«Mission to Mandalore: The Slow Introduction of «The Mandalorian» — Season 3 Begins»

The third season premiere of "The Mandalorian" allowed for a slow start, re-familiarizing viewers with the main characters and a few side characters while introducing a potential mission to the titular Mandalore. An odd aspect of Mandalorian tradition dictates that Din Djarin (voiced by Pedro Pascal) has been branded an apostate after he removed his helmet, prompting him to go to his home planet with the purpose of making amends.

On his mission to reunite Grogu, a.k.a. Baby Yoda, with the Jedi, Din Djarin must first make a few pitstops. Starting off with an energetic action sequence involving a colossal beast, he then visits his old ally Greef Karga (Carl Weathers) before heading over to Bo-Katan (Katee Sackhoff), who is baffled by Djarin's strict adherence to the Mandalorian code.

Jon Favreau was the scribe for this episode, which was filled with amusing snippets of comedy primarily featuring Grogu, who caused much amusement by assuming an alien was his pet and exploring the joys of a revolving chair. Although absent was Cara Dune due to Disney's decision to separate from the actor who played her, Gina Carano, due to her offensive social-media posts.

Given the previous seasons of “The Mandalorian” were driven by the central mission to find Grogu a home, the premier episode felt more relaxed in its storytelling. Luckily, with the expertise of Favreau and Filoni in drawing on the vast “Star Wars” collection including the recent films, "The Clone Wars" and "The Rebels", which is where Bo-Katan made her debut, the premiere was still able to gain traction.

Although Disney+ did not release the episode to journalists in advance, many still anticipated that the episode may feature a revelation or a shocker to top of the second season, like the major cameo that ended it.

In contrast to other season premieres from the "Star Wars" universe, "The Apostate" took a more calculated approach in setting the foundations for its plot. While fans anxiously awaited for a more energetic start, the episode instead opted for a more leisurely pace, allowing viewers to gain a better understanding of Mandalorian politics. This approach was fitting for the show's viewers, many of whom would be familiar with the dynamics of the series one year after the debut of "Book of Boba Fett", similar to how Grogu was comfortable with his situation.