The Mandalorian is back for season 3 and Star Wars fans can once again experience the adventures of Din Djarin and the baby Yoda, Grogu. What fans love about this show is that it helps create a wider world of Star Wars, and it bridges different eras together.
Although it is set after the events of Return of the Jedi, it has several references to another beloved TV show, The Clone Wars. With writer and producer of The Clone Wars, Dave Filoni returning in the same role to The Mandalorian, it is no surprise that they are a few overlapping themes and characters.
10 Ahsoka
An original character for The Clone Wars, Ahsoka Tano was a loved character and she made her debut live-action debut in the fifth episode of The Mandalorian Season 2. A much-welcomed addition to live-action that fans were craving for.
Ahsoka will get her live-action series in the summer, learning of her adventures and linking back to The Clone Wars and also following up the animated series Rebels. This is a direct reference to The Clone Wars with Ahsoka, but she is reduced to a minor role in the Disney+ series, unlike this next character.
9 Bo-Katan
Bo-Katan Kryze first appeared in The Clone Wars, back in Season 4, and made her live-action debut in Season 2 of The Mandalorian. Originally in a recurring role but in Season 3 she was upgraded to a main character as viewers saw how the Mandalorians teamed up and plotted to retake Mandalore.
Once again a direct link to the Clone Wars, but Bo-Katan mentions throughout events of the show such as the Siege on Mandalore and the civil war that happened on the planet.
8 Mandalore & The Death Watch
Mandalorians first appeared all the way back in Empire Strikes Back with Boba Fett, but as fans know now Boba Fett is not a true Mandalorian and the people and its culture truly made its debut in The Clone Wars. Mandalore was a common planet throughout the series.
A group of Mandalorians made their appearance who was known as the Death Watch, a group of terrorists who looked to overthrow the pacifist government. The Death Watch was mentioned in the latest season, with their emblem still being worn by some of those who chose the way. Mandlore first appeared in live-action in the latest season also, as the plan try to retake their home.
7 The Darksaber
An ancient weapon that is a symbol of leadership in Mandalore first appeared in Season 2 under the control of Moff Gideon, an old Empire leader. But The Clone Wars was where it first appeared.
The ancient weapon was created by a Mandalorian Jedi, Tarre Vizla, and it was passed down in the family to Pre Vizla, the leader of the Death Watch. He was defeated in the Clone Wars and the Darksaber went into the possession of Bo-Katan, but as fans know now the Din Djarin wealds the Darksaber, but what does Season 3 have in store?
6 Droids In Flashback
Although battle droids made their debut in the prequel trilogy, they were a massive part of The Clone Wars and the flashback that Din Djarin has in Season One, takes place during the Clone Wars.
Seeing a Super Battle Droid in live-action again was amazing to see, as many fans thought they would never see them with a lot of the Star Wars content being set after the events of the original trilogy. About, and it is said many times that he doesn't like them and from the scene in Season 1, Episode 8 it is clear to see why.
5 Grogu In Order 66
When Grogu first appeared in the show fans had a few questions, but one of them was how did he survive order 66? Fans learned through flashbacks that he was present at the Jedi temple during Darth Vader and the 501st Legion's assault.
Order 66, the mass execution of the Jedi first appeared during Revenge of the Sith, but later on in The Clone Wars fans got another look at the order and learned how Ahsoka and Captain Rex survived the assault. About the lovable baby, Yoda watchers found out how he did indeed escape the temple in Season 3 of The Mandalorian.
4 Cloning
Cloning was a very common theme throughout the Clone Wars. The Jedi's army was of course made up of clones of bounty hunter Jango Fett. But in Season 3, Episode 3, it was revealed that Dr Penn Pershing, now converted to the New Republic was working on cloning for the Empire.
This is perhaps a reference to Supreme Leader Snoke and of course, a reference to Kamino and the cloning technology used there to create the clone army. Kamino was destroyed as shown in The Bad Batch, a sequel to the Clone Wars, but it appears the Empire did not end their cloning there.
3 Cad Bane
Although Cad Bane hasn't made an appearance in The Mandalorian, the bounty hunter did appear in the finale of The Book of Boba Fett, a spin-off of Din Djarin's show.
Cad Bane is of course another character that was created for The Clone Wars that has jumped to live-action just like Ahsoka and Bo-Katan. It's good to know that the creators behind these shows appreciate everything that Star Wars has to offer, it just helps to create a better universe and an even greater story. Hopefully, they can repeat this with the new movies announced at Star Wars Celebration.
2 Battle Droids In Season 3, Episode 6
Following the Super Battle Droids' appearance in Season One, through a flashback, Star Wars fans were treated to some regular Battle Droids, but this time in the current time of the series.
When Bo-Katan and Mando went to Plazir-15 in search of Mandalorians they were created to reform well under the control of characters played by Jack Black and Lizzo. The government has turned Battle Droids into workers on the planet, it was great to see so many familiar droids in this story. Battle Droids were a great comic relief in the prequel trilogy and of course in The Clone Wars.
1 Zeb Orrielles & Adimral Thrawn (Rebels)
This one isn't a reference to The Clone Wars, but its sequel show Rebels, in the 6th episode of the latest season viewers will recognize a very important character in that show Zeb Orrielles, who made his live-action debut as a New Republic pilot. This is teasing his role in the upcoming Ahsoka series.
Another character that has been teased from Rebels is Admiral Thawn, in Episode 7 he is mentioned to have returned and is working in the shadows plotting to rebuild the once great Empire.
The Mandalorian Season 3 is now available to stream on Disney+.