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Credit: LucasfilmSeason 3 is over. And for all the speculation, theories, and debate, this season might have surprised us the most by… not really surprising us. Instead, they delivered a relatively straightforward tale of unity in the face of adversity, courage in the face of overwhelming odds, and retribution for devastated people. And what could be more Star Wars than that?
Related: Recap: ‘The Mandalorian’ Finale, “Chapter 24: The Return”
This season, you felt more than ever the pull between the urge to tell a wider canon story — that of the rise of the Imperial Remnant, the abject, inherent flaws in the New Republic, and the restoration of Mandalore — with keeping the story of the week format which first structured The Mandalorian’s vision of what Star Wars could be on TV.
The demands of that bigger story meant the season was less centered on Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu (himself). Some even noted that the latter was a bonus addition rather than a central feature. But to ignore their developing appearances is to rob the season finale of some of its heart: the pair ended with making their familial bond official, and while it feels like Grogu may have progressed through numerous Mandalorian training classes at this point, seeing him take a more active combat role, in a mech no less, was absolutely progress for him.
There feels to be much-untapped potential in the story of Djarin’s journey with his belief system too; we leave the character still feeling guilt for removing his helmet, despite Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) being a clear example that while that may be a way, it isn’t the only one. Sackhoff’s Bo-Katan is easily the season’s stand out, given time to demonstrate some badass combat skills while shouldering the responsibility of uniting a fractured people and inspiring them to take back what they have lost. It’s important to remember that this is a show with no set ending, so there’s nothing to say that won’t be developed deeper into the plot just because it wasn’t at this moment.
Early promotional art and speculation suggested Bo-Katan and Djarin may come to blows over his possession of the Darksaber. But for all the bluster around the legendary blade, it was no more by the show’s close. How that will ripple into the future, when it meant something so significant to the Mandalorians following it, remains to be seen. Its destruction was just one of a series of neat bows the third season tied on some long-running plot arcs.
Another was the apparent death of Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito), along with outlining his cloning plan. The latter, of course, is still tangentially connected to Emperor Palpatine’s own plans for immortality. But the heart of the matter was Gideon, like many Imperials, was truly only out for himself. It was his own army he was building, his own self he was looking to enhance with Force abilities. The resolution of him first destroying the saber, and then going up in flames against three characters he personally exploited to get him to his position, was a satisfying finish.
Of course, there’s nothing to stop him from appearing again in the future, Esposito returning to chew more scenery as surely the most bombastic Star Wars villain in recent memory. Pitting him against Sackhoff’s Bo-Katan was an exercise in contrast: her ousted regent simmering with intensity, frustration, and pressure, his power-hungry warlord all booming tones and poisonous smirks. For a season littered with innocuous guest spots from the likes of Jack Black and Lizzo, it’s a credit to the principal cast that they maintained the focus, delivering this sometimes scattered story with the needed commitment regardless of whether or not they occasionally feel like they’re players from different genres.
That is perhaps another symptom of The Mandalorian’s now trademark idiosyncrasies. This is a pulp adventure yarn, at its core, so the plot moves less on coherence and more on what will look very cool at that exact moment. Need our heroes to venture beneath the surface? Let’s throw in a gigantic monster that won’t appear again. Want them to encounter a fan favorite character? We’ll head off on a side quest to find an assassin droid that promptly seems to be forgotten (although, to their credit, this one was somewhat circled back to).
To be clear, this isn’t a criticism. The Mandalorian sets out to entertain as much as possible, in whatever way it can. Does that mean it sacrifices some of the clearer narrative structure and themes of a show like Tony Gilroy’s Andor? Of course, but this is a different beast. The world George Lucas built can flex and bend to whatever stories you want to tell. Suppose Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau’s vision for the show — and their wider universe, including Book of Boba Fett and the upcoming Ahsoka — tells interconnected, relatively tangential tales of action, thrills, and operatic theatrics. In that case, I’m more than happy. To their credit, this season avoided the worst instincts of throwing in character cameos purely for fan satisfaction. Every character felt suitable and organically woven in, and the galaxy didn’t feel small, with characters jostling for space within it.
Related: Ending Explained: ‘The Mandalorian’ Season Three Ending
Season 3 delivered a show which stepped outside of the discourse and, if nothing else, might serve as a useful reminder: just because a show doesn’t deliver on everything that was speculated, that doesn’t mean it has failed. Disappointment can be felt if you are unhappy with how some of the stories played out or wanted to see more of a certain character. But to critique it for failing to deliver on a fan theory laid out in a Reddit forum? That seems unfair when they served up a finale that closed arcs and serviced plenty of the plot they set out to tell so far, concerning Gideon, Mandalore, and Djarin’s place in the galaxy. And it was all delivered with those fantastic practical effects (hi, my Anzellan kings) and plenty of wow action moments to deliver you a dose of adrenaline-fuelled Star Wars fun, week after week.
Do you agree with our review of The Mandalorian Season 3? Tell us in the comments below.