalorian, but Boba Fett is surprised to see an Arquitens-class Imperial cruiser in the skies of Tython. First appearing in Star Wars: Rebels, these fast cruisers have often been used by the Empire.Equally familiar is the conformation of the landing shuttles used by the Imperial troops, which look like prototypes of the future AAL- 1971, the means used by the militias of the First Order. Not a small detail, considering that one of Favreau's promises is to show us the birth of the enemy of the heroes of the latest Star Wars trilogy.
In The Tragedy we see one of the weapons of Gideon coming into action, back on stage just in time to kidnap Grogu. In fact, the little Jedi is kidnapped by lethal droids presented as Dark Soldiers (in the original, Dark Troopers), previously seen The Siege. These robots have a name deeply linked to the Legends universe, where they were born, but The Mandalorian marks their entry into the Canon.
The Force flows mightily in him
Following the Ahsoka's advice, Din Djarin takes little Grogu to Tython to allow him to perform a ritual that puts him in contact with a potential master. This is because the planet has a particular value for the Jedi, thanks to its connection with the Force, which in Legends was motivated by explaining that this was the home world of the Jedi.It is not known whether even in the Canon we will have this explanation, but Tython is the scene of a Jedi ritual that sees the little protagonist. In The Tragedy we see Grogu often use his powers, not least as a prisoner, when he manages to hold back two stormtroopers using the Force. Unfortunately for the little one, using his powers weakens him a lot, as Moff Gideon knows.
The evil imperial officer makes fun of Grogu by showing him the Darksaber, asking him if you remind him of anything from his past. The reference is to the Jedi lightsabers, which Grogu certainly saw in his time inside the temple on Coruscant.
Strong women
There is no shortage of strong female figures in The Mandalorian, such as demonstrated once again in The Tragedy. Accompanying Boba Fett, in fact, is an old acquaintance: Fennec Shand. Appearing for the first time in The Gunslinger, a skilled sniper, Fennec was given up for dead in the first season episode, but when she opens, Fett saved her and she now follows the bounty hunter faithfully. Giving her life is Ming-na Wen, an actress already appreciated as the Melinda May of Agents of SHIELD.Who knows if we will see her fighting together with Cara Dune, who in The Tragedy appears right in the finale and the fact that Grogu being captured by Gideon does not seem to have left her indifferent.
The Mandalorian: The Tragedy
The Tragedy is an episode in which one of the most feared moments occurs: Grogu is captured. But this is not the only event that could make sense of the title, considering that Gideon destroys the Razor Crest, Din Djarin's ship, with an orbital bombardment. For the bounty hunter, that ship was his home, and this umpteenth pain will surely be felt.The Tragedy is shot by Robert Rodigruez, a director who has proven he can handle fight scenes. In this episode of The Mandaloria, action plays an essential role, even if the mastery of the Mandalorians and the sniper, however choreographic and fascinating, risks being diminished by the incredible idiocy of the stormtroopers. While a modicum of humor may be amusing even in these situations, when the stupidity of the imperial troops becomes excessive, one risks wondering how it is possible that the Rebellion took so long to overthrow Palpatine's dominion.
Leaving aside this typical detail of the Star Wars saga, The Mandalorian must be acknowledged for being able to contain this flaw, giving life to an exciting story and which with La Trregua reaches an emotional peak that in the next few episodes will have to be managed with particular attention, considering that there are only two episodes left at the end of the season. And there are still numerous questions and characters that will surely have a central role to play, such as Thrawn and Ahsoka.
This is the Way.
