When season 3 of The Mandalorian was about to start I thought about what it was going to be like. I thought it might be about Bo Katan and the Armorer battling over the true Mandalorian way with Din Djarin stuck in the middle; a battle for his soul. That did not happen. Instead, the Armorer and Bo teamed up to save all of Mandalore from Moff Gideon and pretty much tied up the three seasons into what could be a series finale.
This season of The Mandalorian was hit with a lot of complaints from fans saying how it wasn't the same quality we had come to see from the previous seasons. And to that I somewhat agree. But I also think, like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it's a victim of its own success. We've come to expect such a high level of entertainment in this Disney+ series that when it's just good or fine, we think it's crap. I feel the same way I feel about the final season of Game of Thrones. I like how it ended, but not satisfied about how we got there.
Looking back at this eight-episode season, I feel like it could have been a tight six-episode season. Yes, I'm talking about Episode 4 where Jack Black and Lizzo send Bo and Din on a droid detective hunt. I didn't mind the story, but just that it was placed in the middle of the season storyline and served no purpose to that story. It was a detour in a season where we already had a semi-detour on Coruscant with Dr. Pershing and Elia. I didn't mind either of the episodes individually but thought we didn't need a break from an already short season of TV. Also, that bird story in Episode 4 was pretty bad. Sorry Dave.
The series main character, Din Djarin, did very little as far as character growth this season. Most of that went to Katee Sackhoff as Bo Katan. And this was another thing people complained about. In order for Bo to be the ruler Mandalore needed, she needed that development, and I thought Bo's renewed faith in herself, and in Mandalorians, was the highlight of the season. In the final episode I realized Pedro Pascal probably never once stepped foot on set all season because Din never took his helmet off once this year. Which is probably why the other two actors in the suit got a little more credit in the credits. Pedro was probably recording his voicework in his pj's at his house.
Having watched The Clone Wars when it aired, I knew the bad Mandalorians were Death Watch, and that the Armorer was leader of the Children of the Watch. So of course, I've never really liked her, and thought she might be the other spy in Episode 7. But we found out she was more a catalyst for Bo, to push her towards what she needed to do, to bring all Mandalorians together for the betterment of their planet, regardless of their beliefs. That metaphor was a nail on the head. I'm still not a huge fan of the Armorer, but I'll ship her and Bo over Bo and Din any day.
The return of Moff Gideon this season we knew was coming, but too late in my opinion. Wasn't it Episode 5 when we learned he had escaped his imprisonment? He should have been more of a looming threat throughout the season instead of all these silly side stories we got. Plus, he seemed less menacing now since we know Din already defeated him once back in Season 2. He just seemed so meek, especially with the talk of Thrawn and the eventual return of Palpatine. I almost laughed when Gideon started hating on Thrawn. Gideon isn't even good enough to piss on Thrawn's shoes, and I hope general Star Wars viewers will get to see that in the next few years.
They did wrap up the Grogu storyline this season, for the most part this season. We know why Gideon wanted him so bad, and we know how Grogu escaped the Jedi Temple during Order 66. One of those plot points I want to see more of, the other I thought was just another Imperial thinking he could be cool as Darth Vader. Ya can't son. My theory as to why Grogu was thrust back into the show after such a dramatic exit last season was Disney's demand to sell toys. That's the only true purpose Grogu severed this season, and why this character is becoming problematic. His appeal is his is small, cute, stature. Yoda was training Jedi by the time he was 100 years old. Grogu is about 55 years old and can't even talk or wield a lightsaber. But Disney can't let Grogu grow-up. Any sitcom runner will tell you the show starts to lose its appeal when the kids grow-up and aren't cute anymore. Which is why I think the show should have let Grogu be gone longer and come back more mature, or just be done with the character all together and continue to focus on Din. But, again, they need to sell toys.
Was this season a step down from the previous two? I believe so. But I still have faith in where the series could go next season. I like the character of Din, and I'm excited to see his adventures working for the New Republic, and I'm excited to see the upcoming crossover event that was spawned from his series success. I'm glad the Grogu storyline is allegedly wrapped up, but I feel now this character will continue to be a weight on this show's developing body, keeping in down in exchange for merchandising.
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