Star Wars Already Spoiled The Ending of The Mandalorian and Grogu

by

The upcoming Star Wars film, The Mandalorian and Grogu, appears to be taking inspiration from The Empire Strikes Back. The first trailer showed the return of the AT-AT walkers, reminiscent of the Battle of Hoth, and demonstrated how Mandalorians combat these massive vehicles. The latest trailer reveals a new storyline where Grogu lands on a swamp planet – possibly Nal Hutta, the Hutt homeworld – and seems to be learning from a mysterious character who discusses overcoming fear.

As a huge Star Wars fan, I’ve always noticed how the first set of films really built on the foundation laid by A New Hope. The Force Awakens felt incredibly similar, almost a retelling, and the spin-off movies like Rogue One and Solo gave us great details about characters and how the Rebellion got the plans for the Death Star. So it’s really exciting to me that the newest films are tackling what most fans consider the peak of the original trilogy – everyone agrees The Empire Strikes Back is the best, and it makes total sense to revisit that territory!

The Mandalorian and Grogu Trailer Secretly Sets Up A Major Defeat

The latest from The Mandalorian and Grogu definitely echoes the Battle of Hoth and Luke Skywalker’s training with Yoda. However, the new trailer suggests a much grimmer direction, starting with scenes of New Republic ships flying into battle – a clear nod to the iconic “Ride of the Valkyries” sequence from Apocalypse Now. While the original film showed a hopeful dawn attack, this trailer depicts the heroes flying into the sunset, symbolizing the end of hope and the arrival of darkness.

Everyone knows The Empire Strikes Back was groundbreaking because it dared to end with the good guys failing. The Rebel Alliance was defeated, Han Solo was captured, and Luke Skywalker learned a shocking family secret while losing to Darth Vader. It’s easy to overlook, but the opening of The Mandalorian and Grogu trailer feels like a similar warning – suggesting this new movie might also end with a loss for our heroes.

We Now Know What Din Djarin’s Mission Is In The Mandalorian and Grogu

So, what’s Din Djarin actually trying to accomplish? For months, Lucasfilm kept the plot of The Mandalorian and Grogu a secret, frustrating fans. While this first trailer still doesn’t reveal everything – we still don’t know exactly why Din Djarin gets into trouble with the Hutts – his main goal is now clear. He’s working for Colonel Ward, played by Sigourney Weaver, who believes they need to eliminate important Imperial leaders to prevent another galactic war.

The New Republic thinks the Empire is gone, believing its former leaders are now just independent warlords. However, viewers know these warlords are secretly working together, guided by a hidden Imperial Shadow Council. To make matters worse, Grand Admiral Thrawn, the Empire’s brilliant strategist, has returned from exile and will likely try to rebuild the Empire. Colonel Ward is correct to fear another galactic war is coming, and these current actions represent the last opportunity to prevent it.

We Already Know the New Republic Will Fail

The characters Din Djarin, Grogu, and Colonel Ward aren’t expected to succeed in their current journey. This is because The Mandalorian and Grogu is setting the stage for a larger series of stories – the beginning of what’s being called the “Mandoverse.” Later this year, Dave Filoni’s Ahsoka Season 2 will continue this storyline, leading to a full-scale war between the New Republic and the remaining forces of the Empire, now united under the command of Thrawn. This confirmation came from Filoni at last year’s Star Wars Celebration.

In an interview with Screen Rant, Dave Filoni revealed he’s heavily influenced by classic Star Wars stories from the Expanded Universe, particularly Timothy Zahn’s “Thrawn Trilogy.” While those stories are no longer considered official canon (now labeled “Legends”), Filoni wants to incorporate elements like the conflict between Thrawn, who led the remnants of the Empire, and Admiral Ackbar. Filoni stated he likes to maintain certain core elements, and confirmed that Ackbar and Thrawn will clash in Season 2 of Ahsoka.

The Star Wars universe is heading back to war, with a new conflict brewing between the Empire and the New Republic – something we’ve only glimpsed in supplementary stories before. This won’t be a repeat of the original Galactic Civil War, but a struggle between two powerful galactic factions. Knowing Din Djarin, Grogu, and Colonel Ward are trying to prevent it, we can already guess how the story of The Mandalorian and Grogu will end: much like the heroes in The Empire Strikes Back, they’re likely to face defeat.

I just saw the trailer for The Mandalorian and Grogu and I’m so excited! I’d love to hear what you all think – let’s chat about it over on the ComicBook Forum!

https://comicbook.com/movies/feature/star-wars-the-mandalorian-and-grogu-trailer-breakdown/embed/#

Read More

2026-02-18 16:42