The very first episode of The Mandalorian Season 3 suggested the New Republic was foolish to believe the Empire was truly defeated. Five years after Return of the Jedi, it was revealed that a rising Imperial presence was taking place on the Outer Rim. One key player in all of this was Moff Gideon, who initially wielded the Darksaber — the legendary blade of Mandalorian leadership. The Mandalorian Season 3, Episode 7 reveals the true power the Empire holds during this time. It is also setting up different ways the Empire could be taken down, along with how the Mandalorians were defeated.
The hit Disney+ series has been gearing up for a galaxy-altering battle. Episode 7 “Chapter 23: The Spies” saw Din Djarin, Grogu, Bo-Katan Kryze, and a cohort of their fellow Mandalorian warriors return to Mandalore. Their return meant that the Mandalorians were going to reclaim their home planet after the Great Purge that took place during the later years of the Empire’s galactic reign. The Imperial Remnant troops lured them into a trap after Moff Gideon dawned a new Dark Trooper suit made of the Mandalorians’ own beskar armor and escaped from New Republic custody. So, what all happened in The Mandalorian season 3 finale?
Battle for Mandalore
All season long, viewers have watched the titular bounty hunter and his little green friend jump from one threat to the next, from facing bloodthirsty pirates to creepy cyborgs, and even Christopher Lloyd who plays the planet’s Commissioner who’s also revealed to be a Separatist, according to Entertainment Weekly. Eight episodes of danger and excitement have led Din Djarin and Grogu to a moment of peace and hope for the future. Before then, of course, the final episode picks up in the middle of the battle for Mandalore.
Bo-Katan Kryze is leading her people to fight against Moff Gideon and his Darktroopers. This is a brutal but action-packed moment of the finale as Bo-Katan rallies her fellow warriors. Meanwhile, Din is busy escaping Gideon’s clutches. Grogu is able to help rescue his mentor, and the two set out to find and finish Gideon once and for all. Their search for Gideon leads them to something even more sinister — Gideon’s lab.
Moff Gideon’s Cloning Lab
The search for Gideon led Din and Grogu to an unspeakable horror as they found his lab. Gideon has been busy due to Dr. Pershing’s new technology, which involved cloning. He has been cloning himself in hopes to create an army in his own image, except with the addition of the Force (hence why he wanted Grogu back in Season 1). Din effectively destroys the lab and the clones, but this lab just proves that the Empire’s experiments didn’t end on Kamino, which can also be seen in The Bad Batch Season 2. This also hints towards Palpatine’s resurrection in The Rise of Skywalker.
Din’s capture was a major set-up for the finale as it was able to get him behind enemy lines. After destroying Gideon’s lab and hall of clones, the final showdown with him was set into motion. Din is the first to realize that for them to move forward, they would have to defeat Gideon for good. Viewers thought they knew what this battle was going to look like, but Collider explains that The Mandalorian seems to have gone in a different direction.
Gideon and the Praetorian Guards vs Din and Grogu
Gideon and his Praetorian guards find Din and Grogu, which inevitably leads to a battle. Bo-Katan arrives with the Darksaber, but Gideon is still too powerful to be taken down. Significantly, he crushes the Darksaber in Bo-Katan’s hand, ultimately destroying it for good. Throughout the battle, Gideon seems to hold all the power after destroying the Darksaber, but Bo, Din, and Grogu are able to overpower him by working together. A Mandalorian ship crashes into the base, seemingly killing Gideon in its fiery wreckage. Bo and Din assume the same fate is in store for them until Grogu uses the force to save them all from the flames.
With Gideon’s demise, this seems to be the end of his character. However, the Star Wars universe always seems to bring back characters even if the audience believes that they are gone forever. It is currently unclear if Gideon has survived the explosion, but audiences will have to wait for the next season to see what has become of his character. Perhaps one of his clones is running around the galaxy.
A New Beginning for Din Djarin and Grogu
Gideon’s defeat is a call for celebration on Mandalore. Bo-Katan no longer has the Darksaber, but she is still able to take her place as the official ruler of Mandalore. The Mandalorians and Bo-Katan work together to relight the Great Forge, while Din takes Grogu to the Living Waters. Din hopes to make Grogu his official apprentice, which he is not able to do until he adopts Grogu. From here on out, Grogu will be known as “Din Grogu.”
The two decide to start a family business where they will take odd jobs for the New Republic to help protect the Outer Rim. Their small cabin is located on the outskirts of Nevarro where Din Grogu will be able to levitate all the frogs he wants. This season of The Mandalorian ends with no mid-credits or post-credits scenes to tease the future of the show. A season 4 of The Mandalorian has not yet been announced, but the creators of the show told Entertainment Weekly that fans should not worry as they will continue making the show as long as they can.
