Line #208 YMMV/TheMandalorian


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2	%% Broken Base-related entries must be still basebreaking after six months since release to qualify.
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5	%% Note: YMMV tropes/AudienceReactions cannot be PlayedWith (i.e. SubvertedTrope, AvertedTrope, InvertedTrope). The only exceptions are IntendedAudienceReaction, LampshadeHanging or an InUniverse example.
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8	%%Grogu/Baby Yoda is not an EnsembleDarkhorse because he's a main character. BreakoutCharacter is not YMMV.
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11	%%When adding a second example to a trope that already has one, please indent the first example as well.
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14	%%Due to the controversy regarding Gina Carano's firing/departure from the show and the many opinions on her personal beliefs, further entries discussing this will be deleted until further notice.
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17	%%Please keep in mind that reports made by news outlets do not mean they're official; please wait until an official source from Lucasfilm, Disney or the episodes themselves confirm it.
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20	!This page contains unmarked spoilers. Administrivia/YouHaveBeenWarned!
21	!!YMMV tropes with their own pages:
22	[[index]]
23	* [[AlternativeCharacterInterpretation/TheMandalorian Alternate Character Interpretation]]
24	* [[EnsembleDarkhorse/TheMandalorian Ensemble Darkhorse]]
25	* [[EpilepticTrees/TheMandalorian Epileptic Trees]]
26	* [[Memes/TheMandalorian Memetic Mutation]]
27	* [[Narm/StarWars Narm]]
28	* [[NarmCharm/StarWars Narm Charm]]
29	* [[SalvagedStory/TheMandalorian Salvaged Story]]
30	* [[Shocking/TheMandalorian Shocking Moments]]
31	[[/index]]
32	----
33	[[foldercontrol]]
34
35	[[folder:A-F]]
36	* AccidentalInnuendo: This exchange between Din Djarin and Cobb Vanth in the Season 2 premiere definitely raised some eyebrows. ItMakesSenseInContext, but it also sounds ''a lot'' like the intro to a gay porno (especially with Creator/PedroPascal delivering Din's lines in a voice he's admitted sounds "strangely like a bedroom voice?"):
37	-->'''Din:''' Take it off. Or I will.\
38	'''Cobb:''' We gonna do this in front of the kid?\
39	'''Din:''' He's seen worse.
40	* AngstWhatAngst:
41	** The Child is hardly fazed by all the death and destruction around him, even when Mando is the one doing the killing, even though he seems aware enough to understand it to a degree. Even when Mando ''burns a Stormtrooper alive'', he hardly makes a sound, or when Mando kills Q9-0 in front of him to save him. However, his using force choke on Cara when she is arm wrestling Mando means he may be more affected than he lets on. Ahsoka confirms this after using the Force to communicate with him: in addition to everything he's experienced within the series, [[CallBack he was a youngling in the Jedi Temple during Order 66]].
42	** In Season 3, Paz Vizsla is killed by Moff Gideon's forces, and the Darksaber--the very weapon that symbolizes all of Mandalore--is destroyed by Gideon. Upon his defeat, nobody raises concerns over one of their most sacred relics being broken, nor does ''Paz's own son'' react to losing his father, with all of the Mandalorians instead celebrating their reclamation of their homeworld.
43	* ArcFatigue: After Chapter 6 marked the third consecutive self-contained episode, some fans expressed frustration that "nothing had happened" regarding the plot since Chapter 3. Some, however, contend that the episodic nature of the story was intended, pointing to Filoni's previous work on ''The Clone Wars'', and expectations for a heavily serialized narrative (as is common with streaming shows) were mistaken.
44	* AwardSnub: Creator/PedroPascal proved that he can convincingly love a puppet like a living son, and deliver emotionally powerful performances both with and without showing his face. Even though these sound daunting, the Golden Globe and Emmy judges continuously refused to give him any acting nominations, or to award the show any Golden Globes at all. In the case of Season 3, award voters understandably chose to recognize Pascal for ''Series/TheLastOfUs2023'' instead of ''The Mandalorian''.
45	* BrokenBase:
46	** There's been quite a divide on whether Season 2 is a [[GrowingTheBeard step forward]] or [[SeasonalRot step back]] compared to Season 1. The former camp prefers Season 2 for its stronger sense of pacing and cohesive narrative flow. While detractors feel that tying the show closer to the franchise's MythArc not only creates ContinuityLockout but strips the show of its identity, that being a Western that takes place in the Star Wars universe but is otherwise divorced from the Skywalker Saga. Both seasons are generally well-liked, it is just a matter of which is better that fans can't agree on.
47	** Whether or not Din Djarin should've become Mandal'or. Since he never wanted to rule Mandalore, some viewers feel proud of him for passing on the responsibility to someone passionate for the cause. Other viewers argue that whenever he united disagreeing people against a shared concern (such as Freetown's population and the nearby Tusken tribe against the Krayt Dragon), he showed leadership potential that the writers ultimately squandered. Additionally, fans of ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars'' and ''[[WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels Rebels]]'' can't agree among themselves if Bo-Katan Kryze deserves a third chance to rule Mandalore.
48	** Season 3's looks at Coruscant under the New Republic can come off as either compelling world-building or overly-long distractions from Mandalorian affairs. Sequel Trilogy fans appreciate the looks as effective buildup for the rise of the First Order, while other viewers find the buildup depressing, if not outright boring. Additionally, ''Series/{{Andor}}'' fans seem to either admire the social commentary as a sign of that series' acclaim positively influencing other ''Star Wars'' shows, or ridicule the commentary as inferior to that of ''Andor''.
49	** Whether or not Din Djarin should've abandoned the helmet rule after Season 2. Some fans believe that in order to reinforce the lesson that Mandalorians can practice whatever form of their religion they want, the rule should never completely die off, especially since Din looks uncomfortable when he unwillingly lets other characters see his unmasked face in Chapters 8 and 15. Others believe that after Chapters 15 and 16 show Din expose himself out of love for Grogu, he reverses too much of his character development by atoning for his violation of the helmet rule. The latter camp also includes viewers who feel that they can't emotionally connect to Din without seeing his face at least OnceASeason, and/or fear that Lucasfilm squanders too much of Creator/PedroPascal's talent by regularly hiding his facial expressions.
50	** There’s also significant disagreement about how Season 3 handled the Mandalorian cultures and established factions in contrast to previous Star Wars media and even some of the show’s own set-up. In general, more supportive fans enjoyed seeing the Children of the Watch and Nite Owls get portrayed as almost purely heroic, get untied fairly quickly, and act as straightforward heroic faction. However, the lack of any reference or acknowledgement of the New Mandalorians from ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars'', the Imperial Super Commandos and Protectors from ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels'', or any storytelling dealing with how the barely mentioned Death Watch that both the Children and Nite Owls sprang from was a viciously villainous {{Deconstruction}} of being a ProudWarriorRace also aggravated many fans.
51	* CatharsisFactor:
52	** After spending most of his screentime happily recalling the war crimes he committed during Operation Cinder and gleefully anticipating being able to commit them on a larger scale with a shit-eating grin on his face, it's hard not to cheer when Mayfeld snaps and shoots Valin Hess dead.
53	** Moff Gideon spends two seasons running circles around Mando and friends, hurts Grogu, and is ''insufferably'' smug and self-assured for most of Season 2, up to and including when he's defeated and apprehended by Mando. And it all serves to make the look of ''sheer terror'' on his face when [[BigGood Luke Skywalker]] arrives and shoots his escape plan to hell ''immensely'' satisfying. And getting bitch-slapped by Cara Dune, foiling his attempt to off himself when he realizes he's screwed, is icing on the cake. While he slips away in Season 3, he still gets some well-earned karma when his Force clones are destroyed, and he has a ship dropped on him as his base is reduced to ruin by the very people he tried to wipe out.
54	** For fans of Boba Fett who hated that his badassery was an InformedAbility in the movies, the sight of him crushing Stormtrooper skulls and blasting Imperial ships out of the sky with his back-mounted missiles over thirty years later is too satisfying for words.
55	* CompleteMonster: [[SmugSnake Moff Gideon]], known for his war crimes even among the horrible [[Characters/StarWarsImperialRemnant Empire]], is a [[FauxAffablyEvil mild-seeming man]] who helped lead the attack on Mandalore. In what was dubbed [[Recap/TheBookOfBobaFettS1E5ReturnOfTheMandalorian the Night of a Thousand Tears]], Gideon led a mass slaughter and bombing campaign that saw the abject genocide of Mandalore's population with the survivors scattered, even going back on his word to stop the massacre should Bo-Katan surrender the Darksaber to him. Returning to try to capture the infant Force-user [[Characters/StarWarsGrogu Grogu]], Gideon tries to [[WouldHurtAChild harvest the child's blood]] to help craft a legion of Force-sensitive clones and lead a new conquest of the galaxy. Making Mandalore his base, Gideon intends to complete his purge of the Mandalorians, uncaring to how many he has to kill in his mad quest for power.
56	* ContinuityLockout: Although the show didn't quite start out this way[[note]]The context of Mandalorian culture, and the greater Mandalorian conflicts such as the Purge and what led up to it, are major story arcs in ''[[WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars The Clone Wars]]'' and ''[[WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels Rebels]]''. However, ''The Mandalorian'' initially relays the events in a way anyone unfamiliar with those works will grasp a basic understanding to enjoy the show.[[/note]], familiarity with various works of ExpandedUniverse media became increasingly necessary as the story progressed.
57	** Those who haven't watched ''[[WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars The Clone Wars]]'' or ''[[WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels Rebels]]'' will be very confused as to what the Darksaber that Gideon wields is or just how important it is to the Mandalorians. Season 2 also begins the introduction of central characters prominent in the animated series without formal introductions to their biographies or motives that assumes familiarity with other media, including Bo-Katan and Ahsoka Tano. Grand Admiral Thrawn is also later mentioned as a major part of Ahsoka's motives and is set up as a future major antagonist.
58	** ''Many'' viewers were confused and curious as to what is [[ComicBook/StarWarsShatteredEmpire Operation: Cinder]].
59	** Season 3 requires a viewer to have watched Season 1 of ''Series/TheBookOfBobaFett'' in order to understand a few very important plot developments, such as where Mando got the new ship and why Grogu is back. Likely this is why the first wave of ''Mandalorian'' home media sets doesn't include Season 3.
60	* CreatorWorship: Creator/JonFavreau and Creator/DaveFiloni, like you wouldn't believe. Until ''Series/TheBookOfBobaFett'''s mixed reception, some of the more vocal members of the fanbase were asking for Disney to give them complete control of practically every future ''Star Wars'' projects, and some even went as far as to ask for a ContinuityReboot of the Sequel Trilogy directed by them.
61	* CrossesTheLineTwice:
62	** The scene with the two Scout Troopers (who are played by comedians Creator/JasonSudeikis and Adam Pally) at the beginning of Chapter 8 is both appalling and hilarious. It's appalling because [[WouldHurtAChild they physically abuse the Child]], but it loops into being hilarious when one of them worries that they might have accidentally killed him by hitting him on the head, finds out he's still fine, gets his finger bitten, and then [[HypocriticalHumor punches the child in the face]] (it also helps that the scouts get brutally killed by the Child's nanny IG-11 shortly after). The complete bored indifference with which they react to [[BadBoss Moff Gideon killing his own men]] just makes it all the more hilarious. To make it even more hilarious, many Twitter users, including the Second City account, jokingly treated hitting the Child (who at that point [[BreakoutCharacter had become an internet superstar]]) like [[https://people.com/tv/jason-sudeikis-punches-baby-yoda-the-mandalorian-cameo/ both actors']] MoralEventHorizon, despite the fact that the Child is portrayed by a puppet.
63	** Chapter 10's running gag where the Child, repeatedly, breaks into the incubator of the episode’s client to [[EatsBabies swallow her eggs whole.]] It's dark, but he does it so often when her entire lineage is on the line that it's hilarious.
64	* DiagnosedByTheAudience: Din Djarin's meticulousness, straightforward dialogue, and difficulties interacting with others have resulted in some viewers speculating that he has autism and/or social anxiety.
65	* EstrogenBrigade: The Mandalorian Din Djarin has many {{fangirl}}s, who find that his voice, attitude, swagger, and devotion to his adopted son make him the sexiest man ever to don TwentyFourHourArmor. Creator/GinaCarano, Creator/RosarioDawson, and Creator/MingNaWen [[https://open.spotify.com/episode/3GWZ11CceJM0masVigxleM?si=KfmoDCmETgOtZ51kSrtg_A are]] [[https://screenrant.com/mandalorian-show-din-djarin-pose-rosario-dawson-response/ all]] [[https://twitter.com/mingna/status/1528820512855453696?s=21&t=pJtGheSUF5JQbsB26cwAow part]] of this brigade.
66	* EvilIsCool:
67	** Moff Gideon combined the best (worst?) aspects of BOTH Grand Moff Tarkin and freakin' Darth Vader into one awesome BrainsAndBrawn package. On the Brain side, he's smart, cruel, unflappable and enjoys GunBoatDiplomacy much like Tarkin. On the Brawn side, he's a capable pilot and battlefield commander like the Sith Lord. For bonus point, he's also a wellknown BadBoss and wields the Darksaber, further channeling Vader himself. Oh, and he has [[EliteMooks a squad]] of [[DoomTroops Death Troopers]] backing him up (who also qualify for this status themselves, as always.) It really says something that the fans are largely okay with losing a villain played by ''Creator/WernerHerzog'' in favor of this guy. Creator/GiancarloEsposito went on to earn Emmy nominations for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for Season 1, and an Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for Season 2.
68	** Many fans and critics alike have noted that Creator/CarlWeathers' performance as Greef Karga is so naturally warm and charming that it's hard not to like him even when he's trying to intimidate the title character into giving up the Child. (Granted, he doesn't actually stay ''[[HeelFaceTurn evil]]'' for long.) This performance actually convinced the show's crew to keep the character around, when he was originally planned to be killed three episodes in.
69	* FanDislikedExplanation: According to Jon Favreau, Din Djarin could never rule Mandalore due to struggling with the Darksaber in ''Series/TheBookOfBobaFett''. Fans who spent years endorsing Din as the Mandalorians' new leader have countered that he could've mastered the saber if he used it in more than two ''Mandalorian'' chapters, especially since Sabine did so in ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels''.
70	* FandomSpecificPlot:
71	** The ''[[https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Gai_bal_manda gai bal manda]]'' was the traditional Mandalorian adoption ritual used in Franchise/StarWarsLegends publications; fanfic writers quickly embraced the ''gai bal manda'' as the preferred method for the Mandalorian to formally adopt the Child as his son.
72	** To a lesser degree, Mandos adopting other characters as Foundlings started appearing with increased frequency once the show came out. This can range to canon characters like Rey to others like [[VideoGame/MassEffect Tali]].
73	** Fanart of [[WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels Sabine]] meeting the Mandalorian and the two having a CultureShock (mostly jokes about one being baffled by the other's beliefs about helmets and Sabine wondering what the heck "the Way" is) is plentiful. Something similar happens for real when Bo-Katan shows up and removes her helmet in front of Djarin, leading to a brief argument about "The Way".
74	** The Mandalorian and Poe Dameron apparently bending time and space to hang out provides a recurring subject for fanart, as a tribute to Pedro Pascal's friendship with Creator/OscarIsaac; Pascal even [[https://www.elle.com/culture/movies-tv/a29642767/pedro-pascal-the-mandalorian-interview/ referred]] to the Sequel Trilogy co-star as "the voice of, 'Make ''sure'' it works out,'" when Lucasfilm pitched ''The Mandalorian'' to him. Bonus points if the fanart takes direct inspiration from a photo of Pascal and Isaac.
75	** "Haunted Din" fanart and fanfics have become pretty common among viewers who explore the possibility of the Darksaber corrupting him.
76	** Boba Fett's dedication to helping Din rescue Grogu at the end of Season 2 convinced several fans to mine the comedic potential of him becoming Grogu's HonoraryUncle.
77	* FanNickname:
78	** "The Baby Yoda Show" is a common joke name for the series due to the [[BreakoutCharacter astounding popularity]] of [[KidAppealCharacter Grogu]] (who was known as "Baby Yoda" to most people until his GivenNameReveal in Season 2).
79	** Two for the titular character: [[Creator/ClintEastwood The Mandalorian]] With [[Film/DollarsTrilogy No Name]], and one coined by Creator/CarlWeathers, "The Mando".
80	** In addition to the ubiquitous "Baby Yoda", the Child has also been dubbed the "Yoda baby", or "Yoddler", or "Yodito" by Latin American fans, or "Grogu Djarin".
81	** The "Daddalorian" or "[=ManDADlorian=]" for the Mandalorian being a PapaWolf to the Child. Also called "Space Dad".
82	** Owing to [[Creator/GiancarloEsposito the actor]]'s best known role, Moff Gideon is sometimes referred to as "[[Series/BreakingBad Space Gus]]" or "Darth Fring".
83	** "Corn on the Cobb" or "Corn Cobb" for Cobb Vanth, for [[PunnyName obvious reasons]].
84	** "Frog MILF" for the Frog Lady. Her husband is "Frusband" (Frog Husband). And as of Season 2, fans on Twitter generally like calling various characters [=MILFs=] or [=DILFs=] for some reason, even if said characters aren't parents in any way.
85	** The crewmember seen in the background in Chapter 12 is called “Jeans Guy”.
86	** "Space Creator/BillBurr" or "Billy Blaster" for Migs Mayfeld.
87	** "Bo-Karen" for Bo-Katan, since some fans find her too condescending or haughty towards Mandalorians brought up differently than her.
88	** After Din defeated Moff Gideon and took the Darksaber, the fandom has adopted the title Mand'alor the Reluctant for him.
89	** Dubstep Troopers for the Dark Troopers, thanks to their leitmotif being a dubstep piece.
90	** As of Season 3, now that the fandom warmed up some more to Bo-katan, she got herself names like "Space Mom", "Momdalorian" and "Mom-katan/Bo-momtan", for her endearing moments with Grogu and amounts of ShipTease with Din.
91	** Paz Vizla's DyingMomentOfAwesome in "The Spies" caused him to overnight gain the title of "[[MemeticBadass CHAD VIZLA]]".
92	* {{Fanon}}: Why did Din Djarin grow a mustache, if the Way forbids him from showing it to other living things? Some viewers believe that it reminds him of his late biological father's facial hair.
93	* FirstInstallmentWins: The first two seasons generally remain bigger crowd-pleasers than any of Disney+'s canon spin-offs or continuations.
94	* FountainOfMemes:
95	** Grogu (AKA The Child, AKA Baby Yoda) spawns new memes with every new episode that's released.
96	** The Client, too, to a lesser extent, thanks to his intimidating aura from Creator/WernerHerzog's darkly charismatic performance and the amusing [[BuffySpeak Herzoginess]] of nearly all his lines.
97	* FriendlyFandoms:
98	** There is considerable overlap between ''Mandalorian'' fans and ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'' fans, since ''Metroid'' fans can easily appreciate a gritty sci-fi series about an awesome armored bounty hunter adopting an adorable alien infant. Crossover fanart tends to show Samus and the Baby Metroid in the roles of Mando and the Child (or vice versa), such as [[https://twitter.com/rariatoo/status/1220373871552950272 these]] [[https://twitter.com/TianiPixel/status/1221604084433739776 examples]].
99	** By the tail-end of 2019, there is also significant overlap with ''Series/TheWitcher2019'' -- especially taking into account the lone-wolf main characters seeking to find (and protect) children they aren't related to.
100	** There's also plenty of overlap with fans of ''Literature/GoblinSlayer'', another show about a badass armored warrior who never removes his helmet and travels around with a younger magical companion
101	** As always, there is a healthy rivalry going with the [[Franchise/StarTrek Trekkies]], especially with ''The Mandalorian's'' second season streaming at the same time as ''Series/StarTrekDiscovery's'' third season. The fact that both shows are members of the SpaceWestern genre also helps somewhat.
102	** There is a LOT of cast/crew overlap between ''The Mandalorian'' and the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse, meaning both fanbases tend to be friendly with each other as well. It helps that Creator/JonFavreau, one of this show's co-creators, also helped kick off the MCU with the first two ''Iron Man'' movies, and continues to portray Happy Hogan within the franchise. Other cross-production examples include:
103	*** ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'' fans [[https://www.imdb.com/search/name/?roles=tt2364582,tt8111088 enjoy both]] [[https://www.reddit.com/r/TheMandalorianTV/comments/kg9dpo/every_agents_of_shield_actor_in_the_mandalorian/ recognizing familiar faces]] and ''Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'' gaining renewed attention through the Franchise/StarWars fandom.
104	*** The show attracted many ''Film/ThorRagnarok'' fans due to Creator/TaikaWaititi's portrayal of IG-11 in the first season (as well as directing the finale).
105	*** People who enjoy the ''Film/AntMan1'' films were happy to see Creator/PeytonReed get to direct two episodes of this show's second season.
106	** Fans of this show also joined up with fans of ''Series/WandaVision'' particularly since both have a beloved former character returning in an unexpected way.
107	** Some fans of this show also developed an interest in ''Series/MoonKnight2022'', in which [[Creator/OscarIsaac one of Pedro Pascal's buddies]] plays another surprisingly sensitive masked fighter.
108	** Every other released TV show or movie in which [[{{Typecasting}} Pedro Pascal plays a single father]] also shares some fans with this one, most notably:
109	*** ''Series/GameOfThrones'', where Pascal made his big break. Even though it targets an older age group than ''The Mandalorian'' does, a remarkable amount of memes and fanart reference both shows.
110	*** ''Film/{{Prospect}}'', an older SpaceWestern in which Pascal and an orphan share a journey. Lucasfilm executives actually finalized him for ''The Mandalorian'' after privately screening ''Prospect'', although Jon Favreau pitched the show to Pascal earlier than that.
111	*** ''Film/WeCanBeHeroes2020'', which shares ''Mandalorian'' Chapter 14's director, Creator/RobertRodriguez, and premiered exactly one week after Chapter 16.
112	*** ''Series/TheLastOfUs2023'', another show in which Pascal, cast in the wake of his acclaim for ''The Mandalorian'' Seasons 1-2, and an orphan travel together. It's extremely common to see fanarts depicting Din and Joel with the other's surrogate child.
113	[[/folder]]
114
115	[[folder:H-M]]
116	* HarsherInHindsight:
117	** In "Redemption", Mando suffers a fatal head wound, requiring IG-11 to unmask and heal him. Creator/PedroPascal later recalled that before filming "Redemption", he suffered an ''actual'' head wound, when some plywood hit him on his way out of the makeup trailer. The hospital personnel rushed him into ER, since they couldn't initially distinguish the makeup from his real injuries.
118	** The RunningGag of IG-11 trying to [[SuicideAsComedy self-destruct when his situation goes remotely south]] in the first episode turns into this after Chapter 8, where he uses his self-destruct mechanism for a HeroicSacrifice in a scene that isn't played for humor.
119	** When Cobb Vanth asks Din whether they're gonna shoot it out over Boba Fett's armor in front of Grogu in "The Marshall", Din replies that Grogu's "seen worse". Then we find out that Grogu was at the Jedi Temple when Order 66 was carried out; "seen worse" likely doesn't even begin to cover it.
120	** Chapter 16 builds up Luke Skywalker as the perfect Jedi teacher for Grogu, only for ''Series/TheBookOfBobaFett'' to reveal that he uncharacteristically requires the baby to let go of attachments. Grogu's inability to detach from Mando helps result in his training ending sooner than expected.
121	** Ahsoka's justifies her refusal to train Grogu by noting that she herself is IncompletelyTrained, and that her lack of experience, combined with Grogu's trauma of living through Order 66, would send him down the path of the Dark Side. This already was a good enough reason, but Ahsoka's reluctance becomes even more understandable after [[Series/{{Ahsoka}} her own show]] revealed that she had previously attempted to take Sabine Wren as her apprentice, but ended it prematurely and on bad terms with her.
122	* SugarWiki/HeReallyCanAct:
123	** Though Creator/PedroPascal is a very capable actor, critics doubted in early episode reviews that he could be a compelling protagonist without facial expressions. Mando's ability to display a variety of emotions with only body language and changes in tone became more evident as Season 1 progressed, with the caveat that Pascal's busy schedule during production often reduced his involvement to dubbing over a body double. When Season 2 brought a larger number of scenes with Pascal portraying Mando both vocally and physically, critics found the character even more expressive, a trajectory Pascal [[https://ew.com/tv/pedro-pascal-entertainers-of-the-year-2020/ credited]] to his years of learning through stage performances how to use his whole body and intonations to express himself. Additionally, longer moments of Mando appearing unmasked allowed Pascal to convincingly depict psychological effects of hiding his face for decades.
124	** Creator/BillBurr is a stand-up comedian by trade, but puts in an impressive performance as Mayfeld. Fans were quick to compliment his TranquilFury acting during his second appearance in "The Believer", when his character confronts his old commanding officer.
125	* HeartwarmingInHindsight: Din's promise in the Season 2 finale to see Grogu again feels less bittersweet after ''Series/TheBookOfBobaFett'' has Grogu gain Luke's permission to return to Din, removing any uncertainty that Din could keep his promise in future ''Mandalorian'' seasons.
126	* HesJustHiding:
127	** Not everyone believed that Fennec Shand was actually dead. Considering that Toro shot her in the stomach (where she could have easily been wearing body armor under her clothing) instead of the unprotected head, and the last scene of Episode 5 showed a mysterious figure approaching her body, a lot of fans suspected it wouldn't be the last we saw of her. Sure enough she came back in Episode 6 of Season 2, with it being revealed that Boba Fett found her and helped her back to health with cybernetics.
128	** Despite the fact that Moff Gideon literally had a light cruiser dropped on him (and was engulfed in the explosion from said crash), fans believe he survived due to him wearing Beskar Armor mixed in with Dark Trooper technology, especially since he was giving Bo and Din such a difficult battle in combat and there was no body. Alternatively, some fans think the Mandalorians killed a [[ActuallyADoombot Gideon clone]] rather than the original.
129	* HilariousInHindsight:
130	** Kuiil's first objection to the thought that Grogu is an artificially created lifeform is that he is ''too ugly''. ''Film/TheRiseOfSkywalker'' revealed that Snoke was an artificial lifeform, and good looks definitely were not included.
131	** The ColdOpen of Chapter 14 has Din lament to Grogu, "I can't train you. You're just too powerful." In ''Series/TheBookOfBobaFett'', Grogu's training under Luke ends unexpectedly early, partially because Luke can't keep up with the evolution of Grogu's powers.
132	* HoYay:
133	** Din and Cobb Vanth share some interactions that feel ''very'' flirtatious.
134	** Some viewers have romanticized Mayfeld's apparent obsession with Din's eyes, from demanding a look at them en route to the prison raid, to improvising "[[WhatBeautifulEyes Brown Eyes]]" as an alias for an unrecognizably helmet-less Din. In the French dub, Din's alias is "Beauregard", which means "beautiful view".
135	** Bo-Katan/The Armorer got popular after the scene in "The Pirate" where the Armorer [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness commands Bo-Katan to remove her helmet]]. For Children of the Watch, it's like being told to take off her pants.
136	* IKnewIt:
137	** Ever since the release of the ''Literature/StarWarsAftermath'' books, fans hypothesized two things: the first is that Cobb Vanth's set of armor belonged to Boba Fett and was retrieved by Jawas, and Fett himself was still alive. Both are proven to be true by the end of "Chapter Nine: The Marshal".
138	** Many fans also correctly guessed that Fett was the unknown figure seen approaching Fennec Shand's body at the end of "Chapter Five: The Gunslinger", and that this meant she was NotQuiteDead.
139	** The show taking place only five or six years after ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'' prompted some viewers to either predict or wish that Mando and his child would meet Luke Skywalker well before his disappearance. This comes true at the end of Chapter 16.
140	* ItsShortSoItSucks: Season 3 only took two chapters to send Din into the Living Waters, even though most viewers didn't expect him to reach them until at least halfway through the season. This put any more CharacterDevelopment for him on pause for multiple weeks, as the next few episodes fleshed out supporting characters instead.
141	* JustHereForGodzilla: Many viewers watch this show for Grogu, AKA the Child, AKA [[FanNickname Baby Yoda]].
142	* LauncherOfAThousandShips: Din Djarin, due to his state as a MagneticHero. He's historically been a lone wolf, but the point of the show is him being thrust into relationships and learning how to be interdependent with others and open up, first as a dad, then as a friend. A romantic relationship could be next on the list. And Din himself aside, any relationship with him would invariably involve {{Winning Over the Kid\|s}} and Grogu getting another parent, which would be very cute.
143	* LikeYouWouldReallyDoIt:
144	** Right, you're really going to give Gideon all that buildup and then kill him in the Season 1 finale without any explanation of why he wants the Child.
145	** Similarly, Ming Na-Wen's character would die in her first episode when a mysterious figure (later revealed to be Boba Fett himself) shows up.
146	* LoveToHate: Moff Gideon is an insufferably smug villain who wants to do horrible, ''horrible'' things to young Grogu, but his frightening competence and Creator/GiancarloEsposito's excellent performance make him an incredibly fun villain to root against.
147	* MemeticBadass:
148	** Fans semi-jokingly believe that [[BadassAdorable the Child]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Plcx5JGxOJE could've taken on Darth Sidious and his guards]] if he was in Coruscant [[Film/RevengeOfTheSith at the time]]. Somewhat HarsherInHindsight given the revelation in Chapter 13 that he was in the Jedi Temple during Order 66.
149	** [[BigDamnHeroes Luke]] [[OneManArmy Skywalker]], naturally.
150	** Kelleran Beq got this reputation not only for saving Grogu, but being played by Creator/AhmedBest.
151	** Paz Vizla has gained this status following his jaw-dropping HeroicSacrifice and DyingMomentOfAwesome in "The Spies", with many referring to him as "Chad Vizla" and hyping him up as a total badass.
152	* MemeticLoser:
153	** Cobb Vanth is otherwise [[EnsembleDarkHorse well-liked among fans]], though this hasn't stopped jokes that he's a "Boba Fett cosplayer" and that he looked wimpy in Boba's armor.
154	** In an example of this being applied to a vehicle rather than a character, the ''Razor Crest'' being repeatedly crashed (and then finally destroyed) has led to a reputation among fans of being the [[ChronicallyCrashedCar unluckiest]] and [[WhatAPieceOfJunk trashiest]] ship in the franchise, with many jokes comparing it to a [[TheAllegedCar beat up junkyard station wagon]] or joking that it makes the ''Millennium Falcon'' look like Padme's [[StarshipLuxurious Naboo royal cruiser.]]
155	** To some viewers, the Children of the Watch have gained this reputation, mainly owning to the monster attacks on their settlement in Season 3. We see monsters twice attack, and Paz Vizsla admits that the raptor took additional members prior to its first appearance, bringing up questions as to why the tribe doesn't assign lookouts or move farther away from the sea. Fortunately, both become a non-issue in Chapter 21 with their changed circumstances.
156	* MemeticPsychopath: The Child has taken this role in the eyes of fans that perceive him as a greater threat than Palpatine, as well as approving Mando's shooting Jawas, destroying unsuspecting planets while pressing buttons on The Mandalorian's ship, and being a CreepyChild with all the death surrounding him and not even flinching. The notorious egg gag, and how much the show leans into it (including a CallBack the next episode), only enhanced this further.
157	* MisaimedMerchandising: Whoever designed and approved a ''TabletopGame/BopIt'' game modeled after [[https://nerdist.com/article/baby-yoda-bop-it-the-mandalorian/ The Child]] greatly overestimated how many of the show's fans would want to [[WouldHurtAChild "bop" a baby]], as well as the chance that Mando would [[OutOfCharacterMoment order someone to "bop" the Child]].
158	* {{Moe}}: Grogu's wide eyes and precocious mannerisms have irresistibly endeared him to many viewers to a degree unseen since maybe Gizmo in the ''Film/{{Gremlins}}'' [[Film/Gremlins2TheNewBatch movies]], whom Grogu happens to very strongly resemble.
159	* SugarWiki/MostWonderfulSound:
160	** Din Djarin's guttural voice, one of his important means of expressing himself without showing his face, sounds surprisingly tantalizing during several of the character's soft-spoken lines.
161	** Grogu cooing "Patu!" beginning in Chapter 10 sounds adorable, and hints that he's matured during his adventures with Din, even if one can only guess whether it means anything in his language.
162	** The Seismic Charge makes its glorious return in Chapter 15.
163	[[/folder]]
164
165	[[folder:O-S]]
166	* OlderThanTheyThink: ''The Mandalorian'' doesn't mark the first time Pedro Pascal performed in a mask, as he previously portrayed a commedia dell'arte actor in the 2009 play ''Miracle at Naples''. Creator/EmilySwallow also learned how to act behind a mask years before she became the Armorer, and reportedly proved more skilled than Favreau expected during filming.
167	* OneSceneWonder:
168	** The two scout troopers from the opening of Episode 8 are widely considered to be one of the funniest scenes in ''Star Wars'' history, thanks to the sheer hilarity of them reacting to Moff Gideon arriving in town and [[BadBoss murdering his own allies]] like it's [[PunchClockVillain another bad day at the office]] [[ConditionedToAcceptHorror with a particularly irritating coworker.]] Not to mention [[ImperialStormtrooperMarksmanshipAcademy their failed attempt at target practice]]. And the whole time, one of them keeps pestering the other to let him see Baby Yoda.
169	** The "Monster Droid" (the Astromech with limbs) is well-liked by some fans for leaving quite the impression, due to how unique it is and the strange aura it exudes. Some fans lamented its death at Cara's hands.
170	** Eternally reliable character actor Creator/RichardBrake pops up for one scene as an especially slimy Imperial officer on Morak.
171	** The 'Unlucky Shoretrooper' who was shot by Mayfeld not long after he breaks his cover by killing Valin Hess in "The Believer". Thanks to the Episode humanizing the rank and file members of the Imperial Remnant who nevertheless becomes nothing more than CannonFodder and unavoidable casualties in the protagonists' quest, this particular Shoretrooper gained a lot of viewers' sympathy and lamented his death at Mayfeld's hands even though he was just about to have a nice meal. It almost pushes him straight into TheWoobie status.
172	** In "Chapter 16: The Rescue", who should come to the main characters' rescue but '''Luke Skywalker?'''
173	** "Chapter 20: The Foundling" finally shows who saved Grogu, and it's Kelleran Beq, the host of ''Jedi Temple Challenge'', reprised by Creator/AhmedBest!
174	** "Chapter 21: The Pirate" features the live-action debut of ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels'' lead Zeb, complete with a RoleReprise from Steve Blum.
175	* OutOfTheGhetto:
176	** Broke out of the MinorityShowGhetto by becoming an early hit for Disney+, despite its racially diverse array of cast and crew members.
177	** Broke out of the SciFiGhetto when Season 1 earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Drama Series, and acting nominations for Creator/GiancarloEsposito and Creator/TaikaWaititi, in addition to recognition in 12 technical categories. Ultimately, it won seven of its technical nominations.
178	** Broke out of the GirlShowGhetto by giving Cara Dune, the Armorer, and Fennec Shand their own toys and shirts, bucking precedence of women receiving minimal presence on sci-fi merchandise.
179	* {{Padding}}: Chapter 19's look at Pershing's life on Coruscant stretches the episode out into the longest of any from the first three seasons. Since Pershing only appeared sporadically during Seasons 1-2, and never appears again for the rest of Season 3, many viewers didn't think he deserved such a big chunk.
180	* PanderingToTheBase:
181	** Season 2 was hit with criticism regarding this due to the increased significance of characters from past parts of the ''Star Wars'' franchise -- increasing the amount of ContinuityLockOut for newer fans and arguably [[OneDegreeOfSeparation shrinking a galaxy]] that Season 1 had expanded.
182	** Season 3 received this criticism by beginning with Din and Grogu reunited (for reasons known only to audience members who had watched ''The Book of Boba Fett''), undermining the ending of Season 2 just because some viewers wouldn't tune into new episodes or buy TheMerch without "Baby Yoda".
183	* PeripheryDemographic:
184	** Within weeks of debut, the series developed a [[https://newsmaven.io/indiancountrytoday/news/baby-yoda-is-now-one-of-us-6fYhMlRWvkOY2NcleQClhg/ strong social media following]] of [[UsefulNotes/NativeAmericans Native American and Indigenous fans]] creating memes and crafts about the Child, as these fans enjoyed both the show's postcolonial themes and the Child being [[https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/baby-yoda-indigenous-art-memes-1.5382902 "so darn cute."]]
185	** The show has also gained a number of Jewish fans who are drawn to the parallels between the Jewish and Mandalorian people. Both are exiled from their homeland and living in diaspora, survivors of a great genocide, and divided into sects with different levels of devoutness. Creator/JonFavreau and Creator/TaikaWaititi are both Jewish, with Favreau hailing from a more devout family than Waititi, but neither have confirmed if Favreau intended these similarities.
186	** Other marginalized fans living in diaspora found the season 2 ideological disagreements between Mandalorians resonant as [[https://www.dailydot.com/unclick/the-mandalorian-is-a-diaspora-story/ a diaspora story]]: "This purity testing and cultural infighting are the hallmarks of any diverse diaspora community, and the criteria by which the Mandalorians measure each other is hardly unfamiliar to anyone who’s rusty in their 'mother tongue' or been told to go back to a country they’ve never seen."
187	** The irresistibly cute and endearing Grogu ("Baby Yoda") has attracted a much wider audience than just ''Star Wars'' fans and kids.
188	* PlayAlongMeme: After Chapter 15, the fandom collectively agreed that Mayfeld was caught up in the exploding Imperial refinery, per Cara's cover story.
189	* PortmanteauCoupleName:
190	** "Mandomera" for the Mandalorian/Omera.
191	** "Dincobb" for Din Djarin/Cobb Vanth.
192	** "Bobadin" for Boba Fett/Din Djarin.
193	** "Dinluke" for Din Djarin/Luke Skywalker.
194	** "Dinbo" for Din Djarin/Bo-Katan Kryze, who call each other "Din" and "Bo" though [[SignificantNameShift few others do]]. That it sounds like "Himbo" is just a bonus. Alternatively, there's also "Bodin" in reverse.
195	* QuestionableCasting:
196	** A lot of people were quite surprised that Creator/WernerHerzog, of all people, was involved with this series, mostly because franchise work is so left-field for him. He stated that he's never cared about the franchise and originally took the role [[MoneyDearBoy to finance his own work]], but later grew to enjoy the experience, praising the WorldBuilding and PracticalEffects. He especially fell in love with the baby of Yoda's species, calling the puppet "heartbreakingly beautiful" and shaming the show runners into going ahead with it when they were considering CGI instead.
197	** The guest appearances from Creator/BillBurr are mostly quite popular, but he was a bit infamous for not being a fan of the franchise and preferring more cerebral science fiction. When he brought this up upon being approached for the role, Favreau replied "That's what makes it funny." Like Herzog, he grew to quite enjoy the experience once he realized it was more akin to a Spaghetti Western, which he’s also a big fan of, than the franchise's usual thing.
198	** Very few people were expecting to see Creator/JackBlack and Music/{{Lizzo}}, of all people, in the series, with some taken aback to see their involvement basically as themselves dressed in sci-fi costumes.
199	* RecurringFanonCharacter: Corin the Stormtrooper. He first appeared in a series of fics by [[https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyIrina/pseuds/LadyIrina LadyIrina]] as a stormtrooper who lets Din and the Child go and then ends up deserting the empire and travelling with them, eventually starting a romance with Din. He got so popular that he has his own [[Website/ArchiveOfOurOwn AO3]] tag and stars in multiple [[RecursiveFanfiction fanworks]].
200	* RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap:
201	** Boba Fett was never unpopular by any means but he had gotten his own portion of the fanbase who frequently mocked him for his lackluster performance in the original trilogy as an AntiClimaxBoss, known for standing around with [[FlatCharacter little personality shown]] and being easily taken down by a blinded Han ''unintentionally''. ''The Mandalorian'' finally gives him some credence to his ability and fleshes out his personality, winning him many fans, and causing his fans from before his reappearance to be ''very pleased'' with the result, not to mention that it shows [[Film/AttackOfTheClones Jango Fett]]'s badassery living on in him.
202	** Migs Mayfeld was never an outright hated character but ''was'' seen as just a one-note {{Jerkass}}-type in his Season 1 appearance, with his popularity only really stemming from meta factors such as his actor being popular comedian Creator/BillBurr and the novelty of being a Star Wars character with a UsefulNotes/{{Boston}} accent. When he returns in Season 2, his character is given far more depth and nuance, and fans grew to love the actual character for his honorable traits and moral complexity rather than just for surface details such as his accent.
203	* RetroactiveRecognition: Creator/IsmaelCruzCordova plays a minor character named Qin, which gained a lot of attention now that he was casted as Arondir in ''Series/TheLordOfTheRingsTheRingsOfPower''.
204	* RonTheDeathEater:
205	** Viewers who would've preferred Season 2 to end with Din keeping Grogu sometimes accuse Luke of kidnapping Din's foundling. This in spite of Luke only taking Grogu after both he and Din permit it, and never denying the chance of the clan reuniting someday.
206	** Some fans thought that Grogu might still have been training with Luke when the Knights Of Ren rebelled and that Grogu might have joined them.
207	* SacredCow: The fact that the first two seasons are widely considered to be a return to what many loved about the Original Trilogy, as well as the ''massive'' explosion in popularity of its little green mascot, Grogu (or "[[FanNickname Baby Yoda]]"), have all helped ''The Mandalorian'' become universally adored to a level not seen since ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack''. Saying that those seasons are bad, in a manner any harsher than, "I prefer [insert another widely-beloved ''Star Wars'' show here]," is a good way to start a FlameWar.
208	* SeasonalRot: Many argue that Season 3 represents a step-down from the previous two seasons, because of the way that it undoes the main story developments from the Season 2 finale (Grogu returning to Din for reasons explained only in ''The Book of Boba Fett'', Moff Gideon escaping New Republic custody offscreen, Din losing the Darksaber to Bo-Katan without much fanfare, etc.) in an anti-climactic fashion. Some also believe that Din doesn't receive as much development or spotlight in this season as he previously did.
209	* {{Shipping}}:
210	** Fennec Shand and Boba Fett after they surprisingly reappear working together. ''Series/TheBookOfBobaFett'' steers their canonical relationship more towards something between business partners and PlatonicLifePartners.
211	** Portraying Bo-Katan and Din as parents to Grogu took off amongst the fandom in Season 3.
212	* ShipsThatPassInTheNight: Even if Din and Luke never see each other again after Chapter 16, some fans still like to ship them. One factor includes the appeal of Grogu having two dads, who can teach him to become both a Jedi and a Mandalorian.
213	* SignatureScene:
214	** The ending of Chapter 1, where the Mandalorian and IG-11 discover their quarry is a baby from Yoda's species.
215	** Mando rescuing the Child in Chapter 3, particularly the Mandalorian cavalry near the end.
216	** The scene in Chapter 4 where the Child plays with the buttons on the ''Razor Crest'', largely for being a FountainOfMemes in its own right. Most of them are [=YouTube=] videos that edit the scene to make it look like the Child is messing with the radio.
217	** Moff Gideon holding the Darksaber, the very last scene of the first season.
218	** At the end of the first episode of Season 2, Boba Fett watching the Mandalorian speed off.
219	** Chapter 15 has the tense and uncomfortable round of drinks between Mayfeld, "Brown Eyes", and Valin Hess, the last of whom reveals himself as overly-passionate over rebuilding the Empire.
220	** Chapter 16 features Luke Skywalker himself [[CurbStompBattle utterly destroying]] the very same Dark Troopers that had given the heroes a hard time with just one of their numbers, in a manner [[Film/RogueOne similar to his father]].
221	** After Season 2, the bulk of whichever promos and merchandise [[LateArrivalSpoiler expose Din Djarin's human face]] either features or takes inspiration from the moment in Chapter 16 when Grogu tenderly touches it.
222	** Grogu's rescue in Chapter 20 is considered a highlight of the season for the unexpected presence of Kellaran Beq, as reprised by Creator/AhmedBest, and his badassery in saving the Youngling from Order 66.
223	* SpecialEffectsFailure:
224	** For all the genuinely-earned praise over The Child being portrayed by and large through a truly stellar application of old-fashioned puppetry and animatronics, the illusion of him being a living, breathing creature is shattered somewhat every time he's picked up and held; as more often than not he resembles a doll or stiff statue when in the arms of the adult actors.
225	** Some of the Child's movements (such as blinking) can look overly stiff and robotic at times, making it clear that he's an animatronic. This is likely intentional on the part of the special effects artists, as making the Child move too smoothly or realistically would result in audiences not connecting with it on an emotional level, per Herzog's own comments. Rather, their challenge is to ensure the special effects they do use match the physical limitations and movements of the Child puppet.
226	** Mandalorian body double Brendan Wayne becomes an ObviousStuntDouble if viewers notice instances of Mando lacking Pedro Pascal's broad shoulders, among other inconsistencies.
227	** "The Jedi" gives a good idea of why Togruta rarely appear in live action. Ahsoka's montrals (the horns rising above her head) are too small while her lekku (the blue and white head tendrils) are very clearly artificial as they badly crinkle and just hang lifelessly. The smaller prosthetics were required because anything larger have would have restricted the actress' movements during stunts, a detail confirmed by Orli Shoshan who played fellow Togruta Shaak Ti in the prequels. The news that Ahsoka would be getting her own show had a lot of fans saying they could overlook this for just a single guest spot, but Rosario Dawson would hopefully be getting an improved prosthetic as a lead star.
228	** While the first two seasons largely evaded such constraints due to mostly being filmed before the COVID-19 pandemic began, the third season shows some constraints of the Volume (which saw increased usage as Jon Favreau noted that the controlled environment would likely be a safer set to film on): extras often seem to be carefully avoiding a wall about 30 feet away from the camera, the green-screen becomes more frequent likely due to limits on how many actors can be on set at a time, and some smoke and dust effects are less convincing. Action and blocking also becomes limited in otherwise open areas; this particularly occurs during episodes like "The Apostate" where the Mandalorians absolutely refuse to use their jetpacks to their advantage against an attacking creature and barely move away from it; or "The Convert" which takes place largely on the densely populated Coruscant but has several scenes that carefully reduce the focus down to a small group of characters such as when Pershing sits down for a drink with the other converts. These issues were also noted in ''The Book of Boba Fett'' and ''Obi-Wan Kenobi'', which were also largely filmed during the worst of the pandemic.
229	* SpiritualAdaptation:
230	** A bounty hunter who wears high-tech upgradeable armor, [[IWorkAlone prefers to walk on his own]] and is guarding a small, powerful, and potentially hazardous baby that follows them around in a capsule and is in constant threat of being stolen by others for their personal gain? Definitely sounds like a ''VideoGame/SuperMetroid'' adaptation. Although, considering the series' overall adventurous tone and story involving planet-hopping, defending small civilizations from greater threats, and competing with rival bounty hunters, it can also be seen as a loose adaptation of the ''Manga/MetroidSamusAndJoey'' manga.
231	** Its story of a proud, mostly silent ProudWarriorRaceGuy trying to reclaim his honor, protecting a youngling from those that would harm him and [[WalkingTheEarth traveling to different locations and having different adventures]], has led many to call this show the best live-action ''Manga/LoneWolfAndCub'' adaptation that one could hope for.
232	** Some have even compared the series to ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack'' for having a ronin protagonist roam from place to place and [[SilenceIsGolden scenes that have long stretches without dialogue]].
233	** The Scout Troopers in Episode 8 were quickly embraced by the Creator/RoosterTeeth fandom as basically ''WebAnimation/RedVsBlue'' in live-action.
234	** The show has drawn comparisons to ''{{Series/Firefly}}'' given that it's a SpaceWestern about a {{Determinator}} who travels from place to place in his beat up old ship, taking whatever jobs he can to make ends meet, while trying to protect a younger crewmate with mysterious abilities from a powerful and nefarious authority.[[note]]Before ''The Mandalorian'' premiered, Pedro Pascal even [[https://youtu.be/stLw-2Ob8xQ?t=218 noted in an interview]] that some say he looks rather similar to ''Firefly'' star Creator/NathanFillion.[[/note]] The biggest difference is the significantly smaller crew, with ''The Mandalorian'' focusing on supporting characters who come and go an episode at a time.
235	** Those thoroughly unimpressed by ''Series/{{Halo 2022}}'' have said that this show is ''far'' more faithful in spirit to the video game series than its own adaptation.
236	** A BountyHunter protagonist in a sci-fi setting who is suffers from FantasticRacism who donates a portion of his earnings to help the children of his people feels very reminiscent of ''ComicBook/StrontiumDog''.
237	* StoicWoobie: The Children of the Watch have it pretty rough, but their helmets very effectively hide their emotional turmoil. The tribe must live underground after the Great Purge, bear the emotional burden of their numbers dwindling, and suffer a shortage of Beskar metal. When they form a cavalry to save Din Djarin and the Child from rival bounty hunters, breaking their rule to only leave the Covert one at a time, the Imperial Remnant either slaughters them offscreen, or informally banishes them off of the planet. Din never even gets to properly mourn the victims of the slaughter. As he begins meeting Mandalorians from other tribes, he sadly finds out that the Children of the Watch are a group of religious extremists to them, and are looked down upon as a result.
238	* SuspiciouslySimilarSong: The main theme bears some resemblance to that of ''Series/BlakesSeven''.
239	* SweetnessAversion: Despite the show generally being [[DarkerAndEdgier darker in tone and having less kid-oriented humor]] than, say, the Prequel Trilogy, some fans feel like it's trying a little ''too'' hard to make the Child seem cute. While he has been shown to have Force abilities that move the plot of the first season forward, [[FlatCharacter there's not much else to the actual character himself]] other than that he is a RidiculouslyCuteCritter, which, in the ''Star Wars'' series, usually means being explicitly designed to [[KidAppealCharacter appeal to kids]] and [[MerchandiseDriven sell merchandise]] (and sure enough, many were actually surprised that Disney ''didn't'' jump on the marketing train right away). Unfortunately, since the Child has also become [[BreakoutCharacter unexpectedly popular]] and a huge FountainOfMemes, this has resulted in the very people swearing off ''The Mandalorian'' who would have been most pleased by the scene near the end of the first season where the Child is revealed to have a darker side, force-choking one of the protagonists.
240	[[/folder]]
241
242	[[folder:T-Z]]
243	* ThemePairing: Din Djarin / Boba Fett gained popularity as a romantic pairing of two badass Mandalorian bounty hunters who follow a personal code of honor and who were both involved in loving father-son family relationships.
244	* TheyChangedItNowItSucks: In the third season finale, the Armorer lengthens Grogu's name to, "Din Grogu." This ended up becoming the least popular of the baby's canon aliases, mainly because it implies that viewers spent almost four years mixing up Din Djarin's surname and first name. (Stubborn fans still do so, intentionally.)
245	* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter: Grogu's prompt return to Din suggested that the Child would play a proactive role throughout Season 3, but instead some episodes have him contribute nothing more than [[SweetnessAversion disposable cutesy gags]].
246	* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot:
247	** Thanks to ''Series/TheBookOfBobaFett'' reuniting Din and Grogu, ''The Mandalorian'' Season 3 begins not with a lengthy and heart-wrenching look at the clan struggling to adjust to their separation, but with one of Season 2's major alterations to the status quo already reversed.
248	** After Din wins the Darksaber in the Season 2 finale, the show doesn't spend much time exploring the consequences of him owning the icon of Mandalorian leadership, even though he didn't want or ask to have it in the first place. Whole episodes go by without him pulling it out, or enforcing his authority over other Mandalorians, until he finally gives it to Bo-Katan without a fight. Afterwards some viewers wondered aloud why the show bothered giving Din the Darksaber at all.
249	** Season 3 doesn't see a lot of exploration of the different Mandalorian factions, with no critical analysis of their history as mostly successor organizations to the Death Watch, no major conflicts between these supposed feuding factions, and a brief return by Moff Gideon for only a single battle for Mandalore at the end of the season. None of the Mandos have much depth explored, not even Din, and the death of Paz Vizla gets no mention from even his son.
250	* TooCoolToLive: Kuiil, a kindly Ugnaught rancher who's gruff and won't take crap from anyone, but helps the Mando in his time of need out of nothing but frontier hospitality. After a mostly lighthearted season where hardly anyone [[AssholeVictim who didn't have it coming]] got killed, his tragic offscreen death is [[GutPunch a blaster bolt to the heart.]]
251	* UglyCute: Frog Lady and her husband are human sized, slimy-looking anthropomorphic frogs, but their kind demeanor, huge soulful eyes, and ''adorably'' loving relationship make them every bit as heartbreakingly cute as Grogu.
252	* UnintentionalUncannyValley:
253	** Some fans feel this way about the designs of the [[LizardFolk Trandoshans]] featured in [[https://collider.com/the-mandalorian-trandoshans-image/#poster one of the preview images]], as their faces look a little too human-like when compared to Bossk and previous Trandoshan characters.
254	** The CG used to portray a ''Return of the Jedi''-era Luke Skywalker comes off as less convincing than no doubt intended, as he does not move very much (once his hood is removed), his eyes have a very dead, distant look to them, and his mouth moves like it was put on his face via SynchroVox. He less resembles a man and more a rear-projection animatronic at Disneyland.
255	* UnexpectedCharacter:
256	** The show opens right with one: given the franchise usually shies away from Yoda's species, which is even still unnamed, an infant of that certainly caught everyone off-guard.
257	** No one expected the wisecracking Mythrol Mando hunts down in Chapter 1 to return in Season 2, until he received new merchandise and an appearance in the "Special Look" that ''Series/MondayNightFootball'' shared two Mondays before the season premiere would drop. To boot, the merch and ad revealed that he'd become freed from his carbonite block; the show proper has Greef explain that Mythrol needs to work off a debt.
258	--->'''The Mandalorian:''' [[LampshadeHanging I'm surprised to see you here.]]
259	** For a show that focused on the smaller scale of the ''Star Wars'' universe, many were definitely surprised to see Chapter 16 feature an appearance from '''Luke Skywalker''' himself, complete with Creator/MarkHamill reprising his role! And he brought R2-D2 with him!
260	** Chapter 20 left a number of fans surprised that Jar Jar Binks actor Creator/AhmedBest would be returning as Kelleran Beq from the quasi-canonical ''Jedi Temple Challenge'' series, with the episode marking the character's first fully canonical appearance -- and it's revealed that he's the one who saved Grogu from Coruscant.
261	** Chapter 21 followed suit with an appearance from [[WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels Garazeb "Zeb" Orrelios]] (voiced once again by Creator/SteveBlum), revealing that sometime after the events of ''Rebels'', he enlisted as an outer rim ranger in the New Republic.
262	** Chapter 23 saw the arrival of several unexpected characters -- Brendol Hux, father of Armitage Hux, appeared alongside Gilad Pellaeon, Thrawn's understudy, as part of the Shadow Council answering to Moff Gideon. Much later, the Praetorian Guard arrive to help Gideon, appearing much earlier than many fans anticipated that they could show up in the timeline.
263	* TheUntwist: Pre-release theories speculating the nature of the Mandalorian's identity were pretty much dispelled in the first episode. Theories ranged from him being everything from a new alien to a pre-established character to a woman and in the end it turns out he's... Some random human guy we've never heard of.
264	* SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome:
265	** Based on the trailer alone, you'd swear the show has the same effects budget as the feature films (it's actually not that far off: [[https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2019/11/14/mandalorian-is-first-tv-show-that-actually-looks-like-movie-that-might-be-problem/ $120 million]] for the first season, which was ~4 hours long excluding recaps and credits). The puppet used for the Child has won the show a great deal of praise for how convincing and endearing it is.
266	** On top of this, the series also marks one of the first major commercial uses of the [[https://youtu.be/gUnxzVOs3rk Volume, the Unreal Engine-powered LED soundstage]], which was used to create on-set, interactive CGI environments, most of which are so convincing that it's easy to think that they're just conventional sets and environments with some CGI enhancements. [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/starwars/images/8/8b/The_Client_standoff.png/revision/latest?cb=20191123140356 This scene]] is a perfect example: the ''only'' elements that are real are the actors, chairs and desk. In the behind-the-scenes documentary, Jon Favreau shares an anecdote of a crew member freaking out when an area that was on fire was put on the Volume, thinking the set was actually on fire.
267	* WinBackTheCrowd:
268	** Many ''Star Wars'' discussions had been fizzling out between 2017 and 2019 thanks to the BrokenBase of the Sequel trilogy and financial flop of ''Solo'' at the box office. ''The Mandalorian'' did a lot to revive interest in the franchise, capturing the interest of fans on many sides of the fandom spectrum. This continued to be the case after ''Film/TheRiseOfSkywalker'' released. Several reviews for the season finale (which aired one week after the release of ''Skywalker'') emphasized that ''this'' is how you do ''Star Wars'', and the movies should take note.
269	** This is also the case for Jon Favreau. A few months before the series came out, his CGI remake of ''WesternAnimation/{{The Lion King\|2019}}'', which, while not critically panned, did became his second-worst received movie, with a rotten rating of 52% on Rotten Tomatoes, and received backlash from audiences for its lack of originality and facial expressions for the animals. With ''The Mandalorian'', Favreau made a quick return to critical acclaim for its direction, writing, and revolutionary visual effects.
270	** Pedro Pascal's previous TV show, ''Series/{{Narcos}}'', experienced a drop in ratings during its third and final season; his promotion from co-star to headliner inconveniently coincided with the start of the writers' struggles to provide antagonists as compelling as Pablo Escobar. Two years later, this show managed to raise Pascal's fame to new heights, leaving viewers impressed that not even a mask or a FakeShemp could hide his charm and emotional range.
271	** The Season 2 finale, featuring the BigDamnHeroes return of '''Luke Skywalker''', restoring his characterization to that of the IdealHero everybody grew to love, instantly came across as one of the most triumphant cases of CharacterRerailment following the neverending controversy of ''The Last Jedi''.
272	* TheWoobie:
273	** Din Djarin can come off as either a StoicWoobie or an IronWoobie depending on the state of his CharacterDevelopment.
274	*** Season 1 reveals that Din lost his birth parents as a child, to a Separatist droid raid. Their death traumatized him into carrying recurring flashbacks and a hatred for droids into adulthood; Chapters 1 and 3 contrast his inexpressive visage and body language with the terror of his memories as the Armorer forges new armor for him. Some time in between the raid and the start of the show, Din had to move underground along with other Mandalorians, as the Great Purge wiped out their kind across the Empire. When the adult Din rescues another orphan himself, the two of them get essentially chased off Nevarro for Din's violation of the Bounty Hunters' Creed. Even after Din makes amends with the Bounty Hunters' Guild, and officially welcomes the Child into his clan, his new responsibilities and faster age rate compared to the Child leave it uncertain how long the "Clan of Two" can hold.
275	*** By Season 2, Din opens up his emotions to the Child/Grogu and their friends more often, including his fears of losing the kid forever. Even as he attempts his mission to deliver Grogu to a Jedi, he makes it apparent that he'd rather keep Grogu to himself -- especially when Din hesitates giving him to Ahsoka, who fortunately refuses Grogu. By Chapter 14, aptly-named "The Tragedy", Din has lost Grogu, almost all of his arsenal, ''and'' the clan's home, but he musters up enough willpower to go rescue the kid. All of this cumulates in him succeeding, but his efforts still result in him tearfully bidding his son farewell as he gives Grogu to Luke Skywalker for training, barely able to hold back his sadness. And saying goodbye to his kid will be the least of his worries, as he now possesses the ultimate weapon of -- and the rightful claim to leadership of the planet of -- Mandalore, which Bo-Katan desperately wanted back.
276	** The Frog Lady, who has one last chance for kids, is trying so desperately to protect her eggs, only to have a few of them eaten by Grogu, thus she is understandably a nervous wreck, trying to reunite with her spouse. It just makes the viewer want to reach out and give her a hug!
277	** Some people have expressed sympathy for the Shore Trooper in "The Believer" that gets shot by Mayfield, because he enters the cafeteria for a break and can only react with StunnedSilence before Mayfeld shoots him as well.
278	* WTHCostumingDepartment: While Ahsoka's appearance was highly praised, there was a decent amount of criticism for her makeup, with the small lekku and montrals more appropriate to her teenaged ''Clone Wars'' design than her adult ''Rebels'' looks.
279	[[/folder]]

Context YMMV / TheMandalorian