The Mandalorian: Star Wars Cameos and Easter Eggs Explained

The Mandalorian has arrived with huge connections to the Star Wars lore, including a surprise cameo from another famous bounty hunter. Not to mention, the end of the episode got fans of the franchise to yell out in a combination of a cuteness overload and shock at what they might be looking at. For casual fans of Star Wars, there is a lot in The Mandalorian which they might have missed, and for the hardcore eagle-eyed fan, there is an abundant amount of payoff and world building. For both of those fans checking out the first big Disney+ series, we’ve rounded up the major Easter eggs, cameos, and Star Wars ties

Spoilers for The Mandalorian‘s first episode follow!

In the video above and article below, ComicBook.com runs through some of the biggest surprises and Easter eggs packed into The Mandalorian‘s pilot which was directed by Dave Filoni of Star Wars Rebels fame. If you caught some of your own, be sure to add some comments here or throw some theories our way — or hit me with them on Instagram and Twitter and they might end up featured on the site!

A Little Yoda

Let’s start at the end of the episode, where there was a lil’ Yoda, literally. The adorable little greenie was revealed to be the 50-year-old bounty that the Mandalorian was hired to track down. Naturally, viewers were excited about and in love with this cute baby Yoda but there is one problem once we all calm down. The 50-year-old baby is definitely not Yoda because Yoda is dead. The Mandalorian takes place seven years after Return of the Jedi.

This could still be an opportunity to dive into Yoda’s unexplored and unnamed race BUT this is more likely a clone of someone, considering Doctor Pershing — one of the two men who sent the Mandalorian on this mission demanding the bounty be retrieved alive — has a patch on his shoulder indicating an affiliation with Kaminoans and cloning — either he himself is a clone or he is responsible for trying to clone Yoda’s race — or both.

As for the Mandalorian’s past, flashbacks showed a young version of the character running from separatist battle droids which seems to be the conquest of Mandalore which was lead by Darth Maul. When the Mandalorian gets a piece of beskar steel which was once a defining piece of Mandalore culture, a bit of his good intention is shown when he leaves the “excess” for others to use for their own armor or trade — we’re not quite sure what for yet. He is also asked if his signet has been revealed — and it hasn’t, so that’s probably a detail about his legacy which will come in later as he gets more armor and he is unmasked, both literally and figuratively. 

There are quite also quite a few smaller Easter eggs and references to the Star Wars lore, like The Mandalorian fighting off a Quarran, which is the same Davey Jones lookin’ alien from the planet Mon Calamari, which is the home planet of Admiral Ackbar’s Mon Cala species. At the moment, these guys are probably pretty rich, because Greef Karga has to pay the Mandalorian in Calamari Flan, seeing as Imperial Credits aren’t worth much after the fall of the Empire and New Republic credits aren’t the main currency yet.

There’s also a Kubaz earlier in the episode that helps The Mandalorian, which is a species that popped up in A New Hope snitching on Luke and his gang to Stormtroopers.  R4-D4 from A New Hope makes an appearance. The beloved Kowakian monkey-lizards known from Return of the Jedi pop up. The same TT-AL gatekeeper droid from Jabba’s palace shows up. The Mandalorian’s first bounty is a Mythrol who has one thing in mind [I was hoping to get home in time for Life Day] which is a reference to the Star Wars Christmas special, celebrating the galaxy far, far away’s equivalent to a big holiday. 

Finally, worth noting, the IG-11 wearing Wookie Bandaleers is voiced by Taika Waititi, known best for directing movies like Jojo Rabbit, What We Do in the Shadows, and Thor: Ragnarok. The droid is dead — at least for now — but Waititi will be back to direct an episode later this season.

What Easter eggs and references did YOU catch in The Mandalorian? Share your thoughts in the comment section or send them my way on Instagram and Twitter, @BrandonDavisBD, and stay tuned to ComicBook.com/StarWars for more. I’m BD, I have spoken.

Boba Fett

The big hidden cameo that has everyone talking is a possible appearance by the famous bounty hunter Boba Fett. At the 18:31 mark of the first episode of The Mandalorian, it looks like Boba Fett is just casually hanging in the background. The moment can be seen in Comicbook.com’s One-Shot video above. 

Since The Mandalorian is set after the fall of the Empire and Return of the Jedi, Boba Fett is presumed dead as he was last seen falling into a sarlacc pit. Now, in today’s day and age, we know better than to presume a big character dead without seeing a body, so might he have survived for a role in The Mandalorian? This certainly wasn’t just a coincidence.

Legacy

As for the Mandalorian’s past, flashbacks showed a young version of the character running from separatist battle droids which seems to be the conquest of Mandalore which was lead by Darth Maul. When the Mandalorian gets a piece of beskar steel which was once a defining piece of Mandalore culture, a bit of his good intention is shown when he leaves the “excess” for others to use for their own armor or trade — we’re not quite sure what for yet. He is also asked if his signet has been revealed — and it hasn’t, so that’s probably a detail about his legacy which will come in later as he gets more armor and he is unmasked, both literally and figuratively. 

Early in the episode, Nick Nolte’s character references Mythosaurs, creatures which the Mandalorian’s lineage used to ride. A Mythosaur’s skull is seen as an emblem later in the episode. Might it tie into our Mandalorian’s signet?

Smaller Ties

There are quite also quite a few smaller Easter eggs and references to the Star Wars lore, like The Mandalorian fighting off a Quarran, which is the same Davey Jones lookin’ alien from the planet Mon Calamari, which is the home planet of Admiral Ackbar’s Mon Cala species. At the moment, these guys are probably pretty rich, because Greef Karga has to pay the Mandalorian in Calamari Flan, seeing as Imperial Credits aren’t worth much after the fall of the Empire and New Republic credits aren’t the main currency yet.

There’s also a Kubaz earlier in the episode that helps The Mandalorian, which is a species that popped up in A New Hope snitching on Luke and his gang to Stormtroopers.  R4-D4 from A New Hope makes an appearance. The beloved Kowakian monkey-lizards known from Return of the Jedi pop up. The same TT-AL gatekeeper droid from Jabba’s palace shows up. 

Taika Waititi

mm

Christmas Special

The Mandalorian’s first bounty is a Mythrol who has one thing in mind: getting home in time for Life Day. Life Day is a reference to the Star Wars Christmas special, celebrating the galaxy far, far away’s equivalent to a big holiday. The Christmas Special has not previously been acknowledged as part of the Star Wars canon and this might just be its big validation.

What Easter eggs and references did you catch in The Mandalorian? Share your thoughts and theories in the comment section or send them my way on Instagram and Twitter and yours might be featured on ComicBook.com! We have spoken.