With The Book of Boba Fett's run now complete, the next top for the MandoVerse is the primary story: The Mandalorian Season 3. The next season of the hit series began production last Fall and, if everything goes according to plan, will wrap at the end of March when the extended shoot culminates. Lucasfilm currently has Season 3 slated for a late 2022 release, bringing Mando back to screens sooner than many had hoped.
Star Wars fans received a surprise when two episodes of The Book of Boba Fett essentially became a preamble to Season 3, focusing entirely on Din Djarin and Grogu while largely leaving the titular character out of the story entirely. In a shocking turn of events, Grogu's training with Luke Skywalker was cut short when the kid was offered a choice to return to Mando's side, and the series ended with the iconic pair voyaging off together in their N-1 starfighter.
The door is now wide-open for The Mandalorian's story, as the Jedi quest portion of Din's journey is complete. It's inevitable that the warrior will look to refine his skills with the Darksaber, something that should be easier with Grogu's presence. Having been cast out of his covent by The Armorer, Mando will also have to repent if he wishes to be considered a Mandalorian in the eyes of his leader.
It's difficult to tell where things will go. With a new ship and his kid back at his side, Din is prepared to take on the challenges that being the rightful ruler of Mandalore entails. Though it's too soon for anything specific, the man (sometimes) behind the helmet has recently teased what fans can expect from the next chapter in the story.
Pedro Pascal Hints at New Characters and Story
In an interview with German magazine Neelix, via Screen Rant, actor Pedro Pascal confirmed how much he's able to share about The Mandalorian Season 3:
"Definitely nothing [laughs]."
On a more serious note, the Mando star teased that there will be faces new and old making appearances:
"Okay, there will be some familiar faces and there will be a lot of new faces."
Without going into detail, he also said fans are in store for "great story":
"In addition, there is again a lot of action and a really great story. Satisfied?"
An Explosive Season 3
Given the rate at which Mando's story has progressed, fans should expect nothing short of a massive third season from The Mandalorian. Season 2 expanded the MandoVerse in enormous ways, bringing in characters like Ahsoka Tano, Boba Fett, and Bo-Katan Kryze while also working to expand the more subtle pieces of Din's journey - particularly his bond with Grogu.
With Ahsoka beginning production in April and releasing in early 2023, there's a good chance the fan-favorite former Jedi will be among the familiar faces seen. There's also the chance that Sabine Wren, another Mandalorian, will accompany her, giving Din another person to connect with. Giancarlo Esposito has already teased that Moff Gideon will be making a return, so a jailbreak from New Republic captivity is on the table too.
To the start the season, Din will likely undergo the journey needed to redeem himself for removing his helmet. It doesn't seem likely that he'll care enough to go through with it in the end, though; between Bo-Katan and Boba Fett, Mando has started to learn that there's more to being a Mandalorian than wearing a helmet. Jon Favreau dropped hints of further exploration of the helmet rule, which seems to be a major factor in the story going forward.
The most prominent new faces are likely to be fellow Mandalorians. Going in line with what Pascal said about more action, there were images leaked recently that depicted many Mandalorian warriors in battle. Could they be part of different factions coming together to reclaim their world? It seems a bit early for the full restoration of Mandalore, but Din needs to start massing more allies before he inevitably conquers the planet.
And, of course, there's the matter of Grogu. The little green guy seemingly walked away from the Jedi Order and Luke Skywalker after just a few episodes, and while the reunion with Din was heartwarming, it was an abrupt turn from the Season 2 finale. There’s certainly more to the kid's story as he continues to learn the ways of the Force, and it will be interesting to see how the Foundling aids Din in the journey to come.
The Mandalorian Season 3 will debut on Disney+ in late 2023.
