Things are heating up!
For months, we've had insider scoops and rumors to fuel theories on the direction of The Mandalorian season 2. In what now seems like ages ago, it was heavily rumored that several familiar faces would be appearing in the upcoming season, including animated favorite Ahsoka Tano and the notorious bounty hunter Boba Fett.
With the alleged emergence of these fan favorites, coupled with comments made by creator Jon Favreau, it's clear that The Mandalorian is about to take its first steps into a larger world. How Boba Fett will factor into the series has been a hot topic of discussion, and a new merchandise promotional image has stoked the flames of speculation...
NEWS
Update: False alarm. One of our readers has kindly informed us that the image in question is actually the work of cosplayer Magic City Creations. The character depicted in Polaroid's promotional image will not be in The Mandalorian.
An image from Polaroid's new The Mandalorian webpage via Reddit user OldManBogan depicts a mysterious figure in Mandalorian armor with what appears to be a desert in the background:
WHAT THIS MEANS
Update: As noted above, the image being evaluated was the work of a cosplayer, meaning much of the below speculation no longer holds true. The character being a fan cosplay was a distinct possibility when the rumor surfaced, and we now have confirmation that this figure is neither Cobb Vanth, Boba Fett, or anyone else in The Mandalorian.
First and foremost, there is absolutely nothing official about the identity of this figure. Any and all assertions made are purely speculation.
With that being said, the popular theory is that the man in the Mandalorian armor is none other than Cobb Vanth, the self-appointed sheriff of a Tatooine settlement introduced in the Aftermath trilogy. Vanth, rumored to be portrayed by Timothy Olyphant, acquired a set of Mandalorian armor from Jawas shortly following the events of Return of the Jedi - armor believed to have belonged to Boba Fett.
In the recent wave of marketing, we see that Mando and the Child return to Tatooine in season 2. A shot in the trailer even shows what appears to be a set of armor strapped to the back of Din Djarin's speeder bike, although that remains to be confirmed. Perhaps Mando defeated Vanth and sought out Fett to return the armor to its rightful owner?
Another possibility is that man in the picture is Boba Fett. The helmet in the image doesn't appear to feature the trademark dent that resulted from a showdown with Cad Bane, and the color of the armor doesn't match Fett's. While there's a chance Vanth had simply repainted the armor to his own satisfaction, it doesn't explain the missing dent. Tatooine has a large underworld presence, so is it out of the question that Fett obtained a new set of armor on the black market?
Of course, there's also always the chance we're reading too much into this and the image is just a cosplay compiled by Polaroid for the sake of marketing. While most indicators seem to be pointing to this mystery man being Cobb Vanth or Boba Fett, he could simply be nobody as well.
It won't be long until we have our answer. Mando's headed back to Tatooine, and if the rumors of Vanth and Fett appearing prove to be true, we'll know who dons the red Mandalorian armor before the season's end.
