Din Djarin and Grogu return in The Mandalorian season 3, but some may wonder where Luke Skywalker is during their new adventures. Though best known as the original Star Wars trilogy’s main hero, Luke made a surprise appearance in The Mandalorian’s season 2 finale and had a significant role in an episode of The Book of Boba Fett to tie both shows to the main Star Wars saga more closely. Luke’s story in the post-2014 canon continuity has been thoroughly explored in the films and ancillary material, making his whereabouts in The Mandalorian season 3 easy to question.
As shown in The Book of Boba Fett, Luke Skywalker is in the process of rebuilding the Jedi Order. Grogu was among Luke’s first pupils in this new generation of Jedi, but the youngling chose to return to Din Djarin, restoring The Mandalorian’s status quo in time for season 3. Luke is most likely continuing to reestablish his Jedi Order during Din Djarin and Grogu’s continuing adventures, an endeavor that will inevitably fail, as shown in the Star Wars sequel trilogy.
Luke Skywalker Established A Jedi Temple On Ossus
While Luke Skywalker’s characterization in the current canon differs greatly from his Legends counterpart, both iterations rebuild the Jedi Order following the events of Return of the Jedi. As shown in The Book of Boba Fett and the Star Wars sequel trilogy, Luke’s first and only Jedi Temple is constructed on Ossus, a world originally from the Legends continuity. While the Legends version of Luke continues to grow and learn as both a Jedi and an individual (despite numerous setbacks and failures along the way), his canon depiction preserves the old Jedi Order’s many flaws, an action that is inconsistent with his Return of the Jedi characterization.
The Book of Boba Fett explores Luke’s brief tutelage of Grogu, showing that Luke, despite defeating Emperor Palpatine himself by embracing healthy attachment, has decided that his mentors’ flawed doctrine of forbidding all attachments is to be reinstated. While the Luke of the original trilogy and Legends tends to take a third option when faced with two unfavorable choices, he forces Grogu to choose between remaining a Jedi or returning to Din Djarin. Grogu chooses to reunite with Djarin, ending his path toward Jedi Knighthood.
Will Luke Skywalker Return To Help Din Djarin & Grogu?
Luke Skywalker is not likely to return in The Mandalorian season 3, as his role in the story of Din Djarin and Grogu has now ended. Djarin sought to return Grogu to his people (the Jedi) in the first two seasons of The Mandalorian, but Grogu’s choice to return to his father figure in The Book of Boba Fett leaves little reason for Skywalker to appear again. While Luke Skywalker probably will not show up in The Mandalorian season 3, there is plenty of room for the legendary Jedi to appear in other live-action Star Wars TV shows.