Star Wars: The Mandalorian Episode 3 Easter Eggs and References You Might Have Missed

Fans are finally getting to explore an uncharted area in the Star Wars galaxy with the new Disney+ series Star Wars: The Mandalorian, showcasing what took place between the events of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi and the beginning of the sequel trilogy in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Because this is our first substantial look at the galaxy after the fall of the Galactic Empire, fans are finally starting to see just how the Rebellion’s success and the destruction of the Death Star has affected the Outer Rim and other colonies in the galaxy.

As the first live-action series in the Star Wars franchise, The Mandalorian is an impressive effort in fleshing out the lore while also telling a bold new story that embraces all of the best aspects of the films.

And because it is Star Wars, there are lots of references and ties to previous stories and characters in the franchise — and we’re not just talking about the Baby Yoda. The latest episode, called “Chapter 3: The Sin,” shows the titular bounty hunter interacting with members of his fellow guild, running afoul of the remnants of the Imperial army, and setting up for a new life in the galaxy after making a difficult choice.

But for die hard fans of the Star Wars franchise, they likely noticed A LOT more packed into the latest episode of The Mandalorian.

Here are some of the best Easter eggs and references that we could find in the new episode of the Star Wars series on Disney+:

The Ice Cream Maker

In every Star Wars movie so far, there have been characters, planets, and objects that have captivated audiences for their seemingly random inclusion, though it all helped to further create the universe as being a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away. One of the more odd bits came in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, when a random character later named Willrow Hood ran through the background while carrying what looked to be an ice cream maker. 

This device makes a comeback in the latest episode, as it is shown to be a portable lock box of sorts. Able to be opened with a key code, the sides open up and reveal that it is protecting valuable contents within — in this episode, the Empire uses it to deliver the Mandalorian his promised bounty of Beskar steel.

This Is The Way

Mandalorian culture is best explored in the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels, where characters like Bo-Katan, Pre Vizsla, and Sabine Wren played major parts in fighting for their planet and society. But something must have happened in the years since Rebels ended, as these Mandalorians now live underground in hiding, often referring to an event called “the Purge.”

The siege of Mandalore already occurred, and the titular character suffers frequent flashbacks to a time when the droid army seemingly attacked his family. But despite all of these setbacks, the Mandalorians still live by their code. We get to hear them say words of honor, a phrase they frequently use to remind each other and themselves that they are fighting for survival: “This is the way.”

And speaking of droids…

The Trade Federation

In the latest flashback, we get a good glimpse of the attacking army and it’s revealed to be the Super Battle Droids and attack ships of the Trade Federation. These forces were the primary antagonists in the prequel trilogy, proving to be formidable threats in Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. 

There are clues that this incident and the frequently mentioned purge are two separate events, as the main Mandalorian reveals that he was a foundling; in the flashbacks, neither he nor his parents are wearing the iconic armors that the other characters don in the series. And because the Trade Federation was disbanded by the time the Galactic Empire took power, it’s likely that the Imperial army is responsible for the purge, as it is their signal that brands the Beskar steel.

Was that Jon Favreau?

While Jon Favreau did not direct any of the episodes of The Mandalorian, he did produce and write the entire series — and he might have another major job on the show. While actor Tait Fletcher plays the role of the large commando character in the episode (and also played the goon in the cantina in the opening scene of the first episode), he is listed as a body double in the credits. The voice sounds suspiciously like Favreau though he is unlisted.

Adding more intrigue to this situation is the character’s name in the credits: Paz Vizla. While the spelling is different, it’s a similar enough name to Favreau’s character Pre Vizsla from Star Wars: The Clone Wars. So the evidence is pointing toward Favreau making a clever cameo as the ancestor of his character from the animated series.

So Many Aliens!

There were a lot of surprising alien appearances in the latest episode, showing iconic races from many films throughout the prequel and original trilogies. There are Rodians, the same race of the infamous Greedo AKA Maclunkey himself. There’s also an a few Twi’lek spotted in the new episode, casually strolling around the market.

Perhaps most surprising is a Zabrak, the race of horn-headed humanoids from Dathomir. Darth Maul is also a Zabrak, and this race is not as prevalent in other pieces of Star Wars media. 

Did you notice any other Easter Eggs we might have missed in the latest episode of the series? Let us know in the comments below!

New episodes of The Mandalorian premiere on Fridays on Disney+. If you haven’t signed up for Disney+ yet, you can try it out here.

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