On one YouTube channel that analyzes all things Star Wars, the hosts recently did some forensics on a trailer for “The Mandalorian.” They zeroed in on a single frame at one point, speculating whether a reflection on the saucer eyes of the show’s most popular character revealed a plot clue.
Meanwhile, over in a Facebook group devoted solely to that same character, a different kind of “Mandalorian” buzz has been mounting. The 68,000 members of Baby Yoda Memes are desperate for any fresh scenes featuring the tiny, green fellow getting into mischief and being adorable.
“I love him so much. He’s so stinkin’ cute!” says Angelica Murillo, a 40-year-old financial compliance professional in Lynnwood, Wash., and one of the moderators of Baby Yoda Memes.
Such are the diverging priorities and expectations that will greet “The Mandalorian” when the series returns Friday for a second season. As the space Western plunges deeper into Star Wars mythology and adds existing characters from far-flung sectors of the franchise, can it keep casual fans on board who don’t know their Cobb Vanths from their Sabine Wrens?
A year ago, Disney used the debut of “The Mandalorian” to launch its streaming service. The weekly adventures of a bounty hunter and his orphan sidekick—a 50-year-old toddler known officially as the Child, but immediately dubbed Baby Yoda by the internet—helped Disney+ immediately draw 10 million subscribers. The show became one of the most talked-about hits of 2019.
