By: Rory Zeman

National/World Editor

On Mar. 1, Disney Plus released the season three premiere of the hit Star Wars series The Mandalorian. The show features Pedro Pascal as Mando, a bounty hunter traveling around the galaxy trying to protect his friend Grogu. 

After a spectacular first and second season, fans eagerly anticipated yet another Mandalorian masterpiece. With an incredible 81 percent audience score and 84 percent critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, the show is shaping up to be one of the most popular Disney Plus original series.

The show tells the tale of the Mandalorian’s struggle with his gruesome past as a ruthless bounty hunter. In the third season, he travels back to his homeland, Mandalore, where he must face his past in his society of bounty hunters and fighters. Throughout seasons one and two, Mando, who was part of the Mandalorian culture, had to defy his cultural obligation by taking off his helmet to survive, something he is not supposed to do as a Mandalorian.

The season three premiere episode, titled The Apostate, begins Mando’s redemption arc as he works to rejoin his culture. The episode begins explosively as Mando shoots down a giant alligator-like creature, saving a group of other Mandalorians. He then reaches out to a fellow Mandalorian, who mentions to him that he must bathe himself in the waters under the Mandolorian mines to wash his transgressions away, effectively beginning his season-long journey of redemption.

Mando then journeys to Nevarro, where he previously liberated the people from their oppressive, imperial ruler Moff Gideon. There, he meets an old friend and learns of the planet’s newfound success. Fans then witness yet another wild-west-style standoff between Mando and some intergalactic pirates.

The episode takes an action-filled turn when Mando encounters the pirates on his departure from Nevarro. In this orbital ordeal, Mando skirmishes with them in an asteroid field, where he effectively evades the pirates and makes his escape to the Mandalore system. Mando talks to an old Mandalorian friend and learns the location of the mines where he must regain his Mandalorian title.

I really enjoyed the first episode of the season because I think it gave viewers a great taste of the action the rest of the season will contain. I also think the episode serves as a guide to the season’s theme. It is very indicative of Mando’s motives in his journey to becoming Mandalorian once more. I think season three of The Mandalorian will be the best season yet, and I look forward to seeing where Mando’s expedition will take him.

The episode ends with Mando finding this location and serves as a great start to a season of intergalactic action and adventure. Fans are excited for yet another season of the Mandalorian, where each episode will premiere weekly on Wednesdays for the next six weeks.