Mandalorian Season 3 Ending Explained, Review, and More
by Hemalatha R
Updated Apr 20, 2023
Mandalorian Season 3 Ending Explained
The season 3 finale of The Mandalorian finally gives Din Djarin and Grogu the happy ending they deserve after facing numerous threats throughout the season. The episode takes place in the midst of the battle for Mandalore, as Bo-Katan Kryze leads her people against Moff Gideon and his Imperial troopers. The action-packed sequence sees Bo rally her fellow Mandalorians, while Din attempts to escape from Gideon's clutches.
With the help of Grogu, Din rescues his mentor and together, they set out to find and defeat Gideon. As they search for Gideon, Din and Grogu discover a sinister science lab where they learn about Gideon's cloning experiments. Using new technology developed by Dr. Pershing, Gideon has been trying to create a Force-sensitive army in his image.
Din destroys the lab and the clones, but the scene serves as a reminder that the Empire's cloning experiments did not end on Kamino and will eventually lead to Palpatine's resurrection in The Rise of Skywalker. A brutal battle ensues between Gideon and his Praetorian guards against Bo, Din, and Grogu.
Bo is ultimately unable to defeat Gideon, but with the help of the father-son duo, they overpower him. A Mandalorian ship crashes into the base, and Gideon is assumed dead in the fiery wreckage, but this is Star Wars, and characters have been known to survive seemingly fatal situations.
Bo-Katan takes her place as the official ruler of Mandalore, and Din officially adopts Grogu as his son, and they start a new family business together. They take odd jobs for the New Republic and protect the Outer Rim, while living in a small cabin on the outskirts of Nevarro.
The season 3 finale of The Mandalorian does not feature any mid-credits or post-credits scene, and the show's co-creator Jon Favreau has previously stated that he and Dave Filoni have already written the scripts for season 4. Favreau has also said that he and Filoni have no plans to wrap up the show and will continue making it for as long as they can.
The Mandalorian Season 3 Finale Review
The third season of The Mandalorian has come to a close, leaving fans wanting more from Din Djarin and Grogu. The finale offered action-packed scenes but played it safe with a clean wrap-up in favor of the good guys. Din's quick escape from captivity undercut the previous cliffhanger, which was a letdown for those expecting a heart-wrenching episode with twists and turns.
The fight scene between Mando and Moff Gideon was a highlight, but Gideon's death was unsatisfying for a villain who had so much potential. Bo-Katan's stunning retaking of Mandalore was also a great use of The Volume and provided a serious tempo, but it left unanswered questions, such as how Bo-Katan moves on from not having the Darksaber.
Despite the shortcomings, The Mandalorian has provided heartwarming moments, such as Din adopting Grogu as his own son, and a clear mission statement for future seasons. The Mandalorian intends to go back to bounty hunting basics, pottering around the galaxy, and cleaning up hives of scum and villainy on the Outer Rim. While the season lacked depth and shades of gray, it did offer a blueprint for how to take the world forward away from Mando, but it needs to focus on what Mando does best.
Mandalorian Season 3 Finale Recap
The third season of The Mandalorian has been described as lacking a single unifying theme or goal, unlike the previous two seasons, which were focused on missions to protect Grogu and reunite him with the Jedi. Instead, season three features three threads that converge in the finale: the Mandalorian quest to restore their planet, Mandalore; the obstacles to their plan, which include the New Republic bureaucracy and the Imperial remnant forces commanded by Moff Gideon; and Din Djarin and Grogu's off-the-books business helping the New Republic bring order to the Outer Rim.
The finale features a big battle between Gideon's stormtrooper army and the Mandalorians, which the heroes win, allowing them to begin resettling Mandalore. Djarin and Grogu successfully go after Gideon, with the help of R5-D4, and destroy a chamber full of his clones.
The climax sees Bo-Katan lend her Darksaber to the fight against Gideon, with Axe Woves crashing the privateers' light cruiser into the base. The episode ends with the Armorer rekindling the Great Forge and anointing foundlings in the Living Waters. Djarin formally adopts Grogu, who is given the name Din Grogu. The finale sets up the possibility of a fourth season that returns to the show's basics.
Mandalorian Season 3 Finale Post Credit Scene
The season 3 finale of The Mandalorian, titled "The Return," breaks away from some of the show's usual conventions. While Moff Gideon is once again the final boss, there's no big cameo to save the day, and there are few easter eggs or callbacks. In a surprising twist, there's also no post-credits scene, with the episode ending on a peaceful note as Din and Grogu enjoy rest and relaxation in their new home on Nevarro.
However, there is a moment in the final minutes of the episode that serves a similar purpose to a post-credits scene. It's revealed that IG-11 has returned, this time as Nevarro's new marshal. Thanks to the droid parts Din found, the Anzellans are able to patch up IG and bring him back online, but not as the killing machine of his original programming. Instead, he's closer to the nanny droid that Kuiil turned him into.
The return of IG-11 brings closure to a storyline that was set up in the season 3 premiere and teases what might be next for the character in season 4. Given that Din and Grogu now call Nevarro home and Din is freelancing for the New Republic's Carson Teva, it seems likely that IG-11 will appear in future missions.
Overall, the finale of The Mandalorian season 3 offers a departure from the show's usual formula, but still manages to deliver an enjoyable and satisfying conclusion.
Mandalorian Season 3 Finale Runtime
According to reports, the finale of The Mandalorian season 3 is only 39 minutes long including credits, making it shorter than the previous two seasons' finales and the third-shortest episode of season 3. The show takes place during the New Republic era, five years after the fall of the Empire in Return of the Jedi.
Other series, such as The Book of Boba Fett and the upcoming Ahsoka and Skeleton Crew shows, are set within the same timeline and will culminate in a new Star Wars movie directed by Dave Filoni about the escalating conflict between the Imperials and the New Republic. Season 3 of The Mandalorian is now available for streaming on Disney+.
The Mandalorian Season 3 Cast
Pedro Pascal
Din Djarin / The Mandalorian
Katee Sackhoff
Bo-Katan Kryze
Emily Swallow
The Armorer
Tait Fletcher
Paz Vizsla
Carl Weathers
Elia Kane
Paul Sun-Hyung Lee
Carson Teva
Simon Kassianides
Axe Woves
Mercedes Varnado
Koska Reeves
Giancarlo Esposito
Moff Gideon
Cast
Character
Mandalorian Season 3 Trailer
Mandalorian Season 3 Ending Explained - FAQs
The third season of "The Mandalorian" follows three threads: the Mandalorian's plan to restore their home planet, the New Republic bureaucracy, and the Imperial remnant forces. However, the season did not seem to have a single unifying theme or goal that would give its story a shape.
The finale of Season 3 of "The Mandalorian" is tightly plotted and action-packed. It features some of the most impressive aerial fight scenes in the "Star Wars" franchise's history. The episode brings together all the threads of the season and culminates in a big battle on Mandalore between the Mandalorians and Gideon's stormtrooper army.
The main characters in the Season 3 finale of "The Mandalorian" are Din Djarin and Grogu. They team up to take on Gideon and his Praetorian Guards to save Mandalore and defeat the Imperial remnant forces.
The Mandalorians' ability to cultivate plants indigenous to Mandalore is significant because it shows that even Mandalorians without cutting-edge tech at their disposal can find a way. This little factoid counters something Gideon says later while he's destroying Bo-Katan's Darksaber, that "Mandalorians are weak once they lose their trinkets."
The Season 3 finale of "The Mandalorian" sets up Season 4 that might bring the show back to basics. The episode's title, "The Return," could have two meanings. It could refer to the return of the Mandalorians to their home planet or the return of the show to its original mission-based narrative structure.