LONDON: The seismic impact of the season two finale of “The Mandalorian” has been such that, since it aired at the end of 2020, fans have been clamoring for something — anything — to tide them over until the third season returns. Be aware, there are spoilers ahead for those of you who have not seen season two.
While there’s still no confirmed date for a new season (though spinoff “The Book of Boba Fett” will ease the suffering in December 2021), Disney has released a behind-the-scenes look at the show’s biggest surprise and best-kept secret — the return of Mark Hamill as Jedi Master Luke Skywalker.
The level of adulation at Hamill’s cameo was matched only by the desperate hunt to learn more about how the Lucasfilm and Disney experts had pulled the whole thing off, and “Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian” finally lifts the lid on the staggering level of effort that went into the Emmy-nominated episode. The main players offer up rare and fascinating insight into the project to bring the franchise’s most iconic Jedi to the small screen, so there’s plenty of time with show creator Jon Favreau, executive producer Dave Filoni and finale director Peyton Reed, as well as Mark Hamill’s take on why he felt to return as the iconic character.
What really makes this episode more than mere fan service, however, is the amount of time given over to the technical wizardry behind the special effects — and the technicians and creative artists who actually made it all happen. What’s more, there’s even a debate as to the morality of digital character creation, de-aging, AI-powered speech generation and some of the other cutting-edge processes that brought the episode to life. The “Star Wars” franchise has always been about creating magical, momentous experiences. This rare peek behind the curtain makes it possible to revisit those experiences, understand the technical proficiency behind them, and bask in the shared adoration of a series that, despite its age, continues to grow ever more precious to its fanbase.
