The Mandalorian 3: Mando and Grogu are together again

The Mandalorian 3

Mando and Baby Yoda, born Din Djarin and Grogu are together again in the third season of The Mandalorian . It's been almost two and a half years since the second vintage of the live action series set in the Star Wars universe, but after various production vicissitudes, the show is back, as a promise from its showrunner Jon Favreau: “ It could go on for much longer ” .

A refresher is needed for those who in the meantime have thrown themselves into watching dozens of other series or have deserted The Book of Boba Fett, another spinoff set in the same era as The Mandalorian which has dedicated its last three episodes to the narrative arc built to bring together the lonely mercenary and the tender green child. The second year had ended with the entry on the scene of a young Luke Skywalker who had stretched out his robotic hand towards Grogu, proposing to become his Jedi master and train him. A moving ending had marked the farewell between Baby Yoda and Mando.

Later, in The Book of Boba Fett, we follow the training that Luke gives to the Child to help him control the Force. Between flying frogs and meditation, the latter does not seem particularly dedicated to his education, but still masters his powers. Mando misses him so much that he tries to get closer by bringing a gift: an indestructible chain mail. Ahsoka, a disciple of Skywalker, prevents him from delivering it to her in person, because she knows that the little one, seeing him, will abandon training to return to live dangerous adventures with him. It will be Luke who will offer a choice: accept the gift and be returned to his paternal mercenary or opt for Yoda's lightsaber and continue in studies that could last for decades: "What for you is a short period of time, for him is a whole life” he will explain to the Child, making him understand that he and his friend may never see each other again, because the lifespan of the two species is significantly different. Grogu chooses to reunite with the Mandalorian and at the end of the series we see the latter giving up on yet another harmless whim of the child.

The first episode of The Mandalorian 3 entitled The Apostate introduces the main narrative line of the season: Din Djarin dishonored himself by willingly taking off his helmet and showing his face to Baby Yoda, thus breaking his vow never to show himself. To atone for his sins, he must go to his planet and immerse himself in the sacred waters of the mines: unfortunately, only a pile of rubble remains of that world. In addition, the surface is "poisoned". However, Mando believes that there is the possibility of discovering a different reality, and with Grogu he undertakes a new mission. To do this, he asks for the help of the former bounty hunter Karga, now high magistrate of Nevarro to reactivate, IG-11, the former droid companion who sacrificed himself some time before and the only one, in his opinion, able to support him in the enterprise. He will also meet Bo-katan, who will reveal that she is no longer the leader of her army and that she has been abandoned. The vintage promises to focus on the issue of Mandalore, and, given that Mando possesses the dark saber, the dark sword that legitimizes him in the role of leader, what he will do to recompose his fellows scattered throughout the galaxy, claiming his role as leader.

The Apostate reserves only a very short joke to the departure of Cara Dune, "re-enlisted", to justify her absence, actually due to the removal of her interpreter, the former MMA champion Gina Carano, from the production . The lack of this captivating and super badass female presence (who has forgotten the behind-the-scenes footage that showed her carrying Pedro Pascal on her shoulder as if she were a rag doll?) is felt with regret. The episode opens with the baptism of a young Mandalorian who receives the helmet, the ceremony interrupted by the attack of a huge crocodile which is shot down by those present. Not the best Cgi of the show, and one wonders why that poor brute didn't have the right to make up for lunch by ending up so brutally attacked. The episode is full of quotes, from Jurassic Park to the Terminator and beyond, there is the pirate named Vane like the real corsair Charles Vane and of course the easter eggs within the franchise.

The apostate , always boasts the admirable performance of Pedro Pascal , who manages to monopolize attention even after putting his helmet back on. The debut episode, skimmed of the fan service and all those "must" elements made in Disney/Star Wars to captivate the public - the mentioned quotes, the monster of the week and so on - is a good episode about faith and the strength of what we choose to believe: Bo-katan has lost faith and belittles the beliefs, myths and rituals from which Mando cannot separate himself - the latter who refuses to become the spiritual leader of his alike and bring them together to recompose them into a people. What matters is believing in yourself - this is how Grogu, drawing on his powers, saves the life of the "dad" - and above all in each other.