Mandalorian Season 3's Premiere Has Fans Split Over Din's IG-11 Quest
This article contains spoilers for "The Mandalorian" Season 3, Episode 1
There's a scene in "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" where Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) tells Leia (Carrie Fisher) that "No one is ever really gone." The scene in question pertains to Ben Solo (Adam Driver) being redeemable following his dance with the Dark Side, but the sentiment also applies to this franchise's propensity for resurrecting dead characters.
Of course, if Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) can beat death by transferring his consciousness into a clone, then droids can be brought back to life with some new parts. "The Mandalorian" Season 3 sees Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) out to complete a mission that requires the aid of his old droid, IG-11, who was blown up in one of Season 1's most heartbreaking scenes. However, the new season reveals that Greef Karga (Carl Weathers) retrieved most of IG-11's parts and repurposed the droid as a statue.
Unfortunately, IG-11's memory circuit was fried during the explosion, so Mando must now traverse the galaxy far, far away in search of a new one. It seems that IG-11 is about to make a comeback, but fans have mixed feelings about this development.
Mandalorian fans have mixed feelings about IG-11 returning
"The Mandalorian" Season 1 saw IG-11 self-destruct and create a giant explosion in the process. The droid's death seemed pretty definitive, and this is why some fans are upset to see the character become the franchise's latest resurrection. Of course, there are just as many viewers who look forward to seeing a beloved character return to the fold.
"Not a huge fan of bringing IG-11 back. I loved IG but he was literally blown to pieces. I wish this show would just let some things be," wrote Redditor u/Level69LaserLotus. This view was echoed by u/ck4029, who claimed that "no way any part of him was actually salvageable" following the aforementioned scene. "I thought the statue was just a statue and not his actual parts when Din was checking it out," they added.
On the flip side, some fans, including u/TheFunkyPhantom, are fine with IG-11 coming back as rebooting the droid will be no easy feat for Mando. "I actually like how IG being reactivated wasn't as easy as Din hoped. He'll surely be back, obviously, but not until much further into the season. Din's gotta complete the sidequests first." Furthermore, there are other fans who want IG-11 back simply because they enjoy the character, as well as actor Taika Waititi. "I think having him back will be a great asset to the show and Mando's quest," u/Brainfeeder777 concluded.