We waited a long time for The Mandalorian to return for its third season, but was it worth it? This proved to be a surprisingly divisive year for the Star Wars series, and with the spotlight shifting from Din Djarin to Bo-Katan Kryze, one that's created a lot of discussion online.
Overall, we'd argue that this was another win for the franchise. As well as resolving a story that began with the show's first episode in 2019, the series has set the stage for many more stories to come. Plus, it's hard not to enjoy spending time with these characters in this corner of the Galaxy Far, Far Away.
Despite that, we'd be lying to say every episode was perfect. In fact, there were some disappointing and controversial moments that left us scratching our heads, as well as some which saw us punching the air with joy. Which of these latest chapters was the best one, though?
To take a look through our ranking of The Mandalorian's season 3 episodes, click on the "Next" button below.
8. "Chapter 22: Guns for Hire"
On the one hand, there was fun to be had with Din Djarin and Bo-Katan Kryze's investigation into malfunctioning Imperial and Separatist droids. However, it was a little too simple to be truly compelling and there's no denying those cameos were more of a distraction than anything else.
Jack Black and Lizzo were clearly having fun, but letting famous fans lend their talents to The Mandalorian feels like a slippery slope. Christopher Lloyd really wasn't at his best here either, and despite an impactful final few moments regarding the rightful wielder of the Darksaber, this was more filler than killer.
7. "Chapter 19: The Convert"
The spotlight was taken off Din Djarin and Grogu far too early into the season when we paid a visit to Coruscant to catch up with Doctor Pershing and Elia Kane. Clearly an idea meant to be explored in Rangers of the New Republic, this was an interesting but unnecessary diversion.
Had it played out in that scrapped spin-off, it would have no doubt sat a little better with fans. Instead, the episode devoted far too much time to taking Pershing off the board, a development which didn't ultimately prove to be that important. At least the opening and closing moments were vital to the larger story being told.
6. "Chapter 18: The Mines of Mandalore"
It was a little disappointing to see Din Djarin so easily defeated beneath Mandalore's surface, but the fact he was later rescued by Bo-Katan was obviously crucial by the time "Guns for Hire" rolled around. We can't be too harsh on the episode, though, because there was a tonne of unforgettable moments to be found here.
Among them was R5-D4's return, a Bo-Katan/Grogu team-up, and the revelation that the legendary Mythosaur has returned. Jaw-dropping surprises like that are a big part of what makes The Mandalorian such an enjoyable experience for Star Wars fans, and this was an overall solid effort.
5. "Chapter 20: The Foundling"
This was a tough episode to find a place for because it was a real hit-and-miss effort. The story about Din, Bo-Katan, and Paz Vizsla teaming up to rescue the latter's son was fine. However, it wasn't anything extraordinary and the flashback to Grogu being saved on the night or Order 66 easily stole the show.
Revealing that Ahmed Best's Jedi Kelleran Beq was responsible for ferrying The Child away from the Jedi Temple, a big part of Grogu's history was filled in and more questions were raised about what happened before he eventually crossed paths with Din. Bo-Katan's exchange with The Armorer was also pretty great.
4. "Chapter 17: The Apostate"
The season premiere wasted no time in setting the tone, giving Din Djarin and Grogu a new mission and teasing the return of IG-11. That battle with the pirates was also a thrill, showing that sequences we only thought were possible in movies can now be accomplished on the small screen as well.
Rick Famuyiwa being at the helm of "The Apostate" guaranteed a strong start, and while we didn't know it at the time, that fateful meeting between Din and Bo-Katan would prove key to where the rest of this show went during its third batch of episodes. It's now The Mandalorian's best premiere but is still great.
3. "Chapter 23: The Spies"
This penultimate episode was a delight from start to finish, kicking off with the introduction of the Shadow Council and a sequence that set the stage for everything from Supreme Leader Snoke's creation to Grand Admiral Thrawn's return. "The Spies" would only get better from there too.
In one of the funniest moments in The Mandalorian's history, Grogu is gifted IG-11 as a means of transport and takes great delight in using its "Yes" and "No" buttons. We later wrapped things up with another return to Mandalore and a shocking sacrifice after Moff Gideon's Praetorian Guards were unleashed on poor Paz Vizsla.
2. "Chapter 21: The Pirate"
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse director Peter Ramsey made his Star Wars debut with this episode and delivered an edge-of-your-seat effort which saw Din Djarin and his fellow Mandalorians step up to protect Nevarro. A fun way to continue the story that kicked off in the premiere, it made for an exciting ride.
There were a few big character moments too, with Bo-Katan once again stealing the show in a season that often belonged more to her than it did Din. That proved to be far from a bad thing, though, and "The Pirate" even delivered one of its best cameos to date with the live-action debut of Zeb Orrelios.
1. "Chapter 24: The Return"
As finales go, we would have liked to add a few more minutes to this episode's runtime. Despite that, it was hard not to walk away satisfied, especially as Moff Gideon was finally defeated and we learned the truth behind his sinister cloning experiments, wrapping up a plot thread from the show's earliest days.
The action was epic, while important character beats were also prioritised. From Din and Grogu saving each other to the tear-jerking moment the latter is adopted as the bounty hunter's son, had this been a series finale, we'd have walked away happy. With that in mind, it stands out as the best episode of the season.