As The Mandalorian continues to push the mythology of Star Wars into uncharted territory, it also calls back to the past, with episode 3 dropping Easter eggs that reference every movie trilogy. This week's trip to Jon Favreau's world of Star Wars sees the Mandalorian finally drop off his cuddly green bounty and pick up the coveted Beskar steel that his people crave. After making sure to collect his reward and have it crafted into a stylish new piece of armor, Mando opts to break his code as a bounty hunter and stage a rescue mission to take Baby Yoda to safety.
Previous episodes of The Mandalorian have been incredibly rich in Easter eggs and references relating to the wider Star Wars universe, whether that be the original trilogy, the later movies or the various animated TV series. There has been a possible appearance by Boba Fett, several aesthetic touches reminiscent of the Star Wars glory years and connections between the Mandalorian and Jango Fett. Even if The Mandalorian is a massive departure for the franchise in style and tone, it certainly makes sure to connect to everything that came before.
Episode 3, "The Sin," largely takes place in the same setting as the premiere, and some previous callbacks return, such as Salacious Crumb on a spit and flashbacks to the Clone Wars. Fortunately, there's also plenty of new details to dig into, some of which stand out and others that deliberately sit in the background, rewarding fans for looking closer. Here are all the Star Wars Easter eggs from The Mandalorian episode 3.
The Mandalorian's Hologram Message
The entire Star Wars story begins with a simple Hologram message stored inside R2-D2, and The Mandalorian episode 3 starts in a similar fashion. While travelling back to deliver his cargo, Mando receives a transmission from Greef Karga giving instructions on what to do upon arrival. This message is delivered in the same blue translucent hologram format as Leia's original message and numerous others throughout the Star Wars series.
A Quadjumper From The Force Awakens
Designed to carry freight across planets, Quadjumpers are often used as smuggling ships, so it's perhaps no surprise that one of these vehicles can be seen when the Mandalorian first lands his ship to hand Baby Yoda over to his mysterious client. The Quadjumper first appears in The Force Awakens and is the ship blown up by TIE Fighters while pursuing Rey and Finn on Jakku.
The Bounty Hunter's Code
The code of a bounty hunter, and particularly one associated with the guild, is a theme present throughout the Star Wars world, most notably in comic books and other wider media that expand on their culture. The latest episode of The Mandalorian brings that code fully into focus, as the title character willfully flouts these sacred rules and is challenged first by his client, then by Karga. The events of "The Sin" highlight how seriously other bounty hunters treat those who break their agreements and that taboo will likely play out further in the episodes to come.
The Ice Cream Maker From The Empire Strikes Back
Many minor figures from Star Wars history have attained a cult following, and one of the most obscure is the ice cream maker man from The Empire Strikes Back. During the evacuation of Cloud City, a man can be seen running through the corridors holding what looks every inch like an ice cream maker. Jon Favreau had previously hinted that The Mandalorian would address this Star Wars oddity, and so it proved in this week's episode. As revealed by the Client, these machines definitely do not turn raw ingredients into delicious frozen dairy goodness, but are actually safe boxes designed for keeping treasures locked up. No wonder that guy from Empire was holding onto it so tightly.
Mandalorians Everywhere
Perhaps more than any other installment so far, "The Sin" dives headfirst into Mandalorian customs and traditions, while introducing a host of similar mercenaries. Mandalorian armor of all different shapes and colors is showcased (including one that, again, might be Boba Fett) and the audience learns just how much these people hate the Empire for their role in the Great Purge. After defeating a Mud Horn last week, Mando is offered a signet of the beast, but refuses due to receiving Baby Yoda's help in the battle. Also highlighted is how volatile Mandalorian culture can be - a direct reference to their established fictional history, in which in-fighting almost wiped the race out.
Undoubtedly the biggest callback, however, is the prevalence of jetpacks, particularly in the fist-pumping final battle. Mando's "I've gotta get one of those" line directly echoes fans' thoughts when Boba Fett first blasted skyward in the original Star Wars trilogy.
A Jon Favreau Cameo
It has been confirmed that The Mandalorian showrunner, Jon Favreau, had a sneaky cameo role in this latest episode. The big hulking Mandalorian bounty hunter Pedro Pascal comes up against is credited under the name Paz Vizsla, which bears a striking resemblance to that of Favreau's character in The Clone Wars, Pre Vizsla. Adding to the mystery, Paz is only credited by his stunt double, Tait Fletcher, with no mention of who provided the character's voice. Various outlets are now confirming that Favreau did indeed voice this brawny tough guy.
One Of Darth Maul's Species
There are many Darth Maul fans in the Star Wars fandom who might've spotted another member of the Sith's race among the gaggle of bounty hunters propping up the guild's in-house bar. Identifiable by his crown of thorns, Zabrakians are rare within the Star Wars universe, certainly in the realm of live-action, and this sighting will be a treasured instance for those who still hold Maul in high regard after his debut in The Phantom Menace.
The New Republic Isn't Well-Loved
Greef Karga makes a passing mention of the New Republic this week, an acknowledgement of the governance from the Star Wars sequel trilogy put in place by Leia and others after the Empire's defeat. Perhaps more significant than the reference itself is that Karga appears to think of the new government as a joke. While this could be because the Empire generated more work for bounty hunters, it might also allude to a lack of recognition towards the newly installed system, which might've contributed to the rise of the First Order.
Even More Familiar Aliens & Droids
As with previous installments of The Mandalorian, background shots are packed with droids and aliens that will be familiar to the Star Wars faithful. Returnees include a Rodian, more Jawas and a whole bunch of R-unit astromech droids, however, there are a few new sightings also. The little astronaut guy in town makes the same noises as a probe droid, there are a number of helmets shaped like an L3 unit, Karga mentions Twi'lek healing baths, a female Twi'lek can be seen in the street, the guild bar includes a figure similar to 3B6-RA-7 and the bounty hunter with a lampshade-shaped hat looks to be the same species as Embo from The Clone Wars.
But by far the biggest appearance this week is the return of the IT-O droid that the Empire make torture Leia in A New Hope. The black spherical machine is in the same room as Baby Yoda during Mando's rescue mission, and the hunter manages to shoot it out of commission as it ominously veers towards him.
Spice Used As A Drug
As Karga tries to convince Mando to take a break for once, he also mentions some kind of spice, and he's not talking about paprika. The concept of "spice" being a narcotic in the Star Wars universe has been present since the very first movie in 1977, after C-3PO fretted about being sent to the "spice mines" on Kessel. The theme returns in Attack of the Clones, and has now been continued on The Mandalorian - a natural partnership given that bounty hunters and criminals are the main topic of the series.
The Trash Compactor Brace
Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Princess Leia spend a memorable few minutes attempting to save themselves being crushed by a trash compactor in A New Hope and the very item they use to brace the walls can be seen in the background just before Mando examines the discarded Yoda pod in the garbage. This is less of an expansion of Star Wars mythology, and more of a brief, knowing wink to one of the franchise's most famous scenes, once again proving that Jon Favreau loves recycling old props.
The Stormtrooper Doesn't Miss
If there's one thing Stormtroopers are famous for, it's missing their targets, and this shocking lack of accuracy has become a running joke among fans. As such, it likely isn't a coincidence that the first time one of the Empire's finest opens fire in The Mandalorian, the blaster bolt actually finds its mark, hitting the warrior square in the shoulder plate. The rest of their shots miss, obviously, but the record is definitely improving.
The "Only Hope" Line
One Easter egg that probably won't have gone unnoticed for many viewers this week is Karga's "I'm your only hope" line when trying to convince the rogue Mandalorian to put the Yodaling down. Arguably the most famous line in the entire franchise (although there are a few other strong contenders for that title), this derives from Princess Leia's "help me Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope" speech which kickstarts the entire saga.
John Williams' Score
While most of The Mandalorian's Easter eggs are of the visual variety, one key moment includes an audio homage to John Williams' iconic Star Wars score. In the final battle between Mando and the bounty hunters' guild, Pascal's character takes a meaningful look at the young child he has just rescued. At this moment, a slowed-down motif from Williams' famous composition begins to play.
References To Westerns, John Wick & Iron Man
It isn't just Star Wars Easter eggs packed into The Mandalorian's third episode, there are a number of connections to other, unrelated movies. Each episode thus far has contained a nod to a Western movie at the end - Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid and Shane were the first two, this week it's A Fistful of Dollars. The moment comes when Karga loses a shootout to the Mandalorian and collapses, only to reveal that his life was saved by a strip of metal (the Beskar steel) secreted beneath his clothing.
Elsewhere, the sequence in which the other bounty hunters slowly begin to follow Mando in the street is essentially an intergalactic reshoot of John Wick 2's closing scene, and the whistling bird missiles feel like a deliberate take on Iron Man's gimmick - another of Jon Favreau's Disney projects.
The Mandalorian continues November 29th on Disney+.