The MandalorianSeason 2 was, undoubtedly,a huge success. Not only did it carry the charm and wit of the first season forward, with the relationship between the titular warrior (Pedro Pascal, most of the time) and Baby Yoda, now known as Grogu, becomingmore developed and complicated, but it also delivered a ton of high-flying,Star Wars-y fun each and every week. Dark sabers were swung, evil robots unleashed, and giant sand dragons vanquished. And adding considerable oomph to both the quieter moments and those that were more unhinged was the music of composerLudwig Göransson. In fact, his music was an undeniable highlight throughout the entire season, to the point where it’s impossible to think aboutThe Mandalorianwithout his instantly iconic score.
Göransson, at only 36 (!), has already become a major force in the film music world. A pop producer who frequently collaborates withDonald Gloveraka Childish Gambino, he started out working for composerTheodore Shapiro, coming up with additional cues, and earned his own place on the scene with his score forRyan Coogler’sFruitvale Station. Since then he has provided the scores for Coogler’sCreedandBlack Panther, along with projects likeCreed 2,Venom,andChristopher Nolan’sTenet(easily this year’s very best film score).
And Göransson’s music for the first season ofThe Mandalorianwas a total blast, for sure. From that theme music, using the recorder — an instrument many of us had resigned to associating exclusively with middle school band practice — he placed a unique and instantly identifiable stamp on whatStar Warsmusic could be. Up until this point, whatStar Warssounded like had been defined by the immortal works ofJohn Williams, and by the equally classical work of a handful of additional composers (includingMichael GiacchinoandJohn Powell), who were more or less attempting to replicate if not the actual notes of Williams’ score, then the general feeling that his music produced. Göransson was not boxed in by such parameters; instead, he carved out his own musical journey, incorporating esoteric elements (like the recorder) and adding a healthy dose of electronic ornamentation. The music could oscillate, quickly, between more western traditions and embellishments typically associated with dance music. Occasionally, his score was so funky that you could picture it being played as is in Oga’s Cantina, the nightclub-y bar in Galaxy’s Edge, theStar Wars-themed area of Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World. Hell, we’d dance to it.
In Season 2, Göransson doubled down onall of this. In the Season 2 premiere, “The Marshal,” the Mandalorian met Cobb Vanth (Timothy Olyphant), the sheriff of a small outpost on Tatooine. The character’s theme (showcased on a soundtrack cut called “The Marshal’s Tale”) is the most outwardly western the score has ever gotten; it has some straight uptwang. But not only is it beautiful and thrilling, but it says a lot about the character — who he is, where he’s come from, and the town that he’s dedicated himself to protecting. Göransson’s music is never stylish for the sake of being stylish. It’s always in service of the story and the characters. That’s clearly his first priority, always.
And he stretched himself even further in Season 2 — the theme he created for the Dark Troopers, the Terminator-style murder bots that are dispatched to abduct Baby Yoda and keep him locked up, sounds more likeSkrillex’s score forSpring Breakersthan anything John Williams ever conducted. (Listen to the soundtrack cut “Troopers” and tell me I’m wrong.) The Dark Troopers theme was mean and metallic, just like the characters, and hearing the cue made you even more nervous about what they were planning to do. Similarly, in the episode “The Jedi,” he gave many of his themes and motifs a kind of medieval redo, which was fitting considering the story was about a lone knight liberating a besieged village from a feudal warlord. With subtle changes of instrumentation and intent, music that we’ve grown accustomed to over the past year (and listened to repeatedly) was given new life. By shifting the music ever so slightly, an entirely new version ofThe Mandalorian’s world opened up.
But Göransson also showed his sensitive side this season; look no further than the conclusion of the Season 2 finale, with its twinkling pianos and keyboard work and delicate choral arrangements. It said everything: someone very powerful was aboard the ship, Grogu was going to be okay, and that this was a big moment, not only inThe Mandalorian, but in the history ofStar Warsitself. Even his integration of classic WilliamsStar Warsthemes was seamless and felt new and fresh again. And the moment between Grogu and the Mandalorian,before they say goodbye, elicited tears from even the most hardened nerd, because of how precisely that scene was played and because of our gorgeous Göransson’s music was. Try imagining that scenewithouthis music. Exactly.
A few weeks ago, awhole slate of newStar Warstelevision projectswere announced for Disney+, many of them overseen by the creative team behindThe Mandalorian. It’s unclear if Göransson will return to score any of these new shows, but it is definitely true that he has established thesoundofStar Warson Disney+ thanks to his exemplary work onThe Mandalorian. And we can’t wait to hear what he cooks up for Season 3.
