There's a clear dichotomy of good and evil when it comes to STAR WARS. Jedi and Sith, Rebel and Imperial, the dark and light side of the Force, red lightsabers and blue lightsabers – forty-two years of STAR WARS lore has defined sides in very concrete terms. However, Jon Favreau's upcoming STAR WARS television show The Mandalorian will apparently diverge from the tried and true formula, at least according to star Pedro Pascal.
In a recent interview with AP Entertainment, the Mandalorian himself claims that the show will be very much in the vein of Westerns in that the concept of good and bad characters isn't always clear:
“They separate good and evil so perfectly in the world of Star Wars. And in this one it’s like we’re way more at the center. We’re past those borders, and past those very, very linear, very specific lines of definition.”
Co-star Gina Carano (HAYWIRE) went on to echo Pascal's sentiments, saying the protagonist isn't an out-and-out hero and, "Even when you begin the journey with the Mandalorian, you aren’t sure what side you’re on.”
Personally, I love the concept of the Mandalorian being an anti-hero or, at the least, someone who's intentions are morally ambiguous. I think that's something most people have been able to glean from watching the trailers. After all Pascal's character (whose name we still don't know) is a bounty hunter and it's not like these people adhere to a strict moral code. Clearly defining someone "good" or "evil" within the context of a narrative is fine but it doesn't always make for interesting stories.
Based on everything we've seen thus far, it appears as though The Mandalorian is shaping up to be a very layered and thought provoking new entry into STAR WARS canon. It also promises to be an action-packed danger filled romp chock full of adventure and with a dynamite cast to boot. If STAR WARS wants to evolve and have continued success, these are the kind of fresh stories that we need.
The Mandalorian starring Pedro Pascal, Gina Carano, Carl Weathers, Werner Herzog, and Nick Nolte, blasts its way onto Disney+ November 12.