The Mandalorian delivered an impressive second season by successfully introducing Mando and Grogu to the larger Star Wars world. The presence of fan-favorite characters like Ahsoka Tano and Bo-Katan managed to progress the show's story in exciting ways while also helping the runaway duo greatly evolve their dynamic.
A good chunk of Season 1 of the hit Star Wars show was focused on establishing the relationship between Grogu and Din Djarin, but Season 2 took it up a notch by pushing the character's bond to the forefront. The pair had its fair share of ups and downs throughout, but the father-son connection ultimately prevailed at the end.
Unfortunately, Grogu and Mando's bond met an end during the Season 2 finale since the former finally accepted his fate of becoming a Jedi under the guidance of Mark Hamill's Luke Skywalker. Now, Pascal reveals the impact of the emotional detachment of the two characters.
NEWS
In an interview with IndieWire, Pedro Pascal opened up about Din Djarin's decision to remove his helmet for Grogu during the Season 2 finale of The Mandalorian. The actor admitted that it was “almost impossible” to imagine the “overwhelming paralysis” of Mando to not remove his helmet, but Pascal pointed out that it had to be done in order to save Grogu.:
“The entire idea of getting to inhabit somebody who, since they were a child, no human has seen their face. it was almost impossible to imagine the level of nakedness and exposure, the overwhelming paralysis. It can’t happen, but it’s a mission and the child has to be saved. It was a super-exciting dance of profound, incredible restraint and total exposure. I can count on my one hand the lines the character had. On the other hand, he’s desperately trying to hide in a room without a mask with his face exposed. It was cool and it was strange.”
Pascal then shared his reaction to the impact of Grogu touching his face to the worldwide audience. The actor revealed that Din “tries to not let himself soften” during the scene, but he ultimately surrendered to the moment since “he cannot help himself.”
“At that point, I knew what it would mean for everyone to experience that kind of threshold between the character and the child. We follow this story for two seasons; there’s this bond that grows between the two of them. He tries to not let himself soften, but he cannot help himself. This practical story logic brought something else about that moment, what it would mean to touch his face.”
WHAT THIS MEANS
Pascal's remark goes to show how well the actor understands Din Djarin as a character. Ever since the beginning of The Mandalorian, The Creed has been a staple of Mando's life, but this was visibly shaken due to the arrival of the Yoda-like toddler.
Season 1 might've provided clues that Mando is unwilling to break the aforementioned code, but it's clear during Season 2 that no rule will ever stop the famed bounty hunter from saving The Child. There were proverbial hints throughout the show's sophomore run that widely suggest that the helmet rule is poised to be broken. In a way, Din's act of removing the helmet in front of his allies essentially hints that he is ready to forego the Mandalorians' creed, and the final nail in the coffin is Grogu's departure.
The emotional moment between Grogu and Mando during the final sequence of The Mandalorian Season 2 finale no doubt brings a lot of emotions to the table. The story of the runaway pair served as the focal point of the Star Wars series for two years now, and it's sad to see it come to a close during “Chapter 16.”
Pascal's mention of Mando trying to not let himself “soften” represents the immense growth of the character from being an intimidating bounty hunter to a compassionate father figure. By letting Din remove his helmet in front of Grogu, this ultimately marks a fitting conclusion to the powerful relationship of these characters.
