Summary
- Pedro Pascal insisted on scrapping a scene in The Mandalorian season 2 where Din Djarin's face was supposed to be revealed because he believes his face reveals should only come "when the stakes feel the highest."
- Pascal's decision to keep his face hidden demonstrates his dedication to the role of Din Djarin and his understanding of the character. He was willing to sacrifice his "human need to be seen" in favor of making the show and story work.
- Although Pascal's face has only been revealed three times so far, it is likely that there will be future face reveals if the stakes are high enough. Dave Filoni's upcoming The Mandalorian-era movie, featuring Grand Admiral Thrawn as a threat, could be a potential opportunity for another face reveal.
There was one scene in The Mandalorian season 2 where Din Djarin's face was going to be revealed, but actor Pedro Pascal himself stopped it from happening. One of the most intriguing and iconic things about Din's character since his debut has been his strict helmet rule, a strong part of his creed that other Mandalorians in Star Wars history have never followed. Bo-Katan Kryze, Sabine Wren, and other notable Mandalorians were always comfortable in removing their helmets, which has made Mando's strict rule become an even more interesting thread of his story.
Din's devout adherence to this part of the creed has only made the appearances of Pascal's face in The Mandalorian even more significant. As someone who's proven they would choose death over breaking the creed, Din's face has only been revealed three times over the course of The Mandalorian's three seasons, including a lengthy interlude in The Book of Boba Fett. The first time shows the severity of his wounds from his battle with Moff Gideon in The Mandalorian season 1 finale, and the other two have marked his character development in him breaking his creed for Grogu. There was, however, supposed to be a fourth - and it was Pascal himself who kept it from happening.
Pedro Pascal Resisted Another Mandalorian Season 2 Face Reveal
Pascal reveals in an interview with Variety that the beginning of an episode in The Mandalorian season 2 was meant to include a scene of Din without his helmet in a "different kind of costume," but he insisted they should scrap it. His collaborators were shocked at this idea, and Pascal argued that his face reveals should only come "when the stakes feel the highest." Based on the nature of this particular scene, there simply wasn't enough at risk.
This seems like a surprising move for someone whose face is almost never seen in the role, which is something Pascal often unfortunately gets discredited for. Pascal, however, was willing to sacrifice his "human need to be seen" in favor of making the show and the story work, which only proves his dedication to the role of Din Djarin. It also demonstrates the depth of Pascal's understanding for Mando's character, especially looking at the possibilities of where this scene was supposed to land in The Mandalorian season 2.
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The Mandalorian season 3 has come to an end with an action-packed finale, complete with more than a few surprise twists and teases for the future.
Which Mandalorian Season 2 Episode Was This Scene Meant For?
Given Pascal's words about waiting until the stakes were higher and the nature of the story from The Mandalorian season 2, it was likely meant to open one of the first four episodes of the season - and there's already a clue in one of those four opening scenes. The Mandalorian season 2, episode 4 "Chapter 12: The Siege" includes a scene where Din almost removes his helmet, lifting it just enough to sip soup alongside Grogu. This scene is a great bonding moment between the two, and it also shows the first time Grogu's been curious about seeing his guardian's face.
This scene could have included the different costume Pascal references, as the nature of it is relaxed. It might have been that Din was lounging on the Razor Crest with some of his armor removed before their next adventure. All other opening scenes of the season feature either other people around or too much action, and even the beginnings of certain episodes after the title reveals are simply not ideal for Din to have had an entire costume change. Interestingly enough, this scene in "Chapter 12: The Siege" actually ended up being Mando double actor Brendan Wayne under the helmet, though it's very possible that it would have been Pascal had he not advocated for the scene to be changed.
Pedro Pascal Was Right To Hold It
Pascal made the right decision, as much as viewers love the chance to see Din whenever possible. The first time Din's face is revealed in The Mandalorian season 2 is in episode 7 "Chapter 15: The Believer," which sees him taking off his Imperial helmet to get the coordinates to Moff Gideon's light cruiser. These stakes are incredibly high, especially with the Imperial commanding officer Valin Hess approaching him directly after and forcing him to remain without his helmet for a drink. This moment shows Din willingly doing the one thing he fears more than death to save Grogu: Breaking his creed.
If Din's face had been shown earlier in the season, the impact of this moment would've decreased tenfold. Given that Din never casually removed his helmet in a way that viewers could see in The Mandalorian season 1, doing so early on in season 2 would have taken away much of the shock value that moment on Morak delivered. It would have made Din's sacrifice for Grogu seem much less important, as viewers would have already been used to experiencing the vulnerability of Din's face. Instead, that moment in "Chapter 15: The Believer" is pure perfection, balancing the angst of Din's sacrifice with the tenderness of his love for Grogu in giving up such a sacred piece of himself.
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The Mandalorian season 3 has come to a triumphant end, naturally leaving viewers wondering whether this is the end of Din Djarin and Grogu's story.
Will Din Djarin Ever Remove His Helmet Again?
Inevitably, Din will remove his helmet again, regardless of the redemption he earns in The Mandalorian season 3. Pascal's words about this scrapped moment from season 2 are simply a guide to the fact that the stakes have to be high enough for a face reveal to happen. The story of The Mandalorian season 3 has no such moment, as even a forced removal of his helmet - which many theorized for the season 3 finale after Din was captured - would not have had any real stakes to meet it. The three face reveal scenes that already exist have such deep meanings, and if another face reveal occurs in the future, it has to have just as much significance as the existing ones do.
It's very likely that this moment could arrive in Dave Filoni's upcoming The Mandalorian-era movie. Grand Admiral Thrawn is a terrifying threat, and if he does enough research on Din as an adversary, he could very well put Mando in a position where the stakes become high enough that his face will once again be shown - especially if it concerns Grogu's safety. Thrawn may even gain access to the scan of Din's face on Morak, which could potentially be the factor that leads him to walking both worlds as Bo-Katan does. The Mandalorian certainly hasn't seen the last of Pascal's face as Din Djarin, and his next moment to shine will arrive when the time is right.
