History Trivia / TheMandalorianS2E8Chapter16TheRescue

* IKnewIt: This episode vindicated fans who foresaw, either seriously or through wishful thinking, that Din and Grogu searching for a Jedi five or six years after the fall of the Empire would cross their path with that of Luke Skywalker.

* ActorInspiredElement: Before Creator/PedroPascal filmed this episode, he [[https://www.starwarsnewsnet.com/2022/05/pedro-pascal-reflects-on-his-wild-ride-as-the-mandalorian-with-vanity-fair.html suggested]] to Creator/JonFavreau that he reveal his face to Grogu, so that Din and his foundling could share a "kind of intimacy in the relationship." Favreau's response left Pascal uncertain whether or not the plan already included such a moment, though the showrunner has [[https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/pedro-pascal-the-mandalorian-star-wars-wonder-woman-1984-1234803468/ admitted]] to ''Variety'', "[Pascal's] insight has made us rethink moments over the course of the show."

* ActorInspiredElement: Before Creator/PedroPascal filmed this episode, he [[https://www.starwarsnewsnet.com/2022/05/pedro-pascal-reflects-on-his-wild-ride-as-the-mandalorian-with-vanity-fair.html suggested]] to Creator/JonFavreau that he eventually reveal his face to Grogu, so that Din and his foundling could share a "kind of intimacy in the relationship." Favreau's response left Pascal uncertain whether or not the plan for the series already included such a moment, though the showrunner has [[https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/pedro-pascal-the-mandalorian-star-wars-wonder-woman-1984-1234803468/ admitted]] to ''Variety'', "[Pascal's] insight has made us rethink moments over the course of the show."

* ActorInspiredElement: Before Creator/PedroPascal filmed any of his scenes for ''The Mandalorian'', he [[https://www.starwarsnewsnet.com/2022/05/pedro-pascal-reflects-on-his-wild-ride-as-the-mandalorian-with-vanity-fair.html suggested]] to Creator/JonFavreau that he eventually reveal his face to Grogu, so that Din and his foundling could share a "kind of intimacy in the relationship." Favreau's response left Pascal uncertain whether or not the plan for the series already included such a moment, though the showrunner has [[https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/pedro-pascal-the-mandalorian-star-wars-wonder-woman-1984-1234803468/ admitted]] to ''Variety'', "[Pascal's] insight has made us rethink moments over the course of the show."

* RoleReprise: Creator/MarkHamill returns to the role of Luke Skywalker via digital deaging technology, although his dialogue was provided by an A.I.

* DigitalHeadSwap:
** Luke Skywalker's appearance here is created by putting a CGI version of young Luke's face over a body double. An AI-driven deepfake process was strongly considered, but the results were judged unacceptable. Luke's voice, though, is a deepfake: Mark Hamill acted the lines on-set, but the final audio was created by letting an AI recreate his performance with audio culled from age-appropriate recordings.
** In order to keep the news of Luke's involvement from leaking, a CGI rendering of Plo Koon's head was superimposed over his in the raw, unedited footage.
* FakeShemp: Like Tarkin and Leia in ''Film/RogueOne'' and younger Leia in ''Film/TheRiseOfSkywalker'', Luke's depiction in the show is a mixture of CGI and a body double for the physical action.

** In order to keep the news of Luke's involvement from leaking, a CGI rendering of Plo Koon's head was superimposed over his in the raw, unedited footage. (See FoilerFootage below.)

* FoilerFootage: The crew went all out to keep Luke's involvement a secret. As mentioned above, Plo Koon (assumed to have died in Order 66, but known to fans as [[Creator/DaveFiloni Dave Filoni's]] favorite jedi) was written in to the script as the jedi who answered Grogu's call. On top of that, concept art and CGI effects were created with Plo Koon in Luke's place, and a very rough and unfinished version of Plo Koon’s head was imposed over Luke's body double in the raw, unedited footage.

* RoleReprise: Creator/MarkHamill returns to provide Luke's dialogue.

** Luke Skywalker's appearance here is created by putting a CGI version of young Luke's face over a body double, with Mark Hamill providing the character's voice.

* ActingInTheDark: According to Creator/KateeSackhoff, all of the actors present for Luke's arrival were instead told that [[https://nerdist.com/article/katee-sackhoff-mandalorian-luke-skywalker-plo-koon/ Plo Koon]] answered Grogu's call. Creator/MingNaWen later confessed that the prop department also attempted to keep Luke's arrival a surprise by painting R2-D2 green. This was confirmed in a behind-the-scenes special about the making of the finale.

* ActingInTheDark: According to Creator/KateeSackhoff, all of the actors present for Luke's arrival were instead told that [[https://nerdist.com/article/katee-sackhoff-mandalorian-luke-skywalker-plo-koon/ Plo Koon]] answered Grogu's call. Creator/MingNaWen later confessed that the prop department also attempted to keep Luke's arrival a surprise by painting R2-D2 green.