‘Star Wars: The Mandalorian’ S3: “The Convert”: Everything We Noticed
From new characters, to new programs, and a fresh new look at Coruscant, this week’s episode expanded the Galaxy a little more for viewers.
Usually, The Mandalorian feels a bit like a monster-of-the-week-style story. It’s still great and very enjoyable, but episode for episode we’re seeing a lot of Din Djarin‘s odd jobs and personal errands. So when an episode expands the galaxy a little for us, it’s an unexpected treat. And that’s exactly what episode 3, “The Covert” did.
As always, in order to break down the episode and point out the Easter Eggs, we will need to spoil large portions of the episode. If you haven’t watched it yet this week, proceed with caution.
TIE Interceptors
We saw some TIE Interceptors this week. In fact, we saw a whole lot of TIE Interceptors. They’re one of the Empire‘s favorite and well-known single pilot ships, after the TIE Fighters. And coincidently they’re one of the ships designed to be a little tougher than TIE Fighters, which are themselves about as tough as tissue paper.
At first, Bo Katan assumes that the Interceptors are sent by some holdover Imperial warlord. But she later points out that there are possibly too many TIE Interceptors for a warlord, implying a bigger and more organized presence behind this attack. This could be a foreshadowing of the reintroduction of Thrawn in Ahsoka, or proof that Moff Gideon is still out there and influential.
Bo-Katan Lost Another Home
As soon as they return to Bo-Katan’s palace from Mandalore, it is destroyed by the TIE Interceptors they encounter on the way. It’s sad symmetry that she left a former home that was destroyed by the Empire only to have her current home destroyed by the Empire the moment she discovered the former may be salvageable after all.
At the end of the episode though, she is welcomed into the Children of the Watch along with Din with open arms… for as long as she keeps her helmet on. I don’t see Bo-Katan falling into this group entirely like Din has, but it feels like she’s lost one home and gained–even if temporarily–a new one.
The Amnesty Program
We see Dr. Penn Pershing again, and now he is a member of the New Republic, speaking about how his science was used for evil with the Empire but now he’s ready to do not-evil work for the good guys. The whole thing is very reminiscent of scientists whose proximity to war crimes was overlooked post WWII because their work was valuable, and I wouldn’t be surprised if this Amnesty Program is meant to mirror our history on purpose.
Unfortunately, Pershing’s work for the New Republic mostly consists of adding old Imperial items to a database to later be destroyed. It’s boring, almost meaningless work that’s done from the same soul-crushing space cubicles we saw in Andor. Members of the Amnesty Program don’t even use their names but letter and number designations like clones or droids. His new work is literally useless and dehumanizing.
Plus, not everyone in the amnesty housing group might have the best of intentions. We meet former Imperial communications officer, Elia Kane, who we learn once worked for Moff Gideon. It’s something she and Pershing bond over as they become friends and she convinces him to break the rules in order to continue his work in order to help the New Republic.
In the end, she betrays him and makes sure that his mind is irreparably damaged. Most likely she is one of the “covert” characters in today’s episode and is still working for Moff Gideon, tying up loose ends and getting information from inside the New Republic.
What did you notice in this week’s episode of The Mandalorian? Did you enjoy spending so much time away from Din, Grogu, and their plotlines? Or do you prefer the Din heavy adventures? Let us know in the comments!
May The Force Be With You, Adventurers!
