--- title: Mandalorian Season 2: What to Know Before You Watch description: Will Boba Fett make an appearance? What happens to Baby Yoda? What Star Wars fans need to know before the new season of The Mandalorian canonical: https://time.com/5901362/mandalorian-season-2-plot/ author: Eliana Dockterman article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2020-10-26T16:13:16.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T04:55:38.883Z article:section: Entertainment og:title: Everything You Need to Know About The Mandalorian Season 2 og:description: The next installment will drop on Disney+ Oct. 30 og:url: https://time.com/5901362/mandalorian-season-2-plot/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte2580a1c58cf13d3/698a137b22fb85eaa4e2b8c8/huck2_tsr_v11_quested_stills_3.00088520.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: THE MANDALORIAN S2 og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Everything You Need to Know About The Mandalorian Season 2 twitter:description: The next installment will drop on Disney+ Oct. 30 twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte2580a1c58cf13d3/698a137b22fb85eaa4e2b8c8/huck2_tsr_v11_quested_stills_3.00088520.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Everything You Need to Know About _The Mandalorian_ Season 2  by [Eliana Dockterman](/author/eliana-dockterman/)  ## Eliana Dockterman Correspondent Oct 26, 2020 4:13 PM CUT  The Child in 'The Mandalorian' season 2 The Child in 'The Mandalorian' season 2Lucasfilm  by [Eliana Dockterman](/author/eliana-dockterman/)  ## Eliana Dockterman Correspondent Oct 26, 2020 4:13 PM CUT [_The Mandalorian_](https://time.com/5568726/everything-we-know-star-wars-the-mandalorian/ "undefined") and, more importantly, [Baby Yoda](https://time.com/5725123/baby-yoda-mandalorian/ "undefined") are back for a second season. The next installment will drop on [Disney+](https://time.com/5728909/best-disney-plus-shows/ "undefined") Oct. 30\. Some of Baby Yoda’s staunchest defenders, including Pedro Pascal’s Mando, Gina Carano’s Cara Dune and Carl Weathers’ Greef Karga, will return, as will the show’s villain, Moff Gideon, played by Giancarlo Esposito. Creator Jon Favreau has promised an intense second installment, comparing [_The_ _Mandalorian’_s](https://time.com/5657961/the-mandalorian-trailer-second-by-second-breakdown/ "undefined") leap from a more focused first season to a sprawling second season to _Game of Thrones_. “As we introduce other characters, there are opportunities to follow different storylines,” Favreau [told](https://ew.com/tv/mandalorian-season-2-first-look/ "undefined") _Entertainment Weekly_. “The world was really captivated by _Game of Thrones_ and how that evolved as the characters followed different storylines—that’s very appealing to me as an audience member.” There will be eight episodes of different lengths that drop week-by-week between Halloween and Christmas, helping to ensure that Star Wars fans will have happier holidays, even if we’re stuck inside. The creators have hinted at fan-favorite characters like Boba Fett and Ahsoka Tano finally showing up in the series. And we may even get a few answers to the show’s enduring mysteries, like [where Baby Yoda came from](https://time.com/5731562/baby-yoda-memes-explained/ "undefined") or what the heck is going on with Moff Gideon’s Darksaber. Here’s everything you need to know about the second season of _The Mandalorian_. ## What happened in season 1, again?  Taika Waititi and Pedro Pascal in The Mandaloian Disney+ Fans will recall that the _Mandalorian_ takes place between the events of _Star Wars: Episode VI—Return of the Jedi_ and _Star Wars: Episode VII—The Force Awakens_. The Rebel Alliance has defeated the Empire and installed the New Republic. But danger still lurks on the edges of the galaxy. Mando, an orphaned child who was brought up in the ways of the Mandalorian warriors, works as a Bounty Hunter in these dark recesses of the galaxy. He’s asked by some shady Empire loyalists to take a hit out on a dangerous target only to find he’s been sent to murder a baby belonging to Yoda’s unnamed species. (Baby Yoda is technically a misnomer since Yoda has died at this point in the _Star Wars_ saga.) It’s unclear what the bad guys want with Baby Yoda, but the show hints they might want to experiment on him or use him as a weapon. **Read More:** [_How_ The Mandalorian _Fits Into the Larger Star Wars Timeline_](https://time.com/5717734/mandalorian-star-wars-timeline/ "undefined") Mando decides to defend this seemingly defenseless creature and spends the season dodging attacks from [those who would do harm](https://time.com/5756141/jason-sudeikis-the-mandalorian/ "undefined") to Baby Yoda. Finally, at the end of the season, the Armorer, a leader of a tribe of Mandalorian warriors, tells Mando that he is duty-bound to return Baby Yoda to his people, i.e. the Jedi. The Mandalorians and the Jedi have a contentious relationship, so Mando is not psyched about the assignment. But after he and his buddies are attacked by Galactic Empire officer Moff Gideon, Mando takes Baby Yoda and sets off on his mission to reunite the adorable child with his wards—whoever they may be. ## What’s the plot of season 2?  This image provided by Disney Plus shows a scene from "The Mandalorian." Disney+––APMando takes Baby Yoda and sets off on his mission to reunite the adorable child with his wards—whoever they may be At the end of Season 1, Mando set out on a mission to take Baby Yoda to find “his own kind,” i.e. other Jedi. Season 2 picks up shortly after the events from the first season as Mando tries to determine where to find the remaining Jedi. We don’t know much beyond that except that Moff Gideon, the bad guy from Season 1 played by Giancarlo Esposito, will return as the villain in Season 2\. Throughout Season 1, he pursued Baby Yoda for unknown purposes. Whatever his reasons, he faces off against both Mando and his charge in a major fight in Season 2. ## Will we finally get to see Boba Fett in _The Mandalorian_?  Boba Fett. Lucasfilm Ltd. Yes! Or maybe just his clone. Boba Fett, the notorious bounty hunter from _Star Wars: Episodes V_ and _VI_ who met an unenviable end in the Sarlac Pit, has long been a fan favorite. _The Mandalorian_ teased his appearance on the show last season when a figure wearing the bounty hunter’s trademark spurs showed up at the end of an episode. We know now that Temuera Morrison, who played Boba Fett’s father Jango Fett in _Star Wars:_ _Episode II—Attack of the Clones,_ will appear as some character on _The Mandalorian_ this season, [according to](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/mandalorian-finds-boba-fett-temuera-morrison-1293675 "undefined") the _Hollywood Reporter_. Fans are speculating he will play Boba Fett. **Read More:** [_Explaining the Difference Between the Mandalorian and Boba Fett_](https://time.com/5706585/mandalorian-boba-fett-difference/ "undefined") But it’s also possible that that spur-wearing character is not Boba Fett but one of the other clones from the Clone Wars. George Lucas revealed in _Attack of the Clones_ that all the clone soldiers were just DNA copies of Jango Fett and that Boba Fett was a young clone of Jango that Jango decided to raise himself. So while it’s possible the Boba Fett who hunted Han, Leia and Luke could appear in _The Mandalorian_, it’s just as likely that we could meet another Jango Fett clone. ## What’s the deal with Moff Gideon’s Darksaber?  Giancarlo Esposito as Moff Gideon in The Mandalorian Disney Moff Gideon’s black lightsaber, which he used to cut himself out of his fallen ship in the final episode of Season 1, will play a key role in Season 2\. “Where did this saber come from and how was it revived? It’s a key in our second season,” Esposito [told _Deadline_](https://deadline.com/2020/07/the-mandalorian-season-giancarlo-esposito-darksaber-better-call-saul-series-finale-spoilers-1202997798/ "undefined"). The weapon has a [storied history](https://time.com/5756064/mandalorian-finale-darksaber/ "undefined") in the _Star Wars_ universe. It’s called the Darksaber, and the only way to become its master is to defeat its previous owner. Created by the first Mandalorian ever inducted into the Jedi order, Tarre Vizsla, The Darksaber has symbolic significance among the Mandalore. Whoever wielded it became the leader of Clan Vizsla, one of the largest clans on the Mandalorian planet. Darth Maul (the red-faced villain from _Star Wars: Episode I—The_ _Phantom Menace_) usually wielded a red double lightsaber but coveted the Darksaber. He eventually won the Darksaber in the years following _Phantom Menace_ after he defeated a Mandalore named Pre Vizsla. However, in _Solo: A Star Wars Story_, which is set between _Episodes III_ and _IV_, Darth Maul can be seen holding his old red lightsaber. It’s unclear whether he lost the Darksaber or simply hid it. In an episode of the animated series _Rebels_, a Mandalorian named Sabine Wren found the saber on Dothamir, the planet where Maul’s crime syndicate was based, after the Empire took control of the galaxy. (More on Sabine Wren later.) Sabine passed the Darksaber to Bo-Katan Kryze, the last known owner of the saber before it appears in the hands of Moff Gideon. And it just so happens that Bo-Katan Kryze will appear in Season 2 (more on her later too). It’s unclear how Gideon acquired the saber and how Mando would feel about Gideon wielding such a powerful totem of Mandalorian culture. Gideon seems to be obsessed with the Mandalorians: he played a major role in the Purge on Mandalore and even went so far as to discover the true names of the foundlings—or orphans—who were rescued and trained by the Mandalorians, including Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal), whose name was revealed in the final episode of the first season. **Read More:** [_The Darksaber Made a Crucial Appearance in_ ](https://time.com/5756064/mandalorian-finale-darksaber/ "undefined")[The Mandalorian](https://time.com/5756064/mandalorian-finale-darksaber/ "undefined")[‘s](https://time.com/5756064/mandalorian-finale-darksaber/ "undefined")[ _Season Finale. Here’s Its Significance in Star Wars Lore_](https://time.com/5756064/mandalorian-finale-darksaber/ "undefined") ## **Who is Ahsoka Tano, the character Rosario Dawson may or may not be playing?**  Ahsoka Tano in Clone Wars Disney+ Fans of the _Star Wars_ animated series, _The Clone Wars_, have long been vying to see the Jedi in a live-action series or film. They may finally be getting their wish. Rosario Dawson has all but admitted in an [interview](https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/rosario-dawson-star-wars-star-trek-politics-briarpatch-finale-1234579977/ "undefined") with _Variety_ that she was playing Ahsoka on the show: “That’s not confirmed yet but when that happens, I will be very happy. I’m very excited for that to be confirmed at some point.” Ahsoka was introduced as Anakin Skywalker’s willful young apprentice but evolved into the protagonist of the _Clone Wars_ and a character beloved by fans. She is part of the Togruta race and in her later years wielded two lightsabers. She fought as a young woman alongside Anakin early in the Clone Wars, which is largely set between _Star Wars: Episode II—Attack of the Clones_ and _Star Wars: Episode III—Revenge of the Sith_, but left the Jedi order in time to avoid becoming a victim of Order 66, otherwise known as the Jedi Purge. She turned to spy craft and eventually fought her old master, Darth Vader. The last we saw Ahsoka, she was headed out on a mission to find her old apprentice alongside a Mandalorian named Sabine Wren (who happened to wield the Darksaber for a period of time). _The Mandalorian_ is set between the events of _Star Wars: Episode VI_—_Return of the Jedi_ and _Star Wars: Episode VII—The Force Awakens_. That means that if the Mandalorian were to encounter her, he’d be meeting a 40-something Ahsoka in the show. It’s unclear how Mando would meet Ahsoka: Perhaps he finds Ahsoka at the “home of the Jedi,” wherever that may be. Maybe Sabine, as a Mandalorian who trusts Ahsoka, brokers a partnership between the two characters. We only have one other piece of information concerning Ahsoka’s fate in the _Star Wars_ canon: During her climactic battle with Emperor Palpatine at the end of _Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker_, Rey hears the voices of several fallen Jedi, including Yoda, Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gonn Jin, Mace Windu, Anakin Skywalker and—you guessed it—Ahsoka Tano. Ahsoka’s inclusion among these voices seems to suggest she died. Let’s hope she survives long enough to make a major impact on the plot of _The Mandalorian_. ## What other new actors are joining the show?  JUSTIFIED -- Raw Deal -- Episode 507 (Airs Tuesday, February 25, 10:00 pm e/p) -- Pictured: Timothy Olyphant as Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens -- CR: Prashant Gupta/FX Prashant Gupta/FX Networks Timothy Olyphant in 'Justified' Rosario Dawson isn’t the only addition to season 2\. _Deadwood_ and _Justified_ star Timothy Olympant has joined the cast but remained tightlipped about who exactly he will be playing. Michael Biehn of _Aliens_ and _Terminator_ fame is set to play a bounty hunter from Mando’s past. Katee Sackhoff, who voices the character Bo-Katan Kryze in _The Clone Wars_ and _Star Wars Rebels_, will be playing a live-action version of the character on _The Mandalorian_. As mentioned above, Bo-Katan Kryze is a Mandalorian who was the last known holder of the Darksaber before Moff Gideon. This season will likely explain how Gideon acquired the weapon and what has happened to Bo-Katan since. ## Will IG-88 show up this season? Favreau has previously stoked rumors that IG-88, one of the mercenaries hired by Darth Vader to track down the Millennium Falcon in _Star Wars: Episode V—The Empire Strikes Back,_ will appear on _The Mandalorian._ The droid was nearly destroyed while in pursuit of the Falcon and his parts lie in a junk room in Cloud City toward the end of that film. If rumors are to be believed, IG-88 survived and will appear in some way in _The Mandalorian_, which of course takes place after _Empire_. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5901362/mandalorian-season-2-plot/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5901362/mandalorian-season-2-plot/"},"headline":"Everything You Need to Know About The Mandalorian Season 2","datePublished":"2020-10-26T16:13:16.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T04:55:38.883Z","description":"The next installment will drop on Disney+ Oct. 30","url":"https://time.com/5901362/mandalorian-season-2-plot/","keywords":["Television","Explainer"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte2580a1c58cf13d3/698a137b22fb85eaa4e2b8c8/huck2_tsr_v11_quested_stills_3.00088520.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Eliana Dockterman","jobTitle":"Correspondent","url":"https://time.com/author/eliana-dockterman/"}],"articleSection":"Entertainment","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte2580a1c58cf13d3/698a137b22fb85eaa4e2b8c8/huck2_tsr_v11_quested_stills_3.00088520.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"THE MANDALORIAN S2","caption":"THE MANDALORIAN S2","creditText":"Lucasfilm","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/entertainment/","name":"Entertainment"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/television/","name":"Television"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5901362/mandalorian-season-2-plot/","name":"Everything You Need to Know About The Mandalorian Season 2"}}]}] ```