From its first episode, The Mandalorian—the first live-action Star Wars series—hooked fans with its story and characters, most notably one known only as the Child. Set five years after the events of The Return of the Jedi and about 25 years before the events of The Force Awakens, the series followed the titular Mandalorian, named Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal), often referred to by fans as Mando, after he took on high-paying but mysterious work as a bounty hunter. The story is likely to come to its conclusion with the movie Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu, expected to be released in 2026.
Through its three seasons, The Mandalorian remained critically acclaimed and adored by audiences, with very few missteps, thanks to the stellar writing and direction of the team, as well as its showrunners. Many of its episodes are thrilling adventures with some of the best writing in the modern Star Wars universe, each exploring a different part of the galaxy and the interesting characters living there.
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“Chapter 1: The Mandalorian”
Season 1, Episode 1 (2019)
In the very first episode of The Mandalorian, the titular bounty hunter, identified later in the series as Din Djarin, took a job for a mysterious client—known only as the Client and played by German director Werner Herzog—willing to pay a lot of money. The mark was 50 years old and desired alive, although proof of death would also be accepted, and was ultimately revealed to be a baby of Yoda’s species known as the Child.
The Mandalorian told an interesting story from the start, but it was the revelation of who he was looking for which really elevated it and left audiences waiting to see what was coming next—and audiences loved the Child immediately. On top of being a great introduction to the series’ premise and characters, the episode also featured a thrilling shootout scene, and the appearance of Herzog as the Client was an added bonus.
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“Chapter 14: The Tragedy”
Season 2, Episode 6 (2020)
In “The Tragedy,” Djarin and Grogu traveled to an ancient Jedi temple of Tython, where Grogu attempted to reach out using the Force to find another Jedi to help him while a protective Force shield surrounded him. Meanwhile, Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison) returned on his ship, the Slave I, and sought his Mandalorian armor in exchange for helping protect Grogu, and Moff Gideon’s Dark Troopers descended on the temple to kidnap Grogu—and succeeded.
“The Tragedy” was a great episode to build up to the end of the season, and it featured some notable characterization for Djarin. The episode also included plenty of fan service—and while that can be a bad thing, especially in Star Wars, it made for a great episode in this case, particularly with the return of Fett, 40 years after he was last seen, but as thrilling as ever.
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“Chapter 9: The Marshal”
Season 2, Episode 1 (2020)
The Season 2 premiere of The Mandalorian, “The Marshal,” followed Djarin as he sought out other Mandalorians to help him return the Child to his own people. He headed to the forgotten settlement of Mos Pelgo, where he met a man wearing Boba Fett’s Mandalorian armor. Rather than Fett himself, the man was known as the Marshal (Timothy Olyphant), real name Cobb Vanth, a character first introduced in the Star Wars novelizations.
“The Marshal” kicked Season 2 off to a strong start, proving the show still had plenty of great episodes to present while leaning into the idea of Star Wars as a Western. It was a tension-filled episode which showcased Djarin’s skill as a leader. The episode also took viewers to the familiar planet of Tatooine and hinted at the return of Boba Fett—after using Vanth and his armor as a red herring.
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“Chapter 24: The Return”
Season 3, Episode 8 (2023)
Season 3 came to an end with “The Return,” in which Bo-Katan (Katee Sackhoff), Darksaber in hand, led an army of Mandalorians to battle Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) and the Imperial forces for Mandalore—and won, successfully reclaiming the planet, although Gideon’s true fate was left unknown. Elsewhere, Djarin, who had been taken by Imperial forces, attempted to break out and was saved by Grogu, reuniting the duo, who ultimately headed back to Nevarro.
“The Return” was an epic way to end the season—and quite possibly the show’s run, at least until The Mandalorian and Grogu hits theaters. While not as thrilling as the previous two finales, it was still a satisfying ending, one which brought together and wrapped up the season’s storylines and set the stage for the upcoming movie. It was a great conclusion for Bo-Katan, but Djarin and Grogu, as well, who were left to live a peaceful life.
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“Chapter 23: The Spies”
Season 3, Episode 7 (2023)
In “The Spies,” the penultimate episode of Season 3, Moff Gideon’s request of the Shadow Council for support—including Praetorian Guards—to target Mandalore was granted, while at last, the Mandalorians set out to retake their planet. Meanwhile, Bo-Katan sought to find the Great Forge on Mandalore, and Elia Kane (Katy O’Brian) was revealed to be a spy for Gideon Moff working within the New Republic. And in the end, Djarin was captured.
While Season 3 of The Mandalorian wasn’t as strong as the previous two, “The Spies” was a return to form, which served to correct some of its missteps and was one of the best episodes not just of the season but of the entire series. It was an interesting episode that provided more information on the Mandalorians and their planet, and it continued to hint at the imminent return of Grand Admiral Thrawn.
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“Chapter 3: The Sin”
Season 1, Episode 3 (2019)
The Mandalorian returned to meet with the Client (Herzog), as well as Dr. Pershing, and collect his bounty of beskar, the material used to make Mandalorian armor, in “The Sin.” But after learning the Child was Force-sensitive and powerful, and after feeling guilty over handing him over, the Mandalorian went against Guild rules and rescued him, and the two fled Nevarro and went on the run together, with the Guild in pursuit.
The Mandalorian’s premiere episode may have set the stage for the series’ story, but it’s “The Sin” that truly got things underway and hinted at its potential. The episode was a testament to the Mandalorian’s integrity, as he was willing to break Guild rules in order to do what he saw as the right thing. And while that wasn’t exactly a surprise, the episode perfectly outlined his motivations and what led up to his decision.
4
“Chapter 15: The Believer”
Season 2, Episode 7 (2020)
“The Believer,” the penultimate episode of Season 2, saw former Imperial sharpshooter Migs Mayfeld (Bill Burr) broken out of prison by Mando, Cara Dune (Gina Carano), Fennec Shand (Ming-Na Wen) and Boba Fett so he could help them get the coordinates for Moff Gideon’s light cruiser and rescue the kidnapped Grogu. As a result, they headed to the planet Morak, which housed a hidden Imperial mining facility. The episode was inspired by William Friedkin’s 1977 film Sorcerer.
“The Believer” was a thrilling buildup to the Season 2 finale. The cast all delivered exceptional performances, but Burr stood out as Mayfeld. Djarin, for his part, demonstrated how far he was willing to go for Grogu by removing his helmet in a room full of people. The episode also hinted at the series’ political themes, with a conversation about how different—or similar—the Empire and the Republic were.
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“Chapter 8: Redemption”
Season 1, Episode 8 (2019)
In the final of Season 1, “Redemption,” two scout troopers, having successfully abducted the Child, awaited further instruction at a nearby rendezvous point, while Djarin, Cara Dune and Greef Karga (Carl Weathers) and were trapped in a cantina by Moff Gideon. In the end, IG-11 (Taika Waititi), programmed as both a bounty hunter and nurse, killed the two scouts and rescued the Child, then sacrificed himself to save everyone else.
The first season of The Mandalorian came to a thrilling conclusion, with a lot of incredible moments, including some great combat scenes and adorable moments from the Child. But it was IG-11 who stole the show, especially with his poignant sacrifice and the perfect balance of humor to lighten the tone, and a very touching moment between him and Djarin. The episode also marked the first live-action appearance of the Darksaber.
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“Chapter 13: The Jedi”
Season 2, Episode 5 (2020)
In search of Ahsoka (Rosario Dawson) and following instructions from Bo-Katan, the Mandalorian and the Child arrived in Calodan on the planet Corvus, where a Magistrate—a former Imperial—offered him a beskar spear in exchange for killing Ahsoka, who she considered to be a problem. Upon meeting, Ahsoka was able to use the Force to communicate telepathically with the Child, and she revealed that his name was Grogu.
The Mandalorian had a few major moments over its three seasons, and Ahsoka’s live-action debut was one of its best, especially considering the popularity of the character during the run of the animated series The Clone Wars—and even though she had clearly been affected by Anakin’s downfall. The episode’s exploration of Grogu’s backstory, including the revelation of his name, was also greatly rewarding for fans and resolved some of the mystery surrounding him.
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“Chapter 16: The Rescue”
Season 2, Episode 8 (2020)
In the Season 2 finale “The Rescue,” Bo-Katan agreed to help Djarin rescue Grogu from Moff Gideon in exchange for the Darksaber in Gideon’s possession, and the two boarded his light cruiser, along with Cara Dune, Boba Fett, and Fennec Shand. They’re ultimately joined by a familiar Jedi answering Grogu’s cry for help, and after an emotional goodbye with Djarin, Grogu leaves with Skywalker to be trained as a Jedi.
It’s hard to beat the thrill of the epic “The Rescue.” The buildup to Luke’s appearance and the payoff of his arrival and reveal—even if it was obvious it was him from the start—remains unmatched. It was the perfect way to bring Luke into the story and directly tie the series to the original movies, plus it was a rare look at the full scope of Luke’s power as a Jedi.