The Mandalorian Art Seemingly Replaces Cara Dune With Ahsoka Tano
The Mandalorian has been the key Star Wars property for much of the last two years.
Beloved by fans and critics alike, and boasting perhaps the greatest effects, set design, costuming, and production value in all of television, the series has become a vital piece of pop culture.
Having some of the most well-known and adored characters in the Star Wars universe, The Mandalorian may be shifting focus through some of the marketing material.
Still concerning itself mostly with the marketing ability of star Mando, and his child companion Grogu, the series also has pushed the image of series regulars Greef Karga, the villainous Moff Gideon, and the heavy-handed ally Cara Dune; the latter seeming to be heading towards a smaller role in the future of the series.
Played by actress and former mixed martial artist, Gina Carano, the Alderanian stormtrooper is defined by her brute strength and take no prisoners attitude.
Matching brawn with the bounty hunter turned child protector, Mando, Dune has been praised for the physical strength and weapons knowledge she brings. A wonderful mark for the depiction of women in television and film.
Her shift, however, seems to be coming directly from the people in charge at Lucasfilm. Artist Mark Raats, commissioned by Disney to provide art for the show, took to Twitter to display a wonderful painting made for the series.
The painting depicts two sides, light and dark, with painted representations of Mando, Karga, Grogu, and Ahsoka on the light side, and Moff Gideon accompanied by Morgan Ellsberg on the dark side.
The artist noted that Ahsoka’s image was originally intended to depict Carano’s character. The change in character choice was a request of Disney, a choice they justified by noting the immense popularity of her character from the online Star Wars community, and the overwhelming reception she received after her appearances on the series.
Ahsoka, a barrier shattering character in her own right, was the Jedi that Mando sought out for information regarding Grogu’s force abilities.
A female Jedi trained by Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka was a regular in Dave Filoni’s animated Clone Wars series; before returning with a role in his subsequent series, Rebels.
Ahsoka may be heading towards a more prominent role in the Star Wars universe- even gaining her own live-action series that is currently in development; announced at Disney’s investors day 2020.
Could the change be attributed to Tano’s near cult status among Star Wars fans? Or does this mean something detrimental coming for Carano’s Dune?
There is an underlying curiosity as to if Carano’s outspoken political stance could interfere with how Disney seeks to market her character, or simply a reaction to the adoration of Star Wars fans.
Either way, fans can catch both Cara Dune and Ahsoka Tano joining in the adventures of The Mandalorian in season two, currently streaming for Disney+ subscribers.