This is the way

Star Wars is an important touchstone in my life. I saw the first movie in 1977 in a crowded theater in Florida on vacation. Just shy of my 9th birthday, this event was monumental in creating my fandom.

As fans speed to the ending of The Mandalorian on Disney+, I have not been more excited for the future of Star Wars. The reason is the two men at the helm of the show: Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni. It is neon-flashing obvious those two writers/directors/producers/actors are who should get complete and absolute creative control over the Star Wars franchise. 

The Mandalorian is by the best live-action Star Wars when viewed next to the last few movies. There’s really no comparison. Disney and Star Wars are blessed to have true visionaries in Favreau and Filoni, who have written a lot of Star Wars and “get” the franchise at the helm. J. J. Abrams and Rian Johnson created competent films that have a “feeling” of Star Wars but don’t quite hit the mark. 

One big advantage, I think, is the character creation. Rey, Finn, Poe, and Kylo Ren are pretty good characters. The problem lies in the feeling that they are less original and more just ciphers for the original Luke, Han, Leia, and Darth Vader. 

On the other hand, Din Djarin, Grogu (Baby Yoda), Cara Dune, Greef Karga, Moff Gideon, Bo-Katan Kryze, and Ahsoka Tano do not feel like retreads. Sure, at first glance, our protagonist in The Mandalorian looks like Boba Fett, and Moff Gideon is giving off a strong Darth Vader fanboy vibe, but scratch the surface, and you will see something else. A uniqueness that has flowed out of the mind of Filoni and Favreau. Heck, we even get to see Fett and Djarin in this season, and there’s a distinct contrast. 

Ahsoka Tano is one of the most realized characters in all of Star Wars, and her character arc is defined by her creator, Filoni. Seeing a live-action version was everything a Star Wars fan could want.

It seems inevitable that Favreau and Filoni are going to have full creative control soon. The question then will be, what happens next?

I can’t wait to see it.