The Mandalorian season 3 ending explained

Season 3 of The Mandalorian has been building to Din Djarin and Bo-Katan Kryze retaking their home planet of Mandalore. It has been quite a journey to get to this point with all the side quests and atoning for sins and uniting different factions, but now, we've finally made it to the season finale.

Last week, as a scouting party led by Bo-Katan landed on Mandalore, we discover that the planet is not as uninhabited as we thought. The party meets Mandalorian survivors who join their ranks, but they also find a big threat in Moff Gideon, who has equipped his troops with beskar and jetpacks. Now what originally looked like a reclamation project has escalated to a full-blown battle for Mandalore.

Here is a helpful guide to answer some of the questions you might have after watching The Mandalorian season 3 finale 'Chapter 24: The Return.'

Did Din Djarin die in The Mandalorian season 3 finale?

In the penultimate season 3 episode, Djarin is captured by Moff Gideon while his colleagues escape. With the death of fellow Mandalorian Paz Vizsla at the hands of the Praetorian Guards still fresh in the memory, you might be wondering: could our hero suffer the same fate?

Luckily, our protagonist survives the finale. So we can all breathe a collective sigh of relief. Coming to Din Djarin's rescue is Grogu in his cute IG-12 mini-mecha. Knowing that they need to rid themselves of Gideon once and for all, father and son seek out the former Imperial and prove to be a formidable duo as they defeat the previously mentioned Praetorian Guards.

What happens to Moff Gideon in The Mandalorian?

Moff Gideon has proven to be a slippery fellow, walking away from an Outland TIE fighter crash unscathed in season 1 and escaping New Republic custody earlier this season. Can he manage his Harry Houdini act a third time?

That question is still up in the air. It takes the combined effort of Din, Grogu, and Bo-Katan to slow their enemy down now that he has the benefit of a Dark Trooper enhanced suit reinforced with Mandalorian beskar armor. When the Mandalorian's Class 546 Cruiser is intentionally crashed into Gideon's base, Gideon is caught in the resulting explosion and engulfed in flames.

However, when things die down, there are no physical remains. You might think that Gideon has been completely incinerated, but if there's no body, you can't assume he's dead. We know now that Gideon is a survivor, so it wouldn't be too surprising if he popped up again in the future.

Were Moff Gideon's plans tied with Project Necromancer first mentioned in The Mandalorian?

One of the biggest mysteries of The Mandalorian has always been Gideon's interest in Grogu. In the first season, the clone specialist Dr. Pershing experiments on the little guy obtaining samples. Due to the time period during which the series takes place, many have speculated of its greater significance.

Since The Mandalorian occurs in between Star Wars: Episode VI – The Return of the Jedi and Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens, many thought that these experiments tied into Supreme Leader Snoke or the reemergence of Emperor Palpatine both from the sequel trilogy. The appearance of the Shadow Council during last episode only fanned the flames of the theories.

Therefore fans may be a little upset to discover Gideon's real plans. There is no greater mythological connections behind Gideon's interest in Grogu. It is but a mere vanity project. In his pursuit to create the perfect soldier, Gideon wanted to give himself Force abilities, which is why he needed to test and take genetic samples from Grogu. Gideon was working on clones of himself attuned to the Force, but we'll never know how they turn out. Before the clones are fully developed, Djarin destroys all of the specimens.

What of the Mythosaur in The Mandalorian?

Back in 'Chapter 18: The Mines of Mandalore,' Bo-Katan comes face to face with the fabled Mythosaur thought to be long extinct. It's this encounter that renews her faith in her people and sets Kryze on her journey to reclaim Mandalore.

As soon as we see the building towards the big battle between the Mandalorians and Gideon's forces, I was anticipating Bo-Katan taming the Mythosaur and riding the beast into battle to rid the planet of the Imperial influence. What better way to announce the rebirth of a people than the sight of their universal sigil?

Alas, that was only a dream, but the creature does make another appearance. Game recognizes game as the Mythosaur opens its eyes in acknowledgement as Grogu gazes into the Living Waters after being formally adopted by Din Djarin.

Is there a The Mandalorian post-credits scene in the season 3 finale?

There aren't always post-credits scenes in Disney+ Star Wars series. Obi-Wan Kenobi and the inaugural season of The Mandalorian didn't have any, while Andor, The Book of Boba Fett, and season two all included them. With Ahsoka premiering this August, you would think a credits scene would be helpful in hyping up the upcoming show. However, there is no post-credits scene in the Mandalorian season 3 finale. Maybe after a big battle to retake their home planet, the creators wanted to let that victory set in and didn't want any distractions.

Will there be a The Mandalorian season 4?

Din Djarin formally adopts Grogu as his son in the season 3 finale, which is the only way he could take up the little guy as an apprentice. As a result, the pair need to leave Mandalore and set out on their own so our Baby Yoda can receive training.

With a family to consider, Djarin becomes more selective of the bounties he takes and decides to work with Adelphi Ranger, Carson Teva. They form a mutually beneficial relationship where Djarin and Grogu hunt down former Imperials and other enemies of the New Republic.

This opens the doors for new adventures. In an interview with French news station BFMTV , creator Jon Favreau revealed he wrote season 4 already while he was in post-production of this season. However, we don't have any details yet as to when the show will debut.

Does The Mandalorian tie into Ahsoka season 1?

The finale of The Mandalorian season 3 stands on its own, but the show in general ties into the new Ahsoka series. After all, Ahsoka made her live action debut in The Mandalorian. The former Jedi padawan knows she has allies in Din Djarin and Grogu, so she could arguably call on them if she ever needs help. The teaser trailer for Ahsoka also teases that Grand Admiral Thrawn will play a significant role in the series. With Thrawn name checked in the Shadow Council scene from last week's episode, there could likely be a crossover between the two shows, as our heroes tackle a common enemy.

How is The Mandalorian connected to the David Filoni movie?

The Mandalorian season 3 finale doesn't shed much light on the recently announced David Filoni helmed Star Wars film. We know the new film will focus on the New Republic and will close out the interconnected narratives found in The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, and other Disney+ series. With Din Djarin now allied with the New Republic via Carson Teva, maybe his exploits in season 4 will show the struggles the New Republic encountered and the rise of The First Order.

Watch the season 3 finale of The Mandalorian on Disney+

Captain Carson Teva is colleagues with a known Star Wars rebel in The Mandalorian