‘The Mandalorian’ Season 3’s First Episode Reveals How The Show Writes Off Gina Carano’s Cara Dune
The first episode of the third season of The Mandalorian revealed how the series dealt with the unjust firing of Gina Carano and the fate of her character, Cara Dune.
Carano’s dune was previously serving as the Marshal for the planet Nevarro. However, it’s revealed in the first episode she’s no longer serving as the planet’s Marshal.
Greef Carga tells Din Djarin, “I gotta level with you, Mando. I need a marshal.” Djarin then questions, “What about Marshal Dune?” Carga responds, “After she brought in Moff Gideon, she was recruited by Special Forces.”
The fate of Moff Gideon is also revealed. Carga tells Djarin, “He was sent off to a New Republic War Tribunal.”
Executive Producer and director Rick Famuyiwa recently noted that Carano’s firing and the fate of Cara Dune had been “addressed” by Jon Favreau and other creatives on the show.
He told Deadline, “Cara was a big part and continues as a character to be part of the world. It had to be addressed in the creative and [Jon Favreau] took the time to think about that.”
“It was something that was discussed as we knew it was going to have impact on the show, but at the same time, what has been at the heart of the show are the two characters — Din Djarin and Grogu — so ultimately it felt like a servicing of that, and around the Mandalorians,” he added.
It appears a single line sending her off Nevarro and into the New Republic Special Forces is how the show is addressing Dune’s firing.
Ironically, it shows the fatal flaw in The Mandalorian’s storytelling given it contradicts how the show previously characterized Carano’s Dune. In Season 1 Episode 4 “Sanctuary” Dune tells Djarin, “Saw most of my action mopping up after Endor. Mostly ex-Imperial Warlords. They wanted it fast and quiet. They’d send us in on the drop ships. No support, just us.”
“Then when the Imps were gone, the politics started. We were peacekeepers, protecting delegates, suppressing riots. Not what I signed up for,” she added.
In Season 2 Episode 4 “The Seige” after Dune teams up with Karga and Din Djarin to remove a remnant of Gideon’s forces on the planet Nevarro, New Republic Captain Carson Teva attempts to recruit Dune into the New Republic.
However, she informs him, “I’m not a ‘joiner,’ Blue.” Nevertheless, he leaves her a New Republic badge implying she’s been deputized.
The next time Dune appears in The Mandalorian, Din Djarin greets her saying, “Cara Dune, Marshal of the New Republic. I heard rumors you might have gone legit.” However, she responds, “I wouldn’t go that far.”
When Djarin then requests her aid to spring Migs Mayfeld from hard labor, she does indicate she has New Republic rules to follow, “You know how I feel about the Empire. But these stripes mean there are rules I need to follow.”
She makes it clear she’s not beholden to those rules after being informed that Moff Gideon captured Grogu. She aids Din Djarin in springing Mayfeld from his hard labor and recruits him to help them locate Gideon’s light cruiser.
It doesn’t really make any sense from a character or story perspective that Cara Dune would all of a sudden join the Special Forces after making it clear she was dissatisfied with the way the New Republic was running things and actively spurned their rules in favor of getting things accomplished.
What do you make of this explanation for the firing of Gina Carano?
NEXT: Jon Favreau Says He Does Not Have An Ending Planned Out For ‘The Mandalorian’ And Its Characters
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