Warning! This article contains spoilers for The Mandalorian season 3 finale.The Mandalorian season 3, episode 8 rounded off the story of Din Djarin, Bo-Katan Kryze, and Grogu for another season, and it was packed with Star Wars references, Easter eggs, and hidden details. After the cliffhanger ending of The Mandalorian season 3, episode 7, many expected a turbulent ending to the season. From theories surrounding Din Djarin’s death, the emergence of the Mythosaur, and more hints at Grand Admiral Thrawn, the season finisher was likely to include many wider references no matter what direction it took.
The Mandalorian season 3 finale ended on somewhat of a positive note that also set up The Mandalorian season 4’s story. Pedro Pascal’s Din Djarin has officially adopted Grogu as his own son and the two have a small cabin to live their lives between adventures on Nevarro. Giancarlo Esposito’s Gideon was defeated, and Katee Sackhoff’s Bo-Katan Kryze is the official ruler of Mandalore once again. The journey to these wholesome endings was full of Easter eggs and references, many of which add further depth to the Star Wars galaxy.
20 The Mandalorian Season 3, Episode 8 Features A Mando POV Shot
One of the first Easter eggs present in The Mandalorian season 3, episode 8 is a unique depiction of Mando’s vision. As Din is being escorted away by two of Gideon’s troopers after being captured in the preceding episode, a point-of-view shot from inside his helmet is shown. This is an unusual occurrence for the Disney+ TV show, which rarely portrays what a Mandalorians’ vision is like from inside their helmet.
19 Grogu’s IG-12 Brings Back Season 1 Finale’s Bacta Spray
Din Djarin is rescued by Grogu in the IG-12 suit, and there’s an amusing callback to The Mandalorian season 1’s finale. After defeating the troopers together, Grogu shoots IG-12’s bacta spray all over Mando in an adorable moment in which a foundling is worrying about his father figure. The scene is an Easter egg to the finale of The Mandalorian season 1, in which IG-11 used the bacta spray to heal Din’s head wound which was also the first time Mando was unmasked.
18 The Mandalorian Season 3 Finale Focuses On Din Vs. Gideon
The Mandalorian season 3 finale predominantly focused on Din Djarin’s duel with Gideon. This is something of a surprise, because there had seemed to be setup for a rematch between Bo-Katan and Gideon, but the focus lay on Gideon’s rivalry with Din Djarin instead. Din Djarin stresses that this is personal, because Gideon has always been a threat to his ward as well.
17 R5-D4 Relives His Rebellion Days In Mandalore’s Imperial Base
One of the more humorous references found in The Mandalorian season 3, episode 8 relates to R5-D4. After escaping Gideon’s troopers, Din calls on R5 to provide him with the schematics of Gideon’s base. This leads R5 into the Imperial headquarters, in a callback to the many references about the droid’s rebellion history. R5-D4 gets to relive his days in the Rebel Alliance by aiding Din and Grogu against the Imperials, something he is likely very accustomed to after serving the Rebel Alliance.
16 Axe’s Final Stand Is Reminiscent Of His Mando Season 3 Intro
Another neat reference found in The Mandalorian season 3, episode 8 is centered on the character of Axe Woves. After retreating in episode 7 to gain reinforcements, Woves is told by Bo-Katan to use the flagship of the fleet as a decoy while the Gauntlets airdrop Mandalorian warriors. Axe settles in the command chair piloting the flagship, a callback to his introduction in The Mandalorian season 3, episode 6.
15 Gideon’s Forces Use Purge Trooper Weaponry
As Din Djarin and Grogu fight their way to Gideon’s chamber, they encounter more of the beskar-armored supercommandos. They wield purge trooper weaponry. Purge troopers have appeared in various Star Wars properties as part of the Empire’s Inquisitorious program. They are regularly outfitted with electro-weaponry in order to combat lightsabers, which makes sense as the Inquisitors were responsible for hunting down Jedi. It is also logical Gideon provides his troopers with these weapons, as he likely fears any remaining Jedi that could put a stop to his plans.
14 The Mandalorian S3’s Shield Barrier Fight Calls Back To The Phantom Menace
Din Djarin’s fight with the beskar-armored troopers outside Gideon’s chamber feels like a cool callback. Din Djarin uses Moff Gideon’s shield barriers, getting R5 to disable them one at a time; the troopers on the other side can only watch as he overwhelms their colleagues before moving on to them. It’s similar to Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, in which Obi-Wan Kenobi was forced to watch Qui-Gon Jinn fight Maul behind the intermittent shield barriers on Naboo.
13 Mando’s Smoke Screen Fight Is Similar To Luke & Darth Vader
Another broader Star Wars reference is found in the fight as the final beskar troopers are watching Din take down other soldiers. The troopers cannot see where Din is due to the smoke screen that has formed from the blaster bolts, meaning only flashes of light are visible. This is a reference to Darth Vader’s iconic moment from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, in which he ignites his lightsaber to become visible through a similar smoke screen. It also references the end of The Mandalorian season 2 when Luke Skywalker emerges from a smokey hallway with only his lightsaber illuminating the way.
12 The Mandalorian Season 3 Finale Best Showcases Din’s Combat Ability
One of the more wide-reaching Easter eggs of The Mandalorian season 3, episode 8 references Din’s combat ability. Throughout the episode, Din’s fighting technique is arguably better showcased than in any previous episode of The Mandalorian. Without his usual weaponry, Din is forced to improvise be it through more martial artistry or using the many blasters, blades, and purge trooper weapons obtained from his different skirmishes. This enables The Mandalorian season 3, episode 8 to have the best showcase of Din’s warrior ways, something all Mandalorians have been shown to train in since a young age.
11 The Mandalorian Season 3, Episode 8 Reveals Moff Gideon’s Clone Plan
The Mandalorian season 3, episode 8 finally explains Moff Gideon’s clone plan. Despite hiding his intentions from the Shadow Council in episode 7 about cloning, Gideon reveals that he was cloning himself. He also states that he was on the verge of creating the perfect warrior by adding the Force to these clones. This explains why Moff Gideon was so intent on capturing Grogu in The Mandalorian seasons 1 and 2, as a means of imbuing his clones with the Force.
10 Mandalore’s Surface Is Once Again Hospitable For Plant Life
Every single appearance of Mandalore in Star Wars history has established the planet as largely inhospitable. Star Wars: The Clone Wars revealed life is only possible inside the protected domes of each city, with the era of The Mandalorian showing the planet as a barren wasteland after the Great Purge. The Mandalorian season 3, episode 8, however, revealed that the planet is now capable of growing plant life again, after the respite of the endless fighting that once scarred Mandalore’s surface. Plant species dormant since the fourth century of the Civil War are now returning – a hint of just how long Mandalorians have been divided.
9 The Mandalorian Season 3 Finale Shows Mando Jetpack Warfare
One of the cooler Easter eggs of The Mandalorian season 3, episode 8 revolves around the Mandalorians vs. the Imperials. The climactic battle of the episode showcases the Mandos and troopers fighting in jetpack warfare, something that has rarely been shown throughout the Mandalorians’ Star Wars history. The battle is another Easter egg to how proficient Mandos are in combat, as well as a unique way to keep the endless fighting of The Mandalorian season 3’s finale interesting and original.
8 Grogu Vs. The Praetorian Guards Foreshadows The Last Jedi
As Din Djarin fights Moff Gideon, the Praetorian Guards corner Grogu in Gideon’s chamber. After briefly fending them off with IG-12, Grogu’s suit is destroyed, and he is forced to abandon it. Grogu then fends off the Praetorians as best he can, using the Force to evade their weaponry and showing a sense of humor reminiscent of Yoda. It’s interesting to note the Praetorian Guard can only be defeated when their opponents work together, foreshadowing Rey and Kylo Ren’s victory against them in Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
7 Moff Gideon Wields An Electrostaff
There is indeed a brief rematch between Moff Gideon and Bo-Katan, with Gideon revealing he possesses weapons to counter lightsabers too. Gideon wields an electrostaff akin to those seen in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith and the various Star Wars projects involving purge troopers. This allows him to counter Bo-Katan’s Darksaber.
6 The Darksaber’s Destruction Heralds A New Age For Mandalore
The Darksaber’s destruction is something of a surprise, but it’s actually a subtle hint that Bo-Katan will build a new Mandalore. Prior to The Mandalorian, the Darksaber was a symbol of the leader of Mandalore, something Bo-Katan expressed her doubts over whether it could truly unite the fractured clans. Now that the saber is destroyed, Bo’s new age of Mandalore in which all Mandalorians work together rather than having a singular ruler can be realized.
5 Grogu’s Final Force Usage Calls Back To The Mandalorian Season 1 Finale
After Axe crashes the Imperial cruiser into the base on Mandalore, the resulting explosion threatens to kill Bo, Din, and Grogu. The Force-sensitive infant uses the Force to divert the fire until the explosion subsides. This is an Easter egg to The Mandalorian season 1’s finale, in which Grogu used the Force to stop a flametrooper from killing himself, Din, and Cara Dune. The difference in scale indicates how much more powerful Grogu has become.
4 Ragnar Vizsla Bookends The Mandalorian Season 3
After Gideon is defeated and Mandalore is retaken, Paz Vizsla’s son Ragnar is used to bookend The Mandalorian season 3. The first scene of the season involved Ragnar being inducted into the Children of the Watch, but that ceremony was interrupted. Ragnar is now officially inducted using the Living Waters of Mandalore, something that was likely absent from the first scene. This is a neat way of bookending the season, showcasing the transition the Mandalorians have undergone in the time between season 3, episodes 1 and 8. It’s interesting to note he does not repeat exactly the same vows, perhaps indicating a change in the Armorer’s philosophy.
3 Grogu Becomes Din Grogu As A Mandalorian Apprentice
Grogu is given a new name, formally adopted as Din Djarin’s son – Din Grogu. This is quite confusing, and doesn’t fit well with Mandalorian traditions, so hopefully it will be explained. Most viewers had assumed “Din” was a first name and “Djarin” was the surname, as is normal with Mandalorian names.
2 The Mandalorian Season 3 Finale Has Multiple Season 4 Set-Ups
The epilogue of The Mandalorian season 3, episode 8 sets up several plot elements for season 4 and beyond. Din Djarin establishes a home on Nevarro and signs up as a hunter for the New Republic – perhaps meaning he’ll officially become the “Ranger of the New Republic” Lucasfilm has been discussing for years. There’s another glimpse of the Mythosaur as well, coming straight after Grogu; this may hint he will use the Force to tame the beast at some point.
1 IG-11’s Return Pays Off Season 3’s Droid Story
Finally, the return of IG-11 features a few neat Easter eggs in the payoff of the droid’s season 3 story. The return of Taika Waititi as IG-11 is much bigger than his usage as IG-12, due to the more expansive dialogue options available. Similarly, the change that IG-11 has undergone in The Mandalorian season 3 is finally complete, going from a mindless droid and the lifeless protector of Grogu to the Marshal of Nevarro.
All episodes of The Mandalorian season 3 are now streaming on Disney+.
