'The Mandalorian': Can you tell a good 'Star Wars' story without including the Force or the Jedi Order?
November 12 will see the release of the 'Star Wars' franchise's first live-action TV series 'The Mandalorian'.
Helmed by Jon Favreau, with a Western approach to a typical sci-fi series, it's safe to say that the Mandalorian will be a 'Star Wars' story like none other.
Early impressions of the series seem to have the show's focus shift away from the concerns of the Jedi Order and the Dark and Light sides of the Force.
'The Mandalorian' would appear to be more focused on smaller-scale stories as it follows the adventures of the titular bounty hunter.
The Force and those who wield it have been an integral part of the 'Star Wars franchise' — can 'The Mandalorian' still be a good 'Star Wars' story without it?
The original 'Star Wars' movie was essentially a fantasy story wrapped in a sci-fi aesthetic. It had all the tropes of popular fantasy stories of the time — a Chosen One, a mystical force, an old mentor in robes, an all powerful evil, comedic minor characters, and a group of plucky heroes.
The movie might have called them lightsabers, but in all honesty, they were magic swords. There was even a princess (albeit one who turned the fantasy princess trope completely on its head).
It wasn’t until 'The Empire Strikes Back' that the franchise fully committed to the science fiction genre. 'The Last Jedi' found a balance between the two, but the sci-fi aspect of 'Star Wars' is what really took off in the movies, comics, shows, books and video games.
Through all these stories, one kernel of fantasy trappings remains — 'Star Wars' is about Good vs Evil, with odds stacked heavily against the side of good.
As such, having a Dark Side of the Force, and people unambiguously aligned with it has been an immense boon for that narrative. The Empire — and, in the more recent films, the First Order — are uncomplicatedly evil.
They have a great many conflicted, nuanced characters working for them, but there is no question about which side is, ultimately, the one with the baddies.
It used to be enough to call a side 'The Dark Side' and have that be all the fans needed to know. Fans today, however, are more critical than ever of being told something, and prefer to come to their own judgements.
Clearly divided lines might work for a blockbuster movie that requires more gut reaction than critical thought, but for a TV show that's more street level, a more realistic look is required.
Belonging to a mystical, vague 'Dark Side of the Force' is not enough for a villain's motivation. In order for this to be a good 'Star Wars' story, we need a villain — an evil more powerful than any of the show's sympathetic protagonists.
'The Mandalorian' presents an opportunity to examine a new kind of darkness within the 'Star Wars' universe — one that's inspired by the last remnants of the Empire, perhaps, or even a new emergent organization — after all, we still know very little about how the First Order rose to power.
Whatever be the case, with any luck, 'The Mandalorian' will be a worthy addition to the 'Star Wars' franchise that the Force is NOT with. 'The Mandalorian' releases on Disney+ on November 12.