Welcome back to the blog readers. I have loved The Mandalorian ever since it debuted with Disney+ in November 2019. This show, created by Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni, has expanded upon the mythos of the Star Wars galaxy between the events of Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens, so much so that a shared universe is in the works with other characters. I will admit I was very upset with the extended wait (Season 2 finished in December 2020), but I am understanding that it was due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Has the wait been worth it? Check out my review for the long-awaited return of The Mandalorian with season 3, episode 1, "Chapter 17: The Apostate."
NOTE: I will be using spoilers for my review, so DO NOT read ahead if you have not seen the episode.
This show was the first I ever watched on Disney+ and it instantly won me over. Three and a half years later, the third season is finally here, and after all this time, it was so so so worth it. It doesn't take long to recapture the magic that I felt all that time ago. And I get the sense that this season may be darker than the previous two.
As always, we don't see Pedro Pascal as Din Djarin, but we all know that voice. I would have understood if he was feeling burnout from doing the voice of Mando and playing Joel in the fantastic series The Last of Us. (You can check out my spoiler-filled reviews of each episode on the blog, and expect a spoiler-free review of the first season as a whole.) He instantly and seamlessly teleports himself back to the Star Wars galaxy, and he is doing it as an apostate. After removing his helmet in the season 2 finale "Chapter 16: The Rescue," he was exiled by his clan, and is told that the only way to redeem himself of his transgressions is to bathe in the living waters of Mandalore. But the big question of the season is if the living waters are still accessible, and if he will be able to redeem himself.
You cannot have Mando without his little sidekick Grogu. Everyone's favorite 50-year old baby is back warming and melting hearts, and being so fucking adorable. I absolutely want a plush of Grogu now, so don't judge. I love the fact that Mando has become more accepting of being Grogu's guardian and they have wonderful chemistry. Just simple things like staring at Purrgils and then going to cuddle with Mando, spinning on a chair, and using the Force to get a piece of space candy. I love this character.
There are not may other characters that make appearances in this episode, but we do see Greef Karga, played by Carl Weathers, who is a series favorite. Now he is the High Magistrate of a reimagined Nevarro. He proves very early on that he still has a mean streak from his days as a member of the Guild, especially when he confronts his old pirate buddies (who I believe will be secondary antagonists this season). And I do appreciate that he has settled down and attempted to turn Nevarro around, and I like what he's done with the place. And in the ending of the episode, we get a glimpse of what Bo-Katan has been doing. I like how Katie Sackhoff plays the character this time around. She displays a nice level of bitterness towards Mando and I would not be surprised to see them duck it out later in the season.
I also want to talk about that intro, where The Armorer was inducting another foundling into the clan, and I was honestly convinced that we were following a young Mando. And apparently I wasn't the only person. I commend Rick Famuyiwa for giving us that bait-and-switch moment, revealing it was indeed not a flashback but the present only when Mando's ship comes to save the Mandalorians from a giant lizard monster. Later we get confirmation on what Mando's mission is, and it is a nice catch-up point for someone who has not seen The Book of Boba Fett. So I can understand why that scene was put there.
The stuff on Nevarro was interesting, especially with why Mando was going there. And that reason is because he wants IG-11 specifically. This shows significant character development for Mando, because at the start of the series he was distrustful of all droids, but IG-11 is the one that changed his mind. And the fact that he specifically wants this droid shows how much he has grown. And speaking of Nevarro, man it looks beautiful from when we last saw it. Greef is clearly trying to prove he is a changed man, and I hope he gets a good rest of his life there as High Magistrate.
And the final thing I want to talk about (other than the Purrgils - Ezra confirmed???) is the ending scene with Bo-Katan. She explains that since their last encounter on Moff Gideon's ship, she has lost her people and her claim to Mandalore with Din Djarin being the owner of the Darksaber. She has spiraled since then and I believe she has resented Mando for all of these years because she didn't have the fortitude to challenge him for the Darksaber. I want to go down theory lane here for a bit. My theory is that she will lead a rebellion and challenge Mando for the Darksaber, and Mando will throw the fight so she can win. He has stated many times before that he does not want the Darksaber, so we shall see if he eventually comes around to it.
The magic of The Mandalorian is back, and I cannot wait for the next episode. Thank you all so much for reading, and I will see you back for the next one.
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