THE MANDALORIAN Season 3 Episode 1 Breakdown

Welcome to the Heavy Spoilers show! I’m your host, Paul, and in this video we’re breaking down The Mandalorian. Season 3 episode 1 is now here, and throughout this video, we’re going to go through the brand new episode and all the Star Wars easter eggs in it.

This season is building off the back of the book of Boba Fett, and as I know a lot of you missed that, I want to give a quick recap in case you’re scratching your head over why Grogu and Mando are back together.

In the final handful of episodes, we watched Mando find the armorer, where he practiced his skills with the darksaber. Because he was at odds with himself, he couldn’t properly yield it, and he was told that he needed to regain his honor after removing his helmet.

He must return to the living waters beneath Mandalore, which will sort of provide a baptism for the character.

This has left him an apostate, which means someone who has abandoned a religious or political principle. The Mandos cult was told not to remove their helmets no matter what, and on the opposite side of this, we’ve seen the Bo Katans group be happy to do this.

This could potentially lead to a civil war, and judging by the trailer, that’s the way that things could be going. We’ve had the death watch battling the pacifist leaders of Mandalore and the Civil Wars throughout the saga, so it’s definitely on brand. Each side always tends to seek out the dark saber, which is going to become a big weapon in this season.

After gaining a new ship, he went to visit Luke and Grogu in order to find peace, but after some advice from Ahsoka, he decided not to interfere with his training. However, Ellie—sorry, Grogu—decided to go back to his dad, and we watched as the pair were reunited towards the end of the season.

From here on out, there are full spoilers ahead, so if you haven’t had a chance to check it out, I highly recommend that you do so now. If you enjoy the video, then you will hit the thumbs up button, doing a little Jedi mind trick there, and make sure you subscribe for videos like this every day.

With that out of the way, thanks for clicking this; now let’s get into The Mandalorian Season 3.

Now we begin with the armorer starting up their smelting pot. I think it’s called that, and this forge is something that has of course popped up throughout every season so far. It’s where Mando has had both his weapons and armor made, and it very much represents a place in which transformation happens. Symbolically, the fires we see here could also represent the restoration of the Mandalorians sparking up again, and we see these flames shot so that they’re below the mythosaur symbol that the Mandalorians wear.

Mythosaurs were ancient beasts that were hunted by Mandalorians, and though they are extinct, they very much represent the challenges that they used to face. Fighting one was very much seen as a right of passage, and we see something similar here in this introduction with a child being presented with a helmet before a giant beast attacks. I view the ointment being poured into the bowl at the start as a sort of baptism or christening, and it’s similar to how they are carried out. Rather than dunking the child’s head, a helmet is dunked, and this very much becomes the face that the armorers’ clan has. So this being dipped makes it “sene,” as it’s what the child will wear for the rest of their life.

During the New Republic era, The Armorer was the leader of the children of the watch, and thus there’s this idea of kids laced throughout their clan.

Outside, we get further religious imagery with a child standing in a vast body of water, similar to how baptisms used to be carried out. There’s also, of course, the saying a baptism of fire,” and thus we have this represented in the flames and also what comes next. This child is potentially a foundling, and Din Jarin may have gone through a similar thing when he was younger.

Several of the Mandalorians have gathered here, and this is similar to how communities come together for religious ceremonies like this.

At this point, we see Paz Viszla as well. He’s been a recurring character that’s popped up throughout the show, and he’s voiced by none other than Jon Favreau. It is possible that Favs might actually end up cameoing in the series, and there was a figure released recently that showed Paz with his helmet off and carrying his likeness. Potentially, we might see something where this clan agrees to finally remove their helmets to unite Mandalore, and he’ll take his off to reveal his face. I think that would be such a cool way to bring one of the guys behind it into the series, and fingers crossed that’s what happens down the line.

The helmet is put on and a bowl is dipped into the water, and the kid promises to never remove their helmet, hoping their head doesn’t grow, but obviously they can remove it; they just need to do it in private like what we saw in Season 1.

Anyway, the giant crocodile attacks, looking like it was ripped right out of Lake Placid, and the crew all mount up to take it on. This is similar to a mythosaur hunt and how the group would all team up.

When all hope seems lost, the N1 Starfighter flies in with Mando, killing the creature with ease.

Now Mandos N-1 Naboo starfighter of course pulls from the Phantom Menace, and this new repurposed one fits more of the idea for the direction that this season will be heading. Whereas in the past he was collecting bounty, this clearly doesn’t have the space for many as it just sits one person…and a kid, I guess. So Mando has moved away from that life, and he’s now more focused on restoring Mandalore to its former glory. We also know that the astro-droid he’ll be getting is R5-D4. The character actually popped up in a new way, and he was the droid that got busted up, which meant that R2-D2 could go with Luke instead. We’ve seen this broken exhaust port before, and in previous seasons, you could see oil leaking out of the back of it.

There’s actually a non-canon comic that talks about R5 called Skippy The Jedi Droid that talks about how he was force sensitive and he actually broke himself so that R2 D2 could go with Luke. It’s ridiculous, but… to my ears, it’s the true origin story, and he is now the most important character in Star Wars. This is the way.

Now that Mando has shown up to save the day, he’s not given the warmest of welcomes, and the armorer very much repeats the things that she said during the book of Boba Fett.

Kinda viewed this as a catch-up for those that missed that show, as it’s almost word for word what was said there.

She sees him as being irredeemable due to the living waters no longer existing, but Mando has brought a rare gem with beskar and an inscription on it.

Sabine Wren revealed that when she was in the Imperial Academy, she designed a device that could burn besar armor. This was called the Duchess, and it allowed a targeted laser to superheat Beskar armor in order to disintegrate it.

This could explain how we see the beskar destroyed here and how the imperials actually managed to destroy the dome on Mandalore.

It’s a good sign, though, that shows that Mandalore might not be lost, and this very much sets up the stakes that the Mandalorians can return to the planet.

Mando then jumps through hyperspace, saying, “Ey, look at the lights, mate. I think Grogu in this episode very much just represents being a kid, and I remember being that age and seeing hyperspace for the first time and thinking that as well. Amongst the lights, Grogu notices some Purrgil, and these space whales have made numerous appearances in the canon. First mentioned in The High Republic: Quest for the Hidden City, they made a big impact in Rebels, which this season will likely take lots of cues from as well.

Living in deep space, they developed the natural ability to travel at hyperdrive speed, which they used for navigation and exploration. Grogu is blown away by them, but we see Mando catching some Zs because light speed has probably lost its allure due to how much they did it at the start of The Rise of Skywalker.

Mandor arrives on Nevarro, which is absolutely thriving now as a trade center in the galaxy. As he walks through the streets, we see an Ebony Protocol droid, which was extremely expensive, and this shows the transformation on the planet. We can also catch an EV droid, but he’s not torturing; he’s just doing some useful stuff and being a really nice guy.

There’s also R5, and this being here could be how Mando gets the droid for his starfighter later on.

In the streets, there’s also a COO Chef Droid, which appeared in Attack Of The Clones and Book Of Boba Fett. We also see some calamari and a little bat on someone’s shoulder like a parrot.

Now at this point in the tree, we see some Koakian Monkey Lizards just hanging around. You’ll probably recognize these as being the same as Salacious B. Crumb, who used to be the brains behind Jabbas. I always thought the name Salacious B. Crumb sounded very upper-class, and that gave the game away that he was the real one running the show.

Theory time, theory time, theory time.

The Mandalorian Season 3 Episode 1 Theories

Now, this shows a major change in the culture of the planet. Every time we’ve revisited it, it’s gotten better and better, and since the first season, there have been major improvements. The Koakian monkey lizards were also being roasted there, like Luke’s aunt and uncle, but here we see that they are free to roam.

Now we once again see the statue of IG-11, who sacrificed himself at the end of season one. He very much represents the heroes that have reformed the planet, and he’s an inspiration to those on it.

Everything has changed, and as the band jams away, we can feel the atmosphere is completely different. Also, this is the first time that I noticed that the stones IG-11 is standing on look like stormtrooper helmets. Though we got a look at the statue last season, this gives us a much better one, and the character now represents triumph over the fallen empire.

Now at this point, Greef walks towards Mando.

I love how beside him you can also catch little droids carrying his cloak, and we discover that he’s now the High Magistrate of the planet. Mando has encountered one before, and during the Ahsoka episode, the pair faced off against one that wasn’t so friendly.

We see how leaving the Empire has allowed business and people to flourish. We of course know what Nevarro looked like, and this planet represents the change that has likely happened across the entire galaxy. All except for Mandalore, which we’ll talk about more later on.

Next, we get a moment that was released online last week.

I love the way that Grogu just spins away in the chair, using force to keep himself going. He also grabs some Skittles—all red for royalty—and is basically a 50-year-old man living his best kid life. Apollo Creef Karga offers Mando a parcel, and he seems confused that Mando completed his job of delivering Grogu to the Jedi but that he’s still with him. As he says: it’s complicated

And Pedro Pascal is maintaining his role as the galaxy’s best surrogate dad.

Grogu, of course, returned to Mando after making the choice to leave him and the Jedi. This scene actually also offers Mando a similar choice, and Greef says that though he’s an apostate amongst his people, he could be one of the Gentry on Nevarro. He’s very much choosing to go to what he thinks is right, which was of course reflected in Grogu leaving the Jedi.

I love this scene, and as many of you know, we just moved house. We had to go in to discuss mortgages and stuff, and we took the kids with us. They were pretty much just doing exactly what Grogu is while we were trying to discuss the serious business of whether the new place would have a big enough mancave or not, and I thought this scene hit really well.

Everything seems really good because the Empire is out, but we see the negative effects of their absence and the law and order they brought are no more.

Some pirates have arrived, and among them are Aqualish and Weequay.

Now, weequays are a species that is often portrayed as a villain in the Star Wars universe. Though the one in Cid’s Bar in the bad batch is not a bad one, the rest tend to be. Typically, they’re gangsters and pirates who want to gain control through intimidation and violence, which heavily plays into the entry.

They are harassing the teacher at the school, and this is a location that we saw Grogu visiting in season 2. Turns out it used to be a bar, and we get a classic Western standoff against Greef and the gang’s leader. I don’t think it’s any coincidence that most of the aliens here were gangsters at the start of “The Book of Boba Fett,” but it’s showing how Greef refuses to work with them whereas Boba wanted to.

Now we get mention of Cara Dune, who they’ve basically pooched since dropping Gina Carano. Marshall Dune was apparently recruited by special forces, and I’m guessing that this was what the plot of her spin-off series was going to center around. I’m not 100% on the production of this and whether the script for it had to be done before everything happened or if this was made after. If you know, then drop it in the comments, but I can’t quite remember how things lined up. I’m actually surprised that they brought her up, and yeah, I guess we’ll see what the internet reaction is to it. Clearly, they felt like they had to acknowledge it, and we also discover that Gideon has been sent off to a New Republic War Tribunal. This is similar to the Nuremberg trials, but I’m guessing that he’ll be broken out.

The Mandalorian Season 3 Episode 1 Ending Explained

Anyway, Mando wants IG-11 fixed up so that he can beat the s**t out of Taika Waitit for Thor: The Dark World.

Nah, he needs a droid he can trust so that he can navigate Mandalore. One of the big arcs he had in Season 1 was that he didn’t trust droids, but he came to respect IG-11 after what they went through. This came in the wake of the clone wars, and a lot of the hatred for droids was because of how they were used by the separatists.

IG-11 is brought back online, but he goes into full terminator mode and goes through his old programming to kill Grogu.

This was his first mission in episode 1, but the bust of Greef is used to crush his head. He headbutts him, and this bust could also be a reference to another Carl Weathers franchise. Rocky got given a statue, but Creed never did, so, eh, maybe I’m reaching, but maybe my man Carl is finally getting his bronze statue.

Even though he’s out, we know he can be brought back online, and here Greef takes them to the Anzellans. He asks if they speak Huttish, and this is what he also said to the frog lady in episode 3 of Season 2.

Now little is known about Anzellans as they’re a new addition to the franchise, but they have popped up from time to time. In the new canon, an Anzellan pops up in the High Republic book Light of the Jedi, and Babu Frik of course steals the show in Rise of Skywalker. The Halcyon Star Cruiser was designed by one as well, and I’m pretty sure that this is where you stay if you go to the Galaxy’s edge. Though I can’t afford it, if you could join the channel as a member or something, do it.

Huge shoutouts to Hector Nevarro (no relation to the planet) for basically going over why they’re so embedded in the tech side of the world and how, due to them being little, they’re able to get up closer to machines and use their little eyes to see smaller details at a much larger scale.

They’re very much like mechanics when you take your car into the shop, and though they’re not pets, they are pretty cute, like, for like, mini-fat men with moustaches.

Anyway, Mando promises to get a part for IG-11, and they head out into space, which is when the pirate Vane returns with reinforcements. It leads to a space battle through an asteroid belt that reminded me a lot of the chase in Attack of the Clones. Unlike the Razor Crest, the N1 is a skilled starfighter, and with Mando at the helm, he’s able to outmaneuver the other vessels. I’m not 100% on the model of these, but they look like R-41 Starchasers, which are also a new addition to the saga.

Mando moves through the asteroids like he’s Batman, striking from the shadows and making bit hits.

They also pass through what looks like a mining operation on one of the bigger ones, and it’s such a cool action scene.

Honestly, I feel like this episode had it all, with cool action scenes on land and in space. It looks like it’s all good, but thanks to Dank Ferrik, we come across Gorian Shards ship. Guy is your stereotypical pirate with peg legs and a long beard. He also has a pirate’s coat, and yeah, I can’t wait to see this guy pop up again in the season. This rivalry is such a fun one, and he promises to spare Mando’s ship if he hands over his. Mando gives his final lesson for this bit, and he says, “Never trust a pirate.

Now from here, they travel to Calamara, which is a planet based within the Mandalore system. They arrive at a castle, and we discover that this is where Bo Katan has been stationed. A far cry from the glory that royalty should have, we find this place desolate except for a sole droid who is there to greet him. The great plains are barren, and Bo sits on a throne with no court or allies.

She states that there is nothing left to join and that not having the dark saber means that those she had as allies have abandoned her side. On a mural on the wall, we see a great battle depicted, which represents the bloody past that the Mandalorians have. All that is left is this shell now though, and with no glory or one to follow, her group has gone back to being mercenaries.

She’s a broken woman who has gained nothing from battle and views it as a lost cause. Mandalore is, of course, all but destroyed, and even if they were to take it back, it wouldn’t have anything on it worth having. The curse of Mandalore is something that Bo now sees as a reality, and though she gives him the directions to Mandalore, she sees it as a waste.

She’s basically Luke in The Last Jedi, but I can see her getting back on the cause once she learns that Mandalore can be saved.

Anyway, that ends the episode, and I really enjoyed this trip back with them. There are lots of locations and things going on here, and yeah, I thought it was a really solid way to start the season.

Anyway, that wraps up the episode, and huge apologies to everyone for missing the bad batch the last couple of weeks. One of our editors had a power cut for about 6 hours, so we couldn’t do it then. Then the week after, I had to sort lots of stuff to get ready for the move, so we still had content coming out, and then this week we had the move, and I just haven’t had time to cover the show unfortunately. I’m gonna try and get my s**t together for next week and at the very least I’ll do an ending explained for the series. Thank you for rocking with me, and I hope this hasn’t been too disappointing as I have been enjoying the show. I know it seems like we haven’t really taken a day off in the last 5 years, and that’s mainly because we tend to keep stuff going out consistently, but sometimes life just gets in the way.

We’re running a competition right now and giving away The Rocky 4K Boxset to three subscribers on March 15. All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is like the video, make sure you subscribe with notifications on, and drop a comment below with your thoughts on the episode. We pick the comments at random at the end of the month, and the winners of the last one are on screen right now, so message me at @heavyspoilers if that’s you.

If you want something else to watch, then make sure you check out our breakdown of the perfect scene in Spider-Man: Homecoming. We break down the entire thing, so it’s definitely worth checking out if you want to know more.

With that out of the way, thank you for sitting through the video; I’ve been Paul, and I’ll see you next time. Take care, Peace