Who can defeat the Praetorian Guards in The Mandalorian season 3 finale?

Warning: This article contains spoilers from The Mandalorian season 3, episode 7. 

The penultimate episode of The Mandalorian season 3 featured many surprises, including the return of a formidable group of warriors introduced in The Last Jedi. These warriors are known as Elite Praetorian Guards.

In The Last Jedi, they are seen guarding Supreme Leader Snoke in the throne room aboard the Supremacy. When Kylo Ren kills Snoke, the Praetorian Guards leap into action, and it takes the combined forces of Kylo Ren and Rey to defeat them.

In The Mandalorian, Moff Gideon requests three Praetorian Guards, and the request is granted by the Imperial Shadow Council. Even though Paz Vizsla takes out scores of Imperial Super Commandos clad in beskar armor on his own, he is unable to withstand the three Praetorian Guards, who appear at the end of the episode and kill him swiftly.

One of the many questions heading into the season 3 finale is how the Praetorian Guards can be defeated, especially since their weapons can pierce beskar armor, and it took the combined teamwork of a Dyad and two of the most powerful Force users to ever live to kill them in The Last Jedi.

Which characters in The Mandalorian can take on the Praetorian Guards?

Bo-Katan Kryze

Of the characters currently on Mandalore, Bo-Katan Kryze is arguably best-suited to take on the Praetorian Guards. She possesses the Darksaber, and the Darksaber is one of the only weapons the Mandalorians have that stands a chance against the Praetorian Guards’ weapons and their armor.

The Darksaber is a lightsaber, and it was with their lightsabers that Rey and Kylo Ren defeated these warriors in The Last Jedi. Their lightsabers cut through the Prateorian Guards’ armor and the Darksaber can do the same, which is important to have when the Praetorian Guards’ weapons can cut through beskar.

The Mandalorian season 3 has been surprisingly light on Darksaber action. This seems like the perfect opportunity to deliver Darksaber action and have Bo-Katan wield the Darksaber as flawlessly as she did when using it to save Din Djarin in “Chapter 18: The Mines of Mandalore.”

Grogu

Bo-Katan may have the Darksaber, but she isn’t Force-sensitive. Rey and Kylo Ren had their lightsabers and the Force when fighting the Praetorian Guards.

Grogu has mainly used the Force in season 3 for fun, including when he used it to jump into the arms of Peli Motto and the Duchess of Plazir-15, or when he used the Force to help the Duchess win a game.

While all these moments were delightful to watch, it is time for Grogu to use the Force in a bigger and more meaningful way, like when he healed Greef Karga in The Mandalorian and when he calmed down the rampaging rancor in The Book of Boba Fett.

There is no better way to use it than by helping to rescue the now captive Din. The Praetorian Guards will be one of the many obstacles in the way of saving Din. The ends of season 1 and 2 were largely focused on Din saving Grogu. Now Grogu can help save Din.

It would also be nice to see Grogu and Bo-Katan teaming up as they have developed a genuine bond over the course of season 3. Bo-Katan can wield the Darksaber against the Praetorian Guards while Grogu wields the Force against them.

The Mythosaur

No matter how formidable the Praetorian Guards are, even they are no match for a Mythosaur. Ever since Bo-Katan saw the Mythosaur in “The Mines of Mandalore,” the question has been what she will do about it, and how the legendary creature will factor into the story.

With the payoff still to come, the season 3 finale seems like the perfect place to make it happen. The Mythosaur could take out the Praetorian Guards itself, but it is more likely that Bo-Katan (or perhaps another Mandalorian) will tame the Mythosaur and ride it into battle against the Praetorian Guards.

This would be somewhat akin to Boba Fett riding the rancor into battle against the Pyke Syndicate in The Book of Boba Fett‘s finale. The rancor was what turned the tide in that battle and what enabled Boba and his allies to destroy the seemingly unstoppable Scorpenek annihilator droids.

Ahsoka Tano

Ahsoka is not currently on Mandalore, but Bo-Katan could definitely reach out to her for help. They have history and have remained in contact as Bo-Katan was the one who told Din where he could find Ahsoka in The Mandalorian season 2.

Bringing Ahsoka into the season 3 finale can help set up the Ahsoka series that is releasing in August, especially since it is the next story in the Mandoverse. Ahsoka has all the tools she needs to take on the Praetorian Guards.

The idea of Ahsoka, Grogu, and Bo-Katan wielding the Darksaber (and maybe riding a Mythosaur) all working together to defeat the Praetorian Guards and save Din is an exciting thought and an epic way to end the season.

All Mandalorians working together

This may sound cheesy, but season 3 has been about all different types of Mandalorians setting aside their differences and coming together. On his own, Paz Vizsla didn’t stand a chance against the Praetorian Guards.

Perhaps if Bo-Katan, Grogu, the Children of the Watch, the mercenary group led by Axe Woves, and the survivors on Mandalore all work together, these unified Mandalorians can defeat the Praetorian Guards and save Din.

It would be a fitting way to culminate the season and proof that Bo-Katan is right that Mandalorians are stronger together than they are apart.

Who do you think can defeat the Praetorian Guards in The Mandalorian season 3 finale? Let us know in the comments!