A former ally returns in The Mandalorian season 3 premiere

Warning: This story contains spoilers for the season 3 premiere episode of The Mandalorian.

The Mandalorian season 3 premiere found Mando and Grogu reuniting with an old friend — or is that an old enemy?

Everyone's favorite space dad and his tiny green, Force-sensitive son are back, as The Mandalorian returned for its third season on Disney+. The season 2 finale aired way back in December 2020 — but Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu made a surprise appearance in The Book of Boba Fett, reuniting after Grogu abandoned his Jedi training to spend more time with his helmeted pops. Now, the pair are officially back together, and the premiere episode had them setting off on a new quest.

Show creators Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni had previously teased that much of season 3 would focus on Mandalore, the legendary planet that was destroyed by the Empire, and that trajectory was in full-force in the premiere. After conferring with the cryptic Armorer (Emily Swallow), Din vowed to return to his home world, hoping that if he bathed in the living waters of Mandalore, he would be forgiven for his past sins. (Specifically, he's looking to be redeemed for the times he's removed his helmet, violating the Mandalorian creed.)

There's only one problem: Mandalore is a dangerous place with a potentially toxic atmosphere, and no one's quite sure if it's even safe to visit. So, Din decides to recruit an old friend for help — one who doesn't have to bother with breathing.

That's right: We're going back to Nevarro! Din and Grogu returned to the planet they once helped save, where Carl Weathers' Greef Karga is now ruling as magistrate. (Or, as he'll quickly remind you, that's high magistrate to you.) Specifically, they wanted his help reconstructing IG-11, the quirky assassin-droid-turned-protector voiced by Taika Waititi. IG-11 sacrificed himself way back in season 1, helping to protect the city and aid in Grogu's escape. His remaining parts were used to construct a statue on Nevarro, and Din uses those parts to try to bring back the only droid he's ever trusted.

Still, IG-11 remains damaged, and when Din revived him, the droid reverted to his original programming as a ruthless bounty hunter desperate to capture Grogu. (Waititi also returned to voice him.) Needing help, Din ends up turning to a group of Anzellan droid smiths, who inform him that the only way to get his friend back is to track down a specific part. (We've met Anzellan droid workers before, the most famous one being Babu Frik from The Rise of Skywalker. Hey hey!)

The episode ends with Din and Grogu setting out for Mandalore (without a sullen Bo-Katan), while also trying to track down the correct chip. It remains to be seen whether they'll be successful, but either way, it's a surprising return for a character long thought to be dead. Sometimes, the dead really do speak.

For more Mandalorian coverage, check out EW's Star Wars podcast Dagobah Dispatch, where every week, we'll be breaking down the new episodes and bringing you exclusive interviews with the cast and creators.

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