Star Wars: Book of Boba Fett Makes Major Changes to The Mandalorian Before Season 3

Star Wars latest TV series The Book of Boba Fett just gave fans a big surprise, as Chapter 5 truly lived up to its title: “The Return of The Mandalorian”. The episode took a (controversial) break from Boba Fett’s battle for the Tatooine underworld to check back in with Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) aka “Mando,” following the epic battle at the end of The Mandalorian Season 2. The entire episode was dedicated to establishing Mando’s new status quo – which meant closing a door on some old matters while opening the door to new possibilities. 

Here are the major changes that The Book of Boba Fett makes to Din Djarin before The Mandalorian Season 3:

Choose Your Weapon

At the end of The Mandalorian Season 2, Din Djarin defeated Moff Gideon, rescued Baby Yoda, and delivered him to Jedi Master Luke Skywalker. Mando walked away from the conflict with two new powerful weapons: a Beskar spear from his battle alongside Ahsoka Tano, and the Darksaber, the iconic lightsaber and Mandalorian symbol of leadership, which Moff Gideon wielded. 

Well, according to the Armorer (leader of Mando’s clan), the Beskar spear can’t be allowed to exist, as it presents a threat to Mandalorians and their armor. Apparently, ‘Beskar is for armor’ according to the Mandalorian creed. So, Mando gives up his spear and has it turned into some kind of special gift for Baby Yoda (Grogu). 

Instead of the spear, Mando takes up the sword: he gets a brief training session from the Armorer in how to use the Darksaber, which apparently requires more of a Jedi-style mindset to operate. Coupled with all the heavy obligation that comes with it, the Darksaber seems like it will be Mando’s primary weapon (and MacGuffin) of focus in Season 3. 

No Tribe 

Mando reconnects with his clan (now hiding in the base of a massive space colony), but the family reunion doesn’t last long. Paz Vizsla – the large Mandalorian heavy gunner who saved Mando in Season 1 – is a direct descendant of the Mandalorian Jedi who forged the Darksaber – and he wants his family heirloom back. The only way to get it (according to the culture!) is to duel for it. Mano ultimately wins that fight, but the Armorer’s ceremonial questions about maintaining the faith of “The Way” catch Mando on a serious technicality. 

Din Djarin is asked to vow that he has never taken off his helmet in the company of others – a promise he can no longer keep since he did so several times on the mission to save Grogu in Season 2. Straying from The Way comes at the price of Din Djarin being excommunicated from his clan. He’s left with a path to earn his way back in (more on that, below…)

New Ship – Who Dis? 

Mando lost his ship/mobile home The Razorcrest when Moff Gideon shot it to bits; in The Book of Boba Fett Mando gets a new ship from his old pal Peli Motto (Amy Sedaris). The ship in question is an N-1 Starfighter, the signature ship of the Royal Naboo Security Forces of Planet Naboo. Star Wars fans know the ship all too well as the same model a young Anakin Skywalker piloted to defeat the Trade Federation’s invasion of Naboo, in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. Mando and Motto give the ship some new upgrades, and the test flight is (as Mando describes it) “Wizard.” 

He may not be able to live in it, but Mando will have a sleek new ride going forward. 

New Quest 

The Book of Boba Fett gives Din Djarin plenty of new stuff to do. He sets out to go check on Grogu and deliver a Besark gift; he pledges to help Boba Fett and Fennec Shand in their fight (free of charge); and The Armorer tells him that the only way to earn his way back in the Mandalorian culture is redeem himself in the waters beneath the mines of Mandalore – mines which were all destroyed by the Empire in the Great Purge. 

The former two quests Mando is on will be wrapped up by the end of The Book of Boba Fett; however, the quest to earn his way back into Mandalorian culture (and potentially be its savior) will be the driving quest of The Mandalorian Season 3. 

The Mandalorian Seasons 1 – 2 and The Book of Boba Fett are now streaming on Disney+; The Mandalorian Season 3 is expected to arrive sometime later in 2022.