The Mandalorian Chapter 24 (Season 3, Episode 8) “The Return” is the last one of this season. It’s full of epic battles, incredible shots, and tense moments that end this season in an unexpected way.
Recap of the story so far
Bo-Katan led a scouting party to the surface of Mandalore where they would establish a safe zone before bringing in the rest of the fleet.
A group of Mandalorians that survived The Purge join and guide them to the forge. Right before arriving at their destiny, a giant creature destroys their ship.
They managed to get to the forge but Imperial Commandos that wear Beskar armor ambushed them. Axe Woves flies back to the fleet to get reinforcements.
The remaining Commandos trick the Mandalorians and trap the majority of the group. Din Djarin is captured and taken away and Paz Vizsla stays behind to buy time for his brothers and sisters.
He is able to defeat the Imperial Commandos but the three Praetorian Guards that Gideon requested show up to end the brave Mandalorian’s life.
Read the other individual episode reviews to make sure you are not missing out on some easter eggs and secret references or hints.
The review contains heavy spoilers from The Mandalorian Chapter 24!
The Battle For Mandalore
Things didn’t go according to plan, Din Djarin was captured and Bo-Katan had to retreat before losing more people. Before reaching the atmosphere, Axe Woves receives new orders from Bo-Katan; to leave the light cruiser behind as a decoy and send all troops to fight on the ground.
I believe that being decisive is key when it comes to making decisions. It might not be the best idea but if everyone is fully on board with it the chances that things turn well increase by a little bit.
This doesn’t mean that what Bo-Katan decided to do was a bad decision, the fleet could stand its ground against the TIE Bombers and Interceptors but everyone at the base would have died.
Bo-Katan knew that this was an “all or nothing” situation. There would be no New Republic or old allies coming to the rescue, whoever came out victorious would reclaim Mandalore.
I’m very happy that no one intervened in this epic battle. We’ve been hearing about the glorious days when Mandalorians were feared and respected across the galaxy and they finally showed us why.
It’s true that weapons are intrinsic to Mandalorian culture but what the Empire still doesn’t understand is that weapons aren’t what makes someone a Mandalorian. Discipline, brotherhood, intense training, and a sense of community are just some of the things that are also a core part of a Mandalorian.
The Empire can provide their Imperial Commandos with better weapons, superior armor, and even the best possible training but unless they have a significant advantage, they have no chance of defeating the descendants of Mand’alor.
Fighting against a dangerous enemy is one thing, but battling Mandalorians that are risking everything to recover their home is something completely different. Mandalorians have been spread and on the brick of extinction for too long and no one is going to prevent them from reclaiming Mandalore, not even Moff Gideon.
Watching Bo-Katan Kryze lead every Mandalorian into battle is probably my favorite moment of the entire series. It’s been so many years since she was introduced in The Clone Wars and it brings me a lot of joy to see that Bo-Katan finally has a chance to fight for everything she has lost along the way.
Never Underestimate A Droid
Having a droid as a companion is incredibly useful, if not for them many heroes would have been captured or killed on countless occasions. Despite not being a “brave” droid, R5-D4 has proved his worth a couple of times.
Din Djarin asking it to deactivate the shields one at a time was like playing a videogame where you fight enemies with no weapons but you collect your opponent’s as they’re defeated.
I got worried when the mouse droid discovered R5 but I guess that everyone was busy fighting the Mandalorians. It was funny to see R5-D4 deal with those annoying droids just like R2-D2 did back in the times of the Galactic Republic.
This episode was full of action and epic moments that might overshadow what R5 did but I’m glad that everyone contributed to the fight within their own capacity.
Moff Gideon’s Fate
The series’ main antagonist has always been good at keeping secrets from both allies and enemies. During the Shadow Council meeting, Gideon showed his true intentions. He does want the Empire to return stronger than ever but on his own terms.
Every other Imperial warlord is the same, even in their weakened state it’s impossible for what’s left of the Empire to fight for a common cause. Everyone has their own agenda, always trying to climb a step in the power ladder.
For two seasons I believed that Gideon’s plan was to create clones of the former Emperor, but this last episode showed that it was never the case. In fact, when talking to Hux about cloning he completely denied conducting his own experiments.
It turns out that he was attempting to create a new army that would let him rule the galaxy. Obviously, none of the other members of the Shadow Council were aware of this. I am very skeptical about Gideon actually figuring out how to create force-sensitive clones but maybe these experiments are what make possible Palpatine’s return in the sequel trilogy.
Moff Gideon is the embodiment of how the Galactic Empire works. Always looking after his personal interests over the bigger plan. An organization that is based solely on power and nothing else is destined to collapse from the inside.
The Sith Empire did it thousands of years before the Empire even existed and it was almost destroyed because of this. I firmly believe that the Galactic Empire would have eventually suffered the same fate if not for its “premature end”.
Even after the deaths of Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine, the Imperial remnants continued to recreate this cannibalistic dynamic. Unless a certain Grand Admiral can unite everyone under his banner, what happened with Gideon will keep repeating.
Fight As One
Din Djarin was already having trouble handling Moff Gideon when the Praetorian Guards showed up. I got extremely anxious when they went after the little green guy, but Grogu has progressed a lot since we first met him.
Grogu might be adorable but he’s for sure not defenseless. His training with Luke Skywalker has certainly paid off. Quickly jumping from one place to another buys enough time for Din Djarin to arrive at the last second.
I loved watching Din and Grogu fight side by side against three Praetorian Guards. Even if they’re not the deadliest enemy in Star Wars, Praetorian Guards are certainly very intimidating and not many are able to defeat them, but the Mudhorn Clan certainly can.
Armed with two blasters, a knife, and the will to save his family Din Djarin attacked the three Praetorian Guards. Grogu used the Force multiple times to buy time so that Din Djarin could take them down, one by one.
Bo-Katan fought very well against Moff Gideon but his Dark Trooper suit is simply too powerful, not even the Darksaber seems to be doing anything against him.
One thing that bothers me is how easy it was for Gideon to destroy it, isn’t it made from Beskar? Maybe it was to make the scene a little more dramatic but it doesn’t feel right.
One of the things that Bo-Katan has learned is that she is a lot more than simply the wielder of the Darksaber. It was a symbol for thousands of years but it also divided and weakened them.
For new things to come, some old costumes must be left in the past and the Darksaber should be one of them. As important as it was, owning the Darksaber should not decide who is worthy of ruling Mandalore in the years to come.
Moff Gideon was too powerful to be taken down by a single person but three Mandalorians are too much even for him. Bo-Katan, Din Djarin, and Grogu work perfectly in sync to defeat the man that almost destroyed what’s left of Mandalorian culture.
I got so many flashbacks from Star Wars Rebels but thankfully Grogu is powerful enough to hold the fire and save everyone. Gideon is apparently consumed by the flames but with Star Wars’ love for bringing people back from the dead, we can’t be one hundred percent sure that this is the last time we see Moff Gideon.
Misleaded
Before continuing I must address the Bantha in the room. The previous episode was titled “The Spies” and everyone, including myself, believed that there was someone infiltrating the Mandalorian ranks. Fingers pointed to Axe Woves, The Armorer, or the Mandalorian survivors.
It turns out that none of this was true and we were all misguided by the title. I’m not sure if this was made on purpose or not but it certainly caused me to be extremely anxious for the majority of the episode. Always trying to think if someone’s actions were suspicious or not.
This and the fact that some of the actors teased “a very painful ending” had me waiting for something that would never come. Other people’s opinions rarely affect my expectations but this was an exception. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad that neither Grogu, Din Djarin nor Bo-Katan were killed but it took me a long time before realizing that everything was going to be ok for our main characters.
Did you also feel like this? Why do you think they made this type of comment?
Mandalore
The storm has passed and everyone that was in the battle is now witnessing the Mandalorian foundlings taking the creed. Ragnar is finally able to take the creed and continue with the legacy that his father left.
Din Djarin asks for Grogu to become his apprentice but since he is too young to speak that is not possible. However, after three seasons Djarin has become very good at finding ways around the strange Mandalorian rules. In order for Grogu to become a Mandalorian Apprentice he adopts him as his own son.
Their relationship already had that nature but it was still very heartwarming to see it become something “official”. Din Djarin and Din Grogu are now family and the only two members of the Mudhorn Clan.
Bo-Katan has become one of my favorite characters and I’m more than happy that after all the tragedies she has experienced, we can finally see her reclaim the role of the heiress of Mandalore. I doubt that the government system will be the same as used during the Galactic Republic era, but you get what I mean.
The forge of Mandalore was described by Axe Woves as the heart of the Mandalorian civilization and now it’s beating again. Under the leadership of Bo-Katan and the guidance of the Armorer the Mandalorian society will thrive again. It might take ten, twenty, fifty, or a hundred years but they’ll get there eventually.
Settling Down
After fighting so many battles, taking every job in the sector, and making lots of new allies, Din Djarin finally has a place where he can go to relax with his newly adopted son. It’s close to Nevarro which makes it practical, but far enough from the main town for Din to enjoy his privacy.
The work of a Bounty Hunter is difficult and dangerous but at least now there’s more in Din Djarin’s life than just his job. When the time comes he’ll be able to retire and live his remaining days in his small cabin.
Not gonna lie, I was really waiting for someone to appear and leave us on a cliffhanger after one of the main characters was taken away or killed. So it was very soothing to see such a wholesome happy ending for everyone. With the inevitable return of Grand Admiral Thrawn, this might be the last happy ending that we get in a few years.
What’s Next?
We know that Filoni is going to direct a Star Wars movie that culminates all the stories of the “Mandoverse”. Din Djarin, Grogu, Boba Fett, Bo-Katan Kryze and more will have to face a final enemy that is yet to be revealed.
But before that, the Ashoka series is bringing back the incredibly menacing Grand Admiral Thrawn. I don’t know if Din Djarin or the Mandalorians will be involved in the first season but one thing is sure, things won’t get easier for anyone. I will enjoy the tranquility of this season finale because for better or worse, nothing lasts forever.
