The Mandalorian Season 3 finale is here, and it is time for everyone to see how the story of Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and the Mandalorians comes to a temporary close. “Chapter 24: The Return” is the eighth and final episode of season 3, picking up right after “Chapter 23,” where Moff Gideon’s (Giancarlo Esposito) Imperial forces capture Djarin. By having the episode begin here, the momentum remains the same as we are blasted straight into an exciting, action-packed finale that closes out an otherwise disappointing season.
Moff Gideon sends starfighters to attack the Mandalorian fleet as Djarin fights off his captors with the help of IG-12, controlled by Grogu. Perhaps the best aspect of this episode is how it finally depicts Djarin and Grogu working together, with Grogu using IG-12’s voice control to an endearing effect. This episode is thrilling partially because it finally puts Djarin back in the forefront. He has a fantastic action sequence with the help of R5, where he takes out several Imperial commandos two at a time. This is one of the strongest fight scenes in the series, but the episode has a few qualities that bring everything back.
The cinematography in this episode is dull. It doesn’t have any of the eye-catching vibrance a few of the other episodes in this season have had. While the show doesn’t look bad, it feels like director Rick Famuyiwa was limited to retaining the overall visual style of The Mandalorian, not bringing in a fresh perspective. Although the episode does an excellent job of cutting between the action going on with Djarin and Gideon and the other Mandalorians, there isn’t a lot of visual flair or ingenuity going into the large-scale action set pieces.
“Chapter 24” also shows how Gideon creates a Force-sensitive clone army, and Djarin kills them all. The moment where Bo-Katan leads the Mandalorians into battle with the Darksaber in hand is epic. The episode continues to build in excitement as Grogu takes on Praetorian guards. Bo-Katan takes over Djarin’s fight against Gideon, and Djarin saves Grogu from the guards as they team up against the guards. Finally, as the Mandalorian capital ship plunges into the underground base, Gideon is consumed by the explosion, which is somehow a weak death for a villain who has simultaneously existed for three seasons of the show and been miraculously absent for much of the new season. His death doesn’t give you the sense of victory as Emperor Palpatine’s did in Return of the Jedi. It happens, and it’s over.
In our happy ending, Djarin adopts Grogu and begins work for the New Republic. The episode is the strongest possible conclusion to a season doomed to fail. “Chapter 24” lacks the emotional resonance that the previous season finales have had. The Mandalorian Season 3 finale retains the issue with the entire season, prioritizing some exciting action over getting you emotionally invested in the characters and stakes. Ultimately, this is a solid conclusion to the season, but it disappoints compared to the strong first two seasons that made The Mandalorian the excellent show it could have become.
SCORE: 7/10
As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 7 equates to “Good.” A successful piece of entertainment that is worth checking out, but it may not appeal to everyone.
