The Mandalorian and Grogu movie is the culmination of over a decade of Star Wars storytelling. This guide covers every essential piece of content you need to experience to fully understand the next chapter of the New Republic era.
Most things in Star Wars are connected directly or indirectly, especially the work done by Dave Filoni (Rebels, Clone Wars, Ahsoka) and Jon Favreau (The Mandalorian).
You can decide to watch The Mandalorian and Grogu movie (premieres on May 22, 2026) without knowing anything about the characters, but if you want to fully understand what’s going on, it’s a good idea to catch up with as much as possible.
There are so many things out there, it can be overwhelming when you’re not sure where to start. This guide will help you with that daunting task. I divided the content into two categories: essentials and optional.
Please note I wrote this guide assuming you have already watched at least episodes I to VI.
Essentials
These are key to understanding the big picture. Some events and characters that appear or are mentioned in the movie have their origins in these series.
The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett series
Obviously, you need to watch The Mandalorian to know the reason behind the events in The Mandalorian and Grogu. This series happens after Return of the Jedi and brings together Din Djarin (The Mandalorian) with our favorite green friend (Grogu).
Palpatine and Vader are gone, but the remnants of the Empire are still causing chaos and attempting to regroup.
With the New Republic focusing on the core worlds and dismissing any rumors regarding these remnants, the people in the Mid and Outer Rim are vulnerable to criminal syndicates and Imperial warlords.
The Book of Boba Fett shares this segment because these series complement each other.
Watching one while ignoring the other would only cause confusion. The Book of Boba Fett focuses on Jabba’s favorite bounty hunter and his search for a new purpose after he was almost digested by the Sarlacc. The show is commonly labeled by fans as “The Mandalorian Season 2.5”. And for a reason.
The right order to watch them is: The Mandalorian -> The Mandalorian S2 -> The Book of Boba Fett -> The Mandalorian S3.
Important characters or themes related to The Mandalorian and Grogu that appear or are mentioned in these series: Boba Fett, Fennec Shand, Bo-Katan Kryze, Ahsoka Tano, Luke Skywalker, Moff Gideon, Grand Admiral Thrawn, IG-11, The Hutt Twins, The Shadow Council, Mandalore, the darksaber, beskar, the New Republic.
The Clone Wars *select episodes
This animated series is a must-watch for anyone who wants to understand the context and background of important characters who are relevant in The Mandalorian. The Clone Wars take place between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. Over a span of seven seasons, The Clone Wars explores the conflict between the CIS and the Galactic Republic.
A good portion of it focuses on Anakin, Obi-Wan, and other notable Jedi leading the Grand Army of the Republic against General Grievous and his droid army. But this is where you’ll learn a lot more about Mandalorian culture, their way of life, and the differences between some of the most prominent clans.
*The episodes I recommend you watch:
- Movie
- Season 2: 1-3, 12-14, 20-22
- Season 3: 5-6, 8-9, 12-14
- Season 4: 15-18, 19-22
- Season 5: 1, 14-16, 17-20
- Season 7: all episodes
Important characters or themes to The Mandalorian that appear or are mentioned in the Clone Wars: Ahsoka Tano, Bo-Katan Kryze, Embo (seen in the February 2026 trailer), the Hutt Cartel, Death Watch, Maul, the Siege of Mandalore, the darksaber.
Rebels *select episodes
Rebels is another beloved animated series that takes place between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. With the Empire ravaging the galaxy without anyone to oppose them, small groups across the galaxy start to organize and ultimately become what we know as rebel cells. However, the Rebel Alliance is still not a thing yet.
The main protagonists are a group of unique characters known as “the Spectres” who start defending small populations from Imperial soldiers and eventually end up fighting against the smartest and most dangerous non-Force user the Empire has ever produced.
*The episodes I recommend you watch:
- Season 1: 1-2, 5, 8-10, 12-15
- Season 2: 1-2, 3-5, 10-11, 12-13, 15, 17-18, 21-22
- Season 3: 1-2, 4, 6-7, 10, 11, 15-18, 20-22
- Season 4: 1-4, 6-15
Important characters or themes related to The Mandalorian and Grogu that appear or are mentioned in Rebels: Zeb Orrellios, Bo-Katan Kryze, Ahsoka Tano, Grand Admiral Thrawn, Mon Mothma, the Purrgil, Mandalorian clans, the darksaber.
Ahsoka
Ahsoka is the series that brings many things together. What previously felt like. The person who can unite the Imperial Remnants under a single banner is about to return from the Unknown Regions. A threat of this size has not been seen since the “glory days” of the Galactic Empire.
Ahsoka Tano combines efforts with old allies, hoping to stop this imminent threat while also facing her own failures that still burden her.
Meanwhile, The New Republic is trying to restore order in a wounded galaxy, but it is a victim of its own incompetence and bureaucracy.
Ahsoka brings together characters and themes from The Clone Wars, Rebels, and The Mandalorian. Because of this, it is essential that you watch all of them before Ahsoka. Combined with Season 3 of The Mandalorian, it sets up the upcoming final chapter of what is often referred to as the “Mandoverse”.
Important characters or themes related to The Mandalorian and Grogu that appear or are mentioned in Ahsoka: The Ghost crew, Mon Mothma, Grand Admiral Thrawn, the Purrgil, the New Republic.
Supplemental
The videogames listed here will enrich your knowledge of the Star Wars lore. Ignoring it won’t hurt your experience, but if you decide to give it a try, it’ll enhance it by adding nuances and depth.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic I + II
Two of the best Star Wars games ever made. These old but amazing RPGs demonstrate Mandalorians at their highest and lowest points. If you’ve ever wondered why Mandalorians consider Jedi to be their mortal enemies, this will give you a very satisfying answer.
Additionally, some of the events of these games are tied to the best story arc in Star Wars Rebels. Knights of the Old Republic games take a considerable amount of time, but it’s worth it.
Star Wars – The Old Republic: Bounty Hunter Class Story
In this videogame, playing as the Bounty Hunter lets you hunt all types of individuals. Not only will you get a first-hand experience of the life of a bounty hunter, but you’ll also get to learn a lot about Hutts, Nal Hutta, the criminal underworld, and Mandalorians.
The Bad Batch
The Bad Batch is the story of Omega, Hunter, Wrecker, Tech, Echo, and Crosshair. This group of Clone Troopers have genetic mutations that make them extremely different from the other troopers in terms of personality and abilities.
The series begins with Order 66 and throughout the three seasons, you see how both the main characters and the galaxy adapt to the iron fist of the Galactic Empire. The Bad Batch is directly tied to the experiments done on Grogu by Moff Gideon and Dr. Pershing.
The Thrawn Trilogy
The Thrawn trilogy is a set of three books written by Timothy Zahn. These books explore Thrawn’s origins and his quick ascendance through the Imperial ranks.
Keep in mind that there are actually two Thrawn trilogies. All six books are written by the same author, Timothy Zahn. The firs trilogy is from the early 90s of the 20th century. The second trilogy is a new version of Thrawn’s origins and his rising to power. Both have their qualities, but if you want to stick to the modern current canon, we recommend that you read the new trilogy.
We have listed it in the table in the next segment below as supplemental. Thrawn will be an important character in both the Mandalorian and Grogu movie and Ahsoka’s second season, but you do learn enough about him from the material we listed as essential already. The books will offer additional lore for you to dive into.
Recommended order
This is our complete recap of the viewing order of all our essential and supplemental recommendations. In this table, Essentials are listed in chronological order. You have plenty of time to catch up before the movie’s release.
Please note that the “buy” links in the table below have an Amazon affiliate tag. If you purchase something after clicking on them, we may get a small commission at no extra cost to you.
If you are viewing this table on a small screen, scroll horizontally to see the full contents.
| Title | Key Moments | Buy | Description | Cover | Importance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. The Clone Wars | Movie Season 2: 1-3, 12-14, 20-22 Season 3: 5-6, 8-9, 12-14 Season 4: 15-18, 19-22 Season 5: 1, 14-16, 17-20 Season 7: all episodes | WATCH BUY | The epic animated series detailing the battles of the Clone Wars, significantly developing Anakin, Obi-Wan, and introducing Ahsoka Tano. The Series start with a full feature animated movie. |  | Essential |
| 2. Rebels | Season 1: 1-2, 5, 8-10, 12-15 Season 2: 1-2, 3-5, 10-11, 12-13, 15, 17-18, 21-22 Season 3: 1-2, 4, 6-7, 10, 11, 15-18, 20-22 Season 4: 1-4, 6-15 | WATCH BUY | The Spectres, a small rebel cell led by Kanan and Hera, fight the Empire and help form the larger Rebel Alliance. |  | Essential |
| 3. The Mandalorian | Season 1 Season 2 | WATCH BUY | A lone bounty hunter’s life is changed when he becomes the guardian of a Force-sensitive child, Grogu, amidst the rise of an Imperial remnant. Read our episode reviews and breakdowns. | | Essential |
| 4. Book of Boba Fett | Complete series | WATCH | Boba Fett takes over Jabba the Hutt’s criminal empire on Tatooine, with flashbacks explaining his survival. Read our episode reviews and breakdowns. | | Essential |
| 5. The Mandalorian | Season 3 | WATCH BUY | A lone bounty hunter’s life is changed when he becomes the guardian of a Force-sensitive child, Grogu, amidst the rise of an Imperial remnant. Read our reviews and breakdowns of The Mandalorian Season 3 Episodes. | | Essential |
| 6. Ahsoka | Season 1 | WATCH BUY | Ahsoka Tano investigates a new threat to the galaxy as she searches for Grand Admiral Thrawn and Ezra Bridger. Read our review of Ahsoka Season 1. We also have full breakdown of every episode of the show. |  | Essential |
| Knights of the Old Republic I + II | Play through the full games | STEAM GOG | If you are a Legends fan, these classic Star Wars Role-Playing games are ideal for you. KOTOR and KOTOR II are legendary among Star Wars fans and although they are not official canon, several elements from them have been brought into the modern Disney canon. |   | Supplemental |
| Star Wars: The Old Republic | Bounty Hunter Combat Style and Storyline | Star Wars: The Old Republic (SWTOR) is a Massively Multiplayer Role-Playing Game, set thousands of years before the Skywalker Saga. And VULKK has everything you need to know about it! We have been playing and covering the game for well over a decade. We strive to keep our content always up to date. Every News piece and every guide are thoroughly researched and tested with first-hand experience. The Bounty Hunter story in SWTOR is the closest interactive experience to The Mandalorian available today. Check out our Complete Din Djarin Role-Playing Build Guide and learn how to live the Mando life. |  | Supplemental | |
| The Bad Batch | Watch after Clone Wars, before Rebels | WATCH BUY | Follows an elite squad of genetically modified clones as they navigate the galaxy immediately after the Clone Wars. Read our in-depth coverage of everything The Bad Batch, including the TV Series and the released in 2026 book, Sanctuary. |  | Supplemental |
| Thrawn Trilogy | Read them after Clone Wars, before Rebels | BUY | Learn how Thrawn climbs through Imperial ranks. Eventually becoming one the most feared and respected men of the Galactic Empire. |  | Supplemental |
FAQ
It’s not required, but highly recommended. The Clone Wars introduces key characters like Ahsoka Tano and Bo-Katan Kryze, and explains the history of Mandalore and the darksaber. All are central to The Mandalorian.
Technically, yes, of course. But you will be missing out on a lot of context. At minimum, watch The Mandalorian (all seasons), The Book of Boba Fett, and Ahsoka Season 1.
The Book of Boba Fett is often called “The Mandalorian Season 2.5” because it contains story arcs directly relevant to Din Djarin and Grogu. Skipping it will cause confusion in Season 3.
The games are in the Legends story segment and are not directly tied to the plot of the movie. However, they are a treasure throve of information about the Mandalorians, their culture, traditions, and way of living. There is no better place to feel what it truly means to be a Mandalorian than playing the Bounty Hunter origin storyline in SWTOR.
The four essential series (The Mandalorian, Book of Boba Fett, select Clone Wars and Rebels episodes, and Ahsoka) total roughly 60–70 hours depending on which episodes you choose. This sounds like a lot, but keep in mind that this is an interconnected universe and as a Star Wars fan, you would absolutely enjoy these stories! We think so.
