How The Mandalorian Embraced Classic Western Tropes

Star Wars fans aren’t the only ones obsessed with The Mandalorian. The Disney+ series, now in its second season, is five times more popular than any other program on the streaming service.

Jon Favreau and his contributing writers have accomplished what no one thought was possible: adapting a brand new Star Wars storyline that is beloved by both old and new fans. This was something the three prequels couldn’t seem to do.

Not only did Favreau switch back to the practical effects that made the original trilogy so endearing—real structures and animatronics vs. CGI—but he took advantage of well-established Western tropes from the Golden Age of Television.

If you’ve watched The Mandalorian you probably picked up on how it seemed like a Western set in outer space. Favreau used many of the character archetypes and plots made famous in shows like The Rifleman, Rawhide, The Lone Ranger, or even Kung Fu.

So what’s the writing lesson here? Even though they may seem old, outdated, or even overused, you should explore some of these archetypes for your story. They may give you a basic roadmap to something original and refreshing like The Mandalorian.

Here Are the Basic Plots that Make Up All Stories

We’ve all read articles or books about how there are only three basic plot structures: human vs. human, human vs. nature, and human vs. self.

Kurt Vonnegut described it best in a 1995 lecture when he said the most commonly used plots are “someone gets into trouble and gets out of it again,” “boy gets girl,” and the “Cinderella” story.

In 2016, researchers from the University of Vermont’s Computational Story Lab found there were six narratives based on Vonnegut’s theory:

• Rags to riches
• Riches to rags
• Man in a hole
• Icarus
• Cinderella
• Oedipus

No matter what plot structure you’re considering for your story, chances are it’s already been used. But, that’s okay. It’s your job to take the existing foundation and transform it into something engaging for new audiences.

Western Tropes in The Mandalorian

It’s so obvious that Favreau borrowed from old Westerns when writing for The Mandalorian. For fans who watched the show, you’ll recall specific scenes where this was the case.

Here are some examples of the main Western tropes that appeared in the show:

1.   Union Pacific Story

This plot line concerns either the construction of a railroad, a telegraph line, or some other type of modern technology or transportation. In Season 2, Episode 4 the Mandalorian or “Mando” agrees to work with some new allies on destroying an old Imperial base being used to conduct mysterious experiments.

2.   Ranch Story

This plot structure follows a ranch and people working on it, and any external threats to the ranch. In Season 2, Episode 1, Mando agrees to help a small village on the planet Tatooine kill a Greater Krayt Dragon that’s been eating their livestock and destroying their settlement.

3.   Empire Story

This story features an empire as either a protagonist or antagonist. It can be someone’s “rags to riches” story or an evil organization out for total domination. In every Star Wars story, including The Mandalorian, the Galactic Empire is this antagonist.

4.   Revenge Story

This plot involves an elaborate chase and the pursuit of a villain by an individual he wronged. Mando is hired in Season 1, Episode 1 by the Galactic Empire who wants him to retrieve The Child (Baby Yoda). He succeeds at delivering The Child but then feels guilty turning him over after they formed a bond. Mando later breaks into the imperial compound and rescues the child.

5.   Outlaw Story

When gangs or outlaws dominate the story and in most cases a hero needs to be hired to clear them out. When Mando arrives on the planet of Corvus in Season 2, Episode 5 he finds an imperial fort run by an evil magistrate who terrifies and tortures her people. Mando teams up with a Jedi named Ahsoka Tano to liberate the settlement.

6.   The Marshall Story

This plot features a lawman, his deputies, and the challenges they face. It’s also very prominent in The Mandalorian. In Season 2, Episode 1 Mando meets a marshall who struggles to protect his town wearing an old suit of Mandalorian armor. Rebel soldier Cara Dune, who helped Mando in the first season, is also made the marshal of the planet Nevarro where she helped drive out the empire.

Don’t Discount Old Story Structures

They may seem old, cliche or overused, but old tropes work. That’s why they’re still used so often.
The key is selecting a trope that will work for your story and crafting it in an original way. When writing for The Mandalorian, Favreau borrowed some of the basic plot outlines from old Westerns and created an entirely self-sufficient Star Wars narrative.

The story was able to stand on its own from other movies and television shows. It certainly borrowed elements from the Star Wars universe, things like Jedis, X-Wings, and the Galactic Empire, but it was never dependent on any of the previous stories. It was truly original.