There's an additional holiday on the calendar for Star Wars fans every year, May the 4th or Star Wars Day.
Disney and Lucasfilm are known for going all out in celebrating May the 4th through new products, artwork, and even by releasing new content!
For 2020, the incredible final episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars dropped on Disney+ along with the debut episode of Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian and the release of The Rise of Skywalker to streaming.
For 2021, fans already know Star Wars: The Bad Batch is set to premiere on Disney+. But ahead of the fan-favorite holiday, it appears Star Wars is focusing on some, but surprisingly not all, of its iconic characters.
SEQUEL TRILOGY CHARACTERS MISSING FROM STAR WARS DAY POSTER
In preparation for May the 4th, Star Wars shared the official poster for Star Wars Day 2021.
The landscape version of the poster curiously omits characters from both The Mandalorian and Disney's Sequel Trilogy.
However, the full version of the banner features Rey, Poe, Finn, and Kylo Ren.
Characters from The Mandalorian on Disney+ are surprisingly nowhere to be found.
This year's May the 4th poster primarily focuses on the characters from the Original Trilogy, with Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader occupying the most real estate.
What's particularly worth noting is that the poster doesn't just focus on the Original Trilogy as it also includes Ahsoka Tano from The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, and her cameo in The Mandalorian.
In addition, Clone Force 99 and Asajj Ventress from The Clone Wars are present, as is Darth Maul. His presence may be a representation of the Prequels as well as his part in The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, and Solo: A Star Wars Story.
Now for comparison, one of 2020's May the 4th posters also had Darth and Luke front and center while still including characters from the Prequels and Sequels, but not The Mandalorian.
But then again, this poster is specifically advertising the complete Skywalker Saga on Disney+ which naturally would include the cast of all three trilogies.
WHERE, OH WHERE IS MANDO?
So is Lucasfilm trying to tell fans something?
It's possible, but it's also unlikely.
Of all the studios in the world of entertainment, Lucasfilm understands fan devotion and fan division. This year's poster could simply be an indication that Star Wars Day is keeping up the promotion of its nine main Skywalker-focused movies while also promoting what's new in the Star Wars Universe.
After all, Luke Skywalker arguably made the most waves this year with his cameo in The Mandalorian's Season 2 finale.
Also, Ahsoka Tano dominated the final season of The Clone Wars while also appearing in live-action for the first time in The Mandalorian. Plus her own Disney+ series starring Rosario Dawson is already in the works.
Lastly, Star Wars: The Bad Batch starring Clone Force 99 is literally premiering on Disney+ on May the 4th. Not including them in promotional material simply wouldn't make sense from a marketing perspective.
But what opens the door for speculation is the lack of Mando and Baby Yoda/Grogu, as well as the fact that the characters highlighted on the poster (not including Original Trilogy characters) are from the mind of Dave Filoni.
Could The Mandalorian's omission be due to Gina Carano being dropped from the series and that ensuing controversy?
If indeed there's some sort of intentionality in this artwork, it's that Lucasfilm wants fans to continue to remember The Skywalker Saga as well as the work of the one Dave Filoni.
