The Mandalorian & Grogu’s Ending Rewrites the Rules of Star Wars (For the Better)

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After a seven-year absence, Star Wars has returned to cinemas, and the conclusion of The Mandalorian and Grogu sets the stage for future films. Disney has spent the last five years focusing on streaming series and spin-offs, including several projects that were cancelled or put on hold. Now, after launching Disney+ in 2019, The Mandalorian and Grogu are tasked with bringing Star Wars back to its roots as a successful movie franchise. Please be aware that the following contains spoilers for The Mandalorian and Grogu.

Be warned, there are minor spoilers ahead, but honestly, there aren’t any huge surprises. The movie is pretty predictable, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing – I enjoyed it! It’s a fun time at the movies, delivering exactly what you’d expect: Grogu is unbelievably cute, and he and Mando team up to defeat the bad guys – first the Imperials, then a pair of Hutt twins – helping the New Republic. The movie ends with them simply returning home, which is a perfectly satisfying conclusion.

The Mandalorian & Grogu’s Ending Doesn’t Set Up Star Wars’ Future (& That’s Good)

Star Wars movies usually end by clearly setting up the next installment. While the first Star Wars film doesn’t do this as strongly, it still leaves the audience knowing Darth Vader and the Empire must be defeated. The Empire Strikes Back is a notable exception, ending on a downbeat with the heroes losing. However, The Phantom Menace introduces the plot for Attack of the Clones, which then leads into Revenge of the Sith. The Force Awakens immediately continues in The Last Jedi, and that film sets up several possibilities for The Rise of Skywalker. Even Rogue One and Solo connect to existing stories and hint at future adventures. The only exceptions to this pattern are the final movies of each trilogy, as those are meant to provide closure.

This gives The Mandalorian and Grogu‘s ending a distinctive quality – it doesn’t obviously set up future storylines. While the pair will likely have more adventures within the story’s universe, and could return to screens, the movie doesn’t explicitly hint at what’s next. It simply concludes, offering no promises or teasers.

While some might dislike it, I really appreciate this approach. With so many movies and shows focused on building interconnected universes and constantly setting up future installments – often at the expense of the story itself – it’s a welcome change to see something with a definitive, self-contained ending. After a sequel trilogy that felt directionless and the Mandalorian universe becoming overloaded with cameos and connections, it’s genuinely satisfying to watch a Star Wars film that confidently tells its own story.

Star Wars needs to prioritize making enjoyable films. Simply producing any movies would be a good first step, but ideally, they should be well-made and entertaining – something The Mandalorian & Grogu already achieves. The franchise can’t get held back by planning sequels that might never materialize, which is why the ending of this film is satisfying. It’s a self-contained, fun story inspired by classic adventure serials, and it’s easy to create more like it if audiences want them.

The upcoming Star Wars: Starfighter seems like it will be a self-contained story, though it might tie into Rey’s new Jedi Order. While a connection could be successful and lead to more films – I even predict it will outperform The Mandalorian and Grogu – the hope is that it will still work as a complete, independent film.

The Mandalorian & Grogu’s Ending Plays On One Of Star Wars’ Oldest Themes

Ultimately, The Mandalorian & Grogu is a story about a father and son – a theme deeply rooted in the heart of Star Wars. From iconic pairings like Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker, to the impact of Anakin Skywalker growing up without a father, and the bonds between Jedi Masters and their Padawans (or Sith Lords and their Apprentices), these relationships have always been central to the Star Wars galaxy. Din Djarin and Grogu continue this tradition.

I was hoping The Mandalorian and Grogu would delve deeper into this idea, as it felt a bit underdeveloped. Exploring it more fully would have added more emotional impact. However, the film does touch on it through Din learning to let Grogu be independent while still being a supportive presence, which really captures the essence of being a parent.

Grogu begins to learn how to take care of himself, and importantly, that he’ll sometimes need to look after Din Djarin. While the movie isn’t overly complex, the scenes of Grogu independently caring for Mando are the most touching and visually stunning. This highlights the Mandalorian creed: “The old protect the young, and the young protect the old. This is the Way.”

The Mandalorian & Grogu’s Ending Does Impact Star Wars Canon

The conclusion of The Mandalorian & Grogu delivers a fairly predictable outcome, but it marks a significant moment in Star Wars lore: the apparent end of the Hutts. With the demise of the Twins and the dismantling of their power base on Nal Hutta, it seems the Hutts have been completely eliminated, especially considering Rotta the Hutt’s disinterest in continuing their criminal empire.

The Hutt Clan is a very old and influential criminal organization in the Star Wars galaxy, with a history stretching back centuries. They’ve been a powerful force throughout many different eras – from the High Republic and Clone Wars to the original movies and the Mandalorian timeline – but their reign has now come to an end.

The story also hints at connections between the New Republic and what’s left of the Empire. While the sequel trilogy and the rise of the First Order create some limitations, the presence of the Shadow Council in this film suggests links to Thrawn and a broader plan for the Empire’s comeback – though these connections are intentionally kept mysterious.

What’s Coming Next After The Mandalorian & Grogu?

The future of this franchise looks a bit different. After The Mandalorian and Grogu, there are only four confirmed movies or TV shows planned. While that’s still a decent number, it’s less than the large wave of series we saw a few years ago. Here’s what’s coming up:

  • Star Wars: Visions Presents – The Ninth Jedi (2026)
  • Ahsoka Season 2 (2027)
  • Star Wars: Starfighter (2027)
  • Maul: Shadow Lord Season 2 (TBC)

Out of all the current Star Wars shows, only Ahsoka directly connects to the story of The Mandalorian and Grogu. While it doesn’t explicitly lead into future events, we know Zeb will appear in Season 2, bringing his former crewmates from Star Wars Rebels back together. There’s also a chance he’ll bring Rotta along, potentially leading to a heartwarming reunion between Rotta and Ahsoka nearly 20 years after their meeting in The Clone Wars movie.

With the 50th anniversary of Star Wars being celebrated – and A New Hope returning to theaters – the new film Star Wars: Starfighter feels like a major event, potentially more so than The Mandalorian & Grogu. Directed by Shawn Levy, it stars Ryan Gosling as a pilot protecting a young boy named Flynn Gray. The story takes place five years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker.

Will We Get More Of Din Djarin & Grogu?

While there’s no official confirmation of future installments, many fans anticipate more adventures for Din Djarin and Grogu, suggesting they aren’t finished yet. However, whether more stories happen ultimately depends on how well the film performs financially. Reviews and audience reactions to The Mandalorian and Grogu are mixed, though positive audience response is encouraging. Because the film was made with a relatively modest budget for a Star Wars project – around $166 million – it doesn’t need to earn as much to be considered a success. Disney likely only needs around $400 million, considering revenue from merchandise and streaming, to view it as profitable.

If the new movie does well, we’ll likely see another film featuring Din Djarin and Grogu. There are many possibilities for future stories with them battling the Empire or other enemies. However, if the movie isn’t successful, Disney might decide to continue The Mandalorian as a TV series instead, though it’s unusual for a show to become a movie and then return to being a TV series. Regardless, it’s hard to believe their adventures are over, and I certainly hope that’s the case.

The Mandalorian and Grogu is now playing in theaters.

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2026-05-22 21:44