The Mandalorian Season Two Trailer Drops

                                    

                                         The Mandalorian Season Two Trailer Drops 

A Modern Nerd’s Retrospective

With the arrival of The Mandalorian Season two trailer comes many answers, as well as even more questions. I had been waiting patiently for a trailer, and I honestly did not expect to get one until much later. All I can say is that it looks stunning, a beautiful landscape of glorious new Star Wars material.

Hearing that if season one was akin to A New Hope, that season two was akin to The Empire Strikes Back is an ingenious way to market the series. As most fans know, Empire was considerably darker, and put its heroes through even more hardship than the original film. If that is the case, we could be seeing a bit more intense second season. The first shot of the trailer looks like a scene out of Alien; the Razor Crest, heavily damaged near an cloudy gas giant. The music is dark, and ominous, in what I think could be described as throat singing. This would not be surprising as in Jedi Fallen Order, there is a track sung by a Mongolian folk metal band.

We are graced by multiple shots of Din Djarin and The Child, wandering through city streets covered with graffiti, on a planet that I believe is Lothal. A shot of the Razor Crest flying down to an icy wasteland, as well as a water planet populated by Quarren, or squid like aliens. Its all just as breathtaking as season one, with plenty of new locations, creatures and effects.

Then we get the most talked about scene in the trailer, a scene where Din is being watched by actress Sasha Banks. Most fans seem to think that this is supposed be Sabine Wren of Rebels fame, and I do tend to agree, but at this point we cannot be sure. I love the feel of this season, with new threats, and the darker tone may help sell season two as a whole.

This is followed by a sequence of scenes, all in various locations. The Razor Crest followed (or guarded depending on perspective) by X-Wings, a fishing barge on the water planet, and sequences of various Imperial troops and locations. We see Gina Carano and Carl Weathers, looking superb as always, as well as shots of the fancy folding Tie Fighter from season one.

Finally, we see Mando and the Child on the icy planet, accompanied by voice over from a new character. Probably my favorite portion of the trailer is a scene in which there is sort of a intergalactic fight club, with the classic Gamorrean Guard pig men duking it out with their vibro axes. I'm not sure what it is, but something about taking obscure characters from the wider world of Star Wars and implementing them in this smaller scale show really excites me as a fan. Maybe the acknowledgement of minor background characters helps set the tone, with The Mandalorian being set around the time of the original Trilogy.

One of the final scenes in the trailer is a handful of goons pulling blasters out to Din, and The Child quickly hiding in his shielded floating carrier. Its just so fun and whimsical, and as a fan you can definitely tell the differences between this scene and something from season one, with The Child being more bonded and used to the danger that Din gets into. Its also interesting to see that while we are getting various new elements in the series, it does still seem to have a lot of charm and love that was put into season one.

Overall the trailer got me pumped for the next season, and I am confident that the quality will be consistent. The trailer does not reveal to much, but like all good teasers, it is meant to excite fans and new comers alike.

 

The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance

A Modern Nerd’s Retrospective

The Dark Crystal was a film that was totally unique at the time. There were zero humans in the film, an imaginative world full of colorful creatures and characters, and a story with a very Tolkien feel to it. So of course, recapturing the imagination and love that was put into the original film was going to be an immense challenge. Of course, adapting and making sequels to older films can be a point of contention to many, and not without good reason. Reboots and sequels can have mixed reactions, but this property in particular is different. 

Being a lifelong fan of Jim Henson, and by extension a fan of the original film, I followed the production of a sequel to The Dark Crystal for many years. At one point it was going to be a direct sequel, in which Jen and Kira became the rulers of Thra. I remember seeing concept art and renditions of possible creatures that were going to be included, with the idea of something amazing being reintroduced to a modern audience. However, that never happened, and a lot of fans like myself were left with unsatisfied anticipation. Netflix however, would be there to alleviate any crushed hopes, announcing that they would be the ones creating a Dark Crystal series. 

The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance is a beautiful new take on the fascinating concepts that Jim Henson and Brian Froud. It's a wonder in this day and age of digital technology that such a series exists; an incredible cast, absolutely stunning puppets and practical set designs, not to mention a memorable score. These properties however have made a large comeback in recent years, with practical effects becoming popular once again thanks to Star Wars, and fantasy as a genre being at the forefront of motion picture technology and innovation. 

The inciting incident is that the Skeksis, a race of large bird-like beings revered by the Gelflings, are slowly withering in their old age. In the quest for immortality, the Skeksis scientist discovers that life force, or Essence as it is referred to, can be drained from living beings, using the titular Crystal. They imprison a Gelfling guard at their castle, and use the crystal to utterly obliterate her in the process. Another Gelfling, Rian, watches in absolute horror as someone he loves is destroyed on a molecular level. This sets off a chain of events that threatens to engulf the races and creatures of Thra. It's a struggle to reveal the wickedness of the Skeksis, as Rian and a group of misfits journey around Thra in an attempt to unite the Gelfling clans. 

    

            I find it difficult to describe the unique idea of a live action series without any live actors. The puppets are amazing creations, brimming with life and detail. The soul of the series is the puppeteer's and the heart of each performer can be felt even in the most minute and obscure characters. Even though fans had to wait a while (27 years to be exact) this brilliant follow up series delivers in all aspects. 

Honestly looking back, I could not imagine attempting to write a prequel to The Dark Crystal. Witnessing the beauty and the artistry of the result that fans were gifted with makes the series that much more special, especially when it comes to the story and practical effects. The characters are well written, the fantastical elements of the world add to the mythology, and the major use of puppets create a sense that the production was a joy to create. 

Owen Doud

 

        This post is a bit of an awesome memory. My absolutely perfect girlfriend made most of this Kylo Ren costume for me, minus the helmet and belt. I'm sure I'll do a full write up of her in the near future, but as this photo was taken at Toronto Fanexpo, which takes place in September, I figured this was a good time. She struggled SO much with those dang sleeves, which had to be hand pleated. I still love how it came out, 3 years later. 

            

     Hello! Welcome to my blog. My main goal here is to share my thoughts on all the latest movies, games, an pop culture news. I am an artist/animator with the goal of making it big one day in the industry, I hope you like my rants!