So This is Why The Mandalorian Never Takes off his Helmet

I could talk on and on about the Mandalorian as I’m a huge Star Wars fan and have been following it for quite a number of years. But the one thing about a Mandalorian that has been seen to be true and yet not true at the same time is that some of them really don’t take their helmets off that much. For a Mandalorian their helmet is their badge of honor, their life, the very reason they have for being at times. Think of a samurai and their katana, or a Spartan and their shield, and you might get the picture. While each implement has its own deeper meaning, to a Mandalorian their helmet is their identity and as such they don’t take it off in front of strangers. As Mansoor Mithaiwala of ScreenRant states nothing bad happens to them other than the fact that they’re not allowed to put it on again after they’ve taken it off in the company of other people, even those that know them intimately. The whole idea of ‘this is the way’ has been seen as a mantra and in some ways as a code among the Mandalorians as it seems to mean that as a tightly-knit bunch they’re going to watch each others backs, even when it would seem that one of them has gone back on his word when it comes to a bounty.

Samuel Spencer of Newsweek makes it known that the Mandalorian might very well have a spot of trouble in coming weeks as the fact that he’s relieved the bounty hunter’s guild, and the faded remnants of the Empire no less, of a prize that they might be willing to do anything to get back. As it’s been seen in episode 4, Sanctuary, oh yeah spoilers, the guild isn’t done with the Mandalorian yet, and there appear to be plenty of fobs left that can lead to baby Yoda. Episode 4, if you haven’t watched it already, seems like the beginning of a rather sappy part of The Mandalorian as it delves deeper into the heartfelt emotions and themes that Star Wars has been known for among the action and lightsaber-fueled scenes that we’re so used to, giving rise to the belief that while the bounty hunter will be continuing onward, with the child no less since other bounty hunters will be coming for him, things will likely continue to deepen in a way that might be pleasing to some and sappy to others. The emergence of Cara Dune was a nice touch since as a former Rebel shock tropper the character is someone that can match the Mando blow for blow but is still beholden to an ideal that the Mando doesn’t entirely follow.

So far this series is still insanely popular and is now drawing a bit more criticism along with the praise, which was to be expected. The characters, scenery, and action scenes that have been introduced are thus far quite interesting and are expanding the Star Wars universe bit by bit even as they bring in older ideas and images that some people are no doubt enjoying. The emergence of tech and ideas from the overall story are great since it gives the audience a sense that not everything was so cut and dried when Return of the Jedi ended. The Empire, despite being beheaded with the loss of the Emperor, or so we thought, and Darth Vader, became little more than a squabbling mass of warlords and governors and moffs just itching to carve out a corner of the  galaxy for their own. The remnants of the Empire are scattered across the galaxy obviously, though it’s likely that we’re going to continue to see more and more of their influence throughout the show, as the Mando took something very valuable to them and the Empire isn’t known to be forgiving. Whether Cara Dune will return to the show or not is interesting to ponder since Gina Carano seems like too big of a talent to simply feature in a single episode and then ditch her, though one has to wonder whether Cara and the Mando will be enemies or allies the next time they meet.

Thus far The Mandalorian is exceeding a lot of expectations and the hope is that it will continue to climb ever higher as it sets the bar anew for Star Wars, though if the Mando is forced into situations that amount to something that’s more like watching a side quest in a video game it might be that the popularity might level out at some point. The whole issue of the character taking his helmet off hasn’t been settled yet, though he obviously takes it off to eat, when alone, and without anyone around. Whether this counts or not though is something that will need to be pondered for later.