The Mandalorian Season 3 Episode 2 Riffs On The Fellowship Of The Ring

This article contains spoilers for The Mandalorian Season 3, Episode 2

"The Mandalorian" has always worn its influences on its sleeves. For example, several episodes have paid homage to spaghetti Westerns and samurai films from great directors such as Akira Kurosawa and Sergio Leone. That being said, these types of films influenced George Lucas when he conceived the galaxy far, far away in the first place. So, in a way, "The Mandalorian" riffing on other pop culture is true to "Star Wars'" roots.

Season 3 Episode 2 continues "The Mandalorian's" trend of infusing notable influences into its space-crusading adventures, and it's plainly obvious here. The episode sees the titular bounty hunter enter the mines of Mandalore as part of his quest to bathe in the planet's waters so that his people will welcome him back. Of course, this is still the "Star Wars" universe, so Mando's mission is interrupted by subterranean creatures, troublesome droids, and other dangers that lurk in the dark. Watching the episode, however, you'll probably think about one specific quest in "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring."

Mandalore is a harsh and unforgiving world, but its denizens were able to live there and call it home for a while. However, "The Mandalorian" Season 3 informs viewers that the planet was destroyed and became inhospitable following "The Great Purge," an event that saw the Empire slaughter countless Mandalorians and force the others into hiding. The latest episode, meanwhile, reveals that Mandalore might not be so inhospitable after all, but it's still a far cry from its glory days.

Season 3, Episode 2 sees Mando and Grogu travel through the planet's dark mines, and their adventure is reminiscent of Frodo (Elijah Wood) and the Fellowship's expedition through the Mines of Moria in "The Fellowship of the Ring." Granted, any adventure through a mine can be accused of copying Peter Jackson's adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's beloved fantasy novel, but "The Mandalorian" doesn't even try to hide the connection.

When Bo-Katan (Katee Sackhoff) arrives in the mines of Mandlore, she tells Grogu, "This was once a beautiful civilization. My family ruled it all. Now it's a tomb." Similarly, Moria was a once-great civilization that experienced some dark times, causing the dwarves to either perish or abscond across Middle-Earth. Furthermore, Bo-Katan's line is almost identical to the scene in "The Fellowship of the Ring" where Boromir (Sean Bean) enters Moria and says, "This is no mine. It's a tomb." Coincidence? We think not.