'The Mandalorian' Season 2 Episode 3 Review: Din Djarin is thrown right into the deep end of 'The Clone Wars'
Spoilers for 'The Mandalorian' Season 2 Episode 3 'The Heiress'
Well, they've done it now. After 10 episodes of playing coy with the 'Star Wars' expanded universe, 'The Mandalorian' has committed itself fully to building off of everything that 'The Clone Wars' set up. Din Djarin's (Pedro Pascal) finally meeting up with his fellow Mandalorians is an event that ties in the movies, the animated series, and one of the most successful live-action 'Star Wars' stories of all time, giving fans exactly what they've been waiting for years to see.
This marks an important step in Mando's journey to restore the Child to his people, as he finally tracks down other, true Mandalorians - Mandalorians who, in fact, might just be more Mandalorian than he is. It's easy to forget, with his dedication to the Way, that Din Djarin was adopted by the Mandalorian sect that raised him, and here we finally get an answer as to why the Mandalorians that raised him seem so different from the ones seen on 'The Clone Wars'. Mando was raised as a Child of the Watch, a sect of zealots who seek to live by an older, more ancient way.
It's here that the inability to see Din Djarin's expression from behind his helmet is particularly frustrating because even from body language, we can see that the news shakes him. He has grown up, all his life, being told that "This is the Way" - and for the first time, he's discovering that there may, in fact, be other Ways he could have followed. This reveal - long suspected by the fans - is the first time since Chapter 2 that we see the Mandalorian feel anything akin to doubt because his code has been the one thing guiding him through every step of his journey.
The big moment here, however, is the inclusion of Bo-Katan Kryze, with Katee Sackhoff physically embodying the character she's voiced for so many years. It's a thrill for all 'The Clone Wars' fans. Sadly, there's not enough time for the show to allow Sackhoff's performance to breathe. We barely see her face revealed before she's undermining Mando's entire belief system, conscripting him for a war against the Empire, and leading a highly dangerous four-Mandalorian attack on a ship and threatening lives to find the Darksaber. Bo-Katan's most defining characteristic has been her fight against the Empire for Mandalore and its people, and that one characteristic is more or less all the show has time for before she sends Mando on his way to another 'The Clone Wars' tie-in.
Plot-wise, this episode seems to be the start of something much, much bigger than Mando's individual journey to restore the Child to his people. 'The Mandalorian' may not have abandoned its formula of self-contained stories every week, but this episode starts to strain against that format. Putting the plot aside, however, 'The Mandalorian' continues to deliver on providing unique, action-packed scenes unlike anything else on television. Showing off not just Mando's tricks but those of other Mandalorians as well, as they take on a mid-air heist that feels fresh and exciting after two back-to-back episodes of monster slaying. The Mandalorians are a force to be reckoned with, whether their armor be blue or shining silver, and it's been a while since we've seen just what they're capable of when working together.
The genie is out of the bottle, however, and there's no putting it back. 'The Mandalorian' has officially become a sequel series, of sorts, to 'The Clone Wars' and 'Rebels', naming several concepts that are sure to send fans straight to the Wookiepedia. Din Djarin may have wanted nothing more than to mind his own business and keep the Child safe, but he's just been drawn into something a lot bigger than he is - the will of the fandom, and their love for the 'Star Wars' expanded universe.
The next episode of 'The Mandalorian' airs on November 20 on Disney+.