Seven years. That’s how long it’s been since Star Wars last released a movie in theaters. Seven long years since 2019’s “The Rise of Skywalker,” and I still don’t know how to erase that misfire from my brain. The franchise flew too close to the sun after “The Force Awakens” and “Rogue One.” “The Last Jedi” was profitable but polarizing, “Solo” was dead on arrival, and “The Rise of Skywalker” quite literally forced Disney to pause future movies and go back to the drawing board.
Instead of movies, Lucasfilm pivoted to television, and their most successful effort was “The Mandalorian.” Jon Favreau’s space Western follows Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal), the titular Mandalorian working as a bounty hunter after the fall of the Empire. In the first episode, the bounty that Din retrieves is a tiny green creature named Grogu, or “Baby Yoda,” depending on what you prefer. The two form an unlikely bond as Din becomes a father figure to Grogu as they embark on riveting adventures throughout the galaxy.
