The next episode of The Mandalorian introduces Gina Carano’s ex-soldier. So far, the latest effort by Disney to provide more depth to the Star Wars franchise is a hit with fans and critics alike, thanks in no small part to Jon Favreau’s cinematic instincts. Though Favreau’s proven aptitude for blockbuster filmmaking hasn’t placed him in the director’s chair on The Mandalorian, The Lion King director did write six of the series’ eight episodes. Having recently aired its third, the series follows the life of a lone Mandalorian gunfighter/bounty hunter who gets more than he bargained for after he takes on a very mysterious and potentially dangerous mission.
The series, which is set 5 years after the events of Return of the Jedi, quite often plays out like a western set in space – a concept which Favreau has been interested in for quite some time now. Some fans of Favreau’s work may remember the director’s 2011 effort to blend the two genres in the ill-fated Cowboys and Aliens, which featured James Bond star Daniel Craig as a cowboy battling extra-terrestrials. Favreau appears to have got the formula right this time, however, and the introduction of a baby Yoda (among other things) has helped to make the series an instant hit.
With its fourth episode set to arrive on November 29, each installment so far has deepened the intrigue regarding baby Yoda and the Mandalorian who has risked absolutely everything to keep it around. Despite details for the next episode being largely kept under wraps, Disney has just issued a press release providing fans with some insight as to what will be taking place. After barely escaping with his life (and baby Yoda) at the end of episode three, episode four of The Mandalorian finds him teaming up with an ex-Rebel Alliance Shock Trooper, played by one-time mixed martial arts star turned actress, Gina Carano (Fast & Furious 6, Deadpool).
Apparently, following the fall of the Empire in Return of the Jedi, Carano’s Shock Trooper has spent her days drifting from planet to planet. When the former Rebel soldier encounters the Mandalorian, however, she initially assumes he is there for her, and that she has become yet another of the bounty hunter’s paid jobs. Instead, the two find themselves becoming rather unlikely allies, especially in the face of a village besieged by raiders. Carano’s character is currently credited for three episodes (numbers four, seven and eight, to be exact) meaning she will play a decent sized role in what’s to come in the new series.
Because The Mandalorian is set in the Star Wars universe, it sometimes feels like the series needs to move away from the cold and singular lifestyle of its lead character. Star Wars has always been about the good uniting to fight the bad, and seeing the Mandalorian’s cold exterior begin to dissolve in light of the discovery of baby Yoda, as well as the addition of Carano’s character, provides further hope he’ll eventually become part of a larger team. Exactly what this team would be fighting for and against remains unknown, but the safe bet here is any future conflicts in The Mandalorian will indeed have something to do with baby Yoda.
Next: The Mandalorian: What The Empire’s Scientist Wanted With Baby Yoda
Source: Disney
