This Is The Way Of The Mandalorian - Season 3

The road for Star Wars and Lucasfilm has been a rocky one since being bought out by Walt Disney Studios, but there is one property that is almost universally praised for its quality and storytelling – The Mandalorian. Streaming since November 2019 and now having entered its third season, this Disney+ series has drawn in old and new fans alike with its unique western sci-fi style and adorable “Baby Yoda” press.

Today I’ll be taking a look at everything that’s been released this year at the time of writing this post (episodes one and two) and providing my own insight on what’s going on. If you’re not caught up with the show and intend to watch spoiler-free, definitely go and watch it before reading!

In episode one we see that the Mandalorian, aka Din Djarin, has reunited with Grogu, which took place during the final episode of The Book Of Boba Fett last year. After saving a group of Mandalorians from a giant alligator (way cooler than it sounds), Din is sent on a mission to Mandalore so he can redeem himself from his past “un-Mandalorian” actions. He and Grogu fly to the planet Nevarro where they meet their old friend Greef Karga, along with a band of pirates who have beef with him. It starts with a standoff on the ground and then moves to a spaceship battle, which Din wins with ease (obviously). Finally, after a failed and drawn-out attempt to rebuild their old droid buddy IG-11, Din and Grogu find Mandalorian Bo-Katan Kryze in an empty castle, who tells them that their quest is meaningless.

While this first episode had its moments, I wouldn’t say it was the most enticing premiere. Aside from a few scenes here and there it felt as though not much was actually accomplished as far as progressing the plot, and I expected it to set the scene for the rest of the season a lot more clearly. The most interesting part of the episode for me personally was the brief inclusion of the purrgil (basically giant space-whales) that appeared when Din and Grogu were flying through hyperspace. The last time we saw these creatures was in Star Wars: Rebels when Ezra Bridger used them to transport himself and Grand Admiral Thrawn far across space in an instant, which could possibly imply a return for one or both of them this season? Or maybe it was just an easter egg, who knows.

The second episode involves Din and Grogu actually making it to Mandalore and discovering the Civic Center that lies underground, in search of the Living Waters so Din can wash away his sins, supposedly. Along the way they encounter savage creatures called Alamites and what appears to be a tiny creature that can attach itself to various mechanized bodies to trap and torture its prey, which today includes Din. Unable to break free of his trap, Din sends Grogu to get Bo-Katan’s help, who thankfully is able to rescue him before too much harm is done. Despite not believing in the validity of Din’s quest, she helps him locate the Living Waters. Along the way she expresses her disbelief of the “Mythosuar” that is rooted in a Mandalorian legend, and wouldn’t you know it, that’s exactly what she sees once they reach the waters, nearly drowning Din during his cleansing before she pulls him to safety.

This episode may not have had space-whales, but overall it seemed to be a lot more focused than the first episode and progressed the plot in a more natural and engaging way. The introduction of R5-D4 as a scaredy-droid that Din buys from Peli Motto was especially entertaining to me, and I can’t wait to see more of that character, even if it’s just for comic relief. We’re also seeing Grogu use his force powers more frequently, which is always exciting.

That’s about everything to report on so far. It’s tough to say exactly where the story will go from here during the rest of the season and beyond, but with any luck, we’ll end up with another successful season from a galaxy far, far away. Thanks for reading, and see you next time!