Star Wars Fails To Capitalize On Pedro Pascal’s Talent In The Mandalorian

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Pedro Pascal is the lead in The Mandalorian, but many feel Star Wars hasn’t fully utilized his talent. He entered the Star Wars universe in 2019 with the first season of the Disney+ show. The Mandalorian was initially considered the best Star Wars television series, but that changed with the arrival of Andor.

Despite everything, The Mandalorian has clearly made a big impression. The show is so popular, in fact, that it’s being turned into a Star Wars movie, The Mandalorian and Grogu, scheduled for release in 2026. After a six-year break from movies, Star Wars is coming back to the big screen, and the story will center around the famous bounty hunter and his adopted son, Grogu.

It’s no surprise that Pedro Pascal will be the main star of The Mandalorian and Grogu. As a well-known actor, he should have helped the film attract a large audience. Unfortunately, Star Wars hasn’t fully utilized his star power, and in doing so, hasn’t given Pascal the boost he deserves.

The Mandalorian Hasn’t Done A Lot With Pedro Pascal

Image via Disney+

Pedro Pascal first gained widespread recognition in 2014 when he played Oberyn Martell on season 4 of Game of Thrones. He’s continued to build a successful career since then, appearing in popular films like Kingsman: The Golden Circle and Wonder Woman 1984, as well as acclaimed television series including Narcos, The Last of Us, and The Mandalorian.

Pascal has recently starred in both Gladiator II and landed the role of Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, proving he’s a major talent. While Star Wars clearly has a rising star, the franchise hasn’t yet fully utilized his potential.

The main reason for this comes down to the core of Pascal’s character in The Mandalorian. As a member of the Star Wars people known as Mandalorians, Pascal’s Din Djarin always keeps his face hidden behind a mask. This is because the Mandalorian rules – or at least the ones followed by the group Djarin grew up with – forbid anyone from ever seeing his face.

Despite being the voice of the character, Pedro Pascal’s face has only appeared on screen a handful of times – just three times across three seasons of The Mandalorian and his other Star Wars appearances. The upcoming The Mandalorian and Grogu movie suggests this trend will continue, indicating that Star Wars hasn’t fully utilized Pascal’s star power or acting abilities.

Din Djarin Is One Of Star Wars’ Best New Characters In Decades

This situation is made even more noticeable by how compelling Din Djarin is as a character. He’s quickly become one of the best characters in all of Star Wars, not just on television, and many fans now consider him one of the strongest characters in the entire franchise, including those from the films.

Din Djarin’s compelling history – being an orphan raised by Mandalorians – combined with his strict code of honor, the conflicts he faces, his bond with Grogu, his unwavering loyalty, and his impressive fighting skills, all establish him as a truly exceptional character in the Star Wars universe.

It’s unfortunate that Pedro Pascal doesn’t get enough credit for his work on The Mandalorian. While his voice acting is fantastic and brings a lot of feeling to the character despite the mask, the show’s most powerful scenes happen when Din Djarin is forced to take off his helmet. These moments give Pascal a chance to showcase a wider range of acting than usual, and really elevate the story.

Honestly, I think a lot of what makes Din Djarin so compelling comes down to the incredible physical performance of Lateef Chowder and Brendan Wayne. They’re the ones in the suit most of the time, and they’re amazing at conveying so much emotion just through their movements and body language. It really sets Din Djarin apart from other Mandalorians – he feels so real and unique as a Star Wars hero because of their work.

The Mandalorian Season 3 Should Have Used Pedro Pascal

Ideally, Star Wars would better showcase Pedro Pascal’s acting alongside the impressive stunt work of his body doubles, Dave Chou and Max Wayne. However, The Mandalorian currently focuses more on the physical action, often limiting Pascal to voice-only roles. Season 3 of The Mandalorian really highlights this imbalance.

Season one of The Mandalorian heavily emphasized Din Djarin’s strict code, hinting at times when he would secretly take off his helmet. The first time he removed it in public, and in front of other characters, was a major moment for viewers, finally revealing Pedro Pascal’s face. This happened twice more in season two of the show.

Many viewers expected season 3 of The Mandalorian to really explore the challenges to Din Djarin’s beliefs, building on themes from season 2 and giving Pedro Pascal a larger role. Unfortunately, season 3 proved disappointing, largely because Din’s character seemed to move backward instead of forward.

In the third season of The Mandalorian, Bo-Katan Kryze took center stage, overshadowing Din Djarin’s role in his own story. Interestingly, Din Djarin never removed his helmet throughout the season, meaning actor Pedro Pascal didn’t appear on screen at all and only provided his voice.

Season 3 of The Mandalorian didn’t give Din Djarin many interesting obstacles. His traditional Mandalorian beliefs weren’t tested, he wasn’t positioned to become a leader, and even his bond with Grogu lacked significant tension, despite hints of change at the end of season 2. Ultimately, the season didn’t serve Din Djarin’s character well, and that negatively impacted Pedro Pascal’s performance.

Will Din Djarin Show His Face In The Mandalorian Movie?

Now, the big question is whether Pedro Pascal will reprise his role as The Mandalorian and Grogu in the 2026 film, or if he’ll finally get a major movie role outside of the series – something many believe he deserves.

With Pedro Pascal becoming hugely popular thanks to roles in The Last of Us, Fantastic Four: First Steps, and Gladiator II, many expected him to be a central figure in the new Star Wars film – the first in six years (seven by the time it’s released). However, it’s still unclear if the movie will finally reveal Din Djarin’s face.

If Din Djarin takes off his helmet in the upcoming film depends on his development as a character in The Mandalorian and Grogu. The movie will focus on Din and Grogu tracking down what’s left of the Empire, helping the New Republic, and probably continuing to build Grand Admiral Thrawn as the next major threat in the Star Wars universe.

The initial trailer for the new show revealed very little about what Din Djarin will do, so it’s still unclear if Pascal will have more than just a voice acting role. Hopefully, upcoming trailers will give us a better look at Din’s story and give him a more substantial character arc than he had in the third season of The Mandalorian.

It would be a mistake for Star Wars to not prominently feature Pedro Pascal in The Mandalorian and Grogu. While Disney+ doesn’t necessarily need a major star to succeed, box office numbers are crucial for films, and Pascal is a significant attraction for audiences.

Okay, look, you don’t even need to be a Star Wars fan to enjoy a movie with Pedro Pascal in it. Seriously, the guy is captivating on screen. He’s become a huge star, almost an icon, and honestly, even people who don’t follow sci-fi are starting to recognize his face – and for good reason. He just has that presence that makes you want to watch whatever he’s in, especially on a big screen!

It would be a big mistake to keep Pedro Pascal’s involvement a secret throughout the return of Star Wars. This impacts not just how well the films do financially and in terms of promotion, but the story itself. The moments where Din Djarin shows his vulnerability and emotion are strongest when Pascal is performing.

Featuring this storyline in The Mandalorian and Grogu would allow for significant character growth and storytelling on a grand scale, finally addressing the way Star Wars hasn’t fully utilized Pedro Pascal’s talents over the past six years.

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2025-11-07 23:23