The Mandalorian: Season 3 Eases Back Into Our Lives

I have really enjoyed the previous two seasons of The Mandalorian, so I am excited for season 3 and watching the new season’s first episode does not disappoint.  I was very confused as to how Grogu got back to Mando.  You see, I wasn’t that into The Book of Boba Fett, and therefore was in the dark that our little buddy made the choice to leave Luke Skywalker and rejoin Mando / Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) which apparently is explained in that series.  In reality, the how isn’t that important, but the fact that they are back together is all that matters. The Mandalorian may be an outer space action inspired by old westerns, but what makes it so special is the connection Mando has with Grogu, and the love and tenderness they show one another.  This is an incredibly impressive feat, considering that the emotion is evoked without being able to see Pedro’s facial expressions and the connection is made with an animatronic puppet.  There is a heartwarming scene where we just see Grogu dropping into Mando’s lap as they fly through hyperspace, and the only real purpose of this scene is to solidify the characters relationship and their bond.  It is the little touches like this mixed in with some great dialogue and exciting action sequences that raise this series to something magical and worthy of the Star Wars Franchise.

The purpose of the first episode is to set up this season’s big quest and to reintroduce us to the characters and their relationships giving us helpful nuggets of information to nudge our memory cells on what has transpired in the first two seasons.  Little new information is given aside from the reintroduction of a fan favorite droid, who we all hope will be rejoining the quest with Mando.  The plot is pretty simple.  Din Djarin broke the cardinal rule of the Mandalorians, and removed his helmet, in doing so he is exiled from his people and labeled with the episodes title of “Apostate”, someone who abandons their religious beliefs.  His only hope for redemption is to bath in the “living waters” in the mines of Mandalor, but Mandalor is believed to have been destroyed and the planet poisoned.  Din is resolute on proving this wrong and finding his redemption.

The Mandalorian offers a new villain, in the form of the “Sigmond the Seamonster” looking character, Pirate King Gorian Shard. Whether or not he will become the main threat of the season or just a minor annoyance for some comic relief is yet to be disclosed.  In addition, Mando is offered a place to live and a job on Nevarro by his old friend and now High Magistrate, Greef Karga (Carl Weathers), but Din refuses for now as he is compelled to complete his quest to bathe in the waters on Mandalor. Nevarro has become a bustling independent space center, and this helps the audience understand how much time has passed between the first season and the present but also solidifies how important it is for Mando to redeem his status as a Mandalorian.  Overall, this was a light but fun episode that helps the audience ease back into the series, and yet still contains some humor and excitement as well as some tender moments.