Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for The Mandalorian season 3, episode 1
While The Mandalorian season 3 has kicked things off with several exciting moments in its premiere episode, one scene in particular carries major implications for the greater Star Wars galaxy and its future. Having reunited with the child Grogu, Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) is on a mission to redeem himself after removing his helmet in The Mandalorian season 2. The Mandalorian season 3, episode 1 sees the duo begin their quest for redemption, traveling from planet to planet. This leads to a surprising encounter in hyperspace.
Hyperspace is one of the most mysterious aspects of Star Wars, another plane of reality where the laws of physics operate differently. The true nature of hyperspace is a mystery even in-universe, with some suggesting it is an aspect of the Force itself - perhaps explaining why many Jedi possess hyperspace Force powers. Ships use lightspeed technology to access hyperspace, but in The Mandalorian season 3, episode 1, Grogu learns some beings can access it naturally.
Grogu Saw Purrgils In The Mandalorian Season 3 Premiere
While traveling through lightspeed on their way to Nevarro, Grogu is marveling at hyperspace from Djarin's N-1 starfighter when he sees not one but an entire pod of space whales known as purrgils. Incredibly massive, these semi-sentient whales can access hyperspace naturally to travel across the galaxy. According to Star Wars canon, the space whales actually inspired the scientists who discovered hyperspace technology millennia ago. The space whales were also followed by early colonizers to scout out the safest paths from the Core Worlds to further regions such as the Outer Rim.
Although they make their live-action debut in The Mandalorian season 3, purrgils made their first screen appearance in the animated Star Wars Rebels series. While many pilots saw the space whales as dangerous due to their tendency to get too close to ships and at times even destroy them, Jedi Ezra Bridger was able to form a connection and bond with the pod through the Force, eventually coming to realize they weren't inherently hostile. The purrgils' connection to Ezra is particularly important given future Star Wars Disney+ shows.
How Purrgils Tease The Ahsoka Show & Are Important
Star Wars Rebels' series finale saw the group confront the Imperial leader Grand Admiral Thrawn, and Bridger used his Force connection to the space whales in an attack even Thrawn could not anticipate. Bridger used his Force connection with the pod of space whales to pull Thrawn's Star Destroyer through hyperspace and into an unexplored area of space known as the Unknown Regions (with both Thrawn and Ezra inside). A final scene saw former Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano and Mandalorian warrior Sabine Wren vow to recover Ezra - and The Mandalorian season 2 strongly hinted Ahsoka is living up to her promise, introducing Rosario Dawson as the live-action Ahsoka and revealing she is searching for Thrawn.
Ahsoka's quest for Thrawn will surely continue in the upcoming Ahsoka Disney+ TV show. As such, seeing live-action purrgils sets a major precedent that they will likely be seen again in future Star Wars shows like Ahsoka, potentially revealing where the space whales took Ezra and Thrawn outside the known Star Wars galaxy. It's also an incredibly exciting way to kick off The Mandalorian season 3.
The Mandalorian season 3, episode 1 is streaming now on Disney+. New episodes release Wednesdays.