Are The Mandalorian Season 3 Premiere Space Whales Setting up Another Star Wars Show?

By Kofi Outlaw

Star Wars: The Mandalorian Season 3 premiered this week, and it was very much like taking a trip through a "greatest hits" catalogue of the show. Mando (Pedro Pascal) revisited old haunts (Nevarro) and re-connected with old friends(?) like Greef Karga (Carl Weathers) The Armorer and Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff), all while reminding us all why he and his little buddy Grogu (aka "Baby Yoda") are the most heartwarming father/son team around right now. 

However, in the midst of all this familiarity, there were some weirder elements that got peppered into The Mandalorian Season 3 premiere – and a lot of casual fans were definitely asking questions about one scene in particular, which saw Mando and Grogu encounter the silohuettes of some strange animals while traveling through Hyperspace... 

Star Wars' Space Whales: The Purrgil

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(Photo: Lucasfilm)

The animals in question are the Star Wars space whales known as Purrgils. Purrgils were first introduced in the Star Wars Rebels animated series, during the S2E15 storyline "The Call" back in 2016. The Purrgil are intelligent whale-like animals that fly through space, and have the unique special ability to jump themselves into hyperspace. It was this natural ability of the Purrgils that led scientists to study them in order to develop the first hyperdrive technology, as well as the wayfinders that guide ships across hyperspace lanes. 

Purrgils turned out to be pivotal allies to "Spectres" Rebel group: In one of the final story arcs fo Star Wars Rebels, the Spectres are battling Imperial mastermind Grand Admiral Thrawn and losing; young Jedi-in-training Ezra Bridger used the Force to commune with a pod of Purrgils and enlist their aid in stopping Thrawn. On Ezra's instruction, Purrgils attacked Thrawns Star Destroyer, pinning the Grand Admiral to the bridge. The Purrgils then transported themselves, the ship, Thrawn and Ezra Bridger into the deep hyperspace, where they have never been heard from again. 

How The Mandalorian Season 3 Premiere Sets Up Star Wars: Ahsoka

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(Photo: Disney+)

The upcoming Star Wars: Ahsoka Disney+ series has been revealed to be a veritable Star Wars Rebels Sequel series, as it is centered around Ahsoka and her former Spectre teammates (Sabine Wren, Herra Syndulla) re-uniting to find Thrawn... and Ezra. That storyline actually got introduced during Ahsoka's (Rosario Dawson) crossover episode with The Mandalorian Season 2 – so only fitting that The Mandalorian Season 3 is taking subtle shots at setting up Star Wars: Ahsolka – and a potential crossover between the two series. 

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The Purrgils aren't just seen in silohuette during Mando and Grogu's travels: it's implied that Grogu actually communes with them through the Force, much like Ezra did. Assuming that's not a standard connection that any Force user can make, Ahsoka could easily require the help of Grogu to get information from the Purrgils that could be key to tracking down Thrawn and/or Ezra. Ahsoka has been instrumental in helping to train Grogu during The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, so him repaying her would only be right. 

The Mandalorian Season 3 is now streaming on Disney+. Star Wars: Ahsoka doesn't yet have a release date. 

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