Finales & New Beginnings: ‘The Mandalorian Season Finale Recap & Speculation!

The Finale of Season 3 of The Mandalorian is here. Now that the season has wrapped up let’s break down the biggest reveals and what we can expect from season 4 and the future of Star Wars on Disney+!

***Spoilers for all episodes of The Mandalorian***

It’s hard to believe, but another Season of The Mandalorian has come and gone. While the entire season was littered with memorable moments, these last two episodes turned up the heat, delivering some great Star Wars storytelling, and giving us clues as to where the “Mando-verse” could be heading next.

Moff Giedon’s Failed Plan

This week we finally got confirmation on what Moff Gideon has been planning since the start of the show. Basically, he was trying to create an army of force-sensitive clones of himself to take over the galaxy. Thankfully Mando and Grogu were able to stop this, destroying the clones before they could wreak havoc. Gideon himself also seemed to perish at the end of the episode, being engulfed in flames. There is always a chance he, or one of his clones, returns (no one’s ever really gone), but this seemed like a fitting end for Giedon as Bo-Katan retook Mandalore.

Obviously, Gideon’s plan was never going to work (we know from the sequel trilogy that the galaxy isn’t crawling with Giancarlo Espositos), but this storyline could still have bigger consequences. We know from last week’s episode, as well as the Ashoka trailer, that Grand Admiral Thrawn is on his way to carry on the Emperor’s legacy. It could be Gideon’s cloning research that leads to the rebirth of the Emperor and the rise of the First Order. Not only would that fill in a major gap in the Star Wars continuity, but make a pretty impressive threat to Dave Filoni’s “Mando-verse” movie that was announced at Star Wars Celebration. Only time will tell what the real plan is going forward, but it’s hard to believe that Giedon’s plan won’t have a larger impact on the universe.

The Retaking of Mandalore

The big moment at the end of the episode, and the thing we have been building towards all season, was the reclaiming of Mandalore. Despite losing the Dark Saber in battle, Bo-Katan was able to take back her homeland. This wasn’t only a satisfying conclusion to this season, but also a decade+ of storytelling that spanned The Clone Wars, Rebels, and now The Mandalorian.

As Din pointed out in the last episode, Bo-Katan does not need the Dark Saber to be respected as a leader, and it seems that all creeds of Mandos will be following the leadership of Bo and the Armorer. The sequel trilogy didn’t give us any info on Mandalore or what happens to them after the rise of the First Order, so the show has no limitations on what they can do in further seasons.

Din Grogu: The Newest Mandalorian

So much of this shows success can be tied to Grogu. He’s such an adorable character and captures everything people love about Star Wars, and the show has been smart to never forget that. After some incredible action scenes where Grogu saved the day more than once, he was finally formally adopted by Din-Djarin and promoted from a foundling to a Mandalorian apprentice.

Obviously, Din and Grogu have been an unofficial Father/Son team for a while now, but having it become official through the Mandalorian creed was a lovely way to end the season. The duo also returned to Nevarro, finding a lovely home for the two to rest in between their future adventures.

While we are likely to see more of Din and Grogu in the near future, this seems like a perfect ending for their story, as both of them seem to be at peace, no longer searching the galaxy for something they don’t have. They have each other, and that is enough.

What to Expect from Season 4 and More

Creator Jon Favreau has confirmed that Season 4 of The Mandalorian has been written, so hopefully, we won’t have to wait too long for it. Based on the end of this episode, it’s safe to assume that it will pick up with Din and Grogu working freelance for the New Republic, helping clean up the Outer Rim. That seems like a fun setup for the show and a chance for the series to return to the more episodic nature of the first two seasons. Or perhaps Favreau will craft another season-long story arc; only time will tell.

In the meantime, Ashoka will be premiering on Disney+ this August. With a very similar creative team, the show will continue many plot lines from The Mandalorian, continuing the overarching narrative that Favreau and Filoni have planned. As previously mentioned, the show will pay off those Thrawn teases, and give us a better hint at the rise of the First Order. Skeleton Crew is also coming out later this year, and while far less is known about that show, it will be set in the Mando timeline, so maybe some of our favorite Mando characters could make an appearance in that.

Make sure to stream these shows when they come out only on Disney+!