Episode 3 of The Mandalorian premiered this morning on Disney+, providing revelations about our hero's moral compass, the intentions of the imperial remnant after the bounty, and most importantly: Baby Yoda.
Titled "The Sin," the third installment of the 8-episode season opens with the titular Mandalorian (yet unnamed aside from the nickname "Mando") traveling in his Razor Crest gunship to deliver Baby Yoda (whose species and name remain unknown, aside from "the Asset," so "Baby Yoda" it is) to the imperial remnant (a.k.a. "the Client").
Quick facts we knew about Baby Yoda (the true protagonist of this series) coming into this episode:
- Baby Yoda is 50 years old but is still in his/her infancy given that the species is known in canon to live for roughly 900 years and ages very slowly.
- He is definitely "Force sensitive," as revealed at the climax of Episode 2.
- He is highly sought after by a mysterious group linked to the First Galactic Empire (which appears to have been existing in secret since the Empire was overthrown approximately 5 years before the events of The Mandalorian).
Popular fan theories about the possible origins and significance of Baby Yoda:
- Baby Yoda is the child of Yoda and Yaddle (the only other being of Yoda's species seen in Disney Star Wars canon, depicted briefly on screen as a member of the Jedi Council in the prequel trilogy).
- Baby Yoda is actually a clone of Yoda himself.
- Baby Yoda (and all members of the species) are actually born of and by the Force, not traditional methods of reproduction.
- Baby Yoda's Force-rich DNA will be extracted and potentially used to revive Emperor Palpatine, explaining the Sith Lord's anticipated return in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker set to release in theaters less than a month from today.
- Snoke is the true client seeking Baby Yoda for some reason, as it is confirmed The Mandalorian will explore the origins of the First Order.
- Baby Yoda is simply a random member of Yoda's species and a brilliant merchandising ploy.
So what do we learn in Episode 3?
First, let's discuss the title of the episode: "The Sin." In the first act of Episode 3, it would seem the "sin" is that Mando actually delivers Baby Yoda to the Client, accepts his enormous bounty in the form of Imperial-pressed Beskar steel, and bounces. Many fans didn't see that coming. Surely Mando would have formed too strong an attachment to Baby Yoda to betray him, especially considering Baby Yoda saved his life from a Mudhorn. However, the amount of Beskar paid for the delivery of Baby Yoda was insanely valuable (even in USD) and enough to complete and repair Mando's amor. Plus, we learn later that basically every bounty hunter in the parsec was after this bounty. Mando's delivery basically made him an instant celebrity (and target).
By the end of the episode, however, it seems the true sin is that of the Client. Mando eventually has a change of heart before leaving the planet on his next mission and returns to the Imperial hideout to rescue Baby Yoda. During the heist, it becomes clear that the Client intended to kill the cutie pie or at the very least it is heavily implied that Baby Yoda would be cloned or weaponized in some manner.
In my opinion, the real sin is that Baby Yoda doesn't get more screen time in this episode.
So what are the main takeaways? For one thing, Baby Yoda is definitely a child and is definitely male. That might seem like an obvious point, but many fans speculated the possibility that the 50-year-old bounty truly possessed the wisdom, perception, and knowledge of a 50-year-old but was simply trapped in a slowly aging body. Dr. Pershing (Omid Abtahi), a member of the Imperial remnant who wears the insignia from the cloning facility on Kamino, appears to have vast knowledge of the species and alien biology in general. When Mando comes to rescue Baby Yoda, Dr. Pershing first assumes that Mando is there to kill Baby Yoda and immediately begs, "Please don't hurt him. It's just a child."
Secondly, Baby Yoda is believed by the Empire to possess a "necessary material" which can be "extracted." Before raiding the Client's lair, Mando uses a tool on his rifle capable of picking up audio from long distances to spy on the imperials. He intercepts a conversation between Werner Herzog's character and Dr. Pershing, in which the former orders the doctor to "extract the necessary material and be done with it." Dr. Pershing protests, "He explicitly ordered us to bring it back alive." It's unclear who "He" is in this sentence, but perhaps this hints at the Palpatine and/or Snoke tie-ins that fans have theorized.
Finally, Baby Yoda is now, much like Mando, the parsec's most wanted. Escaping the planet with Baby Yoda basically forced Mando and his Mandalorian counterparts to wipe out a small village. I'm talking mass homicide. In a galaxy where news travels fast and hunting criminals seems to be a popular profession, there is no doubt that word of the events of Episode 3 will be widely known very soon. Moreover, the aforementioned conversation between Herzog's character and Dr. Pershing makes it clear that there is a bigger, more powerful baddie out there that seeks Baby Yoda.
Luckily for Baby Yoda, Mando is an extremely talented warrior, and Baby Yoda is now the most important being in his life. Mando not only mowed down (and disintegrated) countless people to protect Baby Yoda, he also endangered his fellow Mandalorians. Then again, perhaps Mando is lucky to have Baby Yoda. The 50-year-old infant has magical abilities that are sure to come in handy, and he shows a clear preference for Mando over anyone else. Perhaps Baby Yoda is intelligent enough to recognize that Mando is the only person in the galaxy trying to protect him or her. Or maybe Baby Yoda's Force abilities allow him or her to sense some larger significance or purpose that Mando will eventually fulfill in the big picture. In the end, Mando left with both Baby Yoda and his baller new chromed out amor, so I'd say it was a pretty solid day overall.
Release schedule for upcoming episodes of The Mandalorian
- Episode 4 - Friday, November 29
- Episode 5 - Friday, December 6
- Episode 6 - Friday, December 13
- Episode 7 - Wednesday, December 18
- Episode 8 - Friday, December 27