The season 2 finale of The Mandalorian brought one of the most mind-blowing TV moments in recent memory with the surprise return of Luke Skywalker. While the finale provided closure on the Mandalorian’s quest to reunite Grogu with the Jedi, it left a bunch of other cliffhangers, like Mando’s possession of the Darksaber and Moff Gideon’s defeat.
Going into season 3, there are a number of directions that Jon Favreau and co. could take with this story. From Bo-Katan becoming a villain to Grogu turning to the dark side, these storylines could be explored in the third season of The Mandalorian.
Bo-Katan Wages War Against Mando
While Bo-Katan was an ally to the Mandalorian throughout season 2, that could change quickly now that Mando is in possession of the Darksaber. Bo-Katan will stop at nothing to reclaim Mandalore and the previous animated series have shown her history of ruthless behavior (including bona fide terrorism) in pursuit of her ambitions.
Season 3 might present Bo-Katan as a villain as she wages war against Mando to claim the Darksaber. He’s willing to just hand it over, but if she took it without combat, she’d be an impostor to the throne. As fans have seen in the past, she’s a real stickler for Mandalorian tradition.
Grogu’s Jedi Training
Although the series is called The Mandalorian, Grogu is as much a central character in this narrative as the bounty hunter who went rogue to protect him. The show might continue to explore the curious young Force user’s journey as he begins his Jedi training with Luke Skywalker.
The early days of Luke’s Jedi academy through the lens of Grogu’s training could make for an interesting “Meanwhile, back at the ranch...” B-plot going into the show’s third season. De-aged Luke’s dodgy CGI effects might not sustain a full season-long arc, but Disney has Sebastian Stan’s number.
Mayfeld Is Recruited By The New Republic
Cara Dune may not be involved in The Mandalorian anymore, but when she let Migs Mayfeld go at the end of “Chapter 15: The Believer” after admiring his sharpshooting skills (and his disdain for the Empire), it seemed to set up a future storyline in which Mayfeld will be recruited by the New Republic.
Mayfeld’s first two Mandalorian appearances — both directed by the great Rick Famuyiwa — have introduced him as a fascinating ex-Imperial antihero, with Bill Burr bringing a surprising amount of depth to the role. Hopefully, Famuyiwa and Burr are just getting started with this character’s arc.
Mando & Luke Search For Force-Sensitive Trainees
It’s a long shot, but after reuniting one Force user with his people, the Mandalorian could team up with Luke Skywalker to fill out his Jedi academy with recruits, searching the galaxy for Force-sensitive trainees.
This storyline would have a tragic undercurrent because anybody they pick up will likely end up being slaughtered in Ben Solo’s massacre later down the line.
Moff Gideon’s Imprisonment
Following his climactic duel with Moff Gideon, Mando takes him as a prisoner. Surprised, Gideon says, “You’re sparing my life? Well, this should be interesting.” Yes, it should be.
Moff Gideon is fiercely loyal to the Empire — so loyal that he tried to shoot himself to avoid capture — so he’s unlikely to become an informant, no matter how long he’s interrogated, but it’ll be interesting to watch the New Republic work him over.
Grogu Turns To The Dark Side
Throughout The Mandalorian’s first two seasons, it’s been hinted that Grogu could turn to the dark side. From Force-choking Cara Dune to Ahsoka’s Anakin comparison, there have been a couple of morbid moments that suggest the cutest character in the Star Wars universe will one day become corrupted and evil.
Maybe the reason Luke was so quick to try to kill Ben Solo in his sleep when he sensed the dark side was because he previously witnessed Grogu’s turn to the dark side under his tutelage (at which point one would have to wonder if Luke is just a bad teacher).
Mando Accepts The Throne
When Mando realized he’d accidentally won the throne of Mandalore in combat with Moff Gideon, he wasn’t interested in taking it. But since he doesn’t want to fight Bo-Katan, he might have to accept the throne and prove that he’s just as worthy of claiming it as her.
The Darksaber’s previous owners, like Darth Maul and Moff Gideon himself, always wielded the power to serve their own ambitions. Bo-Katan would be a much better leader, but she’s still ultimately pretty selfish. Din could be the best leader of the bunch because he has the Mandalorians’ best interests in mind.
Grand Admiral Thrawn’s Role In The Imperial Remnants
So far, Moff Gideon is the most senior member of the Imperial Remnants that The Mandalorian has introduced to fans. But Gideon isn’t the top dog there’s someone else he answers to. Ahsoka’s climactic duel with Magistrate Elsbeth hinted that it’s Grand Admiral Thrawn, one of the Star Wars universe’s greatest villains.
Thrawn will likely play a major role in Ahsoka’s spin-off series, but he could also be the Thanos-sized villain of the entire Mando-verse. The Mandalorian itself could explore Thrawn’s role in the context of the Imperial Remnants.
Where Is Grogu’s Blood Sample?
When Mando confronted Moff Gideon in the season 2 finale, he crucially pointed out that they only needed Grogu for his blood and they’d already extracted it. Now, Mando has taken the Moff as a prisoner, but Grogu’s blood sample is still out there.
It’s unclear what nefarious scheme the Imperial Remnants are planning to use Grogu’s blood for — maybe Palpatine’s resurrection or the creation of a clone army of Sith-indoctrinated Force users — but if that sample has already gotten into the hands of a cloning engineer, it might not be foiled yet.
Bo-Katan’s Quest To Reclaim Mandalore
Bo-Katan’s quest to reclaim the Darksaber from Moff Gideon was just one step in her larger quest to reclaim Mandalore. With Grogu out of the picture, The Mandalorian is in need of a new goal to drive the story.
Din Djarin has accidentally found himself in rightful possession of the throne of Mandalore, which puts a fresh spin on the familiar fantasy narrative of potential monarchs vying for control of a kingdom.