If the latest trailer is anything to go by, Season 3 of The Mandalorian is going to be a masterpiece. Not that it should come as much of a surprise since the first two seasons have set the bar high for all Star Wars live action TV series. The show has bagged several big awards, but by the looks of it, Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni were only scratching the surface of their creative prowess with the first two seasons.
The trailer for Season 3 promises higher stakes. Not only does it show a different side of Din Djarin, a far cry from the reserved bounty hunter we were introduced to in season 1, but visually it appears that the best is yet to come. The prequel fans can rejoice as they get their Order 66 flashback, the 3rd live action flashback of the tragic event in just a few months. These flashbacks began in The Book of Boba Fett last year. They started from Grogu’s point of view. Additional footage of Order 66 was also seen in Obi Wan Kenobi, and now we’re back to where it all began, with Grogu likely remembering the events of that night from his point of view, as seen in the trailer. Maybe fans will finally get to know who saved the little guy from certain death at the hands of Jedi turned Sith Lord, Anakin Skywalker. Could it have been Anakin himself who saved Grogu, or is it Bariss Offee, like some fans have been speculating?
The trailer also warns that a fractured Mandalorian culture and a planet in shambles isn’t all there is to worry about for the people of Mandalore. A greater, more menacing threat looms over the galaxy, and the New Republic seems aware of it. This increases the tension and anticipation, and in my opinion, it is a wonderful strategy to show the depth of the storytelling in this upcoming season. It isn’t one dimensional. We won’t be watching warring Mandos for 8 episodes straight, because there’s something bigger than that, and eventually, these scattered Mandalorians will have to come together to overcome it.
Coruscant continues its “Corusainnce”. After its return to live action in Andor, it’s back again in The Mandalorian, Season 3, along with Dr. Pershing. The pleasing visuals of the tall, shimmery buildings of Coruscant are just some of the many dazzling shots throughout the trailer. One particularly pleasing visual that I found myself repeatedly watching, comes in the form of a scene in which several TIE Interceptors chase a Kom’rk-Class Mandalorian Gaunlet Ship. These ships have been seen in The Clone Wars but never in live action. It appears to be Din Djarin who’s piloting it, and the scene looks exceptionally exciting, with the setting looking quite a bit like Andor’s Aldhani sets in Scotland. It looks more like an actual location than the Volume.
But the thing that makes The Mandalorian stand out from all other Star Wars series that have released in the past few months and years, is the growth we have witnessed in its stoic lead character, and his ever deepening bond with his “foundling”, Grogu. Din, who barely utters a word or two through most of the first season of the show, speaks as soon as the trailer begins. He poetically describes the state of Mandalorians. “Our people are scattered, like stars in a galaxy. Who are we? What do we stand for?” He’s asking other Mandalorians these questions, but it’s quite likely he too needs to answer them for himself. Who is this man who went against the guild and then against his creed for a tiny child belonging to a different species, and “a race of enemy sorcerers”? We watch Grogu adorably cuddling against his father’s arm, looking up adoringly at his dad’s helmeted face. Din continues speaking about learning to navigate through the galaxy. We have to assume that he spoke these words to Grogu, and that he has accepted that Grogu is his kind, and it’s time to be a father to him. This will indeed be a big step for Din, who has yet to call Grogu his son, and it’s something fans are eagerly looking forward to.
From action, to visuals, a compelling story, the questions of identity and ones place in the galaxy which are central to the majority of Star Wars stories, and a heartwarming bond- there is absolutely nothing missing from this trailer of The Mandalorian, and that means the new season is likely to be its best yet.