The Mandalorian Season 3 was hotly anticipated by fans of the show's first two seasons, and after a long wait of over two years, the series premiered to mixed reviews. Mando Season 3 is undoubtedly the show's most divisive season, with many fans unhappy with the creative decisions taken by Jon Favreau, Rick Famuyiwa, and Dave Filoni. After all this time, I'm one of those people who still have some gripes about the season too.
Here are 10 things that still bother me about Season 3 of The Mandalorian.
1. The lack of a Satine Kryze mention
As a massive fan of The Clone Wars, the lack of a Duchess Satine Kryze mention still bothers me. During the first few episodes of the season, I thought Favreau was saving a Satine namedrop for later, but I was proven wrong. The season ended without a single Satine Kryze namedrop, and I still fail to see why. Even if Favreau and Filoni wanted to keep things simple for live-action fans who may not have watched The Clone Wars, mentioning Satine shouldn't have been a big deal. After all, she's not only Bo-Katan's sister, but she ruled Mandalore, and the season's main focus was Bo and her fellow Mandalorians' quest to reclaim their home world.
What stinks is that many of us dreamed of a live-action Satine flashback. Instead, she wasn't mentioned once, and there's no justification for it.
2. Bo-Katan keeping the Mythosaur a secret from Din Djarin
I wrote about this during Mando Season 3, but it always bothered me that Bo never told Din that she may have seen a Mythosaur. At first, I thought it was because she couldn't believe her own eyes, but Bo should've told Din about it once The Armorer acknowledged what she saw might have been real. Unless Bo has a solid reason for hiding this fact from Din, this seems like poor writing.
As a devout Mandalorian, Din should've at least been awake for such a big moment. But alas, Favreau decided to make this Bo's moment. I think she could've seen the Mythosaur and ruled Mandalore without keeping its existence a secret from Din Djarin.
3. Did Din sink to the bottom of the mines, or was he pulled down by something?
I still don't buy that a skilled bounty hunter like Din Djarin can pass out and nearly drown in water. There's no way Din was ever this incompetent. He wouldn't have gotten this far if he was such a nincompoop. How did he end up at the bottom so quickly? Was the weight of his armor the reason he fell in like a block, or did he get pulled down by something so quickly that he lost consciousness? My theory is that he was pulled down by the Mythosaur who must've stirred when it heard Din reciting the words of the creed. Regardless of the logic, this particular sequence still bothers me.
4. The lack of a rivalry between Bo-Katan and Din Djarin
Promotional content seemed to hint at a rivalry between Din and Bo, but tensions quickly fizzled out. Many fans, including myself, believed the duo would duel it out at some point during the season. However, Din and Bo worked together, which is fine. Regardless of how I expected the season to play out, I also believed it would end with them both becoming friends. Unfortunately, it was done too quickly, and the show should've capitalized on Din and Bo's differences, instead of watering it down and having Din simply handing the darksaber to Bo without a single thought.
5. The Armorer's double standards
So, let me get this straight: Din Djarin gets punished and labeled an apostate for removing his helmet to save a foundling's life, but Bo-Katan gets to walk both worlds. What was The Armorer thinking when she asked Din to risk his life by going to the Mines of Mandalore when the place was expected to be in shambles? Why did Din have to go to hell and back to regain The Armorer's trust just because he removed his helmet to save his kid if Bo-Katan's beliefs weren't an issue for her? Even if The Armorer changed her mind about the helmet, it was never explicitly stated.
Din's years of loyalty to the Children of the Watch warranted a better explanation for how he was treated. At least by the end of the season, The Armorer should've told Din that things have changed now. The next time you remove your helmet in front of your kid, you won't be labeled an apostate. I don't know why The Armorer displayed double standards in Season 3, and it wasn't expected from a well-written and consistent character like her.
6. Din Djarin's quest for redemption means he regrets removing his helmet
Did Din regret removing his helmet to save his kid, and would he ever do it again? His determination to bathe in the living waters and seek The Armorer's forgiveness makes it seem like he wouldn't risk it again, but where does that leave him as a character? The first two seasons made him out to be a devout Mandalorian, who would risk his place in the Bounty Hunter's Guild and break the sacred creed to protect his son.
Unfortunately, Season 3 never allows Din to introspect. We never get to see things from his point of view. With much of the season being focused on Bo-Katan, we can only conclude that Din will never remove his helmet again, even if it means putting Grogu in danger. That's quite possibly one of the worst outcomes of the season. It leaves Din nowhere and completely undoes all his growth from previous seasons.
7. We never saw Din's reaction to Grogu's rondel
Din and Grogu's adorable bond is one of the main attractions of the show, so it didn't go down well with fans when the show skipped showing Din's reaction to Grogu's new beskar armor. In Season 3, Grogu receives a new chest plate complete with the Mudhorn signet, which symbolizes his bond with his father. It's a huge moment for Grogu, but Din isn't around. The rest of the episodes never give any indication that Din knew about Grogu's rondel.
It robbed fans of a potentially moving moment between the duo. In Season 1, Grogu saw Din receive the Mudhorn as his signet. It would've been a full circle moment had he been there to see his son wearing the symbol on his chest. Hopefully, the movie will cover this moment!
8. The Armorer's hurry to send Din and Grogu away
The Armorer was in such a hurry for Din to start Grogu's training, that she sent the two away before they could take part in the lighting of the Great Forge. It was a moment of unity for all Mandalorians after decades of unrest, but Din and Grogu didn't get to be a part of it. It was certainly an odd creative choice, and there's no reason why their return to Nevarro needed to be so rushed.
9. Moff Gideon's clones being useless
Moff Gideon was an intimidating character until Season 3 and posed a threat to Din and Grogu's safety. However, in Season 3, Gideon came off as a typical annoying villain. Also, his clones were eliminated in a matter of minutes, which made Gideon and his clones seem meaningless in the grand scheme of things.
10. No attempt at a leadership arc for Din Djarin
I get it. Din didn't wish to lead Mandalore, and he didn't seem interested in the Darksaber. But even if the leadership and the Darksaber weren't meant for him, it would've been great to see him attempt something that he had no interest in. That's how people grow. Perhaps the experience would've shaped how he sees things, and down the line, he could've accepted a different leadership position. Din is a strong character with many qualities and would serve people well as a leader. I hope leadership is in his future, even if it's not Mandalore's leadership.
All three seasons of The Mandalorian are streaming on Disney+.