The Mandalorian has been one of the most critically acclaimed Star Wars projects throughout the whole franchise. Season three has met a lot of criticism from critics and fans alike. While the show has gathered mixed views, the show still has gained its fair share of praise.

Season three of the show has certainly had its ups and downs and has suffered through the trope of “daily adventure.” For those who do not know what that trope is, essentially, it boils down to the Din Djarin, the main character, Grogu and a side character head to some distant planet on a mission. Upon heading to this planet, the three attempt to complete their goal, but end up running into another problem that they must solve in order to be able to complete their original goal. This formula is followed in a few episodes and with only eight episodes this season those “daily adventure” episodes drag down the quality of the entire season.

When the show stepped away from these sorts of episodes it excelled. The first three episodes of the season were excellent. They expanded the story from right where season two left off. The episodes also answered questions that went unanswered with Greef Karga and his storyline, while also explaining Din and Bo-Katan Kryze’s perspectives on what should be done with their home planet of Mandalore. These episodes even address questions left unanswered from previous Star Wars shows.

One of the most controversial episodes of the show was Chapter 19: The Convert. This episode focused on Dr. Penn Pershing who was an integral part of the first two seasons and Elia Kane who was more of a background character in the first two season. It showed them adapting to their new lives as Amnesty Officers for the New Republic after deserting the Imperial Remnant. Din Djarin and the rest of the Mandalorians did not appear much, and this is where most of the controversy comes from. Fans and critics say that this episode did not feel like a Mandalorian episode. I would agree; however, that does not mean it is not a good episode. This episode expands our knowledge about the New Republic, which we were unaware of until The Mandalorian premiered. Fans of the show gain insight into what the New Republic was doing and why it would eventually fall later in the franchise. The short scenes we got with Din Djarin and his covert are also excellent and they are integral to what is set up for the rest of the season.

The next three episodes of the series are fine. They fall back into the trope discussed earlier but do have some amazing moments such as the moment when we got to see who rescued Grogu from the Jedi temple during order 66, and how it was accomplished.

The biggest problem in this whole season was that even hard-core fans had an issue with Chapter 22: Guns for Hire. This episode is not bad per say, but it is completely unnecessary and is basically just an episode for famous cameos. Jack Black, Lizzo, and Christopher Lloyd are the big cameos. These actors are extremely fun in their roles, but the episode just never needed to happen. The whole conflict in this episode could have been avoided with just some logical thinking. Instead of having this strange episode, it could have been used to tell a more important story for the overall arc of the season.

The last two episodes of season three are incredible. They finally head back to Mandalore after Bo-Katan Kryze unites the fractured Mandalorians. They take on what seemed to be such an easy task because Mandore had been claimed to be uninhabited. Chapter 23 leaves off on such a sad cliffhanger moment which going into the final episode the expectations were sky high. The episode did not disappoint with many things’ fans had been waiting to see where shown. Grogu uses the force to save Din and Bo, the duel between Bo and the villain Moff Gideon, and the reclaiming of Mandalore for the Mandalorians all took place. It was such a beautifully crafted final episode, but the actual final shot left many fans confused. It ends with Din and Grogu sitting in a house in which they are gifted by Greef, just relaxing. The confusing bit about the final shot is that it feels much more like a series finale than a season finale, but with season four confirmed and the Ashoka show on the horizon, it is certainly not the last time we will be seeing Din and Grogu.

Overall, season three was not nearly as good as the first two seasons, but it certainly added a lot to the overall Mando-Verse story.