The Book of Boba Fett is into the pointy end of its first season, as Boba Fett, Fennec Shand and their allies prepare to go to war with the ruthless Pykes. Fett has had a history with the Pykes, with the group showcasing throughout the series that they are a menace.
While Fett has lots of credits and some allies, both he and Shand need to add more muscle to their side in order to fight this war. This is where Pedro Pascal’s Din Djarin steps in, with Mando getting a whole episode dedicated to him before he reunites with Fennec Shand. Perfectly titled “Return of The Mandalorian,” the fifth episode gives the audience their first look at Mando since the ending of season 2, feeling more like the first episode of season 3.
This episode does a fair bit of set up for where Mando might be at the beginning of season 3, and is a must watch for fans of The Mandalorian. Episode five sets up a number of plot threads for Mando’s season 3 adventures, with his further appearances in The Book of Boba Fett likely to establish the character’s motivations for the third season further.
The Darksaber
The Darksaber was a major part of The Mandalorian‘s second season as Bo Katan wished to retrieve it from the villainous Moff Gideon. However, after Mando was the one to defeat the villain, he is the rightful owner of the blade and it’s power. This seemed to set up a conflict between Katan and Mando, however they were interrupted by the appearance of Luke Skywalker to claim Grogu.
This plot thread is likely to be the main source of conflict in season three, with reuniting with Grogu playing into the field somewhere along the line. As showcased from the beginning of the latest episode of The Book of Boba Fett, Mando is utilising the darksasber in combat, however he is not very masterful with the blade just yet.
He is seen training with the Armourer with the blade, who gives him some helpful advice about fighting against his enemy and not the blade. Mando also has a duel with Paz Vizla, who he defeats easily once Vizla disarms Mando and takes the darksaber. While it may be a tough road, it seems the history of the blade, Mandalore and Pascal’s character mastering the Darksaber will all be key components of Mando’s ongoing journey.
Grogu’s Journey
Grogu is the character that consistently stole the show during the first two seasons of The Mandalorian. However, after the season finale, it is unclear where Grogu will fit into the third season. As The Mandalorian looks to move towards a plot about Mandalore and Din Djarin mastering the darksaber, Grogu’s time with Mando seemingly came to an end when he left to begin his training as a Jedi with Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill).
However, after his fist appearance in The Book of Boba Fett, Mando could be set to reunite with Grogu very soon, with many predicting it may come in the final episodes of Boba Fett’s series. While a reunion will be unlikely during The Book of Boba Fett‘s last two episodes due to tying up that show’s narrative, Mando’s visit with the Armourer does set up the plot thread for season three.
Mando has had his beskar spear melted down into some form of armour for Grogu, which we will likely see be given to the small force user very soon. It will be very intriguing to see where Grogu is and what his training has been like up until this point. As we know from viewing The Last Jedi, things do not end well for Luke’s Jedi School and that could spell doom for Grogu.
While that is a fair time away, it seems more reasonable that Mando and Grogu will find themselves partnered up again, as Disney is unlikely to sideline the adorable character and Mando seems lost without him by his side.
It will be interesting to see where the third season of The Mandalorian takes the character and how his time on The Book of Boba Fett will impact the season. Mandalore is likely to play a key role going forward, as will the further set up of the sequel trilogy through Luke’s training of Grogu.
The Book of Boba Fett is currently streaming on Disney+, with new episodes released weekly on Wednesday’s.
