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The Mandalorian season 2 trailer has arrived – and everyone has questions. Who is the woman wearing the cloak? A new character, or someone familiar? Wasn't the Armourer, who does the voice-over, dead? Who's piloting that X-Wing?
Well, we're here to help, as we dive into everything that we gleaned from the Mandalorian season 2 trailer. From Tusken Raiders to Dathomirians, here's what we noticed.
Who is the cloaked woman in the Mandalorian trailer?
Before you ask, it’s almost certainly not not Ahsoka Tano. No official confirmation yet, but it looks like the hooded woman who disappears in a flash whilst spying on the Mandalorian is played by WWE Superstar Sasha Banks.
So, who is Banks playing? It could be Star Wars Rebels character Sabine Wren, a Mandalorian warrior who was last seen alongside Ahsoka Tano in a quest to bring padawan Ezra Bridger back to his homeworld of Lothal. Previously, she also wielded the Darksaber – though her current intentions and alignments are unclear and canonically it will have been several years since she was last season.
If true, that shows the faith The Mandalorian (and Clone Wars/Rebels co-creator Dave Filoni) has in bringing these Star Wars spin-offs to a greater audience than ever before. As a bonus, Sasha Banks’ WWE persona often changes up her hair colour into bright blues and purples – much like Sabine. Who says we can’t clutch at straws with the best of ‘em?
Which ice planet is that?
There are a great many ice planets in the Star Wars galaxy, and the familiar setting returns in The Mandalorian season 2 trailer. But which ice planet does this happen to be? The most obvious answer would be Hoth, seen at the beginning of the Empire Strikes Back. Yet, why would Mando be looking for the Jedi on Hoth?
We're more likely looking at the planet Ilum, which may not be a familiar name, but will be a familiar location to nearly all Star Wars fans. Ilum was a planet mined by the Jedi, as it was rich in naturally-forming kyber crystals, and the Jedi eventually decided to leave Ilum off of public records. They also built a temple on the planet, which Ahsoka Tano visits during the events of the Clone Wars series. In Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order, the protagonist Cal Kestis goes to Ilum to find kyber crystal for his lightsaber.
But that's not why the planet will be familiar to broader Star Wars fans. Ilum plays a major part in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker – the First Order eventually turn the Jedi-stronghold into the Starkiller base! So, Ilum is actually the planet on which Han Solo eventually perishes.
The state of the Rebels and Empire
We see an X-Wing in the Mandalorian season 2 trailer, which is exciting enough on its own. But, what we're really wondering is, why is the X-Wing trailing Mando?
That question can only be answered in the series. What we do know, though, is the current state of the Rebels and the Empire. The Mandalorian takes place five years after The Return of the Jedi, which saw the Empire falls as the Emperor was defeated by the Rebels. The Rebels would later seek out the remnants of the Empire and destroy them where possible, and a new universe order was created.
The X-Wing pilots are therefore not Rebels but New Republic pilots, most likely part of the New Republic Defense Fleet. The Empire, meanwhile, are still on the outs. We know Mof Gideon is leading a section of them – but will they become the embers of the New Order, the villains eventually led by Kylo Ren? Time will tell.
Some familiar Star Wars species – and one *very* familiar planet
Let’s do a roll call for the weird and wonderful creatures and species in a galaxy far, far away that were found in The Mandalorian season 2 trailer. First up is a lone Tusken Raider, mounting a Bantha, who looks out over the dunes of Tatooine and sees a ship – probably Mando’s – flying away in the distance. Why would he go Tatooine? Likely in search of the Jedi. After all, Ben Kenobi and Luke Skywalker once lived on the planet.
Then, we see a pair of Gamorreans duking it out in the ring as a braying crowd watching on. They’re not among the most well known of Star Wars species, generally speaking, but have made appearances across much of Star Wars media, including The Clone Wars and Resistance.
Finally, Mando also takes down a Dathomirian with a knife to the chest in the trailer’s final scene. They appeared in the video game Jedi Fallen Order and can count the likes of Darth Maul among their race.
The voiceover
That’s The Armorer (the helmeted Mandalore blacksmith from the first season) telling the story of a great conflict between Mandalore the Great and the mythical group of sorcerers – better known to you and I as the Jedi. Mando doesn’t trust them, assumingly because the Mandalorian War the legends speak of didn’t end too well for his people. If you’re wondering why the conversation sounds so familiar, that’s because it’s actually a clip from last year’s season finale, not fresh season 2 dialogue.
So, hopes of the Armorer escaping an ambush from the remnants of the Empire seem unlikely. Still, it sets Mando on the path of who he has to find next and could set the tone for the entire season.
The Mandalorian season 2 drops on Disney Plus on October 30. If you need more from The Mandalorian season 2 then this is The Way: here are the first official images, plus a look at the impact Star Wars creator George Lucas had while on-set. And if you're looking for a Star Wars rewatch, then here's how to watch the Star Wars movies in order.
