The Watch Proves Worthy for ‘Mandalorian’ Season 3

Din Djarin, a.k.a. Mando, soars back into action following Season 2’s galaxy-shaking showdown and an extended weekend visit to The Book of Boba Fett. The newest installment of the popular Disney+ series forecasts a theme of redemption early on, both for our protagonist and for the scattered people of the once-great Mandalore. HBO superstar Pedro Pascal returns as Mando, while prior guest Katee Sackhoff reprises her role as galactic warrior princess Bo-Katan Kryze.

Let’s briefly recap the “lore” of Mandalore. Once a formidable civilization deeply rooted in tradition, the Mandalorian home planet was decimated by an Imperial sky attack. Surviving citizens, primarily off-world, include a progressive group recently led by Bo-Katan until Mando’s acquisition of the mythical Darksaber prevented her from securing rule. Conversely, The Watch, an idealist faction of Mandalorians to which Din Djarin belonged, follows a strict code of honor known as The Way.

Season 3 begins with The Watch shore camping somewhere presumably off Lake Powell. The ominous leader known only as The Armorer headlines an initiation ceremony for a young Mandalorian when processions are interrupted by a Lake Placid-style alligator. Mando returns to save the day; however, his appearance as Croc Hunter is not enough to overcome his exile following the transgression of removing his helmet. He ventures out to restore his honor, which will require taking a dip in the living waters of the Mines of Mandalore.

Mando makes his way to the familiar planets of Nevarro and Tatooine in search of a robotic tour guide, settling on a motivator-challenged misfit from A New Hope. He then shares an uncomfortable reunion with visibly jaded Bo-Katan at the understaffed Mandalorian throne on the neighboring planet Kalevala. Her intentions as friend or foe remain unclear as the season progresses; nonetheless, she manifests quickly to his rescue within the mines, briefly handling his dropped Darksaber with flawless precision that echoes her readiness to rule.

Season 3 continues Star Wars’ lavish locational expansions, from a striking post-apocalyptic Mandalore to ample future nostalgia in Prequel-favorite Coruscant. Creative creatures are abundant, from botanically boisterous pirates to desert-dwelling dinos. For fans familiar with the animated Clone Wars and Rebels series, live-action cameos deliver exciting nods to this diverse canon.

Amid the galactic battles, a few signs of series fatigue begin to show in the common areas. A nearly 40-minute detour to post-Imperial side characters acclimating to campus life drags on too long and is reminiscent of Boba Fett’s mismatched story jumping. Fan-favorite supporting cast make all too expected seasonal appearances here in round three, while recycled villainy proves less vivacious than intended.

At Mando’s side is our little green friend Grogu, returning from a brief sabbatical at Jedi summer camp. While our beloved foundling’s presence provides a welcome dynamic with father-figure Mando, his hyperspaced homecoming feels counterproductive to the prior two seasons’ objective. It’s here where we observe the series’ greatest transgression—This sudden plot shift appears to indicate a lack of writers’ confidence in Mando’s ability to maintain viewership solo, omitting an opportunity for character growth on both sides.

Grogu remains reliably cute and is certainly integral to the show, but one may wonder if a few episodes away may have proven more effective than allowing him to border on third-wheel status mid-season. Perhaps a greater Jedi journey for him is planned for the next installment; if not, those at the helm may wish to consider undiscovered country over more of the same to help The Mandalorian avoid similar pitfalls as, say, many of Marvel’s predictable Phase 4 features.

Along the peaks and valleys of our third ride on Space Mountain, one shining light illuminates the star system above the rest. Battlestar Galactica alum Katee Sackhoff seamlessly steps into Bo-Katan’s now primary role, exhibiting a radiant but unassuming audacity like that of Ahsoka Tano in Season 2. Her presence graciously reels the narrative back in during the series’ most divisive, celebrity-studded, and arguably humorous Mystery Machine episode, keeping the ship on course to the finale. Bo-Katan’s arc is the most intriguing element of this installment, leading us to speculate if The Mandalorian in fact refers to this aspiring leader as she ventures her own redemptive quest.

Overall, Season 3 provides ample action intermixed with enough compelling plot lines to deliver an enjoyably worthwhile chapter in the Star Wars universe. As far as how many more parsecs the series can take us, that remains to be seen as we continue to tune in from our galaxy far, far away.

Rating: 7 out of 10

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