‘The Mandalorian’ Season 3 Episode 1 Recap: Baby Yoda Meets ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’

The Mandalorian is again, and what which means. Season 3 episode 1 is a concentrated burst of leisure showcasing all the very best bits of Star Wars: laser gun shootouts, hovering house battles and tentacle-faced pirate captains.

Hang on, is that this nonetheless Star Wars we’re speaking about? It certain is — after season 1 and season 2 of the Disney Plus sequence had been influenced by the cowboys ‘n’ gunfighters of the Western style, season 3 of the Mando’s adventures sails into uncharted waters: the form of monstrous swashbuckling we all know and love from the Pirates of the Caribbean motion pictures. Avast, me hearties!

Read on for our recap of The Mandalorian season 3 episode 1 (or chapter 17 within the sequence as an entire), full with Star Wars Easter eggs and a few first ideas on how the brand new season will form up. Beware spoilers, ye scurvy seadogs!

Pre-recap recap

OK, earlier than we get into chapter 17, let’s remind ourselves the place we’re as much as within the adventures of the titular Mandalorian bounty hunter (Pedro Pascal, additionally at the moment searing the display within the acclaimed HBO sequence The Last of Us), and his cute buddy Grogu (aka Baby Yoda). In the finale of season 2 the Mando dropped off Grogu with everybody’s favourite Jedi, Luke Skywalker. So why are Grogu and Din again collectively?

Well, in between seasons, the celebrities of the Mandalorian appeared in an episode of one other Disney Plus sequence, The Book of Boba Fett. It was the most effective installments of the in any other case underwhelming sequence and is properly price a watch, however that does not change the truth that season 3 of the Mandalorian solely simply began and you have already got homework. Thanks, Disney.

The fifth episode of Boba Fett’s sequence defined why Mando and Grogu bought again collectively and why they’re touring modified model of one of many Naboo N-1 Starfighters seen in The Phantom Menace. That episode additionally reveals a piece of backstory in regards to the Mandalorian’s sect, the Children of the Watch, and why they left Mandalore.

The new sequence additionally opens with a short recap exhibiting droid IG-11 self-destructing in a battle with Imperial stormtroopers in this present’s season 1 finale. The story of that droid, voiced by Taika Waititi, clearly does not finish there.

As for the present’s different main characters, the villainous Imperial Moff Gideon was carted off to face a New Republic battle tribunal after his seize. And Cara Dune is not a marshal, having been recruited by New Republic particular forces. Given actor Gina Carano’s very public dustup with Disney, that is in all probability the final we’ll hear of Cara.

This is the Way 

The episode opens with the sound of hammering. Like the Mandalorian warriors themselves, their Beskar armor is solid in fireplace and repeatedly overwhelmed. Their chief, the Armorer, builds a brand new helmet in a fetching shade of turquoise, carried onto a seaside the place a teenager feels the solar on their face for the ultimate time. 

“The words of the Creed shall be forever forged in my heart,” the youngling intones, however by no means truly completes the vow to maintain the helmet on as a result of they’re interrupted by a big house alligator. Woo, Star Wars! 

That kicks off an intense battle within the air and beneath splashing waves, like the beginning of Saving Private Ryan if it was, y’know, about house helmets and big aliens crocodiles. Luckily the Mando swoops in to save lots of the day. See you later alligator!

Is the Armorer grateful? No, she’s nonetheless banging on about Mando (actual identify Din Djarin) eradicating his helmet. She insists that redemption is not possible because the mines of Mandalore had been destroyed by the Empire, however Mando gives some hope with a crystal which may be a relic of their house planet. Our hero reckons that is proof that Mandalore is not poisoned, and the Armorer appears to conform to welcome the apostate again into the fold if he can show it. That seems like a quest to me! 

Pirates of the Outer Rim

So as soon as once more the Mandalorian and Baby Yoda head for Nevarro, the planet the place the Mando as soon as dropped off Baby Yoda and subsequently rescued him in season 1. This scummy fringe planet has gone up on the planet underneath Magistrate, sorry, High Magistrate Greef Karga, to turn out to be the “gem of the Outer Rim.”

Karga even gives Mando a parcel of land to hold up his blaster. But it is not lengthy earlier than previous hassle finds them, as they face Vane, henchman of pirate king Gorian Shard. Vane and his thirsty pirates insist on a drink for previous instances’ sake, reminding Karga that he paid them for homicide and mayhem again within the good previous days. 

The High Magistrate is having none of it however reveals he hasn’t grown delicate, drawing again his positive robes to disclose a blaster. A correct Western-style shootout ensues, and Vane is shipped packing with a message for the pirate king.

After a traditional Star Wars asteroid-dodging dogfight, the Mando and Grogu encounter Gorian Shard in house. This seaweed-encrusted freebooter seems impressed by the fantastical creatures of the Pirates of the Caribbean, warning Mando that he higher begin believing in ghost tales as a result of he is in a single. Wait, mistaken film — truly he calls for the Mando’s ship. But our hero sails away, leaving the pirate king cursing. We’re guessing we’ll see extra nautical naughtiness from the house pirates quickly. 

IG’ll be again

Nevarro has raised a statue of the bounty hunter droid IG-11, which sacrificed itself combating Imperials. It seems the statue is manufactured from the droid’s precise remaining components, permitting the Mando to resurrect the bot. He shortly adjustments his thoughts when it defaults to previous programming and goes all Terminator on little Grogu. Leave Baby Yoda alone! Another statue solves the issue, though there was no want for Mando’s dreadful pun.

Mando takes the stays of IG-11 to the Anzellans, jabbering animatronic mechanics in delightfully Star Wars fashion (you may bear in mind Babu Frik from The Rise of Skywalker). It’s nice to see the Mandalorian continues that grand Star Wars custom of delightfully fleshy aliens coming in all prosthetic shapes and animatronic sizes. It’s an enormous squee from us when Grogu tries to provide the little cutie a squeeze.

Sadly IG-11’s reminiscence is fried, however we’re certain one thing will flip up.

Bo Katan’s citadel

Next cease: Kalevala, a world within the Mandalorian system, full with a concrete-gray brutalist Mandalorian citadel. 

The helmetless and bitter Bo-Katan Kryze is on a throne however overthrown, as with out the fabled Darksaber — a image of Mandalorian management — her forces have melted away to turn out to be mercenaries. She’s presumably nonetheless livid that Mando inadvertently took possession of the weapon when he defeated Moff Gideon in fight.

Katan insists there’s nothing magic in regards to the mines of Mandalore, and Mando’s quest relies on superstition. But we’re certain her curiosity could possibly be revived if Mando and Co. show her planet is not as ravaged, plundered and poisoned as everybody thinks.

Easter eggs and observations

• The episode is directed by Rick Famuyiwa, a director often recognized for extra grounded tales like coming-of-age drama Dope, the true story Confirmation and the TV sequence The Chi. That mentioned, he was initially set to direct DC’s The Flash film, however provided that movie’s troubled historical past he is in all probability glad to be engaged on Star Wars as a substitute.
• While in hyperspace, Grogu sees some house whales — followers who’ve watched CGI animated sequence Rebels will bear in mind these because the Purgill. All 4 seasons are on Disney Plus.
• These hyperspace-travelling creatures dragged Imperial baddy Grand Admiral Thrawn and trainee Jedi Ezra Bridger off to an unknown vacation spot in that present’s finale. This story is prone to proceed in live-action Mandalorian spinoff present Ahsoka, which is predicted to hit Disney Plus this yr, so the Purgill could be exhibiting right here to determine them for live-action audiences.
• The pirates embrace a Klatooinian, a Trandoshan and a Warthog.
• Klatooinian criminals had been among the many antagonists within the Book of Boba Fett (and whose identify calls to thoughts the well-known alien catchphrase “Klaatu barada nikto” from the Nineteen Fifties sci-fi traditional The Day the Earth Stood Still).
• The Trandoshans additionally appeared within the Boba Fett sequence. A notable member of the lizard-like race is Bossk, a recent of Fett on the bounty searching scene.
• A warthog is, er, a warthog.
• Look out for these Salacious Crumb monkey dudes in a tree.
• The Anzellan mechanics are voiced by Shirley Henderson, the award-winning actor who additionally lent her distinctive voice to Moaning Myrtle within the Harry Potter movies.
• Pirate king Gorian Shard is voiced by Nonso Anozie, who performed Xaro Xhoan Daxos in Game of Thrones.
• Vane is performed by Marti Matulis, who performed the Monstrosity in 2022 horror hit Smile.
• For the scenes during which The Armorer forges Baskar armor, the credit record a “forging double” — blacksmith and artist Heather McCarty.

Come again subsequent Wednesday for the subsequent Star Wars journey, as The Mandalorian season 3 episode 2 streams on Disney Plus March 8.

First revealed on March 1, 2023 at 5:24 a.m. PT.