In the three years since the release of the second season, fans have been eagerly waiting for the third season of “The Mandalorian” to be released. Since the success of the first season, the show has garnered a broad fan base. Alongside longtime “Star Wars” fans, the show gained a new audience’s interest in the franchise. With the wide storylines in the franchise, “The Mandalorian” is yet another storyline for audiences to delve into and build upon the overall lore of the “Star Wars” universe. After season three premiered on March 1, “The Mandalorian” will air new episodes on Disney+ every Wednesday.
Set in a galaxy far away “The Mandalorian” is set five years after the original Star Wars films. The show follows the Mandalorian bounty hunter, Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) across the outer rim of the galaxy. In the first season, Din was hired to recover a child of the same species as the well-known “Star Wars” character, Yoda, and bring him to Imperial Forces. However, he instead goes on the run to protect the child, Grogu, from getting in the wrong hands. In the second season, Din ventures on a journey to find the Jedi and return force-sensitive Grogu to his kind. However, since the events in “The Book of Boba Fett,” Din and Grogu reunite before the events of the third season.
Starting off strong, the premiere of season 3 reveals plenty to the audience about what to expect in the upcoming episodes. In it, Din talks about redeeming himself after getting kicked out of the Mandalorian Tribe for removing his helmet. To be reinstated back into the tribe, Din needs to come into contact with Mandalore’s waters. Although Mandalore was destroyed by the Empire during the Great Purge, he discovers proof that the mines are still intact with living water in them. He then begins his journey of redemption to Mandalore.
Despite being in armor and a helmet for almost the entirety of the show, Pedro Pascal does an excellent job in his performance as the titular character. Since the show started airing, many fans have praised Pascal’s acting even with his face being obscured. Additionally, fans have loved Grogu’s character, noting the cuteness and mystery of the character. As the show progress, one of the highlights is the dad-son-like relationship between the Mandalorian and
Grogu.
While parental roles are common in the “Star Wars” franchise, “The Mandalorian” connects to this role in a way that the others have not done before. As this connection shows a softer side to the tough and closed-off bounty hunter. As a result, it makes the Mandalorian more relatable and gains audiences’ sympathy to understand the character on a more human level despite his anonymity. In other “Star Wars” works, the parental role was typically avoided or did not go into depth. The show contrasts this as Din and Grogu have a close bond with each other and grow into the dad and son dynamic. As the season progresses, the audience can see the connection between the two forges even deeper, as they become closer and more fond of each other.
Although the past two seasons were promising, the premiere of season three disappoints in the excitement factor that will engage the audience for future episodes. The first episode does well in setting up the storyline for the rest of the season. However, as most premieres go, a lot more thrilling scenes are included to hype up fans for what is to come. Instead, the episode focuses more on setting up the plot, rather than building anticipation. Additionally, fans have been complaining about difficulty catching up. The season starts with a vague recap of the past seasons and expectations that the audience has watched “The Book of Boba Fett,” to keep up with the Mandalorian and Grogu. Despite the underwhelming beginning, there is still some promise for future episodes.
Verdict: Season three, episode one of “The Mandalorian” does well in setting up the plot for the season, but it falls short in creating excitement and building anticipation for what is to come.
