TEMPLE, Texas — Spoiler warning, this review does contain spoilers for season three of "The Mandalorian"
Put on your Beskar armor and remind yourself to say "Grogu" instead of "Baby Yoda", because the next installment of Disney+'s hit Star Wars show "The Mandalorian" is now fully out on streaming.
"The Mandalorian"'s first season was an instant sensation that has since spawned a whole host of Disney+ Star Wars series, and the second season raised the stakes even higher while tying in numerous plot threads from other Star Wars shows, movies and even books.
So how does season three compare?
Well, sadly it never quite lives up to the highs of the previous seasons. There is still plenty for fans to enjoy, from bombastic actions scenes to effective emotional beats, but uneven pacing and a lack of an overarching plot to tie the episodes together drag the season down from the heights of its predecessors.
Problems that were present but possible to overlook in previous seasons seem to be exacerbated in this one.
First and foremost, the main issue with the new season is that there is not nearly as strong of an overarching narrative to tie the season together. While the previous two seasons also featured many episodes that served as diversions from the main plot, there was always the primary quest of taking Grogu to the Jedi to keep everything connected.
The character of Pedro Pascal's titular Mandalorian fits perfectly into the "wandering cowboy" type trope that bounces from adventure to adventure, but in this case many of he and Grogu's exploits come across more like side-quests than stops on a grand journey. It almost seems as if the show isn't quite sure what to do with itself after wrapping up season two so neatly.
For example, one early episode hardly even features the series' lead characters at all, instead focusing on a sub-plot involving two minor antagonists from previous seasons navigating the underbelly of the New Republic government. As a self-contained one-off, the acting performances and final plot twist of the episode actually make it one of the stronger in the series, but in the middle of an otherwise loosely-connected season it may come off as a strange departure for some fans.
The writing of season three at times is arguably the weakest in the series, with certain plot threads falling by the wayside through the season while others, like the mystery of Moff Gideon's fate after season two, not being given nearly enough screen time.
Characters often have to resort to long exposition dumps to explain the backstory of a new character, planet or other important detail, which is a necessity in a universe with such rich lore but still occasionally sounds clunky or (no pun intended) forced, even compared to previous seasons.
Not to say that the entire season is poorly written, as there are bits of phenomenal writing on display such as in the more down-to-earth, human story of Episode 3 or the emotionally charged finale in Episode 8, which without getting into too many spoilers truly feels like a satisfying conclusion for many different story arcs.
Other than just dwelling on the negatives, there is still a lot for fans to enjoy in the new season. Secondary characters like Bo-Katan and Greef Karga are given more development and more time to shine, and the season is packed with cameos such as Jar-Jar Binks actor Ahmed Best returning as the Jedi who saved Grogu from Order 66.
Granted, some of these cameos can be a bit distracting when you realize who it is, but everyone is clearly having a great time in their respective roles.
Later episodes take the type of action that worked so well in previous seasons and ratchet it up even more into some of the biggest action sequences in the show so far, with an explosive Episode 5 bringing the season back to form after an uneven first half, and a two-part finale that is almost enough to save the entire season. Almost.
The final two episodes finally take the fight back to Mandalore for the battle the entire season was (or should have been) building towards, and they do not disappoint.
Stunning visuals, tight direction and a scale that is both massive and personal at the same time come together in action sequences that are stunning to look at and, simply put, are just a blast to watch.
Giancarlo Esposito's foreshadowed return as the villainous Moff Gideon gives him a chance to fully unleash his inner Darth Vader, becoming even more ruthless and an even bigger physical threat than ever before. It is almost a shame he takes so long to appear, as the series has a tougher time holding together in his absence.
Ultimately, the third season of "The Mandalorian" never quite lives up to the strengths of the seasons that came before it, and is held back by a meandering story and uneven tone, but comes back for an epic finale that is well worth making it through the rest of the season for.
The high points are high, but the low points do hold the season back from matching the series' first two installments.
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