The Mandalorian season 3 is here and it’s already doing great things to further the Star Wars franchise. But like most franchises, Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni’s new Star Wars invigoration isn’t blemish-free. One of its major characters, Cara Dune, was written out of the show, due to the actor’s political leanings. Whether this is right or wrong is not something I’m going to debate. But let’s take a look at just how they explained Cara Dune In The Mandalorian not being there anymore, and how that actually helps the show grow.
Disclaimer: The following will have a lot of spoilers for both seasons of The Mandalorian, as well as well as the season 3 premiere.
Cara Dune Was A Badass; Gina Carano Not So Much
After her appearance as the headstrong Shocktrooper for the former Republic, Cara Dune became one of Din Djarin’s (Pedro Pascal) allies from season 1 onwards. She reappeared in season 2 to kick more butt, helping rescue baby Grogu in the climax. However, off-screen, Cara Dune actress Gina Carano made public her right-wing political ideologies. Creating a lot of controversy with her views, Carano’s behaviour didn’t exactly align with that of the family-friendly Disney, who owns Star Wars. News broke that Carano would be Cara Dune in The Mandalorian no more.
While the decision happened during season 2, Dune was very much part of the season 2 storyline, which meant her absence would be in season 3. And fans eagerly waited for how they would explain the character’s absence. And they did it brilliantly.
Cara Dune In The Mandalorian Is Still Good
Halfway through The Mandalorian season 3 premiere episode, Din and Grogu arrive at Navarro to meet up with Greef Karga (Carl Weathers). Upon arriving, Karga tries to entice Din to give up his bounty-hunting ways and settle down in Navarro. Maybe even be the Marshall, the post previously occupied by Dune. When asked where Dune is, Karga provided the explanation everyone was waiting for.
Apparently, at the end of season 2, Dune was responsible for taking Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) to the New Republic authorities. Impressed, they recruited her and now she works for them. What’s classy about this, is that while everyone may have had a problem with Carano’s actions and behaviour, they separated the artist from the character. The wrote Dune off in a way that still makes her a badass good guy, without taking away from that. Especially when it would’ve been much easier to kill her off, or take a shot at the actress, through the character.
Growing The Mandalorian World With What’s Happening Outside
The coolest thing about this explanation is that it gives a slight look into the world outside of Din and Grogu. While The Mandalorian works because of its very insular nature, as in not venturing out into the larger existing canon of Star Wars. Or crossing over with any of those stories, at least not in a way that doesn’t make sense. It was the first post-Return Of The Jedi series in Star Wars. So it’s cool to hear about how the New Republic is developing before we see them established and then become rebels themselves in The Force Awakens.
Din even asks Karga why he doesn’t request a new Marshall from the New Republic. So which Karga replies with disdain, about how he doesn’t want to replace one bureaucracy (Empire) with another (New Republic). This also implies that the New Republic is big and expansive enough to make a comparison like that valid. While I hope this show doesn’t get into the politics of Star Wars or the other major events, it’s nice to hear about them happening off-screen, parallel to the smaller story of Din and Grogu. So in a way, Cara Dune no longer in The Mandalorian provided a great way to give some exposition about the world of this show as well. All’s well that ends well.
The Mandalorian season 3 is now streaming on Disney+.
Are you happy with Cara Dune’s absence from this show? Do you think they should’ve given a different reason? Let me know in the comments below. Or on Twitter at @theshahshahid.
Featured image via Disney+.
