This is the day!

After months of agonizing speculation and waiting, The Mandalorian Season 2's first official trailer is finally here! In classic Lucasfilm fashion, the trailer and poster for the upcoming season were released unexpectedly on a whim this morning, just in time to coincide with the Disney+ launch in several European countries.

This is a first for The Direct, as we've yet to get a major Star Wars trailer until this point. Like our readers, we're beyond excited to see where the second season of the The Mandalorian takes Din Djarin and The Child. To celebrate the occasion, we're taking an in-depth look at the new trailer, embarking on a new journey with Mando and our little green friend and they navigate this ever-expanding world...

BREAKDOWN

CALLBACK

We open with a shot of two worlds, the Razor Crest flying slowly overhead. The ramp is open, though we don't know why, and it appears Mando is headed for the blue planet ahead. 

The trailer is accompanied by a narration, with the exchange between Din Djarin and The Armorer from Chapter 8: Redemption returning. The Armorer tasked Mando with finding The Child's people and returning him to them, with those people being the Jedi. Reusing this dialogue points to that quest being the primary objective for Djarin in Season 2.

THE DUO EMERGES

Our first look at Mando and The Child comes as they emerge from the shadows, bright lights behind them as dawn is on the horizon. Despite the events on Navarro during the first season's finale forcing the crew to bail on Baby Yoda's hover seat, it appears he's got another one in working order to shuttle him around.

In the following shot, we see that Mando and the baby are entering a desolate town. The dim streets lights give us just enough of a look at the surroundings to see a figure looming in the corner and taller structures in the background.

It didn't take long for Mando to find trouble. It seems like the figure in the previous image decided to shoot his shot and grab The Child, but received an ass-kicking instead. The brighter lights reveal graffiti art all over the buildings in the town. Where have we seen that before... Lothal?

The few shots we have by no means give us enough information to come to a conclusive position, and graffiti can found all over the galaxy. But we know Dave Filoni loves to incorporate elements from previous Star Wars projects into the new, so it's worth mentioning the possibility.

RETURN TO TATOOINE

As we saw in the EW photos released last week, Season 2 will be bringing us back to Tatooine. Here we have a shot of a Tusken Raider riding a Bantha as the Razor Crest soars by, and it looks fantastic. Funko Pop! listings from several months back indicated a product featuring Mando and The Child on a Bantha, so this looks to be more than a brief cameo for desert natives.

Mando's off to the races yet again, just as we saw in Chapter 5: The Gunslinger. Last week's EW photos revealed Mando on a slick new speeder bike, with Baby Yoda in tow in a passenger bag, and here we se see him on his mission. Could this be where he encounters Timothy Olyphant's character, rumored to be Cobb Vanth? Might Boba Fett also make his appearance as well?

We don't know how much time will be spent on Tatooine this season, but it's really the only location we could possibly run into Vanth and Fett. It's possible that the animated characters could make their debut here as well, but something seen later in the trailer could say otherwise.

AN ICY WORLD

We're getting a diverse selection of planets in Season 2, with an ice world being on the menu as well. The Razor Crest flies down to a trench in the snow, something eerily similar to the project the Empire was working on in Ilum in Jedi: Fallen Order.

The Child conveys a wide range of emotions with simple expressions, and here he looks to be in deep thought. If this planet is indeed Ilum, our Force-sensitive friend may be sensing the destruction the Empire caused on the world once sacred to the Jedi Order.

Whatever it is they're about to face, Mando and his charge will do it together. We're given only a little to go off of here, but somehow it feels like the warrior and the baby are a team, and they're much more in tune with one another than when the first season concluded.

Mando and The Child approach an ice cave, something that definitely harkens back to Cal Kestis' kyber crystal hunt on Ilum in Fallen Order. This could always be a completely new planet, but it seems far too familiar for that to be the case.

Inside the cave, the duo seems to be searching for something. Mando knows his way around the galaxy and has contacts all over; after receiving his task to find the Jedi, he may have heard whispers about this ancient world being a stronghold for the Order. Jon Favreau has mentioned before that the show will have some ties to the origins of the First Order, and if this planet turns out to be Ilum there's a good chance we could see the construction of Starkiller Base.

INTRIGUE ON THE SEA

Here we have yet another alien world. With the countless Quaren and Mon Calamari present and the sea in the background, there's a good chance this planet is Mon Cala. Previously seen in The Clone Wars and the Darth Vader (2017) comic series, the planet is the home to galactic legends like Admirals Ackbar and Raddus.

This mysterious figure will be the most talked about reveal from the trailer by far. Confirmed to be played by Sasha Banks, the hooded character appears to be watching over Mando and Baby Yoda... until she disappears.

A popular theory has been that Banks here is playing Sabine Wren. We've seen another Mandalorian take watch over a hero in The Clone Wars, when Bo-Katan Kryze followed Ahsoka's struggles in the final season. While possible, it's strange to imagine Sabine on a mission without her Mandalorian armor. Furthermore, Sabine is intended to be Asian in Star Wars Rebels, and Banks is anything but.

The narration makes reference of the Jedi at the moment this character is revealed. Is it possible that this a Jedi Knight, someone who knows Luke Skywalker or Ahsoka Tano? Or even a Force sensitive character in general? Whoever she is, there's a clear connection between her and our heroes, one that fans will be itching to learn more about for months to come.

The Mandalorian sets sea, a first for Star Wars. Previously seen in last night's Disney+ leak, the space boat voyages across the waters of what's believed to be Mon Cala. The destination is unknown, but if the mystery character is involved then a big reveal could be ahead.

Mando doesn't look thrilled to be stuck on the boat with this strange crew, and he could be apprehensive about what's to come. The warrior took notice of the mystery character's presence at the port, and he'll fight tooth and nail to keep The Child safe from those who wish to do him harm.

X-WINGS

X-Wings are back! This shot was also seen in last night's leak, but it didn't do it justice. By this point, the X-Wings are flying under the New Republic, and given that they're not currently attacking the Razor Crest, it appears Mando and members of the new government have formed some kind of alliance.

It's anyone's guess as to where this is. This time, the X-Wings seem to be in pursuit of the Crest, although they're not opening fire. Perhaps the pilots are following Mando to an agreed upon destination, something to do with Moff Gideon's Imperial Remnant?

FRIENDS

Our old friends Cara Dune and Greef Karga make their triumphant return, still working on the planet Navarro. When we last saw them, they elected to stay behind and continue the Bounty Hunting operation, but it was only a matter of time until Din Djarin and The Child's journey brought them back into the fold. Here it appears that they're greeting someone, which could mean this is their first introduction to Mando of the season.

IMPERIAL REMNANT IN ACTION

Remember that nifty TIE Fighter Moff Gideon dramatically flew in the final episodes of the first season? They're back, and in greater numbers. It looks like that TIE wasn't specific to just the Moff himself, and his forces are seemingly preparing for an orbital battle to come.

Stormtroopers are back! Not that there was ever any doubt, but it's cool to see them again nonetheless. The familiar sound of the Imperial klaxon can be heard as the loyal soldiers of the fallen Empire rush out of what looks to be an outpost to face an impending threat.

Scout Troopers also make their triumphant return, although probably not for target practice. With Djarin now able to take flight with his jetpack, the biker scouts will have a much more difficult task in stopping the Mandalorian warrior and capturing The Child for their leader.

FIGHT CLUB

It's fight night in The Mandalorian, as Mando and Baby Yoda decide to catch a quick match and catch up with a contact. This is a half-first for Star Wars, as the only other time we've seen boxing in the galaxy far, far away was in Solo, with droids being the contestants as opposed to sentient beings.

The sentients in question happen to be Gamorreans, well known for their time serving as guards at Jabba's palace.

This design was previously shared by Jon Favreau on social media, so it's neat to see it come to life in the trailer. 

Mando's contact is an all-new character being revealed for the first. One Eye Guy, or Gore Keresh if we want to use the real name seen in the subtitles, is an Abyssin, a species that debuted in the Mos Eisley Cantina in A New Hope. 

Keresh can be heard telling Mando that the fight club is no place to bring a child, but Mando ensures him that the baby won't be leaving his side. Could this place be the destination the duo was approaching earlier in the trailer in the unknown town? If so, it makes it harder to believe the planet could be Lothal.

People haven't seemed to learn their lesson yet. Mando is ambushed by a group of armed thugs, but whistling birds are back to eliminate the threat.

Baby Yoda knows what's about to go down, so it's time to cover up in the pod. Fans can rest easy knowing that The Child memes will live on in Season 2, as this little moment was just as funny as anything we saw from the first season. 

Wherever they go, Mando and The Child will never truly be safe. For them, it's become a fact of life, but the warrior has no qualms with destroying any os his enemies. In a heartbeat, the whistling birds handle a group foes, followed by Mando personally wiping the floor with the remaining thugs. Was it a planned ambush by One Eye Guy? If so, he's about to be the subject of a very angry Din Djarin as he's pressed for information.

As always, The Mandalorian comes out victorious. There are many, many struggles on the way, but the Bounty Hunter has a heart of gold and undying loyalty. He'll undoubtedly be tested in ways we never could've imagined in the first season, but that will be part of his journey as he protects The Child and progresses towards his destiny.

THIS IS THE WAY

Sometimes things come when you least expect it. We certainly weren't expecting The Mandalorian Season 2 trailer to hit today, but it was a pleasant surprise. The official Star Wars website notes that this was the "first" trailer for the upcoming season, so expect to see another over the next month, perhaps on Monday Night Football.

The trailer gave us a bit of sense for the direction the new season will be taking, although story details were obviously light. The second trailer will probably get a bit more into story, but it was nice to see more of the expanding world the creators had promised. While the first season was fairly self-contained, Season 2 is looking to be a much larger affair.

Sasha Banks' character will remain the heavy topic of discussion until her name is revealed in the show. The popular theory will be that she's playing Sabine, and while word is strong that the Rebels star will be in the series, it's likely that Banks is playing someone completely new.

Moff Gideon was notably omitted from the trailer. The villain seems to be the key to the overall, so we probably won't see too much of him until the season debuts. Also absent was the Ahsoka Tano sequence that was allegedly filmed for the marketing. It's possible they could be saving it for the second trailer, or we'll have to wait for our first look at live-action Ahsoka, Rex, and Sabine until their episode drops.

We're exactly a month and a half away from the premiere of The Mandalorian Season 2, and we couldn't be more excited. The build-up is just as fun as the release, and analyzing trailers and TV spots has become a Star Wars past time. The grueling wait is nearly over, and we now have a trailer we can watch a million times to satiate our hunger for more stories in the galaxy far, far away.

I have spoken.