Easter Eggs You Missed In The Mandalorian Season 3

The lone gunslinger and the child he must protect — it's a tale as old as time, and the story of "The Mandalorian," which is still going strong in Season 3, though things look a little different now than when the show first started back in 2019. A multi-year break after Season 2 left the fates of Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu (formerly Baby Yoda) up in the air, though their story continued briefly in the Disney+ spin-off series, "The Book of Boba Fett." Now, though, they're finally back for real.

At the start of Season 3, Din has one objective: redeem himself in the eyes of his people after breaking their code to show Grogu his true face. To do that, he has to return to Mandalore and bathe in the "living waters" beneath the planet's old beskar mines. And to that, he has to complete some side quests. Yes, it's still "The Mandalorian." Between all the planet-of-the-week adventures and big-picture "Star Wars" storylines, the series still gets to squeeze in plenty of little wink-and-nod moments for diehard fans of the franchise. Here are some Easter eggs you might have missed in "The Mandalorian" Season 3.

In the time since "The Book of Boba Fett," Din Djarin seems to have become much more comfortable flying his new starfighter. The rebuilt N1 — famous for being the baseline ship of the Naboo royal fleet — is loaded with nifty gadgets and add-ons, but it also comes packed with plenty of winks and nods to its debut appearance in "The Phantom Menace."

When Din swoops in to save the Mandalorians from the giant monster in Season 3, Episode 1, he kills the beast with proton torpedoes. These iconic weapons go all the way back to the original Death Star run, of course, but they're also used by Anakin to destroy the Trade Federation's droid control ship in "The Phantom Menace." Brief shots of the ship's interior reveal the same sleek controls and readouts seen in the prior film, as first shown in "The Book of Boba Fett." And of course, when Din is attacked by pirates later in the same episode, he evades them by spinning. Hey, that's a good trick.

Under the rule of High Magistrate Greef Karga (Carl Weathers), the once-backwater planet of Nevarro has transformed into a thriving trade hub. The automated message that plays as Din lands calls it "the gem of the Outer Rim," and Greef says that it's becoming a major stop along the heavily-traveled Hydian Way. That might explain why there are so many different sorts of aliens and droids on the planet now, many of which should look familiar to "Star Wars" fans.

There are Mon Calamari, Quarren, and even a cook droid of the same basic style seen in "Attack of the Clones." There are also a few familiar faces from Jabba the Hutt's Tatooine palace — an EV-series supervisor droid, and a whole tree filled with Kowakian monkeys. Of course, the esteemed Salacious B. Crumb himself, Jabba's Kowakian pet, is nowhere to be found, since he died along with Jabba in "Return of the Jedi."

One face you might expect to see on Nevarro is mentioned only in name, however: Cara Dune, the former rebel shock trooper played by Gina Carano. Carano was famously fired from "The Mandalorian" after a series of tweets comparing being a Republican to the Holocaust, criticizing safe masking policies during the Covid-19 pandemic, and mocking the LGBTQ+ community. When Greef tells Din he needs a marshal, the Mandalorian asks what happened to Cara. Greef responds that she was recruited into the New Republic special forces after bringing in Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito).

In order to complete his mission of redemption and journey back to Mandalore, Din decides that he needs a droid. He fears that the planet may still be "poisoned," after all. Unfortunately, Din's traumatic childhood during the Clone Wars has left him with some major droid trust issues. The only one he wants to work with is IG-11, who, inconveniently, is dead. In trying to repair the droid, Din accidentally triggers IG-11's old programming, prompting him to lash out and attack Grogu. Of course, the droid doesn't have any legs, so he has to crawl slowly across the floor.

This seems like a direct reference to the end of "The Terminator," in which the titular mechanoid assassin continues its pursuit after having its legs blown off. IG-11 even states his intent to "terminate asset," meaning Grogu. Surely, that's not a coincidental choice of words. To top it all off, IG's crawling is animated in a way that almost looks like stop-motion — the technique used for the T-800 in the original "Terminator." It still looks better than that uncanny valley Luke Skywalker in "The Book of Boba Fett," though.

At the end of Season 3, Episode 1, Din and Grogu travel to Kalevala to meet with Bo-Katan Kryze. He asks to join her mission to retake Mandalore, but she responds that the faction she built abandoned her after she failed to win the Darksaber. Since Din is the one who now holds the weapon, she clearly resents him, but she seems to resent her people's superstitious ways even more. "Wave that thing around," she says with clear disgust, "and they'll do whatever you say."

It's hard not to take this line as a reference to Mandalore's tragic history. Bo-Katan's own sister, Duchess Satine Kryze, was killed by the Darksaber when it was wielded by Darth Maul during the Clone Wars. A faction of Mandalorians followed Maul afterward simply because he had won the blade in combat, allowing him to rule the planet from the shadows. Bo-Katan helped Ahsoka Tano and her Republic forces oust the villain in "The Clone Wars" Season 7, but that didn't end her or the planet's troubles.

"Your cult gave up on Mandalore long before the Purge," Bo-Katan tells Din. "The Children of the Watch and all the factions that came before fractured and shattered our people." This statement might sound harsh, but if you've watched "The Clone Wars" and "Rebels," you know Bo-Katan's pain. She watched her planet be torn apart by radicals, terrorists, Separatists, clones, and Imperial occupiers before finally seeing it burned to nothing. Sitting on the throne her sister must have sat on decades prior, Bo-Katan looks like she's finally fed up with it all. But she still sends Din back to Sundari, the old capital where Satine used to rule.

When Din Djarin and Grogu reunite with Peli Motto in "The Mines of Mandalore," Grogu is so happy he literally jumps for joy. The Force flip he does is a nice little nod to Yoda's own dexterous fighting style, and Peli responds with a deep-cut reference. "Who taught you how to leap like a Lurmen?" she asks, conjuring one of the franchise's more obscure, offbeat species.

The Lurmen are small, lemur-like creatures native to the planet Mygeeto and debuted in a Season 1 episode of "Star Wars: The Clone Wars." As the title suggests, the episode "Jedi Crash" sees three Jedi — Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano, and Aayla Secura — crash on the planet Maridun. Anakin is severely injured, so Ahsoka and Aayla enlist help from a group of local Lurmens. Led by the strict pacifist Tee Watt Kaa, this faction departed their home system and colonized Maridun in an effort to escape the war. They mostly serve as a pacifist strawman against which the show levies some elementary-school-level philosophizing about violence and war. While certainly not a central species in the grand "Star Wars" mythos, "The Mandalorian" Season 3 shows that they haven't been forgotten.

After two full seasons and some bonus adventures, Din Djarin and Grogu finally journey to Mandalore in Season 3, Episode 2. There's a nice scene before they land that has Din pointing out various features of the system, including the moon where he himself grew up: Concordia. While the two don't actually go there in the episode, "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" visits Concordia frequently.

Most notably, Concordia is the home of Death Watch during the Clone Wars. The rogue faction believed that Duchess Satine Kryze's pacifist government would destroy what made Mandalore into Mandalore, so they schemed and prepared in secret on Concordia, waiting for the right moment to strike. Since the Children of the Watch — the hyper-zealous group to which Din belongs — spawned from Death Watch later in the "Star Wars" timeline, it makes perfect sense that he would have grown up there.

Bo-Katan also spent a lot of time on Concordia as one of Death Watch's chief lieutenants. It's interesting to see how much she despises the group now, given that she helped lead so many of its attacks on Mandalore during the Clone Wars.

After rescuing Din Djarin from the perils of Mandalore's mines in Season 3, Episode 2, Bo-Katan speaks briefly about her family history. She mentions her own brief rule of the planet, which took place in the immediate aftermath of the Clone Wars, before she was ousted by the Empire. She also discusses her father, calling him "a great man" and saying that he "died defending Mandalore."

Though Bo-Katan and her sister Satine have been key figures in "Star Wars" for years, very little is known about the rest of their family history. In the past, extraneous encyclopedic "Star Wars" books have identified their father as Duke Adonai Kryze, who is said to have been a strong leader, but not much else has ever been revealed. It's also worth noting that "Star Wars" doesn't always stay consistent with more obscure sources of lore, even ones that are supposedly canon.

This much is known: Satine took the throne at a young age, probably right after her father's death. Perhaps he disagreed with her pacifist ideology, prompting Bo-Katan to leave Sundari and join Death Watch. Perhaps it was the manner of their father's death that initially drove a wedge between the sisters. Regardless, Bo-Katan still bears all the hallmarks of a true Mandalorian warrior in the episode, from her wrist shield and dual blaster pistols to her Kom'rk-class fighter.

Bo-Katan clearly ruffles some feathers with the Imperial Remnant, because they send a full squadron after her at the beginning of "Chapter 19: The Convert." All the time she spent stealing ships is paid back in a full-on assault on her home world of Kalevala. The old Empire doesn't just end regular TIE Fighters after her, either.

Din and Bo-Katan engage in an exciting dogfight with some TIE Interceptors, an advanced TIE model designed for ship-to-ship combat. TIE Interceptors first appeared in "Star Wars: Return of the Jedi" during the Battle of Endor. Since then, they've become a staple of "Star Wars" video games and other ancillary stories, probably just because they look so dang cool. After taking down the first deployment of TIE Interceptors with Din, Bo-Katan is forced to watch as three TIE Bombers — first introduced in "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back" — destroy her family's ancestral home. It's the same kind of ship that bombed Mandalore to oblivion in the Great Purge, which makes this moment hit all the harder.

If you've played video game series like "Star Wars: Battlefront" or the "Star Wars: Rogue Squadron" series, one particular line during this dogfight may stand out. "Interceptors are a lot tougher than TIE Fighters," Din remarks after shooting one down. Historically, TIE Interceptors have been portrayed as the Empire's flimsiest model in video games, sacrificing armor for speed. Still, according to Din, they're superior in every way.

During the dogfight with the TIE Interceptors, Din drops a couple of stray lines that sound like direct references to the "Star Wars: Rogue Squadron" video games. In the second game in the series, 2001's "Star Wars Rogue Squadron 2: Rogue Leader," most levels involve you taking out waves of enemy fighters. Your wingmates will call out when you're close to the end, saying "Two more to go" and "One more to go" as you whittle the TIE Fighters down.

Din says these exact lines to Bo-Katan as they take out the last two TIE Interceptors. While the dialogue is generic enough that it could just be a coincidence, it feels too on the nose. "Rogue Leader" is a beloved classic, and the battle on Kalevala is structured just like one of its levels, with multiple stages, ship changes, and waves of enemy fighters. Plus, it wouldn't be the first time that the modern "Star Wars" canon has referenced older video games. 

From "Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic" character Darth Revan being mentioned in "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" to the Clone Commandos from "Star Wars: Republic Commando" popping up in "Star Wars: The Bad Batch," the franchise loves to pay tribute to its gaming past.

Episode 3 of "The Mandalorian" Season 3 is packed with world-building for the New Republic era. In doing so, it borrows heavily from real-world history — specifically, the treatment of Nazis in the wake of World War II.

After Germany was defeated by the Allies in 1945, both the United States and the Soviet Union recruited Nazi scientists for weapon development and their respective space programs. The New Republic's amnesty program seems incredibly similar, "reintegrating" former Imperials with valuable skills or knowledge. Dr. Pershing, in particular, reads like a Wernher von Braun figure — a Nazi rocket scientist central to America's own mission to land on the Moon. Von Braun's image was rehabilitated in the public eye after World War II, and he pitched himself as an innocent victim of Hitler's regime who merely went along with things to continue his research. In reality, he had been a card-carrying member of the Nazi party whose V-2 missile program relied on slave labor to build rockets.

Pershing uses largely the same excuse in "The Mandalorian," claiming that he was only ever interested in scientific inquiry for the greater good of the galaxy. It's odd (to say the least) that he's positioned as such a sympathetic figure, given his similarities with Nazis like von Braun and his highly questionable work. He even says his ideal cloning would take the "best genetic attributes of both donors." Sorry Doc, but that's just eugenics — another evil philosophy embraced by the Nazis.

"The Convert" mentions a lot of classic Coruscant landmarks in passing, but it also pays an extended visit to one in particular. Elia Kane (Katy O'Brian) takes Dr. Pershing to Monument Plaza, where he sees the peak of Umate. It might look like a big rock, but it's actually the top of Coruscant's tallest mountain, almost entirely buried long ago by the planet's massive metropolitan sprawl.

This isn't the first time Umate has been shown onscreen in "Star Wars." It's previously appeared in an episode of "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" set on Coruscant and in books like the sequel trilogy tie-in novel "Star Wars: Aftermath."

Umate's inclusion in "The Convert" is particularly interesting as it furthers the episode's message that a lot on Coruscant has remained the same since the Empire fell. Coruscant's natural landscape was erased ages ago — well before Palpatine was even born. As Elia says to Pershing, "Not much has changed, other than taking down the cogwheels," a reference to the Imperial sigil. The episode even goes so far as to reference the Coruscant Accords — a set of guidelines for Republic systems that predates the prequel era — during one of Pershing's mandated check-ins. 

The more things change in the galaxy, it seems, the more they stay the same — at least on Coruscant.

Ever wondered what days of the week are called in the "Star Wars" universe? If you're a real fanatic, you might already know. But now, thanks to "The Mandalorian," now even casual fans can look forward to Taungsday and Benduday like true galactic citizens.

Benduday and Taungsday, both mentioned in the episode, belong to the Galactic Standard Calendar — a common system based on Coruscant's own rotations. In the Legends timeline, the calendar had a five-day week that included the two days name-dropped in "The Convert." 

Of course, due to every planet having its own unique size, rotational patterns, and cultural history, the supposedly "standard" calendar isn't quite as ubiquitous as the denizens of Coruscant likely think. Given the context in which Elia Kane says, "Taungsdays, am I right?" in the episode, it seems safe to deduce that it's not everyone's favorite day. The old Legends calendar had Taungsday in the middle of the week, but it's unclear if that's still the case.

There is perhaps no "Star Wars" line more heavily memed or spoofed than "It's a trap!" The iconic declaration uttered by Admiral Ackbar in "Star Wars: Return of the Jedi" is as goofy as it is beloved, earning a spot alongside "I don't like sand" and "I have a bad feeling about this" in the pantheon of memorable "Star Wars" lines. It's so famous, in fact, that even "Star Wars" itself can't seem to help to pay homage to it.

After being betrayed by Elia and arrested by New Republic soldiers, Dr. Pershing is strapped into a frightening device that he calls a mind-flayer. The officer (doctor) administering the "treatment" is a Mon Calamari, the same amphibious race as Ackbar. So it's only fitting that Pershing tries to defend himself by shouting, "It was a trap!" 

Is it silly? Yes. Does it undercut what's otherwise an incredibly dark and affecting moment? A bit. But hey, we gotta get those references in. Otherwise, how will people know it's "Star Wars"?

Season 3, Episode 4, "The Foundling," opens on a training day for Din and Grogu's covert. Foundlings and others are shown training in various forms of combat and weaponry, many of which have become synonymous with the warriors of Mandalore. Grogu himself engages in a duel with the darts used by Din and Jango Fett, among others. We also see the famous wrist-mounted flamethrowers, rockets being launched, and a whole lot of knife fighting.

There's never been any doubt that Din's covert takes The Way very seriously, but it's rewarding to see its members all practicing so rigorously together. In a way, this scene is the closest we've gotten in the show to the Mandalorians of the old "Star Wars" Legends timeline, where there was never a pacifist era or a Death Watch. There was simply a race of hardened warriors who lived by a creed and longed to fight.

"The Foundling" makes a specific reference to Death Watch as well when the Armorer tells Paz Vizsla to take the "Shriek-Hawk Training Team" on the mission to rescue Ragnar. A dangerous creature native to Mandalore, the shriek-hawk was the symbol of Clan Vizsla during the Clone Wars, when Pre Vizsla ruled Death Watch. Given the nature of the creature that kidnaps Ragnar — which Bo-Katan calls a "raptor" — the team name seems appropriate.

Pitting Grogu against a human child in a combat challenge might seem cruel and ill-considered at first. And yet, the little guy makes his dad proud. Din pits Grogu against Ragnar, who we later learn is Paz Vizsla's son, in a game of darts. After taking two direct shots to the chest (don't worry, it's only paint), Grogu listens to Din's urgings and uses his Force powers to secure a victory in the third round.

It's a triumphant moment for the little guy and one that evokes both Yoda and Luke Skywalker. Yoda famously used his small size and agility to disorient opponents, flipping all around and attacking from different angles. This can be seen clearly in his prequel duels with both Count Dooku and Darth Sidious. However, Luke also uses the somersault move quite a bit in the original trilogy, such as when battling Jabba the Hutt in "Return of the Jedi." He modeled the technique for Grogu during their brief time training together in "The Book of Boba Fett." Clearly, the foundling was paying attention.

After two and a half seasons of mystery, Season 3's fourth episode finally shows how Grogu escaped the Jedi Temple during Order 66. While several Jedi sacrifice themselves in order to get him to safety, it's Master Kelleran Beq who guards him most of the way. If you don't have kids who also love "Star Wars," you might not know that Kelleran has been a part of the "Star Wars" universe for years. The character debuted in the online "Star Wars" children's game show "Jedi Temple Challenge," in which he acts as the host. More importantly, both the game show and "Mandalorian" versions of Kelleran are played by Ahmed Best — the same actor who brought Jar Jar Binks to life in the prequel trilogy.

It's great to see Best get to do some real lightsaber action, even if his purple blade from the show is replaced with a green one. At one point, Kelleran picks up a blue saber from one of his fallen comrades and fights with both, showing why he earned the nickname "The Sabered Hand.". Kelleran's skills are most impressive, both in terms of fighting and piloting speeders and ships. With a little help, he manages to get Grogu off of Coruscant safely. This answers one of the biggest questions about the little guy, but it also poses new ones. How did Grogu come to be in the Jedi Temple to begin with? And could Kelleran Beq actually still be alive?

Most Jedi on Coruscant didn't survive Order 66, but Kelleran and Grogu get by with a little help from their friends — specifically, members of the Naboo royal guard. After evading the pursuing gunships, the two Jedi arrive at a nondescript landing pad. There they meet up with a squad of armed Naboo soldiers, recognizable by their armor and helmets and the distinctive "pew pew" of their blaster pistols. The clones aren't far behind, so Kelleran and Grogu rush aboard the H-type Nubian yacht parked there and manage to fly it into space.

This whole situation is quite interesting. For one, it seems most probable that Padmé Amidala was behind this Naboo assistance. The only other notable political figures from Naboo on Coruscant at the time would be Palpatine himself and Jar Jar Binks. Surely there are others, but no one is able to summon a royal guard deployment and a Nubian yacht.

The timeline is confusing, though. Kelleran seems to know exactly where he's going the whole time, which means he would have had contact with the Naboo prior to the chase. But Padmé didn't know about the temple attack until it was already happening. Maybe she sent some of her guards and a ship to help as soon as she saw the smoke, but that doesn't explain why they set up so far away. Kelleran calls the Naboo "friends" to Grogu, but they don't seem to know him at first. Maybe he called in a favor. For now, mystery still surrounds Grogu's backstory.

The planet where Din and Grogu's Mandalorian covert hides out in Season 3 has twin moons, which both appear in crescent form during one shot of "The Foundling." This is clearly meant as a reference to Tatooine's iconic twin suns, which represent the ever-elusive horizon for both Anakin Skywalker and his son, Luke.

This isn't the first time "Star Wars" has paid tribute to the twin suns of Tatooine in some other way, but it's still a cute detail. If you wanted to dig deeper into the metaphor, you could say that the Mandalorians are in currently hiding, so the moon is a more fitting symbol for them. They aren't yet ready to venture forth to the horizon, as they're still lurking in the shadows and building strength. But soon, hopefully, they too will rise like the suns of Tatooine and return to their long-abandoned ancestral home on Mandalore.

After an extended airborne chase, the Mandalorians manage to save Ragnar from the raptor that captures him — a beast that bears a striking resemblance to the pterosaurs seen elsewhere in "Star Wars" Legends. Rescuing Ragnar doesn't defeat the beast, though. For that task, the Mandalorians enlist the help of the giant alligator creature from Season 3, Episode 1.

Din breaks Ragnar free and then knocks the raptor down into the water after inhibiting one of its wings. Once down, it's quickly gobbled up by the much larger amphibian. This feels like a reference to the first act of "The Phantom Menace," in which Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon, and Jar Jar are chased through the core of Naboo by increasingly large sea monsters that eat each other. As Qui-Gon himself says after a narrow escape, "There's always a bigger fish." Or, in this case, a bigger raptor.

"Han shot first" isn't quite the rallying cry among "Star Wars" fans that it once was, largely because there's just so much more "Star Wars" these days. Arguments over the changes made in George Lucas' special editions of the original trilogy have faded as angry fans simply have a lot more to complain about now. Arguments continue over how the sequel trilogy wrapped up, how Boba Fett's character has been changed, and what went wrong with "Obi-Wan Kenobi." But that doesn't keep "The Mandalorian" from referencing the famous fan quote.

We all know the story. In the original "Star Wars," Han Solo shoots Greedo dead in the Mos Eisley cantina before he can draw his blaster. In the special edition rerelease, the footage is laughably edited so that Han's shot is in response to one of Greedo's. After all, we can't have our hero be a stone-cold killer, right? Thus began the "Han shot first" rebellion among fans.

Greef Karga and Pirate King Gorian Shard (Nonso Anozie) call back to this bit of "Star Wars" history in Episode 5 of "The Mandalorian" Season 3. Right after the pirate attacks Nevarro, he calls Greef and accuses him of murdering one of his men. "He shot first," Greef responds. "Well, now I will shoot first," Shard says.

Get it? Like that other thing?

The New Republic base on Adelphi has been referenced before in "The Mandalorian," and we finally get to see it in "The Pirate." Though the outpost bears all the fancy trim and iconography of the New Republic, it still feels like a rebel base. Adelphi is a great example of just how quickly the Rebel Alliance transformed into a permanent government — a transformation that is still far from complete in "The Mandalorian."

All the usual suspects pop up on Adelphi. We've got X-wings. We've got Y-wings. We've got astromech droids. We've got those iconic orange rebel flight suits, as well as some snazzy blue ones. We've even got — space billiards?

What's particularly fun here, though, is all the decoration. One shelf on the wall of the outpost's cantina has different models of rebel pilot helmets seen in the original trilogy. The bar itself holds helmets of a different sort — the stormtrooper variety — and the remains of an old Imperial probe droid. These seem to have been hung up as trophies of sorts, which makes sense in this kind of military base. Finally, of course, almost all of the drinks are blue because, you know, it's "Star Wars."

Zeb Orrelios isn't the only cameo to watch out for at the Adelphi New Republic outpost. The pilots' bar also sees the return of three named characters played by behind-the-scenes "Mandalorian" masterminds. Sitting next to each other at the bar are pilots Sash Ketter, Jib Dodger, and Trapper Wolf played, respectively, by Deborah Chow, Rick Famuyiwa, and Dave Filoni. All three have directed episodes of the series, but their impact on the "Star Wars" universe goes beyond just that.

Famuyiwa was made an executive producer for Season 3, while Chow led the entire "Obi-Wan Kenobi" series and Filoni served as showrunner for both "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" and "Star Wars Rebels." All three have previously appeared as these characters in "The Mandalorian," but this time, Filoni gets to wear his iconic cowboy hat, which is a nice touch.

These franchise bigwigs aren't the only notable guests in "The Pirate" either. Misty Rosas, who's played various roles on the show including the Frog Lady in Season 2, plays the bartender on Adelphi. Later, when Teva travels to Coruscant, he speaks with Colonel Tuttle, played by noted "Saturday Night Live" alum Tim Meadows. As a final little cameo, Lieutenant Reed, who Teva speaks with remotely at the very end of the episode, is played by Max Lloyd-Jones. Lloyd-Jones previously featured on "The Mandalorian" as a body double for Mark Hamill's Luke Skywalker.

"The Pirate" is an important episode because it's the biggest Mandalorian battle we've yet seen in live action. Sure, there was the previous Nevarro fight in Season 1 and the assault on Moff Gideon's ship in Season 2, but neither of those felt like organized efforts from a full-size, fully-trained fighting force.

The battle on Nevarro in Episode 5, on the other hand, feels like it was ripped straight from the final seasons of "Star Wars: The Clone Wars." Watching two squads of armored-up Mandalorians dropping out of a Kom'rk fighter to waste some pirates is exciting to see and it's a great payoff to the two and a half seasons of hiding that precede it.

All the usual suspects of the Mandalorian arsenal are here, from blasters to jet packs and grappling hooks. Of course, not every Mandalorian chooses to fight with such advanced weaponry. The Armorer takes out a whole group of pirates with just her hammer and other forge tools, mirroring her assault on Gideon's stormtroopers back in "The Mandalorian" Season 1.

After clearing Nevarro of pirates and being welcomed as heroes, the Mandalorians decide to finally set up shop out of the shadows. We then get a curious scene between Bo-Katan and the Armorer at the covert's old Nevarro sewers forge. The Armorer discusses how this forge, despite being so small, is the same as the old Great Forge of Mandalore, as they share the same purpose. This is a metaphor for Bo-Katan herself, who must now use her experience with the various Mandalorian groups to unite them for a common purpose.

While they aren't directly referenced, this scene invokes Bo-Katan's arcs in both "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" and "Star Wars Rebels." Bo-Katan has indeed walked in many different Mandalorian worlds, from the old regime of her father, her sister's pacifist government, the Death Watch, the Nite Owls, the Imperial occupation, and finally the Way. Darksaber or no, she is the perfect person to bring all of Mandalore's scattered people together.

The Armorer asking her to remove her helmet seems like a big shift, and it is, but it also fits. The other woman is clearly shaken by Bo-Katan's vision of the Mythosaur, and she now believes that their people are entering a new age. Perhaps helmets won't need to be worn at all times in such an era, or at least there may be room for some diversity of thought.

Episode 5 of "The Mandalorian" Season 3 ends on a mystery, with Teva discovering that Moff Gideon escaped his brief New Republic captivity. He discovers beskar embedded within the derelict prison shuttle, suggesting Mandalorian involvement. This could be many things — the work of a rogue faction, a frame job on behalf of the Imperial remnant, or something else entirely. Given the upcoming release of the "Ahsoka" show, it wouldn't be ridiculous to think that Sabine Wren broke Gideon out to get information on Grand Admiral Thrawn, who Ahsoka has been hunting.

Whatever the truth is behind Gideon's disappearance, this scene is certainly intriguing. It's particularly intriguing to see a Lambda-class shuttle, a symbol of the old Imperial navy, being used as an escort ship by the New Republic. You'd think it would be bad PR to use ships from the regime you just toppled — can you imagine Rogue Squadron flying TIE fighters? However, this goes to show just how desperately in need of resources the New Republic is at first.

Most of "Guns for Hire" takes place on Plazir-15, a planet that, like the Mandalore of old, uses domed cities. It's a crowded place filled with all kinds of kooky background characters, including a bunch of aliens and droid models that longtime "Star Wars" fans will recognize.

At the feast held by Captain Bombardier (Jack Black) and his Duchess (Lizzo), several prominent "Star Wars" species are present. There are Rodians, best known for the bounty hunter Greedo, and at least one Ithorian, more colloquially known as a Hammerhead. Both of these races first appeared in the Mos Eisley cantina scene in the original "Star Wars." Additionally, there are some natives of the famed planet Sullust present. The most famous Sullustan in the franchise is probably Nien Nunb, who helped Lando Calrissian pilot the Millennium Falcon during the Battle of Endor.

Finally, there are some more of the frog alien species seen in "The Mandalorian" Season 2, though Grogu leaves them alone this time. Curiously enough, Trask, to which Din escorts the Frog lady in Season 2, is also mentioned in "Guns for Hire." It seems that the Mandalorians still work there under Axe Woves.

In addition to all the aliens, there are tons of recognizable droid models on Plazir-15, which makes sense for an episode all about droids. There are old Separatist battle droids and super battle droids, Imperial astromechs and protocol droids, a modified medical probe droid, and a few cook droids. A mouse droid even shows up during the super battle droid chase sequence, and there are some new designs on Plazir-15 as well.

Most of "The Mandalorian" Season 3, Episode 6 reads like an overt "Blade Runner" homage, albeit not nearly as exciting, atmospheric, or well-written. In the classic Ridley Scott sci-fi film, protagonist Rick Deckard is tasked with hunting down rogue replicants (humanoid androids) in a neon-tinted metropolis. There are questions about machine sentience, humanity, and what it means to be a good person.

In "Guns for Hire," Din and Bo-Katan go on an incredibly similar mission. They hunt down rogue droids who have been diverting from their programming and harming organics. Along the way, their droid prejudices are called into question (sort of), and they discover the hidden droid culture that's developed on Plazir-15.

The super battle droid chase scene through Plazir-15's neon-glazed streets at night feels particularly overt in its inspiration. The set is very similar to the ones used for the crowded markets and city streets in "Blade Runner," but again, not nearly as immersive. It's all well and good to pay tribute to the greats, but "The Mandalorian" Season 3, Episode 6 doesn't quite deliver the same level of quality. Still, it's a fun romp. Just wait until the big Season 4 twist that Din was actually a droid the whole time.

The New Republic's amnesty program rears its head again in "Guns for Hire." This time, it manifests in the form of Jack Black's Captain Bombardier, who says he used to design Imperial facilities before Palaptine's defeat. He wears the same little red badge as the amnesty recipients on Coruscant, and he repents similarly for his part in the Imperial war machine.

Through Bombardier's story, we learn some new details about how New Republic rule actually works. Plazir-15 hires Axe Woves and his Mandalorian mercenaries because, due to Bombardier's history with the Empire, his community is not allowed to have a standing army. Presumably, if the Duchess were to break up with him, she could have a proper military force, but his little badge forces the whole planet to rely on outsiders for protection. It's a curious arrangement that evokes some real-world history, but the episode refrains from going too deep into the details.

Regardless, it seems that Bombardier is an actual success story for the New Republic's rehabilitation program. It's curious that he still chooses to wear his amnesty pin so far into the Outer Rim. Is he actually scared of breaking some galactic law? Or does he like to display his past mistakes openly? The answer is unclear.

"The Mandalorian" Season 3, Episode 6 ends with an action-packed duel between Axe Woves and Bo-Katan Kryze. Bo challenges her former subordinate for the right to command his mercenary force, which was once hers. It's fun to see Axe and Koska Reeves (Mercedes Varnado) return after Season 2, and the fight in "Guns for Hire" is a real highlight.

The battle is bound to conjure memories of similar moments from "The Clone Wars" and "Star Wars Rebels," in which Mandalorian honor duels are common. Both combatants utilize a wide range of weapons and tools, from jetpacks and blasters to rockets and grappling cables. At one point, Axe pulls out what appears to be a small vibroblade: a tool that several Mandalorians, including Din himself, have previously used in canon. In the old "Star Wars" Legends timeline, vibroblades were even able to contend with lightsabers, though their power has been subdued in the Disney era.

In the end, Bo wins. After Din explains why the Darksaber should actually be hers instead of his, she ignites it and brings the small army she once built back under her command.

Where has Moff Gideon been hiding since escaping from New Republic custody? On Mandalore, it seems, but also in a holographic conference room with the Imperial Remnant's best and brightest. Gideon's meeting with the so-called "Shadow Council" in Season 3 Episode 7 is a treasure trove of lore and "Star Wars" Easter eggs, not the least of which is the council itself.

The Shadow Council was first introduced to "Star Wars" canon in the "Aftermath" trilogy of novels. Created in secret by Gallius Rax — a protégé of Emperor Palpatine tasked with ensuring the Empire's reconstruction in the Unknown Regions — the group served as a hidden puppeteer for the Imperial remnants after the Battle of Endor. The Shadow Council was theoretically dissolved after the Battle of Jakku and the official end of the war, which also brought about the death of Rax. However, the Shadow Council was apparently rebuilt and continues to operate.

At the point in the "Star Wars" timeline when "The Mandalorian" takes place, a good portion of the old Imperial war machine is already set up in the Unknown Regions. Gideon represents a sub-faction that has remained in the galaxy proper, and every member of the council seems to have their own agendas in play. It's a curious political situation, and one that is sure to be developed further in "Ahsoka," building toward the rise of the First Order.

Also present at the Shadow Council meeting is Brendol Hux, father of First Order general-turned-spy Armitage Hux. Brendol is played by Brian Gleeson, son of veteran actor Brendan Gleeson and younger brother to Domhnall Gleeson, who plays Armitage Hux in all three "Star Wars" sequel films.

Though Brendol is new to live-action "Star Wars," he certainly isn't new to the franchise as a whole. The vicious and violent scientist and strategist served under Palpatine during the Imperial era, during which time he developed the idea of training stormtroopers from birth. This despicable child soldier theorem was later brought to the First Order where it became a reality. Brendol was also responsible for finding Phasma and bringing her in as an eventual captain of the First Order military. His stories are detailed in many "Star Wars" books, including the "Aftermath" trilogy and the aptly titled novel "Phasma." Oh, and he was also a rotten, terrible, downright abusive father.

In "The Mandalorian" Season 3, Hux is associated with a mysterious Imperial plan called Project Necromancer. Since a necromancer is someone who can raise and command the dead, and since Moff Gideon makes a comment during the Shadow Council meeting that Hux is interested in cloning, this is likely a nod to Palpatine's eventual return. Captain Pellaeon suggests that Thrawn's return and the full military offensive it will begin are meant to buy Hux and the project time. That sure sounds like a plan to grow a Snoke or bring back a Palpatine, but it could also be some other First Order scheme.

Unfortunately for the Mandalorians, when they finally arrive at the Great Forge of Mandalore, they're not alone. Moff Gideon has already erected a full Imperial base within the boundaries of the old Forge, which was likely built years prior following the Great Purge. Gideon explains his plan to steal the natural resources of Mandalore to create an even stronger dark trooper model. He also claims to be a superior version of what the Mandalorians have been in the past, proudly showing his cowardly colonialist philosophy for all to see.

The base itself is full of little "Star Wars" Easter eggs, from the TIE interceptors and bombers hanging from the rafters to the design of the blast doors pulled straight from the original Death Star. The beskar stormtrooper armor, first shown on display earlier in the episode and alluded to when beskar was found at the site of Gideon's prison break, is also quite cool.

During the Shadow Council scene at the beginning of the episode, we also get a brief glimpse of what appear to be ongoing cloning experiments by Gideon. As he walks into the meeting, right after going through the weird hall of beskar armor, he passes by a series of tanks with humanoid silhouettes inside. His later reference to the Jedi, cloners, and Mandalorians all having something of value to offer alludes to a convergence of the three. There's precedent in "Star Wars" Legends for the creation of Force-sensitive stormtrooper clones, and Gideon could be making exactly that with a little beskar armor to boot.

Paz Vizsla goes down like an absolute champ at the end of "The Spies," taking a whole platoon of beskar stormtroopers with him and saving almost the entire recon team. It's a heroic death for a minor character who's gotten a lot of strong development in Season 3, and there's zero shame in losing to the foes who bring him down.

As alluded to in his earlier meeting with the Shadow Council, Moff Gideon has three members of the Elite Praetorian Guard with him on Mandalore — the same fearsome fighters who later protect Supreme Leader Snoke of the First Order and ultimately perish at the hands of Rey and Kylo Ren. The three who pop up on Mandalore have the same deadly melee weapons and striking red armor (meant to evoke Palaptine's "Return of the Jedi" guards) as they do in "The Last Jedi." Paz may have had a shot against them at the beginning of the fight, but by the time they show up to take him out, he's just about fully depleted.

It's hardly a fair fight, but it is fun to see the Praetorian Guard come back. They were a key part of one of the best "Star Wars" movies, and we surely haven't seen the last of them in "The Mandalorian."

After spending most of "The Mandalorian" Season 3 on the sidelines, R5-D4 comes in clutch during the season finale. Via comlink, Din tells him to "scomp into the base" to help out. Unless you've played "Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order," you may not know that the multipurpose hacking tool used by R2-D2 and other astromech droids is called a scomp link. R5 uses this to infiltrate the base's mainframe, thus triggering yet another reference to "A New Hope."

Din calling out orders to R5 while navigating the base's defenses is sure to feel familiar — it's the exact same situation in which Luke Skywalker and R2 find themselves while saving Princess Leia from the Death Star. The moment when Din is trapped in the energy fields is particularly evocative, as it directly mirrors the iconic trash compactor scene. And just like R2, R5 comes through and helps our heroes succeed.

There are some more fun "Star Wars" Easter eggs in this sequence, like the various other astromech gadgets R5 employs. We see him use the little zapper R2 has to fend off a platoon of mouse droids — another reference to the original Death Star and the Empire in general. And once his task is completed, R5 uses his little booster rockets to fly out unscathed. Though he appears to be quite nervous throughout the season, he makes the big plays when it matters most.

Since way back in Season 1, there have been hints and clues to Moff Gideon's mysterious cloning experiments. His work clearly involved the viability of cloning Force-sensitive individuals, which is why he needed Grogu. However, his endgame remained unclear. Was he working on the Snoke project? On building a new body for Palpatine? Possibly in part, but in the Season 3 finale, Gideon's real ambition is revealed to be much more self-centered.

While stalking him, Din encounters a room full of tubed-up Gideon clones. According to the villain himself, they were meant to have Force powers. This makes good on his mysterious line from the previous episode, in which he comments on how the cloners, Jedi, and Mandalorians all had something to offer the future. His intention — likely kept secret from the rest of the Shadow Council — was to create an army of Force-wielding, beskar-clad Gideon clones. He never says it out loud, but he clearly sees himself as the future of the Empire, possibly even superior to Palpatine, Vader, and Thrawn.

This is less of a "Mandalorian" Easter egg and more of a full-circle moment. There have been so many little crumbs leading to this reveal, and the climax is stronger because of it. Of course, Gideon's sense of grandiose importance is wildly misplaced, and he's ultimately defeated. At the end of the day, he's an old man in a cheat-code suit. Not exactly Sith Lord material.

Grogu really shows off in the Season 3 finale. He holds off three Praetorian Guards by himself for an impressive amount of time in a scene that echoes the throne room battle in "The Last Jedi." He plays a key role in their defeat (though his dad helps a lot), and he even has some non-Force-related highlights like spraying Din with Bacta spray from IG-12. That moment calls back to the Season 1 finale (in which IG-11 helps heal Din), and it isn't the only scene that does so.

Grogu's big moment at the end of Season 3 isn't a Force push or a clever attack, but an act of protection. As Axe Woves crashes the Mandalorian cruiser into Gideon's base, Grogu uses all of his power to create a barrier around himself, Din, and Bo-Katan, shielding them from the flames. This is the exact same move he uses in the Season 1 finale to save Din, Greef Karga, and Cara Dune from a flametrooper. The difference, of course, is the scale. Referencing the Season 1 finale like this is a great way to show just how much Grogu has grown, both as a Force user and as an overall character.

Din Djarin has acted as Grogu's father for most of "The Mandalorian." But in the Season 3 finale, that relationship finally becomes official. Din asks the Armorer to acknowledge Grogu as his apprentice and a foundling no longer. When she refuses on the grounds that he is too young to speak the creed and therefore requires parental permission, Din declares that he will adopt the little guy. The Armorer then dubs him Din Grogu in a moment that's bound to get the emotions flowing.

What's arguably even more interesting here is the Armorer's brief reference to Din's Mandalorian youth. "You must leave Mandalore and take your apprentice on his journeys," she tells Din. "Just as your teacher did for you." This line begs the question: Who was Din's teacher? The way the scene is set and the particular delivery of the line implies it might have been the Armorer herself. That would make sense given the close relationship the two share, and it would add an interesting extra layer to their dynamic.

Of course, this could also be setting something else up in "The Mandalorian" Season 4. Perhaps Din's time as Grogu's teacher will lead to flashbacks to his own youth. Could there be a mentor figure for Din who we haven't met yet? Only time will tell.