Star Wars universe in major ways, and it will be interesting to see what turns the rest of the season takes.
The Mandalorian season 2, episode 3 sees Mando safely delivering his enger – the unnamed Frog Lady – to the watery moon of Trask. Mando connects with a group of local fishermen who promise to deliver him to other Mandalorians, only to double-cross him in an attempt to steal his beskar armor. Din and the Child are rescued however by a trio of fellow Mandalorians, led by fan-favorite and former Mandalore (the title for the leader of Mandalore), Bo-Katan Kryze. Mando helps Bo-Katan and her squad steal an Imperial cruiser full of weapons, which she intends to use in an eventual mission to retake Mandalore. In exchange, she tells Din where he can find a Jedi – specifically, Ahsoka Tano.
The Mandalorian season 2, episode 3 packs a ton of story and lore expansion into a relatively short runtime, and it ends with a lot of potential directions for the rest of the season. Details on the Imperial remnant and the split culture of different Mandalorian sects could be setting up some fascinating encounters later on. But even with so much revealed, “The Heiress” left more questions than answers.
Where Is Sabine Wren?
Fans of Sabine Wren, a key player in Rebels, could also make a comeback given the direction the show’s story is heading, but as of right now her whereabouts are unknown. Speculation that WWE star Sasha Banks would be playing Sabine in season 2 were also proven untrue in “The Heiress”, as Banks ended up playing a different Mandalorian at Bo-Katan’s side.
So where’s Sabine? She was last seen in canon heading off to the Unknown Regions with Ahsoka in search of the vanished Ezra Bridger. Ahsoka has apparently returned from that journey, according to Bo-Katan, but Sabine hasn’t yet been mentioned. The most likely scenario is that Sabine is working with Bo-Katan in the mission to retake Mandalore, and is simply stationed elsewhere in the galaxy with a different team. The two have allied before, and Bo-Katan’s apparent correspondence with Ahsoka suggests she would be in with Sabine as well.
Ezra’s whereabouts are less certain, however. Ahsoka’s return suggests that her mission to find him was either a conclusive success or failure. If she and Sabine failed to locate him in the uncharted regions of space, there’s no telling whether or not he’ll return, or when. If they found him though, that means there’s another Jedi in hiding somewhere in the galaxy – someone Ahsoka knows who could help with Baby Yoda, and in the fight against Gideon and the Imperial remnant.
How Many Mandalorians Are In Bo-Katan’s Faction?
Bo-Katan and her two Mandalorian comrades seem more than capable of handling bands of pirates and individual squads of Stormtroopers, but they won’t be enough to take on the full force of Gideon’s fleet. Given the Mandalorians’ secrecy, it would make sense if numerous other coverts loyal to Bo Katan existed across the galaxy, all gathering strength. But how many are there?
Mandalore has always been a powerful world, but recent history has seen their military might scattered numerous times. The differences between Mando and Death Watch’s code and that of Bo-Katan’s clan (like whether or not to remove their helmets) highlight the divisions that exist within the culture itself. If she successfully reclaims the Darksaber and reestablishes herself as Mandalore, she could pull more coverts out of hiding to her cause. But how close she is to achieving the necessary strength is unclear.
How Strong Is Moff Gideon’s Imperial Fleet?
The Mandalorian season 2, episode 3 featured the first appearance of Giancarlo Esposito’s Moff Gideon in season 2, albeit only via hologram. The captain of the Imperial cruiser attacked by the Mandalorians sought help from Gideon’s fleet, implying that they are both assembled nearby and of notably greater strength than previously shown. So many ships and Stormtroopers do they have?
It's unclear , but it seems likely we’ll all find out soon enough. Gideon and Bo Katan are clearly moving towards a duel for the Darksaber, and the New Republic could be involved too. Gideon's obsession with Baby Yoda means he and Din are likely to be caught right in the middle. Given recent rumors that Gideon could even have a Star Destroyer-level ship at the head of his force, it’ll take more than four fighters in beskar to take him down.
Where Was Ahsoka During The Original Trilogy?
Ahsoka Tano is alive and back from the Unknown Regions - at least, according to Bo-Katan. Her appearance in the series has been heavily rumored for months and hoped for by fans even longer. To say the least, her live-action debut can’t get here soon enough.
Obviously there are a lot of questions surrounding Ahsoka, but the biggest might simply be, where has she been? It hasn’t been revealed exactly when she got back from her journey to find Ezra, so it’s possible she only returned after the end of Return of the Jedi. Still, her presence resurrects an unfortunate plot hole – where was Ahsoka during the original trilogy? Going off into deep space in search of her friend was a convenient and relatively believable way to write her out of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, A New Hope, and beyond, but it still seems highly questionable that she would have missed both Death Stars, Luke Skywalker’s training, Darth Vader’s redemption, and everything else.
Ahsoka has always been a maverick. She divorced herself from the Jedi even before the Republic fell, and there are plenty of ways her prolonged absence can be better justified once she returns. As of now though, very little is known. Why hasn’t she reed her friends in the New Republic, and what is she up to? With luck, it won’t be long before all is revealed.
How Will Ahsoka Help Mando And Baby Yoda?
Another major question surrounds Ahsoka's role in The Mandalorian’s story. Din’s search for the Jedi is motivated by a vague sense of duty, but he doesn’t really understand what the Child is or the power he holds. Ahsoka will surely be able to provide answers, but that may not be all.
The natural assumption is that she could train Baby Yoda as a Jedi, but there are a few kinks in that theory. First, the Child seems far too young to begin any proper instruction, and it’s unclear how quickly that will change. Secondly, after all they’ve been through, it would take a lot for Din to surrender the Child to anyone who doesn’t fully trust. And of course, it’s possible that Ahsoka might have no interest in training the Child at all. Until Din finds her, Ahsoka’s role will remain a mystery.
Who Will Wield The Darksaber?
Bo-Katan wants to reunite the clans of Mandalore, and she needs the Darksaber to do it. That means that sooner or later, she’ll have to face off against Gideon directly. However, it’s not a guarantee that one or the other will end up with the weapon. In fact, there are a number of other characters who could wield the Darksaber.
Ahsoka is one of the clearest possibilities given her Force sensitivity and skill with the weapon, but as long as she still has her Star Wars Rebels blades, she doesn’t have much of a reason to use it. Baby Yoda is technically a Mandalorian now, and a promising Force , but he’s also too young to make much use of a lightsaber at the moment. Mando is possible, but his outside role in the Mandalorian hierarchy makes that doubtful as well. Of course, if Disney loves fun, they could always just give it to Boba Fett.
How Will Boba Fett Fit In With The Other Mandalorians?
Speaking of Boba Fett, the bounty hunter’s role in The Mandalorian might have gotten more complicated by the reveal of Bo-Katan’s faction. Will he the effort against Gideon? Could he once again become an ally to the Empire?
It’s hard to say, specifically because it’s still unknown what Boba Fett actually wants. He’s remained in hiding since his presumed death and hasn’t made a move to retake his armor, yet he seemed particularly interested in Mando on Tatooine. It’s also important to mention that Boba Fett’s own Mandalorian heritage is disputed at best. Jango Fett claimed heritage from Concord Dawn – a planet historically under Mandalorian rule - but officials of Mandalore disputed this claim during the Clone Wars. Boba Fett will remain an odd man out until more of his intentions become clear.
Will Din Djarin Stick To The Death Watch Code?
“The Heiress” finally answered one of The Mandalorian’s biggest lingering questions – why do Din and his original covert keep their helmets on when that was never an established rule in Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels? Bo-Katan reveals that the don’t-remove-your-helmet rule, and possibly other elements of Din’s code, were incorporated after the Purge by groups d with Death Watch. Death Watch is a prominent faction in Mandalorian society in the animated shows, and it makes sense that their rules would differ from a group like Bo-Katan’s.
So now that question becomes, will Mando abandon the Death Watch code? By the end of “The Heiress”, he seems to have accepted Bo-Katan Kryze and her group as true Mandalorians, but that doesn’t mean he’ll adopt their ways and walk around with his mask off. Whatever path he chooses, it should be interesting to see Din’s own personal arc evolve as becomes exposed to more and more elements of his culture through the rest of The Mandalorian.