The Mandalorian & Grogu is poised to end a six-year The Mandalorian streak that revolves around Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his helmet. It has been established in The Mandalorian that the titular bounty hunter follows the strict interpretation of the Creed from the Children of the Watch sect. The rule clearly stated that he must never remove his helmet in front of another living being. If they violate this rule of the Way, they are considered apostates and no longer Mandalorians, which is what happened to Din Djarin at the start of The Mandalorian Season 3.
The Mandalorian & Grogu's latest trailer revealed several scenes showing Din Djarin without his helmet, meaning that the movie will end a six-year Mandalorian streak since the last time fans saw an unmasked Din Djarin was during The Mandalorian Season 2 finale, "The Rescue," on December 18, 2020, when he bid goodbye to Grogu before he went with Luke Skywalker for his Jedi training.
This is a significant moment for The Mandalorian franchise because it completely breaks Din Djarin's helmet rule, which is already central to his character. Still, based on what was shown in the trailer, the movie seems to imply that Din was forced out of his helmet instead of deliberately removing it like in previous instances.
The trailer also revealed that the Hutt twins will be responsible for removing Din Djarin's helmet after he was captured in Tatooine, indicating that the movie will embrace a high-stakes situation that forces Din into a vulnerable position.
What makes this reveal interesting is the fact that it appears that Din will likely be removing his helmet during this one extended sequence only, but the movie may be hiding more scenes where the titular bounty hunter abandons his helmet rule for the sake of Grogu's safety.
While The Mandalorian Season 3 did not feature a helmet-less Din Djarin due to story reasons, the show's first two seasons showcased several significant scenes where Mando removed his helmet, may it be voluntary or involuntary.
The Mandalorian Season 1 finale marked the first time that Din removed his helmet in front of IG-11 after he was gravely injured. Din's sacred rule didn't count here because IG-11 was a droid, hence it is not a living thing.
Aside from The Mandalorian Season 2 finale, Din also removed his helmet in Season 2, Chapter 15, when he disguised himself as an Imperial officer alongside Migs Mayfeld to infiltrate an Imperial base to complete a part of his mission in saving Grogu from Moff Gideon.
Directed by Jon Favreau, The Mandalorian & Grogu follows Din Djarin and Grogu as they embark on a quest to eliminate Imperial remnants for the New Republic. The film brings back Pedro Pascal in the lead role, and joining him are Star Wars newcomers Sigourney Weaver and Jeremy Allen White.
The Mandalorian & Grogu premiered in theaters on May 22.
Din Djarin's Helmet Removal Has a Deeper Meaning in The Mandalorian & Grogu
Din Djarin's actions of removing his helmet in The Mandalorian are not anchored by betrayal of his sacred rule. Instead, it is driven by his profound love for Grogu and his deep-seated growth across seasons of the Disney+ series. This will be amplified even further in The Mandalorian & Grogu as the titular pair faces dangerous threats that push them over the edge.
In January 2021, Pedro Pascal teased more no-helmet scenes for Din Djarin after the Season 2 finale, and it looked like The Mandalorian & Grogu is set to achieve that promise (considering that Season 3 didn't feature Pascal on-screen). The actor also reflected on Din's decision, noting that the character has the capacity to open his mind to other beliefs.
While some may have pointed out that Din's act of removing his helmet might've diminished past moments of the character's reliance on "The Way," it ultimately solidifies the character's ongoing growth in finding his own path in a way that's best for him and Grogu.
