The Return of the ‘Razor Crest’ in ‘Mandalorian and Grogu’ Is Even Sillier Than We Thought
When we first got a look at The Mandalorian and Grogu last year, one of the oddest surprises (outside of swole Hutts) was the return of a very familiar ship design: Din Djarin’s beloved Razor Crest, somehow returned after it had been blown to smithereens in the climax of The Mandalorian season 2. At the time, it was a mystery as to whether or not it was somehow the ship—but thanks to some insight from director Jon Favreau, as well as what else of course, but some new toys, we have an answer that is much more sensible and yet still incredibly silly.
Speaking at an event to reveal new toys inspired by the upcoming movie at New York Toy Fair this week, director Jon Favreau briefly touched on the ship’s return. “[Din’s] in the Razor Crest now, which is the ship he originally had,” Favreau told gathered press, including Gizmodo, before clarifying, “He’s in the same model of ship.”
But instead of being called a new name or even Razor Crest II, the newly revealed merchandise for the film reveals that the new ship is indeed simply just called the Razor Crest again. The only differential marker that this isn’t the destroyed ship reforged is that, like Waylon Smithers pointing out the hat on a Malibu Stacy, the new Razor Crest features a few strips of yellow paint markings across its hull.
© Lego
It was already weird enough that the film was having Mando suddenly give up what has been his ship of choice for the last few years in The Mandalorian season 3 and his appearances in The Book of Boba Fett, a modified Naboo N-1 starfighter. But there’s something especially weird about Din apparently going out and finding a new model of his old ship and naming it the same thing again, like nothing ever happened.
Intentionally or otherwise, The Mandalorian said a lot about its titular bounty hunter with his ship of choice—and it said even more about Din’s arc, and how much both he and the show had changed, when it was replaced with the very different (and very familiar) starfighter. Which is why it was such a shame when the Razor Crest appeared in the Mandalorian and Grogu trailer in the first place: the seeming reversion didn’t map with what the show had been saying about Din’s transition from unknown mercenary to active hero.
As absurd as the thought might have been, Din going back to Tython years later and reforging his ship out of the ruins that remained would’ve at least been a somewhat interesting commentary on his inability to let certain attachments lie—paralleling his own relationship with the Mandalorian Covert, or even Grogu’s return to his side after rejecting Luke’s training. Maybe just buying a new one and slapping the old name on it will say something too, but in all likelihood, it’ll just end up feeling more like an excuse to do the same old toys all over again.
We’ll find out if there’s more than a fresh coat of paint to the Razor Crest when The Mandalorian and Grogu hits theaters May 22.
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