The upcoming second season of The Mandalorian was already must-watch television for Star Wars fans across the world, following it’s fantastic first season (especially how it ended – more on that later). But it would appear that Jon Favreau and the rest of the gang at Disney are going out of their way to make sure we all tune in when Pedro Pascal’s titular gunslinger returns. First we heard that Rosario Dawson could be bringing fan-favourite Star Wars: Clone Wars character Ahsoka Tano to live-action, and now comes a report that this galaxy far, far away’s original Mandalorian star will be showing up as well.
THR broke the news over the weekend, reporting that Boba Fett will be putting in an appearance in the second season played by none other than Temuera Morrison. The New Zealand actor played the role of Jango Fett in the Prequel Trilogy, with the bounty hunter being revealed to have been the genetic template used for the Empire’s fast-grown clone army. As part of his deal though, Fett asked for one clone which would age naturally and which he raised as a son. That son was, of course, Boba who would follow in his father’s bounty hunting footsteps. And, because he was really a clone, look just like him, hence Morrison’s casting.
As fans should know though, given the time period in which The Mandalorian is set (five years after the events of Return of the Jedi), the infamous bounty hunter should be busy getting slowly digested in the stomach of a Sarlacc around this time, so it’s a bit strange that he should show up. Fett’s return was teased though in “The Gunslinger”, the fifth episode of season one, which ended when we saw the feet of a mysterious character wearing Fett-like boot spurs on Tatooine, the planet where Fett was supposed to have met his fate. Of course, there is also the possibility that THR got it wrong, and Morrison is actually playing one of the clone troopers who also bear his face. Specifically, Rex, the fan-favourite clone trooper from both the Star Wars Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels series.
And speaking of Rebels, another rumour popped up yesterday that The Mandalorian season two could also feature the live-action debut of another famous member of the warrior race. Kessel Run Radio channel host Noah Outlaw tweeted out that he’s been hearing rumblings that Rebels’ Sabine Wren was also coming to the series. What’s more, there have been further (far more tentative) rumours that WWE superstar Sasha Banks’ name is in the mix for the role.
Sabine showing up makes perfect sense though, given that Ahsoka will also be there and the last time we saw either character was their pivotal scene together in the Rebels finale. That scene, set an indeterminate time after the events of Rebels, saw Ahsoka and Sabine set out on a quest together to find fledgeling Jedi Ezra Bridger, who had gone missing while stopping the Empire’s Grand Admiral Thrawn.
The man behind Rebels and Clone Wars was Dave Filoni, who is, of course, a co-writer and director on The Mandalorian. And purely coincidentally, Filoni was chatting to Deadline over the weekend about why he included that tease at the end of Rebels and whether he intends to continue the story.
I mean, it’s definitely something that I left hanging at the end and part of that reason is just it’s always nice in my mind when there’s another story. I like things in a series, even when I read or watch them, and there’s always a bit of sadness when something does come to an end, so potential is a great thing. I love that people are thinking about these stories in the same way that I wondered about many stories. As a kid I wondered what happened to Luke after Return of the Jedi and all my heroes. I think it’s a natural part of enjoying this, and I think there’s always potential for further stories. Certainly, I will say it’s something I’ve given a decent amount of thought to, so you never know when or if it will actually ever take shape.
We’ll have to wait until August when the second season of The Mandalorion premiers on Disney+ to see whether we’ll get that next chapter in Sabine and Ahsoka’s story in live-action.
Last Updated: May 11, 2020
