Not too long ago, I wrote about how I wasn’t hyped for The Mandalorian and Grogu, and I was genuinely not going to see it. However, the other day, my best friend said, “Hey, do you want to see The Mandalorian and Grogu?” And I said “Sure!” since I haven’t seen my friend in a long time.
But, boy howdy! The Mandalorian and Grogu is SO GOOD! Sure, I know some fans wish it had more twists and that it didn’t just feel like three episodes of The Mandalorian stitched together, but I actually loved how it kind of felt like a throwback to the OG Star Wars trilogy.
In fact, it’s now my SECOND favorite Star Wars movie ever, right after Rogue One. Here’s why!
It Has VERY Minimal Jedi Stuff
You might have been surprised that my favorite Star Wars movie isn’t The Empire Strikes Back, since that seems to be everybody’s pick for the best Star Wars movie. Instead, I much prefer Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. It's probably not hard to make the connection between why I love Rogue One and why I also love The Mandalorian and Grogu, and that’s because there’s none of what I like to call “Jedi nonsense” in either of them.
Sure, Rogue One has a character who believes in the Force - who just so happens to be one of the coolest recent Star Wars characters in memory - as well as Darth Vader, but otherwise, it’s mostly a Force-free Star Wars movie (aside from a couple of moments from Grogu), just like The Mandalorian and Grogu. Honestly, my favorite aspects of Star Wars are all of the things AROUND the Force and the Jedi, like space battles, lone warriors, and the boots-on-the-ground rebellion.
The Mandalorian and Grogu has all of that! As I mentioned up top, I know people don’t like that it felt like episodes of the TV series stitched together, but before the third season, which I didn’t even finish, I really loved The Mandalorian.
And, this movie hits all of the notes that I used to love about the show. The Mandalorian himself is badass when he’s out on assignments, and the movie almost feels like a western at times, with characters shooting from the hip and moseying on into town (or rather, onto different planets). I also love how Grogu’s bond with Din Djarin is strengthened even more with this movie. This lack of the Force (For the most part) is just ONE of the main reasons why this is my second favorite Star Wars movie. Here’s my other reason.
The Hutts Play A Major Role In This Movie, And Jabba Is One Of My Favorite Characters
I’m going to let you in on a little secret. When it comes to the original trilogy, my favorite movie isn’t A New Hope, nor is it The Empire Strikes Back. It’s actually Return of the Jedi (I know. The worst one!). While I do know that it’s the most childish of the original trilogy, I don’t mind that, because in a lot of ways, I’ve always felt that Star Wars is for children.
So, yes, I like the Ewoks. I like the Speeder Bike stuff on Endor, and I love Jabba the Hutt the most. He's definitely in my top three favorite Star Wars characters of all time (The others being Bor Gullet and Boba Fett). And in The Mandalorian and Grogu, we get A LOT of the Hutt family.
We get Jabba’s son, Rotta the Hutt (voiced by Jeremy Allen White), as well as Rotta’s aunt and uncle, called "The Twins," who are running the crime syndicate now.
The Hutts are pretty much the primary characters that most of the narrative centers around, and I love that we’re not really seeing the Galactic Empire here, but rather the seedy underbelly of the Star Wars universe, which I absolutely love! So, little to no Jedi stuff, the Hutts, and The Mandalorian kicking butt? Heck yes. Second best Star Wars movie ever!
