Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for The Mandalorian season 3, episode 2.
The Mandalorian season 3 is laying the groundwork for its most prominent spinoff, Ahsoka, and Sabine Wren’s live-action debut. The Mandalorian season 3, episode 1 recently teased the return of Grand Admiral Thrawn by showcasing the purrgil in live-action for the very first time. Given Ahsoka is slated to debut later this year, it’s no wonder that the foreshadowing didn’t stop there. Casting announcements for Ahsoka have already revealed that it will function as a pseudo-sequel to the animated show Star Wars Rebels, paving the way for the live-action debut of not only Grand Admiral Thrawn, but also Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi) and the Mandalorian Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo).
Given The Mandalorian’s Darksaber storyline, it shouldn’t be a surprise that the show would reference Sabine Wren, even indirectly. Sabine once wielded the Darksaber herself, having been taught how to use the blade by Jedi Knight Kanan Jarrus and Ezra, before bestowing it upon Bo-Katan Kryze so that she may have the right to rule Mandalore. Though Sabine’s name is never actually mentioned in The Mandalorian season 3, episode 2 “Chapter 18 – The Mines of Mandalore,” the stories Bo-Katan (Katee Sackhoff) shares with Grogu down in the depths of Mandalore certainly evoke Sabine’s past storylines and foreshadow her upcoming partnership with Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson).
The Mandalorian Reminds Viewers Jedi & Mandalorians Can Work Together
In The Mandalorian season 3, episode 2, Bo-Katan and Grogu share a moment alone as they try to find Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) in the dark depths of Mandalore’s ruins. While Grogu navigates, Bo-Katan tells him that she has worked with Jedi in the past: “I knew quite a few Jedi, you know. I don’t know what they taught you about us, but there was a time we actually got along quite well. Fought side by side.” Bo-Katan herself has fought alongside Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ahsoka Tano in Star Wars: The Clone Wars during the season 5 episode "The Lawless" and the "Siege of Mandalore" arc, respectively, as well as Kanan Jarrus and Ezra Bridger in multiple episodes of Rebels.
Sabine Wren has a similar history in Rebels. As the only Mandalorian member of the Ghost crew, she fought side by side with Kanan and Ezra and considered them family. Later, the Ghost crew rebels were joined by Ahsoka Tano, then known as the Rebel agent Fulcrum. Ahsoka assisted the Ghost crew during many missions, helping in the fight against numerous Inquisitors and lending aid during other jobs against the Empire. Despite the storied and often violent history between the Jedi and Mandalorian cultures, Bo-Katan and Sabine both prove that history doesn’t always teach the best course of action.
Sabine & Ahsoka Are Destined To Reunite
The Mandalorian’s reminder that Jedi and Mandalorians can work together perfectly sets up Ahsoka’s future journey with Sabine Wren. The series finale of Rebels sees Ezra Bridger defeat Grand Admiral Thrawn once and for all with the help of the purrgil. This does, however, mean that Ezra and Thrawn are lost in the vast outer reaches of space. The Rebels epilogue, which takes place after the events of Return of the Jedi (just as the Mandoverse does) shows Ahsoka and Sabine heading off together in search of Ezra with the hope of finally bringing him home.
This is the storyline that the live-action Ahsoka show will be following - at least in part. The show will, once again, throw the partnership between a Jedi and a Mandalorian in the spotlight. Ahsoka owes Ezra her life, as he saved her in the World Between Worlds, and Sabine is Ezra’s best friend. Working together means there’s a better chance of finding him after all this time. Ahsoka and Sabine’s partnership is emblematic of the power and strength that can be found when two cultures put aside their differences and work together instead, and The Mandalorian season 3 is certainly paving the way for some of Star Wars’ most compelling character dynamics.
New episodes of The Mandalorian air Wednesdays on Disney+.