It’s been over two years since we last saw new adventures in The Mandalorian. For some fans, that may seem like eons. For others, especially those who watched The Book of Boba Fett, it’s been no time at all. But regardless of whether your last reunion with Din Djarin was in 2020 or 2022, there’s a lot to catch up on before The Mandalorian Season 3 premieres. Here’s everything you need to know.
Season 2 focused on Moff Gideon’s quest to find Grogu, which was almost successful. But a last-minute appearance by Luke Skywalker saved the day, and put Mando in a tough position. After dedicating his life to protecting Grogu, he has to say goodbye (possibly forever, as Jedi are discouraged from maintaining old personal connections). He does the unthinkable for a member of the Children of the Watch, his so-called zealous cult: he takes off his helmet and says a final farewell before his tiny clanmate is taken off to training by Luke.
On top of that emotional moment, Mando got some equipment upgrades. Through combat with Moff Gideon, he acquired a historic Mandalorian weapon, the Darksaber. Fellow Mandalorian Bo-Katan Kryze believes the Darksaber is her birthright as a member of the Mandalorian royal family, placing the two at odds.
That’s the last we saw of The Mandalorian, the series, but a year later we caught up with the Mandalorian, the character, in The Book of Boba Fett. In a very special guest episode, we saw Din reunite with the Armorer, the closest he has to a spiritual guide. He admits that he took off his helmet, and she labels him an apostate, an ousted member of their sect until he can be forgiven through “the living waters of Mandalore.” She also mentions a prophecy about the Manda’lor, the foretold leader of the Mandalorian people who will unite them and, curiously, ride a mythosaur.
Din asks one last favor of the Armorer before setting out to help Boba Fett and eventually find those living waters: meltdown a Beskar spear he acquired in Season 2 and turn it into a gift for Grogu.
Meanwhile, Grogu trains with Luke at Jedi camp, but Luke can sense his connection to Din is strong. During a visit, Din asks Luke to offer Grogu a choice, which Luke agrees to. He presents Grogu with Din’s gift of a Beskar chain mail shirt, and his own gift of Yoda’s lightsaber. Grogu picks the Beskar, and is reluctantly brought back to Din, reuniting the two.
Now, going into Season 3, Mando’s search for atonement will send him back to Mandalore and into contact with countless members of his kind. Will he become a Mandalorian again? Will Grogu become a Mandalorian himself? Is Din the prophecied Manda’lor? How will Bo-Katan try to return the Darksaber to her family? What inappropriate objects will Grogu cram in his mouth next? Hopefully we’ll get all these answers over the next eight weeks.
The Mandalorian premieres March 1, 2023 on Disney+.
