Mandalorian season 3

The Mandalorian returns to our screens this week as the hotly anticipated season 3 launches. Here's how to watch it, the cast and the UK release date.

In total there will be eight episodes of The Mandalorian, with each episode released at 8am on a Wednesday. Co-star Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad) added further fuel to the fire by saying “season three and four is where you're really gonna start to get answers.” However, the wait is now over!

The Mandalorian season 3 premiere introduces many new alien creatures to the Mandalorian cast including Gorian Shard, who is played by a well-known actor.

Would you have ever guessed that the character Gorian Shard was played by actor Nonso Anozie? [The Mandalorian season](https://bamsmackpow.com/disney-plus/star-wars/) 3 is played by British actor Nonso Anozie. When leaving, Mando encounters the pirates once again who attempt to lure him to their leader Gorian Shard.

More than two years after the conclusion of Season 2, The Mandalorian starring Pedro Pascal has returned with the premiere episode of Season 3 titled, "The ...

In the end, the premiere of Season 3 of The Mandalorian plays it safe by not going overboard with action or drama to appease fans who waited over two years for new episodes. The premiere episode sees Famuyiwa taking up directorial duties, and he largely succeeds at setting up an exciting season of The Mandalorian. At 35 minutes, the pacing is brisk, and the episode feels like it's picking up right where it left off at the Season 2 finale of The Mandalorian. The episode doesn't up the ante much, despite having a ton of action scenes involving blasters and starfighters. However, there is a problem with this solution as the living waters were presumed to be destroyed during the Great Purge of Mandalore. The induction also serves as a reminder of Din Djarin's massive transgression from the previous season, as The Mandalorian aren't allowed to remove their helmet for anyone.

The Mandalorian season 3 episode 1 is a strong and focussed opening which launches us straight back into the thick of the action, as if we never left.

[Bo-Katan](https://www.thedigitalfix.com/star-wars/bo-katan-the-mandalorian). Opening episodes are often exposition-heavy, but The Mandalorian mostly managed to pack a good balance of word-building, action, comedy, and exploration. This then provides us with a compelling B-plot — Mando and Grogu need to acquire a new memory circuit to repair IG-11 properly. [Star Wars timeline](https://www.thedigitalfix.com/star-wars/movies-in-order), the [Star Wars cast](https://www.thedigitalfix.com/star-wars/cast-guide), the best [Star Wars characters](https://www.thedigitalfix.com/star-wars/characters), and the worst [Star Wars villains](https://www.thedigitalfix.com/best-star-wars-villains). Yet, Djarin’s self-imposed redemption arc and journey to the mines of Mandalore seem like a solid enough place to start. In the process, this provides us with our main plot and direction for The Mandalorian season 3. But they make me miss He wants to revive IG-11 so that the We start season 3 by catching up with the Children of the Watch on Concordia. How are we meant to take Spinach Man seriously? Look at that widdle face! We met Vane earlier, but Gorian Shard is a bit of a jumpscare, and quite honestly looks like a clump of spinach.

'The Mandalorian' Season 3 Episode 1 features an Easter egg that could confirm one of our biggest theories about the 'Ahsoka' show.

[Ezra Bridger](https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/mandalorian-season-3-spoilers-din-djarin-ezra-bridger-brothers) deploy the purrgil in a ploy against the [evil Admiral Thrawn](https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/star-wars-new-movie-thrawn-theory). And if one thing is sure, we haven’t seen the last of the purrgil either. In that story, a band of heroes led by the Jedi-in-training Thankfully, the purgill we saw in The Mandalorian Season 3 Episode 1 didn’t get in the way of Mando’s ship. But we have a feeling we haven’t seen the last of them. [Star Wars universe](https://www.inverse.com/topic/star-wars), you need a spaceship, a hyperdrive, and [coaxium](https://www.inverse.com/article/51581-solo-a-star-wars-story-coaxium-explained-a-key-to-hyperspace) if you want to travel faster that the speed of light.

The reason Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal), also known as the Mandalorian or Mando, wears his mask all the time is not just for protection. It is an integral part ...

In "The Book of Boba Fett" episode five, Mando is looking for a new ship, which leads him to Peli Motto (Amy Sedaris) in Tatooine. In ["The Book of Boba Fett"](https://www.insider.com/book-of-boba-fett-jennifer-beals-character-master-2022-2) episode six, we see [Luke attempt to train Grogu.](https://www.insider.com/the-mandalorian-season-2-luke-skywalker-mark-hamill-cameo) However, it eventually becomes clear that Grogu's attachment to Mando has hindered his ability to learn the ways of the Jedi. Grogu chooses the latter and is reunited with Mando in "The Book of Boba Fett" season finale. It is actually an ancient Mandalorian weapon that can be used to reunite the people of Mandalore. [also known as Baby Yoda](https://www.insider.com/the-mandalorian-baby-yoda-name-2020-11), with a Jedi to train him in the ways of the Force. As a result, Bo-Katan refuses to take the Darksaber from Mando, leaving him to figure out what to do with the weapon. It would not be surprising if the Darksaber actually puts a new target on his back. Hence, when Mando returned to the tribe in "The Book of Boba Fett" episode five, they banish him for breaking their code. But since then, he's amassed a large number of allies, including Grogu, of course. Mando reluctantly agrees to help Peli fix it and claim it as his new ship. It is an integral part of the tribe he was raised by. [Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito).

The elephant in the room of Cara Dune's absence explained in The Mandalorian season 3 episode 1 as Din Djarin faces exile. Read our recap.

[What happened in The Mandalorian season 2? so there’s still a bit of work to do to restore the droid back as an essential ally. Or will Din continue with his mission to get to Mandalore so that he can be redeemed for betraying his creed? [When is The Mandalorian set in the Star Wars series timeline?](https://metro.co.uk/2023/03/01/the-mandalorian-when-is-the-star-wars-series-set-18361546/?ico=more_text_links) When Mando visits Navarro, IG-11 has been turned into a statue… Recap ahead of season 3](https://metro.co.uk/2023/03/01/what-happened-in-the-mandalorian-season-2-recap-ahead-of-season-3-18365415/?ico=more_text_links) Bo-Katan and Mando reunite in season three, and while she is sitting on a throne, it’s clearly not the one that she wants. In the second season of The Mandalorian, Bo-Katan made her live-action debut as she chased after Moff Gideon and the Darksaber that was in his possession. [‘abhorrent and unacceptable’ posts](https://metro.co.uk/2021/02/11/the-mandalorian-actress-gina-carano-axed-after-abhorrent-tweet-14061141/) that she made on social media, in which the former MMA fighter reportedly compared being under Republican rule to Nazi Germany and the Holocaust. [absence of Cara Dune (Gina Carano) ](https://metro.co.uk/2023/02/28/the-mandalorian-season-3-director-addresses-gina-carano-firing-18362860/)was cleared up early on after the actor was fired from the [Star Wars](https://metro.co.uk/tag/star-wars/?ico=auto_link_entertainment_P3_LNK1) series on Disney Plus, as Din reunited with old friends and made new enemies. As a Child of the Watch, one of the vows Din made when he became a Mandalorian was to never remove his helmet. After beating Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) in a duel at the end of season two, Mando is now in search of redemption, which he can apparently find on Mandalore, the homeworld of his people.

The Mandalorian returns to our screens this week as the hotly anticipated season 3 launches. Here's how to watch it, the cast and the UK release date.

In total there will be eight episodes of The Mandalorian, with each episode released at 8am on a Wednesday. Co-star Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad) added further fuel to the fire by saying “season three and four is where you're really gonna start to get answers.” Scroll down for the [full trailer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Znsa4Deavgg).

Meet The Mandalorian season 3 cast ahead of Din Djarin and Grogu's return in the latest instalment of Disney Plus' Star Wars series.

Some of his favorite shows are What We Do In The Shadows, Bridgerton, Gangs of London, The Witcher, Doctor Who, and Ghosts. There, she and her fellow Mandalorians ended up assisting Din Djarin in his rescue mission at the end of the season as she wished to recover the Darksaber from Moff Gideon so she could take up the throne on Mandalore... Sedaris has featured in Somebody I Used to Know, Dicktown, No Activity, Elf and Sex and the City, and has voiced characters in BoJack Horseman, Shrek the Third, Star vs. He's also taken on more directorial duties for The Mandalorian season 3. Whilst he was at odds with Din at first over his recovery of Grogu, Greef later had a change of heart when Grogu used his Force powers to save Greef's life, prompting the official to help The Mandalorian and Grogu escape Moff Gideon's forces. Last we saw him, his forces were foiled by Luke Skywalker and he was arrested at the end of season 2 by Cara Dune to be tried for his crimes; will he escape the clutches of the New Republic? From then on, Greef took on more of a leadership role on Navarro and reinvested his credits to improve the place, and even offered to let The Mandalorian rejoin the Bounty Hunter's Guild. Weathers is likely best known for playing Apollo Creed in the Rocky franchise or for his role in Predator. Din Djarin is the wandering bounty hunter-turned-guardian of Grogu, and he's since crossed paths with Jedi, members of the Empire, bounty hunters and beasts in his journeys so far. There's no doubt that he'll show off his newfound powers and likely be the source of more mischief in season 3. As per the trailer, we know he's looking for forgiveness from his clan and will be heading to Mandalore in order to do so. [The Mandalorian season 3](https://www.whattowatch.com/watching-guides/the-mandalorian-season-3-trailer-and-everything-we-know-about-the-star-wars-series) will finally reveal the next step in Din Djarin and Grogu's adventures throughout the galaxy far far away, and there are big things at the forefront.

The clanging, chiming sound of a blacksmith battering metal opens the episode. As The Armorer (Emily Swallow) pieces together a new helmet, in a sequence ...

You can also check out our other coverage of the show [here](https://www.dexerto.com/tag/the-mandalorian/). Still, this is the way. “This is the way.” Spoilers for The Mandalorian to follow… Brief reminder: In Season 2, Bo-Katan wanted to reclaim Mandalore by besting Moff Gideon in battle, as that’s the only way to officially be worthy of the Darksaber. She calls him a fool and accuses his “cult” of giving up on Mandalore long before the purge. Aside from that, Nevarro is worlds apart from the outer rim’s earlier reputation, now a hub of culture; storefronts and stalls are bustling and buskers play music on the streets. She tells him to go home, and he says he’s going to Mandalore. For example, we see Grogu gazing at purrgil swimming through the whirl of hyperspace, and a late dogfight with pirates shows how far we’ve come with small-screen VFX. He says he wants to join her, but after she failed to return with the Darksaber, there’s “nothing left to join.” We’ve seen Din remove his helmet on a few occasions, and his transgressions have caught up with him. Just as he’s about to swear to never remove his helmet, a ginormous crocodile emerges from the Concordian depths; it makes Lake Placid’s monster look like a baby. As The Armorer (Emily Swallow) pieces together a new helmet, in a sequence reminiscent of Tony Stark assembling his Iron Man Mark 1 suit, drums thunder along the beach outside.

The Mandalorian season 3 episode 1 has been released on Disney Plus, with Pedro Pascal's Din Djarin and Grogu returning. Here's what we thought.

For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to [The Radio Times Podcast](https://www.radiotimes.com/audio/podcasts/). [Disney Plus](http://www.radiotimes.com/disneyplus) on Wednesday 1st March — [sign up to Disney Plus now for £79.90 for a year or £7.99 a month](https://disneyplus.bn5x.net/c/1236178/564546/9358?subId1=radiotimes-1793520&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.disneyplus.com%2Fen-gb). She does offer Djarin some directions to the Living Waters on Mandalore - but not before calling him a "fool" and telling him there's "nothing left" of Mandalore. Plus, Favreau recently made it clear that he has no idea how the story will end — a situation that can often lead to meandering plots and shows that go on for simply too long. Check out more of our [Sci-Fi](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/) coverage or visit our [TV Guide](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/tv-listings/) and [Streaming Guide](https://www.radiotimes.com/streaming-guide/) to find out what's on. She's more than a little lost after Djarin won the Dark Saber from her in season 2. The only problem is that IG-11 sacrificed himself way back in season 1 - but some of his parts have been recovered. Her forces have left her and, really, it's just quite a sad sight. This is a modal window. "He was sent off to a New Republic war tribunal." Not everyone's happy about it though, as pirate Vane proves when he and his gang of brothers cause trouble for Karga. Someone else that surely won't come back to haunt our heroes, right?

The popular Star Wars show The Mandalorian returned for its third season today and straight away, the absence of Gina Carano was addressed.

Why is Gina Carano not in The Mandalorian season 3? Find out about the controversy that led to her being fired from the Star Wars show cast.

It had to be addressed in the creative and [Jon Favreau] took the time to think about that,’ Rick told [When is The Mandalorian set in the Star Wars series timeline?](https://metro.co.uk/2023/03/01/the-mandalorian-when-is-the-star-wars-series-set-18361546/?ico=more_text_links) [Metro Showbiz on Snapchat](https://story.snapchat.com/p/16289297-eb61-4990-9aab-45ce173b8058/). [weren’t looking to recast ](https://metro.co.uk/2021/02/17/the-mandalorian-bosses-not-planning-on-recasting-cara-dune-14095250/)the character of Cara. [The Mandalorian season 3 episode 1 recap: Elephant in the room of Cara Dune’s absence is explained while Din Djarin faces exile](https://metro.co.uk/2023/03/01/the-mandalorian-season-3-episode-1-recap-gina-carano-absence-revealed-18366618/?ico=more_text_links) even by children. [Deadline](https://deadline.com/2023/02/mandalorian-season-3-gina-carano-cara-dune-dave-filoni-rick-famuyiwa-1235273638/%20%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8B), having directed episodes one, seven and eight of the third season. [how Cara would still be incorporated](https://metro.co.uk/2023/02/28/the-mandalorian-season-3-director-addresses-gina-carano-firing-18362860/) into the show despite Gina’s departure. [Gina had been axed from the role](https://metro.co.uk/2021/02/11/the-mandalorian-actress-gina-carano-axed-after-abhorrent-tweet-14061141/). [release of the third season](https://metro.co.uk/2023/03/01/what-happened-in-the-mandalorian-season-2-recap-ahead-of-season-3-18365415/) arriving on [Disney](https://metro.co.uk/tag/disney/?ico=auto_link_entertainment_P3_LNK1) Plus, fans wondered if the story was simply going to brush Cara under the carpet or mention her in some way. [ The Mandalorian season 3](https://metro.co.uk/2023/03/01/the-mandalorian-season-3-episode-1-recap-gina-carano-absence-revealed-18366618/), one of the biggest questions concerning the [Star Wars](https://metro.co.uk/tag/star-wars/?ico=auto_link_entertainment_P1_LNK1) show starring [Pedro Pascal](https://metro.co.uk/tag/pedro-pascal/?ico=auto_link_entertainment_P1_LNK2) as the lead was how it was going to explain the absence of Cara Dune (Gina Carano). [ being fired from the series](https://metro.co.uk/2021/02/11/the-mandalorian-actress-gina-carano-axed-after-abhorrent-tweet-14061141/) occurred after she made her last appearance as the character in season 2, having first joined the cast in 2019.

Cara Dune was the Marshall on the revamped Nevarro, under the watch of Greef Karga, before she got reassigned after helping to lock Moff Gideon away. Karga ...

[Bo-Katan](https://www.thedigitalfix.com/star-wars/bo-katan-the-mandalorian) and learn more about the [Darksaber](https://www.thedigitalfix.com/star-wars/darksaber). But what happened to Cara Dune, and will he be seeking help from her in [The Mandalorian season 3](https://www.thedigitalfix.com/star-wars/mandalorian-season-3-release-date)? Cara Dune will not be in The Mandalorian season 3, as the actor who plays the character (Gina Carano) is no longer working with Lucasfilm. What’s going on with Cara Dune in The Mandalorian season 3? Karga explains “After she brought in How can he ever be forgiven?), he’s also going to have to avoid a lot of trouble along the way as he gets tracked down by pirates.

The Mandalorian season 3 kicks off with 'The Apostate', a relaxed but fun episode full of familiar faces that sets up the next steps in Din Djarin and ...

With the pirates out of the way (for now), Din states he’s come back to try to resurrect IG-11 in order to get some extra help on Mandalore. Seeing Din trying to understand the Anzellans’ broken Basic (English in the Star Wars universe) while uncomfortably sitting inside the cramped space is exactly the kind of zany Star Wars imagery we’ve come to expect from The Mandalorian. The final scene of the episode sees Din and Grogu visiting a Mandalorian castle on Kalevala, another planet (seemingly untouched and peaceful) in the Mandalorian system. Only its upper torso appears to have survived the explosion, but it’s now part of a statue that reminds the town’s citizens of their atypical hero. After some back-and-forth, a showdown ensues – The Mandalorian likes to remind viewers it’s a Western at its core – and everyone but Vane falls dead to the ground. Moreover, there’s a construction boom, and Greef Karga promptly offers Din and the Child the chance to settle down and live off the land. Despite what legend and Mandalorian pessimism says, the planet isn’t poisoned nor completely uninhabitable, and some scavengers are even making a profit out of stuff and minerals they find on the planet with little trouble. Amidst all the chaos and confusion, he risks his life to save the kid from getting devoured before Din Djarin saves the day with a plasma torpedo from his shiny new It seems like the Armorer knew Din wouldn’t be able to redeem himself, since Mandalore was off-limits according to them, but that wasn’t made clear at all in Chapter 5 of The Book of Boba Fett. As a result, the apostate Mandalorian has at the very least earned an audience with the Armorer. But it’s not your average “mission of the week” episode, as the (roughly) 30-minute runtime provides more than enough space for visiting several locations and meeting a handful of major characters. Things get off to an unexpected but rocky start as we witness a Mandalorian initiation ceremony that is interrupted by a giant gator-turtle-like creature.

The Mandalorian season 3 premiere will be very confusing for Star Wars fans who didn't binge The Book of Boba Fett where key events took place.

[Disney+](https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=127X991730&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.disneyplus.com%2Fen-gb%2F&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.digitalspy.com%2Ftv%2Fustv%2Fa43122241%2Fthe-mandalorian-season-3-episode-1%2F), where season 3 premieres on March 1. [The Book of Boba Fett](https://www.digitalspy.com/boba-fett/) (where said brain lizards were introduced). "Yet we felt that time had to be spent apart and we had to show progression, so that when we meet Grogu now we understand why his abilities are different. And now, fans of said show who didn't watch Boba Fett are forced to fill in the gaps for themselves. I guess you could do Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid as like Butch Cassidy a few episodes and the Sundance Kid separately. By the end of Boba Fett's season, Din found himself a new ship and a new quest to boot. [The internet's favourite daddy](https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a42533978/the-mandalorian-season-3-pedro-pascal/) is back with his adorable child in tow, and they've arrived just in time to help some Mandalorians fight off a big old space gator. Well, mostly for themselves, because The Mandalorian season three premiere does eventually explain at least some of this backstory, particularly in regards to Din's new quest. And come to think of it, didn't [Baby Yoda](https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a34809548/the-mandalorian-baby-yoda-animatronic-figure-black-friday/) go off with Luke Skywalker after a gut-wrenching goodbye? "You’d be apart from them, but you’d check in. It's business as usual then for Din and Grogu, except, wait: wasn't Mando's ship destroyed at the end of [season two](https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a30082688/mandalorian-season-2-air-date-cast-plot-trailer/)? For fans tired of that show, this was

Baby Yoda reunites with Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) for another intergalactic adventure in The Mandalorian season 3.

What we do get, though, is plenty of Baby Yoda – and that’s all that really matters. Even after tidying some of the loose threads in The Book Of Boba Fett, there are still plenty left dangling for the series to toy with in episode one. Wookies?) in the dark for the moment. The last time we saw [The Mandalorian](https://www.nme.com/tag/the-mandalorian) it left jaws on the floor after landing the biggest of all franchise cameos – Mark Hamill returning as digi-faced Luke Skywalker to whisk Baby Yoda off into the sunset. Grown bigger and baggier than the stripped-back samurai epic it started as in 2019, The Mandalorian still runs like classic Saturday afternoon telly on a blockbuster budget. [Star Wars](https://www.nme.com/tag/star-wars) fans.

The spin-off returns on Wednesday (1 March) having last aired on Disney Plus in December 2020. In the acclaimed season finale, Mando (Pedro Pascal) said his ...

For example, it featured several key plot points, including Mando discovering he must return to Mandalore and his getting a new ship. One person offered “a friendly reminder that in order to watch Mandalorian s3 tomorrow and not be like ‘wait what??’ you’ll need to watch The Book of Boba Fett episodes 5 through 7,” adding: “I don’t make the rules but in my opinion major plot points SHOULD happen in their own shows.” Many Star Wars fans are well aware of this, and are now warning Mandalorian viewers that episode one might be quite confusing should they have skipped the series altogether.

The Mandalorian Season 3 premiere goes back to the show's beginning, checking in on the state of the world and key characters while setting Din Djarin on a ...

Her speech to Din about the power of the Darksaber as a symbol and how her movement fell apart without it underscores the burden of the artifact Din now carries. There are also apparently plenty of other members of his sect around, and it wouldn’t be surprising if one of the characters from this episode’s opening scene later emerges as a new rival for Din. Grogu’s best moment is grabbing and hugging one of the Anzellans working on repairing IG-11, earning him the reprimand “bad baby.” Hopefully he just wanted to cuddle and didn’t plan on slurping the mechanic down like a frog. The recurring gag where Din shares Grogu’s name with former allies who basically refuse to acknowledge it feels like a nod to any fan who prefers to keep calling the critter Baby Yoda. The only way he can be cleansed of his sins is in the living waters in the mines of the devastated planet Mandalore. He and Din quickly dispatch a group of pirates serving Captain Gorian Shard (Nonso Anozie of Sweet Tooth), a new character that will undoubtedly continue to cause trouble this season.

With Favreau at the helm once more, every episode is sure to be a treat.

Because the reason The Mandalorian is such a successful TV show is because creator Jon Favreau created it to mirror the key Fifties TV serials that inspired George Lucas’ original Star Wars film, like the Lone Ranger and Flash Gordon. Hitting all those notes of the other inspirations behind the original film that Favreau wanted to hit: Samurai films and Westerns. New mission ready, and who cares if it’s a bit of undramatic (like, the only good bit about being Mandalorian seems to be saying ‘This is the way’ every five seconds, the Star Wars equivalent of Love Island’s ‘It is what it is’). The only way he can redeem himself and become a Mandalorian again is to bathe in the waters of the mines beneath his home planet of Mandalore. Meaning you get plenty of action and cliff hangers and self-contained episodes within an overall arc, on the understanding that there’s no mega rush here to end the thing – indeed, the crucial bit is to keep the whole thing going. Well, the new hook is that Mando is no longer a Mandalorian because he took off his helmet to say a proper goodbye to Grogu at the end of S2, thereby breaking the Mandalorian code of honour.

Grogu and Din Djarin are reunited, but the series risks leaving behind viewers who haven't watched other Star Wars spin-offs. (L-R): Din Djarin (Pedro ...

She is one of many intriguing pieces on the table in this inelegant, but still enjoyable return to Mando’s world. And is there a heel turn in her future? To help him navigate Mandalore, Djarin first makes a pit stop in Nevarro, where Greef Karga (Carl Weathers) – now a High Magistrate – implores him to put his feet up and enjoy the hugely upgraded surroundings.

The Mandalorian Chapter 17, "The Apostate," brings Din Djarin and Grogu back together for a whole new adventure!

Other than the IG-11 revelation, we already sort of knew the rest of the motivating factors behind Din and Grogu’s mission to Mandalore and the brewing conflict with Bo-Katan. The fan-favorite droid was one of the very best things about the first season, and while his death was a fitting tear-jerker, it’ll be great to see him (and Taika Waititi) re-enter the fold. The return to Nevarro and reunion with Carl Weathers’ Greef Karga (that’s High Magistrate Karga to you) serves the sneakily profound purpose of giving Din and Grogu’s journey to this point a sense of scope and just how much time has passed since season 1. The dynamic between Kryze and Din is fast becoming one of the most fascinating aspects of the story, and it’ll be interesting to see how it continues to play out as the season moves forward. It’s this attention to detail that helped the Original Trilogy capture the imaginations of so many, and it’s nice to see the old tenets of the franchise still upheld so respectfully by Rick Famuyiwa’s camera. The introduction of pirate king Gorian Shard (Nonso Anozie) is a standout moment just for the expert characters design. And Pedro Pascal’s ability to tell a soulful story without the use of his face, partnered with an animatronic scene partner, speaks to how great he is as an actor and why we’re all so obsessed with him at the moment. Following the duo’s stint in the less-than-stellar [The Book of Boba Fett](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/star-wars-the-mandalorian-season-3-book-of-boba-fett-problem/), this re-introduction to the mainline [Star Wars](https://www.denofgeek.com/star-wars/) series is a much-needed palate cleanser. Some of the best moments of the episode are the brief respites we get of Din and Grogu simply sitting together. And then as Daddy Din and Grogu swoop in for the save, we get to feast our eyes yet again on his bitchin’, souped-up Naboo N-1 Starfighter, which has got to be one of the coolest-looking signature starships in franchise history. There are some deep-seated, philosophical quandaries at the heart of Din’s desire for atonement and redemption with his clan of religious zealots vs. [The Mandalorian](https://www.denofgeek.com/the-mandalorian/)’s season 3 premiere, “The Apostate,” is that it reminds us that this show is all about adventure.

From series regulars like Pedro Pascal and Carl Weathers to guest stars like Jason Sudeikis and Taika Waititi, The Mandalorian has always had a stacked cast of ...

Aside from his role as Doc Brown, you probably recognize Lloyd from his appearances in [Star Trek](https://www.denofgeek.com/star-trek/), Clue, The Addams Family, and Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Paz, who is a descendant of Tarre Vizsla, the Mandalorian Jedi who crafted the Darksaber, tried to challenge Din for the weapon in The Book of Boba Fett but lost. [Back to the Future](https://www.denofgeek.com/back-to-the-future/)’s Christopher Lloyd is set to appear in a yet-to-be-revealed role. Sackhoff has also appeared in [Battlestar Galactica](https://www.denofgeek.com/battlestar-galactica/), Longmire, [The Flash](https://www.denofgeek.com/the-flash/), and Another Life. He’s directed and acted in two of Marvel’s Thor films, he made What We Do in the Shadows, co-created Reservation Dogs, and is set to direct his own Star Wars movie. No matter what zany role Motto will play in the events of season 3, it’ll be nice to see her again. [The Clone Wars](https://www.denofgeek.com/star-wars-the-clone-wars/) and [Rebels](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/star-wars-rebels-best-episodes/), Katee Sackhoff reprised her role for the first time in live-action for season 2 of The Mandalorian. Despite being an adversary to Djarin and Grogu as the leader of Nevarro’s Bounty Hunter Guild in season 1, Greef Karga has quickly become one of their most loyal allies. In season 3, Karga is continuing to take his role as High Magistrate seriously as he tries to convince Djarin to settle down on Nevarro with Grogu. He may have been defeated and handed over to the New Republic at the end of season 2, but that doesn’t mean that will be the last we see of Moff Gideon. [Star Wars](https://www.denofgeek.com/star-wars/) has become such an iconic staple of pop culture that it’s no surprise that actors from a variety of backgrounds are eager to join this world, no matter how big or small the role may be. Pedro Pascal is returning as the titular Mandalorian Din Djarin for season 3.

Main Players: Mando, Grogu, Greef Karga, and a nasty—but easily disposable—band of pirates. Director: Rick Famuyiwa, who has helmed some of the best episodes of ...

[Watch The Mandalorian on Disney+](https://www.disneyplus.com/series/the-mandalorian/3jLIGMDYINqD) [CGI Luke Skywalker Boot Camp](https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a38971109/cgi-luke-skywalker-mandalorian-book-of-boba-fett/) in The Book of Boba Fett, returning to the basics that made us love the show in the first place. [Giancarlo Esposito and his bedhead.](https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a35005767/giancarlo-esposito-the-mandalorian-season-2-finale-interview-moff-gideon-the-boys-better-call-saul/)) We're still warming back up to this corner of the Star Wars-verse. Give your [Grogu plushie](https://www.esquire.com/lifestyle/g31137205/baby-yoda-gifts/) a high five. [The Mandalorian](https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a35013423/the-mandalorian-season-3/). Pop on [The Mandalorian](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YDKxcdIXBs) [ theme](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YDKxcdIXBs) and dive in. Not really giving a damn that Bo-Katan is just stewing in the middle of nowhere on an uncomfortable-looking throne, he peaces out and the episode ends. Mando and Grogu travel to the closest thing this series has to a home base: Nevarro, which is hardly the sketchy bounty-hunter planet it used to be. Apparently, he needs to travel to Sundari, Mandalore's capital city, where the entrance to the mines is location. He stuffs Grogu in the droid hole and jets away. But in this episode, everyone insists to Mando that the world has been ravaged and poisoned, so much so that it isn't worth visiting. The only way to rejoin the Mandalorians?

Mando and Baby Yoda shouldn't have dealt with such important story beats in a show that wasn't even theirs to begin with. A cameo episode is one thing, but the ...

As the title suggests, this is the first time we see Mando since the finale of Season 2 and the first time he appears in The Book Of Boba Fett. He’s off training with Luke Skywalker (who they did an even better job with this time around in terms of CGI and facial animations and so forth). The episode is basically devoted entirely to Mando, and feels more like an episode of The Mandalorian that got lost in another show. A cameo episode is one thing, but the stuff that went down in Boba Fett is crucial to the larger story. Boba Fett needed a better show that was devoted more entirely to his character (or no show at all, for that matter). The show actually swerved pretty wildly away from its ostensible protagonist, Boba Fett, and became a weird Mando interlude of sorts, bridging the story that ended in Season 2 with Season 3, which drops today on Disney Plus.

The Mandalorian is back for season three, with the first episode dropping today (1st March) on Disney+. However, you may have some questions when you watch ...

"We felt that time had to be spent apart and we had to show progression, so that when we meet Grogu now we understand why his abilities are different. [explained](https://gizmodo.com/mandalorian-jon-favreau-dave-filoni-star-wars-disney-pl-1850168239), "it became clear to me as we were looking at what their lives would be like apart ... Grogu also decides to return to Din and abandon his training with Luke. In case you weren’t already aware, The Mandalorian is back for season three, with the first episode dropping today (1st March) on Disney+. *Spoilers* That fifth episode sees Din show up, with the special episode essentially concentrating on him. And in some ways, it almost acts like the season three premiere despite being a completely separate show.

A man in armor and a cape walks down a marble hallway as a small creature. Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu, a.k.a., Baby Yoda, have rejoined since “The ...

But to leave the planet, Din and Grogu have to evade a band of pirates. So, at the end of this chapter, this is where we leave the Mandalorian: standing before someone who has been both an ally and an enemy, and asking for help. But to help him survive the potentially hostile planet, he needs the help of the assassin droid IG-11, which sacrificed itself to save him and his cohorts back in Season 1. When those pirates show up and start making demands, Din lends his gun to a Wild West-style shootout in the streets. Our heroes’ final stop this week is on Kalevala, a planet near Mandalore, where they find a near-empty castle and an embittered acquaintance: Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff), the fallen Mandalorian political leader. Favreau and the director Rick Famuyiwa begin this new season with a scene in which a Mandalorian boy receives his first helmet from the Armorer (Emily Swallow), and is asked to make his pledge never to remove it. This has been a point in this show’s favor from the beginning. Din tells the Armorer that he believes enough of Mandalore still stands for him to perform the necessary rituals and cleanse himself. If, on the other hand, you also watched the spinoff series “ [The Book of Boba Fett](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/07/arts/television/the-mandalorian-boba-fett-temuera-morrison.html),” you know that in its last few episodes, Din and Grogu reunited to help their pals on Tatooine take down a vicious criminal gang. That is when our heroes come speeding in from outer space in their N-1, to save the day. Given that it has been a while since the last real “Mandalorian” episode, Favreau shows an impressive amount of restraint in keeping this premiere relatively short. Most of Mandalore has been rendered uninhabitable by years of civil war and the death throes of the Empire.

The Mandalorian Season 3 has arrived! Join beskar-armored hero Din Djarin and the foundling Grogu on a new adventure, streaming only on Disney+.

You can stream both series on Disney+ — and go behind the scenes with the Disney+ docuseries, Disney Gallery.This is the Way.For more on The Mandalorian, explore StarWars.com’s previous coverage:Check out the Season 3 poster and trailerBrush up on the story so far in StarWars.com’s The Mandalorian\u0026nbsp;refresher Bake some blue milk macarons inspired by the seriesFind out which Mandalorian armor suits you with StarWars.com’s quizGo inside the innovative technology powering The Mandalorian Din Djarin is a Mandalorian no more, according to the Armorer.And with the premiere of The Mandalorian Season 3 today on Disney+, we find the once proud Mandalorian warriors scattered throughout the galaxy, a fractured people.

Din Djarin (Pascal) and Grogu (Grogu) are reunited, but the bounty hunter known as The Mandalorian is no longer a Mandalorian, having admitted revealing his ...

As in The Last Of Us, he’s now playing a surrogate father and a questionable mentor, warmly teaching little Grogu (the cutest new Star Wars character we’ve seen since the original trilogy ended) in the ways — or rather The Way — of the Mandalorian. Plus, a new foe arrives in the mossy-faced form of space pirate Gorian Shard (Nonso Anozie), who understandably takes against Mando for killing a bunch of his men. Grogu, meanwhile, continues to bring the adorable factor, giggling as starship blasters fire and spinning happily in Karga’s big office chair. Atoning for this transgression, we learn via inflexible gang leader The Armorer (Emily Swallow), is a matter of “bathing in the living waters of the mines of Mandalore”, located — in an odd little detail — beneath a civic centre. Mando’s primary concern this season is not delivering Grogu to safety (apparently that shiny vest absolves him of any claims of minor-endangerment), but getting back into his Mandalorian gang: the faceless cult which, during The Book Of Boba Fett’s best episode (you know, the one without Boba Fett in it), cast him out for daring to take off his helmet so Grogu could look him in the eyes for that ‘last’ goodbye. Back in late 2020, The Mandalorian seemed to have reached its natural conclusion after 16 fantastically taut and stylish chapters, when laconic, helmeted anti-hero Mando (Pedro Pascal) bested pencil-moustached baddie Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) and delivered an emotional farewell to his teeny bat-eared ward Grogu, apparently destined to achieve Jedi mastery under the tutelage of Luke Skywalker.

Chapter 17 of The Mandalorian, "The Apostate," is full of easter eggs and references to other parts of the Star Wars galaxy! Here are the callbacks we've ...

This location was first introduced in the very first episode of The Mandalorian. [she was recruited by New Republic special forces](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/star-wars-the-mandalorian-gina-carano-cara-dune-canon-status/). This bit of worldbuilding was first introduced in the now non-canon Legends continuity. We’ve seen all these species on The Mandalorian and Along the way, we learn that a character from [The Mandalorian](https://www.denofgeek.com/the-mandalorian/)‘s past is making a surprise return. – This season is all about Mandalore, the home world of the Mandalorians. We’re back on the volcanic planet of Nevarro this episode. It now serves as Bo-Katan’s base of power, although without the Darksaber it’s unclear how much power she still has with the Mandalorians. Unfortunately, the only way to bring back the more nurturing version of IG will be to find a part the Anzellans need to fix him properly. Despite being reprogrammed by Kuill in season 1, a revived IG-11 reverts back to its original directive: eliminate the Child. Nevarro’s gone legit and the pirates have been cut out of the spoils. [“The Apostate,”](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/star-wars-the-mandalorian-season-3-episode-1-review/) we reunite with Mando and Grogu for a new adventure to Mandalore.

The Mandalorian's Season 3 premiere sets the stage for an adventurous third season of the hit Disney Plus Star Wars show.

We still don’t have a clear sense of who the Big Bad will be this season or what struggles Mando and Baby Yoda will face on Mandalore, let alone in their search for the droid’s parts. He tells her to make up her mind and that he’s going regardless and he’ll find out the truth and let her know. Her forces have melted away thanks to her lack of the Darksaber, which Mando currently possesses and which she needs to take in battle for it to not curse her. Then Mando needs to either shake off his attachment to the Armorer and her fanatical Covert or he needs to find atonement in the Living Water. And then the fight for Mandalore can begin in earnest, whatever that looks like. We actually don’t know if one of these is Frik or if they’re just other Anzellans who sound just like him (thanks to Shirley Henderson doing the voices of all of the above). For all of Bo-Katan’s talk of superstition when it comes to Mando’s faction, she and her people sure hold a lot of their own magical beliefs. Mando and Baby Yoda were visiting Nevarro and Karga with a purpose: To resurrect IG-11 (Taika Waititi) the bounty droid turned nurse droid who sacrificed himself to save the group. Once in hyperspace, while Papa Mando naps, Baby Yoda stares out the domed window of his little room and sees shadowy shapes in the beams of hyper-light. They look like space whales, and this is easily one of the best moments in the entire episode. They let Vane get away which comes back to haunt Mando and Grogu when they leave Nevarro and are ambushed (unsuccessfully) by Vane and his men. Next, we see how things have changed, especially for Greef Karga (Carl Weathers) and his hometown of Nevarro, which is almost unrecognizable now in its time of prosperity, unfettered by either Imperial holdouts or New Republic bureaucracy.

Insider looks at the nods to the wider "Star Wars" galaxy and other Easter eggs you may have missed. The season premiere sees the bounty hunter and Grogu start ...

["The Rise of Skywalker"](https://www.insider.com/the-rise-of-skywalker-star-wars-references-2019-12) will recognize the miniature Anzellans, because one of them showed up in the 2019 movie. On the right of Bo-Katan's throne is a sculpture of Mandalorians fighting other Mandalorians. Since the character is played by a seasoned actor, this may not be the last we see of pirate king Shand. However, this may be a reference to the famous "Star Wars" pirate king Hondo Ohnaka and his pirate crew. Once the droid is disabled again, Greef takes Din to the Anzellan droidsmiths to try and fix him. ](https://www.insider.com/the-mandalorian-season-3-book-of-boba-fett-star-wars-2023-2) The spaceship was just a bunch of scraps until Mando and his friend Peli Motto (Amy Sedaris) rebuilt it for the rogue to use as his new spaceship. Also, Hondo and his crew were Weequay, an alien species that looks like the pirate attempting to attack Greef and Mando, Vane (Marti Matulis). This doesn't exactly go well when the droid reverts back to his old programming and tries to kill Grogu on the spot. His cape is a lot brighter than the previous season, and he now has two small droids following him to keep the cape untangled. He continued: "And then you called me and you said, 'You're working with my nephew,' and I didn't know [if he] was in the crew. [Although their numbers had dwindled after Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) attacked the sewer base on Nevarro](https://www.insider.com/the-mandalorian-season-3-7-details-to-remember-before-watching-2023-2), the season three premiere establishes that the group has bolstered its ranks with new members in that time. And it's definitely useful to have that many soldiers when a giant creature interrupts the proceedings.

Episode 1 had to bridge the gap for fans who didn't watch The Book of Boba Fett, establish a new season-long arc, and communicate that time has passed. But the ...

But at least we finally know what happened to Dune, even if the delivery was clumsy. A better approach would have been to drop the exposition into dialogue. It’s nice to know that Cara Dune is off having her own adventures with the New Republic, but maybe there was a better way to address her absence. But the biggest issue of them all wasn’t narrative, but a matter of staffing. By having this simple Q&A exchange, it’s obvious an explanation was shoehorned into the script. Episode 1 had to bridge the gap for fans who didn’t watch The Book of Boba Fett, establish a new season-long arc, and communicate that time has passed.

Din Djarin reunited with many familiar faces in the first episode of The Mandalorian's third season, including Greef Karga (Carl Weathers), The Armorer (Emily ...

Given Cara’s skill set, it seems like an excellent match for the character — and should we never see her again, it’s also a fitting farewell. After a tense scuffle with a band of pirates in the premiere, Greef Karga, now High Magistrate of a flourishing Nevarro, asks Mando to serve as marshal for the town. But one of Mando’s loyal pals from the previous 16 episodes was notably absent: [Gina Carano](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/gina-carano/)’s Cara Dune. Din asks his friend why he hasn’t made the offer to Cara, and he responds, “after she brought in Moff Gideon, she was recruited by Special Forces.” Many expected the Alderaanian former shock trooper to be killed off offscreen, given the extreme unlikelihood of Lucasfilm working with Carano again. Carano also made controversial posts about the 2020 presidential election and preferred pronouns.