Disney+ debuted the first episode of The Mandalorian‘s third season on Wednesday.
The series concluded its second season with the surprise reappearance of Luke Skywalker, in his prime, around five years after the events of Star Wars: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi.
After rescuing Pedro Pascal‘s Din Djarin, Ming-Na‘s Fennec Shand, Gina Carano‘s Cara Dune and Katee Sackhoff‘s Bo Katan from a squad of impossibly powerful Dark Troopers on villainous Moff Gideon’s (Giancarlo Esposito‘s) ship, Luke leaves with the little one who called him there through the Force: Grogu.
However, chapters 5 and 6 of the Book of Boba Fett also play directly into The Mandalorian‘s third season: Din is cast away from his beskar-wearing bretheren by Emily Swallow‘s character, The Armorer, for the sin of removing his helmet in the presence of others; he’s tasked with redeeming himself by returning to the Imperial-sacked home planet of Mandalore.
Din won’t be alone: Luke later gives Grogu the option of either completing his training as a Jedi or returning to his armored guardian, and the little one decides to go with Din.
Meanwhile, Bo Katan seeks to bring Mandalore back to its former glory, but she can’t do that without the fearsome Darksaber, a weapon Mando took from Gideon — and which she can only reclaim by besting Din in combat.
Officially, Lucasfilm says, “The journeys of the Mandalorian through the Star Wars galaxy continue. Once a lone bounty hunter, Din Djarin has reunited with Grogu. Meanwhile, the New Republic struggles to lead the galaxy away from its dark history. The Mandalorian will cross paths with old allies and make new enemies as he and Grogu continue their journey together.”
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