Season three of “The Mandalorian,” is likely to have Disney + and Star Wars fans engaging in a rhetorical handshake emoji considering how authentic an action-packed episode one is.
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Officially re-igniting the story of the bounty hunter Din Djarin, aka Mando, episode one (“The Apostate,”) of the series is centrally focused on showing viewers how important the phrase, “this is the way,” is to the Mandalorian life. Mando, who is portrayed by “The Last Of Us,” star Pedo Pascal, sets out on his path of redemption by undertaking a perilous mission to his home world of Mandalore. Throughout the beginning stages of his journey, Mando is forced to showcase both his sharpened survivalist skillset and empathetic sensibilities all at once.
As he travels the galaxy with his adopted son Grogu, affectionately known as Baby Yoda, Mando encounters multiple connections to his past including Nevarro’s Bounty Hunter Guild leader Greef Karga, portrayed by series regular Carl Weathers, and leader of the Children of the Watch clan The Armorer, played by Emily Swallow.
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Additionally, fans of the “Star Wars,” franchise are getting their fill of content-specific references in the episode, as female Mandalorian hunter Bo-Katan Kryze, played by Katee Sackhoff, makes her appearance in the role for the first time in live-action. Other major character reprises include the return of Amy Sedaris’ off-kilter mechanic Peli Motto, who was last seen aiding Mando in the “The Book of Boba Fett.” And those are just surface-level crossover references displayed in the high-octane viewing experience packed into episode one.
However, while there are countless high-context “Star Wars,” references throughout the episode, it is still surprisingly approachable and digestible for any casual fan with zero knowledge of the “Mandalorian way,” to approach and consume at leisure. And while there has been some pushback from die-hard fans regarding series specifics, such as complaints about the authenticity of Mando’s N-1 Starfighter ship, there appears to be a general consensus on the level of excitement and visual appeal season three already embodies. And with nearly all of the original elements intact, new concepts including companionship and love appear to be creeping into the storyline, adding yet another alluring element to “The Mandalorian.”
In a tweet ahead of the premiere on February 28, Rotten Tomatoes and Fandango’s Erik Davis wrote that the new season is giving “classic Star Wars vibes,” through and through.
“I’ve watched the first two episodes of #TheMandalorian S3 & I’m loving it so far. Both eps are stuffed w/ all the things I love about #StarWars: Weird, crazy creatures, cool missions, great fights, lots of lore, fun Grogu moments. Definite classic Star Wars vibes all the way,” Davis tweeted.
I’ve watched the first two episodes of #TheMandalorian S3 & I’m loving it so far. Both eps are stuffed w/ all the things I love about #StarWars: Weird, crazy creatures, cool missions, great fights, lots of lore, fun Grogu moments. Definite classic Star Wars vibes all the way pic.twitter.com/ved2dW0yXU
— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) March 1, 2023
Episode two of “The Mandalorian,” begins streaming on March 8. Check out a recap of the previous seasons of the series below.