‘The Mandalorian’: Seven Burning Questions for Season 3
With more than two years passing since the season two finale, The Mandalorian is returning for a third installment on March 1.
At the end of 2020, the Star Wars series’ finale episode left the series off on a high note, when a de-aged CGI Mark Hamill arrived on the scene as Luke Skywalker to save baby Grogu and begin his official Jedi training. While witnessing the emotional goodbye between masked protagonist Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu put a wrench in the hearts of many viewers, several fans lauded the final episode for its nostalgic appeal and the anticipation of the baby’s training. The question of Grogu’s whereabouts — and whether or not he would reunite with Din — would have been one of the most burning questions of all for the next season. That is, until The Book of Boba Fett solved that one over the course of three crossovers episodes with The Mandalorian.
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From executive producers Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni, the upcoming season is prepped to move Din and Grogu’s story forward — this time, as they head to the desolate Mandalorian homeland of Mandalore. Stripped of his Mandalorian status in the eyes of the Armorer (Emily Swallow) and the Children of the Watch, Din is headed to Mandalore in the hopes of being forgiven for removing his helmet in the presence of others. Not to mention, he also currently holds the Darksaber, a sacred Mandalorian weapon that can only be won in combat. According to legend, whoever wields the black-bladed lightsaber also holds the claim to rule all of Mandalore.
With all this in mind, THR rounds up all the remaining questions that fans are wondering about ahead of the season three premiere.
How does The Book of Boba Fett play into this?
First things first, if you haven’t watched The Book of Boba Fett yet, it’s semi-mandatory viewing before watching season three of The Mandalorian. If you don’t have time to watch all six episodes, at least dedicate time to Chapters 5, 6 and 7, all of which focus on Din Djarin and Grogu. As mentioned, Boba Fett provides a glimpse into what’s been happening with Grogu since the end of Mando season two. After time apart, Din and Grogu are ultimately reunited in Boba Fett’s final episode, which is where The Mandalorian‘s third season will pick up.
Where does Grogu’s Jedi training stand?
In Chapter 6 of The Book of Boba Fett, Luke teaches Grogu in the ways of the Force, picking up on the training that the child had before the Jedi Temple was destroyed in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. But when it’s clear the Grogu maintains a strong attachment to Din as a father figure, Luke presents his student with two options: to choose between Mandalorian armor or a lightsaber. In choosing the Mandalorian beskar armor that Din gifted him, Grogu would return to his father, thus choosing the life of a Mandalorian and forsaking the way of the Jedi. If he chose the lightsaber, he would become the first student in Luke’s jedi academy, and would commit himself to the Jedi way. With the latter, he would likely never see Din again.
In the final Boba Fett episode, Grogu follows his heart and chooses to return to his father, giving up his Jedi training. But from the season three trailer, it’s clear the Grogu is still strong in the Force, and perhaps will continue training in his own way throughout the new season.
Will Din be forgiven?
Over the course of the past two seasons, Din’s broken the Children of the Watch’s most important law: removing his helmet and showing his face to others. This goes against the Way, the Mandalorian code that Din was raised by. By these strict standards, he can no longer wear the armor or call himself a Mandalorian. But as the Armorer tells him in The Book of Boba Fett, he can gain redemption by bathing in the living waters beneath the mines of Mandalore.
With that, Din’s plan is set, as he states in the season three trailer that he and Grogu are “going to Mandalore so that [he] may be forgiven for [his] transgressions.” But the question of whether or not Din will truly be forgiven — or if he even needs to — is still up in the air. As he learned after meeting Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff), following the Way doesn’t necessarily make one a Mandalorian, and it’s possible for him to live a life without abiding by the Watch’s cult-like rules. But despite not being born on Mandalore, the Way is all that Din has ever known, and turning away from it would be to go against his own morals. Season three will likely dive into the question of what it means to truly be a Mandalorian, whether that’s by following the Way or simply upholding the legacy of Mandalore.
Will Bo-Katan challenge Din for the Darksaber?
Fans of the animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars: Rebels are well-versed in the backstory of Bo-Katan — a Mandalorian native and the sister of the late Duchess Satine Kryze, the peaceful ruler of Mandalore before the Empire took over.
In Bo-Katan’s mind, her family status makes her the self-proclaimed heir to Mandalore’s throne. However, in Rebels, Bo Katan is given the Darksaber, in order to unite the Mandalorian clans and fight against the Empire. Her efforts are quickly squashed by the Empire, as Imperial forces destroy what was left of Mandalore and its people in what would become known as the Night of a Thousand Tears. In the process, Bo-Katan lost the Darksaber to Moff Gideon, who proceeded to lose it to Din Djarin.
All that to say, Bo-Katan has some serious motives for taking revenge against the Empire and reclaiming her home planet. Unfortunately for her and Mando, it looks like the only way for her to do it is to acquire the Darksaber in a duel. And with Din’s sights set on returning the Mandalore, the stage is perfectly set for a standoff between the two characters.
What is Grogu’s origin story?
Before audiences could identify him by the name of Grogu, the fan-favorite character was dubbed by viewers as simply “Baby Yoda.” Grogu’s resemblance to the Jedi master sparked immediate questions about his origin story. Is he related to Yoda? Where did he come from?
Part of those questions were broadly answered in season two when Ahsoka speaks to Grogu through the Force, revealing his true name and the early years of his life spent at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. There, he was trained in the ways of the Force, until the vents of Order 66, in which the Jedi were wiped out and the Empire rose to power. According to Ahsoka, Grogu is hidden during the massacre, but his memory goes dark soon after.
In Chapter 6 of Boba Fett, Luke helps Grogu to remember those difficult moments of his past, including a flashback to Order 66, in which Grogu watches the Jedi fight against the clones unsuccessfully. His memory comes to an end as the clones spot Grogu in his hiding spot and move toward him. While we know that Grogu somehow escapes alive, it’s possible that season three could provide answers as to what happened to him in the moments after.
Where is Moff Gideon?
Back to the season two finale, Grogu was captured by Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito), in an attempt to use the baby for his blood. While it was never explicitly stated why the Empire wanted to use Grogu’s blood, it’s likely that Gideon wanted to study Grogu and possibly create more Force-sensitive beings like him.
After losing the Darksaber to Din and losing the child, Gideon’s current whereabouts are unknown. However, Esposito has confirmed that his character will be returning in season three with a vengeance.
How will this season set up future Star Wars projects?
While it’s expected that this season of The Mandalorian will set the scene for future seasons to come, it may also introduce new plots and characters for other Star Wars projects. As we saw in The Book of Boba Fett, it’s not unlikely that the major players of The Mandalorian will show up in other shows, such as the highly-anticipated Ahsoka spin-off show.
As Anakin Skywalker’s former apprentice and a beloved character of the Clone Wars series, Ahsoka’s show has been a long time coming for fans of the franchise. After appearances in The Mandalorian and Boba Fett, Ahsoka will see its protagonist collaborating with fan-favorite characters from Rebels, such as Ezra Bridger and Sabine Wren. As Lucasfilm gears up to premiere Ahsoka later this year, it’s possible that these characters could also make an appearance in The Mandalorian.
The Mandalorian season three premieres on Disney+ March 1.
