There was a lot of talk earlier this year about what would replace Game of Thrones as the proverbial water-cooler show, the one show that seemingly everyone, not just the people you follow on Twitter, watches when it airs. Based on conversations I had with friends on Thanksgiving, that show is The Mandalorian (as if Star Wars didn’t dominate pop culture already…). It’s popular for many of the same reasons as Thrones, as it’s a good show (check) with a built-in lore (check) and it’s fun to theorize about (check). What does Space Herzog want with Baby Yoda? Is Baby Yoda related to actual Yoda? Why is Baby Yoda so freaking adorable? And most importantly, when are we going to see Pedro Pascal’s beautiful face? (Look, not EVERY question can be about Baby Yoda.)
In episode four, “Sanctuary,” we almost got to see Pedro Pascal’s beautiful face, as the Mandalorian took his helmet off for the first time on the show, but not quite.
It’s a good shot (even if, from that angle, it seems like he’s in clear view of Omera and the kids), but The Mandalorian will continue to tease the Red Viper’s Joker-inspired “DAMAGED” tattoo on his forehead (I assume) for at least another week. But “Sanctuary” provided some essential backstory about why the Mandalorian never takes his helmet off in front of others. The last time it happened was when he was a child, after “they” took him in, referring to the Mandalorians. “My parents were killed,” he tells Omera, “and the Mandalorians took care of me.” That appears to confirm what most of us already suspected, that the Mandalorian isn’t TECHNICALLY a Mandalorian, at least not by birth; but he was raised as a Mandalorian. The episode also answers: yes, Gina Carano should be in everything; yes, Imperial Walkers are always cool, even when they’re afraid to jump into the shallow end of the pool; and yes, the Mandalorian does remove his helmet to eat or when he’s by himself, but if he shows his face to someone, he can’t put it back on. Not literally, but he loses the privilege of putting it back on.
That is the Way.
