9 days.
We're 9 days away from the debut of The Mandalorian's second season. With that being the case, allow us to take some time to look into a noteworthy development that arose from some of the latest footage.
Star Wars fans are undoubtedly aware of the strong chance for dangerous native species to make unwanted appearances. This tradition dates back to A New Hope when Luke Skywalker found himself victim to both Tusken Raiders and a Dianoga, and has carried on through the years up to The Mandalorian when Mando was attacked by wild Blurrgs and The Rise of Skywalker with the wounded sand serpent.
Unfortunately for Mando, the Blurrgs seem to be a cakewalk. The Monday Night Football trailer has revealed a new breed of adversary for Din Djarin, and it comes in the form of...
SPIDERS
Yes, Mando will be going up against the ultimate creepy-crawlie, space spiders.
An Instagram post by Bespin Bulletin raised attention to a deceased spider on a wing of the downed Razor Crest, a crash that's apparently the result of a dogfight with New Republic X-Wings. And while it's looking bad for the Crest, the spider with his guts splayed out across the hull of the ship is looking a whole lot worse.
But what exactly are these spiders? There are a few possibilities...
THE EYE OF WEBBISH BOG
Not the oracle himself, but a member of its species.
For those out of the loop, the Eye of Webbish Bog was a creature intended to make an appearance in The Rise of Skywalker. The ugly being would be the last thing standing in the way between Kylo Ren and his grandfather's wayfinder, and was going to probe Ren on his feelings for Rey. The sequence, while was deleted from the film, lives on in the novelization.
Because so little is known about the character and its race, whether or not these spiders are native to only Mustafar remains to be seen. The oracle itself is able to converse, and while the ability to speak does not make you intelligent, fellow members of the species at the same level would indicate that these are not wild creatures.
KRYKNA SPIDERS
Anyone remember these freaks?
The Krykna spiders are best known for raising hell in Star Wars Rebels while the Ghost crew was attempting to establish a base on Atollon with Phoenix Squadron. Unable to be calmed by the Force or defeated by regular blasters, the greatest deterrents for these spiders were... sensor beacons. The use of these devices allowed the rebels to successfully establish a perimeter around their base.
Unlike the Eye of Webbish Bog, these creeps are completely wild and could pose a much greater threat to Mando. While they hail from Atollon, it's possible that a physically distant cousin could be the race that occupies the ice cave of doom.
A CONCEPTUAL BREED
There is, of course, a high likelihood that the last arachnid to find its way into the Star Wars universe is an entirely new species.
It's difficult to discuss anything related to Star Wars design without bringing Ralph McQuarrie's name into the conversation. Above is a concept piece done for The Empire Strikes Back, depicting an early iteration of Luke's arrival on Dagobah while encountering a giant spider.
This piece, like many by the legendary concept artist, served as inspiration for the Krykna in Rebels, but bears a striking resemblance to the carcass we can see on the Razor Crest. Lucasfilm is very fond of going back to previously unused designs, and McQuarrie's creation may have aided the creators of The Mandalorian in settling on a menacing look for the new vile creatures.
MANDO'S FRIENDS & FOES
It's hard to conceive of the possibility that these spiders could be friendly in any way.
Following his crash landing, a frustrated Din Djarin will likely be in for Round 2 of fighting when the spiders attempt to pull a fast one. Mando is far too skilled a warrior to be bested by these fools, but a decent struggle will ensue nonetheless.
But there may be another party involved in the melee.
It's a 'blink and you'll miss it' moment, but in the new footage of Mando's shootout with the spiders, this fun-sized lizard in a suit can be seen closely tailing our hero. As of now, this being's allegiances remain a mystery, but the bow tie wearing creature appears to have an infatuation with the item on Mando's back.
And that item is likely an egg canister, revealed by leaked images of upcoming Funko Pops!. The Pops! indicate that Baby Yoda has an interest in these eggs as well, indicating that they could serve as dinner for our little green friend. Perhaps this lizard has similar thoughts? Could it have enlisted the services of Din Djarin to secure eggs from these spiders? Or maybe the eggs belong to the lizard race, and Mando is protecting them after crashing while en-route to Lizard Guy's destination?
THIS IS THE WAY
It seems as if we've come across an interesting connection, one with room for any of the afforementioned possibilities to occur - or none of them.
While one can never be too sure, it's difficult to imagine the spider war and egg quest with the classy lizard being too integral to the plot of Season 2. But you never know with Favreau and Filoni; for all we know, the eggs could be products of a forbidden relationship between Yoda and his secret wife, Yada, and Mando is carrying the siblings of The Child to safety.
That obviously won't happen, but it's fun to imagine the egregious trajectories the story could go. Star Wars fans of reptiles and arachnids dying to know what will become of this sequence are in luck - the answer could be revealed as early as next Friday. As we roll deeper into the fall, the mysteries of The Mandalorian Season 2 will continue to grow, and with it, the wrath of the spiders will be made known at last.
I have spoken.
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