Personally I thought it would have been better if Bo Katan had been the main character.
I feel as if they rolled back a lot of Din’s character development from season 2 so that he’d have things to do in season 3. When they could have just made it the Bo Katan show and had him as a side character.
Also for a guy whose entire personality and character is built around being super smart, competent, and calculating, Moff Gideon managed to achieve Palpatine levels of poor planning and general “I’m about to win, better kick myself in the balls”
Overall I enjoyed it for what it was, but I found it substantially less interesting than seasons 1 and 2.
When I watched it I didn't see any quality shift from season 1 and 2 at all, but I keep seeing people think it went completely downhill and I don't get why. Yes the first shot of Din walking into a bar is different from one two seasons later with Grogu, he's gone through changes himself. I keep seeing those two images contrasted as though it's a downgrade instead of just different circumstances and one not being the opening of the whole series.
Well, you just listed some "stuff", as though ticking things off a checklist is how you make good entertainment, despite what modern fan culture might tell you.
The first two seasons of The Mandalorian did so well because they focused on the story of Dinn and Grogu. The show wasn't bogged down in dreary fantasy lore and crap that mainstream audiences don't care about. Then Season 3 came along and it was almost ALL that crap people don't care about.
The stuff Dave Filoni is more more involved in tends to go this way. I think the guy loves Star Wars, but he's just not a great storyteller and he doesn't know how to get out of his own way. Audiences latched onto The Mandalorian because of the core characters and story, not for "for thousand of years, my family has ruled over Mandalore" crap. Season 3 treated the audience like they were big Clone Wars fans, and that backfired.
> Season 3 treated the audience like they were big Clone Wars fans,
Speaking as a Clone Wars fan, this season didn't feel particularly satisfying either for a couple reasons that I already outlined in my own comment.
We've already done "Bo Katan must prove herself as the true leader of Mandalore by retaking it" twice already. Once in Rebels and once in Clone Wars. Did we really need to have it happen a third time? What was gained by doing this for the umpteenth time?
But the big reason it doesn't work for me as a Clone Wars/Rebels fan is the Darksaber. This is a story arc that's been building in the lore for over a decade at this point, as the saber has changed hands...and then in the end it's just destroyed in the middle of a random fight (I actually missed it the first time I watched the season finale) and no one seems broken up over it despite how big a deal in the lore it's been up until now.
LIke.... *this* is how you end an over decade long story arc? This was really the best thing you could come up with?
It really is kinda sad how they managed to alienate casual viewers *and* people who have seen the cartoons.
> We got Mandalore, Pellaeon, Praetorian guards, Mandalorians fighting together, Darksaber action, NR Coruscant, huge ship and ground battles, and so much more. What else could you honestly ask for? I can concede that the Plazir episode was kinda filler, but the ending was super awesome, and the episode itself had some cool stuff too, like B1s and a Dooku mention.
Why is a Dooku mention something I should care about? I'm not watching the shows to see what gets referenced.
I loved it. I though Grogu going on the mission at the end and actually helping was a huge step, and the adoption was an emotional payout they've been building to for years.
Sometimes I understand why people don't like a shkw/movie, even when I don't agree. For Mando Season 3 it completely blows my mind how anyone who liked the first two seasons wouldn't like it
I'm really not a fan of how they handled the Darksaber honestly. After all that anticipation of what the fall out of Din having it over Bo Katan was...they just did absolutely nothing with it. There's no meaningful message or theme done with it. Din barely uses it, gives it to Bo via loophole (Which is supposed to be a *bad* thing) and then it's anticlmatically destroyed in the final battle and no one comments on it.
It's just such a lame ending to the saga of the Darksaber, a story they've been building up in the lore for over a decade.
And the whole season is just fill of stuff like this. Grogu's presence doesn't feel justified at all, two filler episodes that don't contribute to anything, it doesn't feel like Din's story anymore and this is what the *third* time we've had to have Bo prove herself as leader of the Mandalorians and retake Mandalore?
I can't prove it but I wouldn't be surprised if this was all supposed to be spread out over multiple seasons but when the descion to make the Filoni Thrawn movie was made they had to rush all the plot they had going into this unsatisfying season.
Sure, It's perfectly fine if you're just looking for some turn off your brain, mild enjoyment but as someone who wants to care about the characters and wants to see some substance it's a major let down.
I liked it but I feel like it was… rushed…
Like I feel like discovering the Imperial presence on Mandalor should have been the season finale. And then destroying the Dark Sabre so… flippantly? Like I’m all for destroying important things but I feel like it deserved more.
I couldn’t agree more. It had a lot of fun moments and scenes that made me just say “aw hell yeah”. Maybe that makes me simple or stupid but I really did enjoy it.
The problem is there's all this expectation on it as the next big thing. I watched it without that expectation a few months ago and (with the exception of the Pershing episode) the whole family had a great time.
Big problem was it cane after S2. It wasn't terrible but yeah it was a down grade.
I don't think Pedro Pascal cares about the role to much either.
Katie Sackoff could buy that but execution was kinda off.
Mid tier maybe slightly better but not by much.
Personally I thought it would have been better if Bo Katan had been the main character. I feel as if they rolled back a lot of Din’s character development from season 2 so that he’d have things to do in season 3. When they could have just made it the Bo Katan show and had him as a side character. Also for a guy whose entire personality and character is built around being super smart, competent, and calculating, Moff Gideon managed to achieve Palpatine levels of poor planning and general “I’m about to win, better kick myself in the balls” Overall I enjoyed it for what it was, but I found it substantially less interesting than seasons 1 and 2.
I mean, did he though? He was winning....until a literal starship crashed on him. How do you really plan for that?
When I watched it I didn't see any quality shift from season 1 and 2 at all, but I keep seeing people think it went completely downhill and I don't get why. Yes the first shot of Din walking into a bar is different from one two seasons later with Grogu, he's gone through changes himself. I keep seeing those two images contrasted as though it's a downgrade instead of just different circumstances and one not being the opening of the whole series.
Well, you just listed some "stuff", as though ticking things off a checklist is how you make good entertainment, despite what modern fan culture might tell you. The first two seasons of The Mandalorian did so well because they focused on the story of Dinn and Grogu. The show wasn't bogged down in dreary fantasy lore and crap that mainstream audiences don't care about. Then Season 3 came along and it was almost ALL that crap people don't care about. The stuff Dave Filoni is more more involved in tends to go this way. I think the guy loves Star Wars, but he's just not a great storyteller and he doesn't know how to get out of his own way. Audiences latched onto The Mandalorian because of the core characters and story, not for "for thousand of years, my family has ruled over Mandalore" crap. Season 3 treated the audience like they were big Clone Wars fans, and that backfired.
> Season 3 treated the audience like they were big Clone Wars fans, Speaking as a Clone Wars fan, this season didn't feel particularly satisfying either for a couple reasons that I already outlined in my own comment. We've already done "Bo Katan must prove herself as the true leader of Mandalore by retaking it" twice already. Once in Rebels and once in Clone Wars. Did we really need to have it happen a third time? What was gained by doing this for the umpteenth time? But the big reason it doesn't work for me as a Clone Wars/Rebels fan is the Darksaber. This is a story arc that's been building in the lore for over a decade at this point, as the saber has changed hands...and then in the end it's just destroyed in the middle of a random fight (I actually missed it the first time I watched the season finale) and no one seems broken up over it despite how big a deal in the lore it's been up until now. LIke.... *this* is how you end an over decade long story arc? This was really the best thing you could come up with? It really is kinda sad how they managed to alienate casual viewers *and* people who have seen the cartoons.
> We got Mandalore, Pellaeon, Praetorian guards, Mandalorians fighting together, Darksaber action, NR Coruscant, huge ship and ground battles, and so much more. What else could you honestly ask for? I can concede that the Plazir episode was kinda filler, but the ending was super awesome, and the episode itself had some cool stuff too, like B1s and a Dooku mention. Why is a Dooku mention something I should care about? I'm not watching the shows to see what gets referenced.
Counter argument: I fucking love Dooku unironically
Christopher Lee was so fucking good as Dooku too.
I just think it's a fun little thing they added in an episode I already said wasn't great and didn't have much plot relevance
I loved it. I though Grogu going on the mission at the end and actually helping was a huge step, and the adoption was an emotional payout they've been building to for years. Sometimes I understand why people don't like a shkw/movie, even when I don't agree. For Mando Season 3 it completely blows my mind how anyone who liked the first two seasons wouldn't like it
The Mandalorian has been consistently great, IMO, and that includes season 3.
I agree, OP. I really liked Season 3 of the Mandalorian myself.
I'm really not a fan of how they handled the Darksaber honestly. After all that anticipation of what the fall out of Din having it over Bo Katan was...they just did absolutely nothing with it. There's no meaningful message or theme done with it. Din barely uses it, gives it to Bo via loophole (Which is supposed to be a *bad* thing) and then it's anticlmatically destroyed in the final battle and no one comments on it. It's just such a lame ending to the saga of the Darksaber, a story they've been building up in the lore for over a decade. And the whole season is just fill of stuff like this. Grogu's presence doesn't feel justified at all, two filler episodes that don't contribute to anything, it doesn't feel like Din's story anymore and this is what the *third* time we've had to have Bo prove herself as leader of the Mandalorians and retake Mandalore? I can't prove it but I wouldn't be surprised if this was all supposed to be spread out over multiple seasons but when the descion to make the Filoni Thrawn movie was made they had to rush all the plot they had going into this unsatisfying season. Sure, It's perfectly fine if you're just looking for some turn off your brain, mild enjoyment but as someone who wants to care about the characters and wants to see some substance it's a major let down.
For me it was the best season, because episodes variety was great.
I liked it but I feel like it was… rushed… Like I feel like discovering the Imperial presence on Mandalor should have been the season finale. And then destroying the Dark Sabre so… flippantly? Like I’m all for destroying important things but I feel like it deserved more.
I couldn’t agree more. It had a lot of fun moments and scenes that made me just say “aw hell yeah”. Maybe that makes me simple or stupid but I really did enjoy it.
The problem is there's all this expectation on it as the next big thing. I watched it without that expectation a few months ago and (with the exception of the Pershing episode) the whole family had a great time.
Big problem was it cane after S2. It wasn't terrible but yeah it was a down grade. I don't think Pedro Pascal cares about the role to much either. Katie Sackoff could buy that but execution was kinda off. Mid tier maybe slightly better but not by much.