I’ve been ruminating on #TheMandalorianAndGrogu for almost two days now. I watched it with a group of five friends, and I was literally the only one who had seen all three seasons of #TheMandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. Grogu is a star. All they really knew going in was Baby Yoda, and by the end, every single one of them loved him. Mando himself felt like the badass bounty hunter from the first season again, and the IMAX theater was packed with kids, women rocking budget Leia cosplay, and some people wearing Mandalorian masks. I liked the film. It was pretty good, and honestly, exactly what I expected: a fun Mandalorian and Grogu romp. What surprised me was how much my friends, people who hadn’t even watched the full series, absolutely LOVED it. I couldn’t shake the feeling that they were having even more fun than I was. And I think that’s the point. This isn’t a traditional Star Wars film. I love the deep dive analysis from people like @jowrotethis and @MalloryRubin on House of R, but this movie wasn’t made with them, or even people like me, primarily in mind. I genuinely think @swankmotron’s kid might’ve cracked the code: This isn’t a Star Wars movie for jaded Star Wars fans. It’s not for people endlessly caught up in debates over what Star Wars is, was, or should be. It is a Star Wars film. But more than anything, it’s an accessible, all ages father and son adventure. It’s not obsessed with lore discourse, fandom wars, or let alone box office arguments. It simply exists as a fun little romp. And maybe, just maybe… This is the way. I see mutuals angry at this film, and while I understand some of the criticism, getting mad at it almost feels like getting mad at a puppy. Whatever the Star Wars fandom, or fandom culture in general, has become, I don’t think that’s the way forward. So here’s to the next generation.