The next Star Wars live action series is now only less than a month away, as The Mandalorian Season 3 is set to debut on March 1, 2023. Fans have been vigorously theorizing regarding this highly anticipated third outing ever since the arrival of the most recent trailer, which debuted during NFL Monday Night Football.
Din Djarin and Grogu are reunited once again following the events of The Book of Boba Fett, and the series is expected to pick up from there. The trailers show a heavy focus on the Mandalorian plot line. This story centers on what happened to the planet Mandalore during the years of the Empire’s reign and their genocide-like destruction of its people, an event which is referred to as the Night of a Thousand Tears. That was the nail in the coffin that made the Mandalorians scatter in sects across the galaxy. But from the trailers, it appears as if Djarin will be meeting with several of the different clans as he attempts to make up for taking off his helmet in the season 2 finale. Those are some of the expected plot lines, but there’s also plenty of room for some more unpredictable story choices. Here are five out-of-the-box predictions for The Mandalorian Season 3.
Mace Windu Saved Grogu During Order 66
Samuel L. Jackson has made it no secret that he wants to return to the Star Wars franchise, something that he’s been quite clear about since Disney bought the iconic series. His character died at the end of the prequel trilogy, though, so any return for Mace Windu would need to be clever with the timeline. It would need to utilize flashbacks or bring him back from the dead, which may run the risk of lessening the stakes of death in the franchise.
Fans have long theorized that Mace Windu might return, but the fact of the matter is that there’s been nothing in any recent projects to suggest this to be the case. He might come back, but it would certainly be out of left field if he does. If Windu does make a grand re-entry, season 3 of Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni’s hit show might be the perfect place. The trailers confirm that Grogu’s past is to be explored more, including who saved him from the Jedi Temple on the night of Order 66. Revealing Mace Windu to be that fateful figure to rescue Grogu would certainly be a twist.
Greef Karga Dies
Many fans of the series will hope that this is not the case, especially those who have a particular affection for actor Carl Weathers, who plays the character Greef Karga with enthusiasm and passion. Karga has been in this show since the pilot, and was once a semi-adversary for the Mandalorian before jumping sides and becoming a trusted ally once again.
The Mandalorian hasn’t relied too heavily on character deaths, with one of the few examples being Kuiil towards the end of season 1. However, with Karga confirmed to appear in this new season, it’s entirely possible that he might fall to the same fate. Mando doesn’t exactly have many allies, so it would be a crushing blow to both him and Grogu to see Karga pass.
Hayden Christensen Returns Again
This show continues to link back to the prequel trilogy, such as with the Order 66 flashbacks. It’s clear that Dave Filoni’s influence has meant an influx in prequel era content, storylines, and characters, not just for this series but the entirety of the franchise. Of course, Order 66 was shown last year during Obi-Wan Kenobi, where Anakin was seen storming through the Jedi temple in order to wipe out the Jedi on the instructions of Darth Sideous.
Hayden Christensen is set to appear in the upcoming series centered on Ahsoka, but there’s no suggestion that he will appear in this third season. It’s interesting, then, that Favreau and Filoni keep flashing back to that night at the temple with Grogu, given that the villain they are fighting off is, ultimately, Darth Vader himself. Because of that, it is possible that Christensen might just appear once more.
Palpatine’s Presence in the Galaxy is Revealed
Episode IX revealed that Palpatine was alive all this time in the years after the original trilogy, meaning that he’s out there during the events of these Disney+ shows. Many expect Snoke, a Palpatine pawn/clone, to appear in one of these series at some point, but there isn’t much talk of the Emperor himself featuring into the proceedings.
It is certainly possible, albeit relatively unlikely, that Palpatine comes back here. He is alive, and he will once again attempt to retake the galaxy for himself in the relatively near future, so it’s just a matter of time before that conflict ramps up. Even if he doesn’t appear in the flesh, a reveal of his influence on the remaining Imperial troops/emerging First Order might be in the cards.
Princess Leia Makes an Appearance
Season two of The Mandalorian was full of cameos and surprise appearances, so may expect this new outing to be in the same vain. However, the question of who might appear is a little bit more complex. Han Solo, Boba Fett, Snoke, and more are just a few of the names that are frequently thrown around, but there’s another prominent character that might just return.
Princess Leia is arguably at the peak of her powers at this point in the timeline, with a heavy influence on the government of the New Republic as she attempts to restore order, freedom, and democracy to the galaxy. As this show continues to grow in stakes and size, it makes it possible that some of the galaxy’s biggest heroes come into play. Leia certainly qualifies as such, and although she might not be as obvious of a choice as Han Solo or Luke Skywalker, her reappearance would make a lot of sense.
