The world we see in The Mandalorian has always existed in the Star Wars universe, but until now it has always remained in the shadows, just off screen. While Empires Strike and Jedi Return, beings struggle to eek out a living in a harsh galaxy.
The main character here is the titular Mandalorian. Like the most famous Mandalorian of all (Boba Fett), he's a bounty hunter. Unlike his more famous and mysterious brother (not literally, though this is Star Wars, so you never know), we get to get to see, if only a tiny bit, behind the mask (figuratively). The curtain is also pulled back a bit to see the Mandalorian culture, which evokes that of Earth cultures like the Native Americans and Norseman.
This first episode drops us right into this world with little to no setup. Not even an opening crawl ala the Episodes. Just a brief mention of its timeline and off we go. Things get off to a fun start and the pace is relentless, but much of the middle is less than compelling. The final act picks back up and it sprints to a fun conclusion, sticking the landing on a solid opening that holds the promise of the most entertaining Star Wars we've seen since Rogue One.
