The Mandalorian and Grogu is the End of an Era For Star Wars TV - MCE Notices | California State Portal

The Mandalorian and Grogu is one of the feel-good films of the summer. It’s a simple and effective popcorn flick that doesn’t detract from Star Wars lore, nor does it alienate mainstream viewers. While there has been much discussion about how the movie relates to The Mandalorian on Disney+ and what the future holds for the characters, it is evident that this family-friendly affair achieved what it set out to do.

Many were shocked that there were no secret cameos, additional canon inclusions, or links to the wider Star Wars universe in The Mandalorian and Grogu that hadn’t already been featured in the trailers. Many suggested that the stakes simply weren’t large enough and that the picture almost ignored the wider galaxy. YetThe Mandalorian and Grogu also represent the end of one era and the start of something new, as the creative control of Lucasfilm shifts.

The Mandalorian and Grogu Uses Star Wars’ Animated Characters

Image via Lucasfilm

Some of the standout characters from The Mandalorian and Grogu actually made their debut not in live-action, but in animation. Of course, the key protagonists of the piece, Grogu, Din Djarin, and the Anzellans, all debuted in live-action. The villainous Hutt Twins also made an early appearance in The Book of Boba Fett before their big-screen unveiling. On top of that, the movie utilizes a couple of original characters, including Colonel Ward of the New Republic, played by the legendary Sigourney Weaver.

Outside of this ensemble, some characters appeared fully formed in this production, who had been fleshed out further elsewhere. Take Rotta the Hutt, for instance. While the character has been somewhat memed into oblivion thanks to his dual speeches on being his own man, the Hutt holds some significance for Star Wars fans. Because Rotta was the baby Hutt featured in the original Clone Wars movie, which also saw the introduction of Ahsoka Tano. Nicknamed Stinky, Rotta was the catalyst for conflict in that early feature.

Embo is another brilliant example. The Bounty Hunter is pretty much silent throughout his time in The Mandalorian and Grogu, but he is a significant threat, and one capable of actually taking down Mando. He works for the Hutts, utilizing his tall frame, unique vault of weapons, and frisbee-like hat to defeat his opponents. Embo made his own debut in the Clone Wars TV show, voiced by Dave Filoni. The character became somewhat of a fan favorite, with Filoni having a soft spot for him and even giving the mercenary a pet wolf, in line with his own animal obsession.

One also cannot forget about Zeb, a critical character in Star Wars lore. In the context of The Mandalorian and Grogu, the Lasat is utilized as a co-pilot and someone that Mando can bounce off of, providing an opportunity for engaging dialogue. However, in Star Wars Rebels, Zeb is a vital part of the team, a critical member of the Rebel Alliance, and a fan favorite. While Zeb made his debut in The Mandalorian series, his impact here is far wider reaching, with the pilot viewed as a core part of the new Mando squad.

Very Few Animated Figures Have Appeared in Star Wars Movies

Saw Gerrera, wearing battle armor faces Wilmon, in a tan jacket with his back to camera, from Andor

So it seems that The Mandalorian and Grogu included plenty of major names from the animated subsection of the Star Wars galaxy, appeasing those who have been following these stories for years. Yet, something is pressing about that topic that has to be addressed. Because this is far from normal for Star Wars’ feature-length productions. Traditionally, the link between the animated shows and the live-action movies remains rather distant. While cinematic heroes and villains appear on the small screen, those parallel characters never make their own big-screen debut.

Saw Gerrera is one of the few exceptions to the rule. A much younger iteration of Saw was introduced as a freedom fighter in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. He was deeply scarred by the loss of his family and began to take more extreme measures to make a change in the galaxy. That journey would take him to Rogue One, where he was shown at the end of his lifespan. Paranoid and still obsessed with conducting warfare, Saw was eventually undone and lost his battle against the Empire. Nonetheless, the character has since become integral elsewhere, including in Andor.

Just one appearance on the big screen catapulted Saw forward in a way The Clone Wars wasn’t able to. In doing so, the animated show and its narratives were heightened, as audiences sought to learn more about this character. That’s something that could happen again. With the debut of Zeb, Embo, and Rotta on the big screen, some may choose to go back to Star Wars: The Clone Wars, the TV show spinoff, and Star Wars Rebels to get a sense of how they were portrayed elsewhere. In that way, The Mandalorian and Grogu has served as a superb launchpad.

There is an argument to be made that, of course, this isn’t the only time that animated characters have been adapted into live-action. The Disney+ shows, for example, have also adapted Ahsoka Tano, Grand Admiral Thrawn, Hera Syndulla, Ezra Bridger, Bo-Katan Kryze, Sabine Wren, and many others. However, the audience for these shows is often somewhat of an extension of the animated series themselves. While someone like The Grand Inquisitor got more play in Obi-Wan Kenobi, the impact of a cinematic appearance is far more important in the current climate.

Dave Filoni Is Ushering In A New Era

The Lasat rebel Zeb Orrelios points a gun in a corridor in Star Wars Rebels

Lucasfilm is willing to tap into its vast array of shows and specials to tell the best story. That means that fans who have been following the franchise for many years might start getting to see their favorites in theaters for the very first time. That’s an exciting notion and one that celebrates Star Wars history, while also rewarding those who have been paying attention all this time. Star Wars Rebels fans, for example, would have gotten far more out of The Mandalorian and Grogu’s story simply from knowing Zeb’s history.

It would seem that Lucasfilm is testing the ground to see how mainstream audiences respond to those characters who already have a little bit of mythology built around them. That means that the TV shows and the movies are only going to get closer, feeding into one another and thus elevating one another. That’s great news and marks the end of an era where those two sides of the same coin felt too separate for too long. It seems that animation is being treated as a legitimate storytelling medium again, and fans have Dave Filoni to thank for that.

It is true that Kathleen Kennedy produced The Mandalorian and Grogu and has some part to play in the upcoming Star Wars: Starfighter. However, Dave Filoni is slowly taking the reins, and with him comes a long history of Star Wars animation. Filoni cut his teeth on the small screen and helped to invent so many of these characters that are now making their cinematic debuts. That would suggest that a new era is dawning, where Lucasfilm, and specifically Filoni, isn’t afraid to use niche animated characters if they make sense in the context of the narrative.

How that will manifest in the coming years as Filoni gains more control over the creative of the big screen’s exploits remains to be seen, but it is hugely likely that key characters from the animated world will be appearing in that next major trilogy, alongside any spinoff films. With the Dave Filoni-directed Mandoverse event movie also in play, where the likes of the Rebels crew and Ahsoka will appear, it would seem that the thrills are not finished quite yet in adapting these characters.