The Mandalorian successfully finished its sophomore run on Disney+, but fans have yet to recover from the epic and action-packed season finale . “Chapter 16” was a thrilling ride from start to finish and was capped off by the surprise appearance of Luke Skywalker in order to rescue Grogu and Mando from the army of Dark Troopers.
The unexpected cameo of Luke was an instant trending topic on social media, with Mark Hamill even joining the fun by teasing those who haven't watched the episode then. From that point on, several cast members of The Mandalorian also posted their reactions to Luke's arrival in the series.
In conjunction with that, The Mandalorian showrunner Jon Favreau revealed that “it was tricky” to preserve the secret of Luke's cameo at first, but he was glad that it worked out in the end. Hamill also addressed the secrecy surrounding his involvement , admitting that it was a “real triumph” to keep the surprise “for over a year.”
Now, a notable member of the crew from the Season 2 finale of the show has taken to social media to express his grateful response towards the fan-favorite Star Wars actor.
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Peyton Reed, who directed the impressive Season 2 finale of The Mandalorian , paid tribute to Luke Skywalker actor Mark Hamill by sharing an image of the Star Wars legend from A New Hope . The director pointed out that the character “meant a great deal” to him and it was a “dream come true” to work with the actor in the hit Disney+ show.
"Dear Mark Hamill,
When I was a kid, this photo hung on my bedroom wall. STAR WARS, and Luke Skywalker in particular, meant a great deal to me.
Some things never change.
It was an honor and a dream come true to work with you on The Mandalorian. Thank you."
Given that Mark Hamill's Luke Skywalker has been around for more than 40 years, the impact of the character goes beyond the films that he's involved with, and Reed's message essentially proves the generational reach of the Star Wars franchise. Not everyone will be given the chance to direct their childhood idols, and Reed clearly took advantage of the opportunity.
The appearance of Luke in The Mandalorian's finale was momentous for a number of reasons since it opened up a vast amount of story possibilities moving forward. Not much is known if Luke's appearance will be a one-time thing, but there's a good chance that fans will see him again down the line, especially considering the fact that Lucasfilm is adopting the “full Marvel format” of telling interconnected stories on Disney+.
Given that the core storyline of The Mandalorian Season 2 was focused on bringing Grogu to a Jedi, Luke's arrival in the show didn't feel forced - it makes perfect sense for him to be the one to answer The Child's call from Tython. Fans initially thought that Ahsoka may end up as the master of the Yoda-like toddler, but this wasn't the case since she had a different agenda in the post- Return of the Jedi timeline.
Now that Grogu and Luke are together, it will be interesting to find out if a reunion with Mando will happen in the future. The strong bond of The Child and Din Djarin is arguably the main selling point of The Mandalorian , and there's a good chance that viewers haven't seen the last of their on-screen dynamic. Thankfully, though, The Mandalorian Season 3 is already confirmed to arrive , and viewers will no doubt tune in to see how Mando's new chapter will play out.
Hopefully, if Luke does return, Reed will be given the opportunity to direct Hamill once more.
