The Mandalorian’sthird season has so far stuck to the formula. No complaints there. This campaign has featured a lot of action, advancement of the characters, and deeper digging into the nearly 50-year-old Star Wars lore. We even got an oh-so-brief andmurky glimpseof the beast behind the iconic Mandalorian symbol. In other words, so far, so good. But like any good show,The Mandalorianwas due to deviate from “the way” at least once. It did just that in season 3, episode 3, “The Convert.”
The previous episode, “The Mines of Mandalore,” sawBo Katan Kryzeswoop in and save Din Djarin from a creature-droid just as it started harvesting the latter’s blood. The pair then teamed up to get Djarin to the Living Waters to redeem himself and enter the ranks of the Mandalorian once again. Djarin stepped in, then dropped off and sank like a stone, only to be pulled out by Bo Katan, whose eyes met a pair a great deal larger on the way back up; those of the vaunted Mythosaur. “The Convert” picks up moments after Djarin and Bo Katan breach the surface of the Living Waters. Here’s a recap of the episode.
Escaping Mandalore
Din Djarin and Bo Katan Kryze both lie on their backs after narrowly escaping drowning in the Living Waters. Bo Katan asks Djarin what he saw in his plunge to the bottom and if he saw anything living. Djarin takes a small vial ofthe Living Watersto offer as proof of his redemption. Then, taking off in Bo Katan’s ship and leaving Mandalore’s atmosphere, the pair are attacked by a squadron of TIE Interceptors, relentlessly firing on them. Bo Katan reveals that she might have angered some Imperial warlords in the past.
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The ship almost reaches the surface of Bo Katan’s adopted home planet of Kalevala, where Djarin skydives out of her ship and rockets safely to his own. He takes off just ahead of a heavy blast from one of the TIEs. Djarin cruises straight up into the sky and dive-bombs straight down, destroying the enemy ship. Meanwhile, Bo Katan is on a high-speed chase through a narrow series of canyons and cliffs with the remaining TIEs on her tail. A team of bomber ships are next seen reducing her home to rubble as a dozen more TIEs scream into view. Realizing they’re outmatched, the pair fly off and jump to light speed.
A Familiar Face
The next scene doesn’t bring us to the landing spot of Din Djarin and Bo Katan Kryze but that of Dr. Penn Pershing. We last saw Pershing in the service of “The Client,” the man who put the original bounty on Grogu, as well asMoff Gideon. For the latter, Pershing conducted experiments onGrogu, earning him instant hate from fans of the series. This time, we meet him on Coruscant, the Galaxy’s central hub, speaking before a massive crowd about his cloning work and how his days as an Imperial errand boy are over.
Pershing has entered the Amnesty Program, looking to be of service to the New Republic. He is assigned and referred to by a number instead of his name. He has a fateful drink with fellow amnesty seekers, including former Gideon goon Elia Kane, commiserating over the few good things about serving the Empire. Pershing admits to missing Imperial travel biscuits. Later that night, his doorbell rings, but no one is there when he opens the door, but waiting for him is a box of the Imperial food he had mentioned.
By day Pershing works at a tedious and repetitive job filing away archives but tours the sights of Coruscant by night with Kane. She encourages Pershing to pursue his cloning work once again. In a meeting with what can be best described as a probation droid, Pershing asks if his cloning work would be permissible. It would not, according to the Coruscant Accords. Kane tells Pershing she can get equipment to perform his work again, but they would have to violate their assigned perimeter.
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His cubicle gig eating away at him, Pershing agrees to Kane’s terms. They jump a train heading off to the salvage yards, evading a lumbering Terminator-like ticket droid. The pair arrive at a very familiar Star Wars sight; a decommissioned Star Destroyer scheduled to be scrapped. They enter the depths of the relic, finding all the equipment Pershing needs. They make their way out only to be greeted by the spotlights of the Coruscant police ship and officers who promptly arrest Pershing and let Kane go as she sets up the arrest. Pershing is later hooked up to a mind flayer, a memory-wiping torture device employed by the Empire. He’s assured a low “dose” will be administered, only for Kane to crank up the dial to full power while casually taking a bit of an Imperial travel biscuit.
Back in the Fold
We cut to Djarin and Bo Katan arriving at the adopted Mandalorian planet from episode one. They convince the guards to let them in, as they have bathed in the Living Waters and have proof. Djarin presents the Armorer with his vial of the water, which she determines to be genuine. She readmits both Djarin and Bo Katan back into the order of the Mandalorian. The episode ends with a shot of a metal Mythosaur skull mounted on the wall.
The prime objective of Djarin coming into this season was to be redeemed and to shed his apostate label. Now that that has been accomplished, where will the Mandalorian go next? Episode four ofThe Mandalorianwill stream on Disney+ on Mar. 22.
