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Mar 15, 2023 · Season 3 Episode 3. Editor’s Rating **** « Previous Next » Photo: Disney+.
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- 5 min
- The Mandalorians take a backseat as the show reveals the dysfunction at the heart of the New Republic.
- The Mandalorian Season 3: Official Trailer #2 Screenshots
- What do you think happened to Moff Gideon?
- Verdict
- The Mandalorian Season 3, Episode 3 Review
- More Reviews by Samantha Nelson
- IGN\r Recommends
By Samantha Nelson
Updated: Mar 15, 2023 1:43 pm
Posted: Mar 15, 2023 1:32 pm
This review contains full spoilers for episode three of The Mandalorian Season 3, now available to watch on Disney+.
After the The Star Wars: Rangers of New Republic show set to feature Gina Carano’s Cara Dune was put on hold following Disney’s falling out with the actor, LucasFilm president Kathleen Kennedy said that ideas for the series might find a home in The Mandalorian. That promise seems like it has come to fruition in episode 3 of Season 3, which may disappoint fans who watch the show for its titular character but brings in some of the focus on broken systems and oppressive bureaucracy that worked so well in Andor. Din Djarin, Bo-Katan, and Grogu are barely in “The Convert,” which largely follows cloning scientist Doctor Pershing (Omid Abtahi) and his life on Coruscant as part of the New Republic’s amnesty program, providing a rich perspective on just how fragile the new government is.
“The Convert” kicks off immediately where Episode 2 left off, with Din waking up under the protective gaze of both Grogu and Bo-Katan. Seeing the Mythosaur in the living waters clearly stirred something in Bo-Katan, but she doesn’t seem quite ready to come to admit it, asking for validation that she didn’t imagine the legendary beast and then tabling the issue when she fails to get it.
While the episode doesn’t capture the truly oppressive horror of Andor’s systems, Pershing’s parole meetings with a droid make it clear just how badly the system is failing by focusing on protocol rather than taking the time to understand the real motivations of its people. It’s a critique reminiscent of the divide in The Good Place. The Bad Place may be literal bureaucratic hell, but the naivete of the Good Place is what allowed it to become ascendant.
Pershing is tempted to break from his dreary routine by Gideon’s former communications officer, Elia Kane (Katy O’Brian). They’re reunited at a gathering of other members of the amnesty program, reminiscing about the things they miss but shouldn’t. It feels like a more subdued version of the drink shared in the Imperial base in “The Believer,” a reminder of just how many people served the Empire and how challenging it is to separate those who had no choice from those who feel they did no wrong. There’s a bit of barb to the note that the Empire wouldn’t have let this many potential enemies congregate together that only becomes sharper at the episode’s resolution.
Elia works on Pershing slowly and patiently, taking him out to see a whimsical version of Coruscant filled with buskers, glowing ice pops, and polite but serious security droids. The city planet has always been one of Star Wars’ most visually impressive settings and it comes to life here in vibrant neon skyscrapers and trains that move through the air like giant eels. The lonely mountain peak Pershing tries to touch is a poignant look at the power of a civilization to bend the world to its will.
Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni are telling stories that don’t necessarily obey the standard expectations of what an episode of a given show should be.
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It’s clear early on that Elia’s motives aren’t what they seem to be, but it’s a wild ride to follow her plays. Seeing the world from Pershing’s perspective as he assumes everyone is suspicious of him contrasted with Elia’s casual way of breaking the rules builds tension and demonstrates just how much she’s in control of the situation. Pershing’s passivity makes it easier to believe he was really a big dupe, desperate to chase science regardless of who it really benefitted. I had assumed Elia was going for a longer play that would involve getting his research, but the actual outcome of the episode is even more harrowing, showing the way the New Republic’s law enforcement and rehabilitation system can be hijacked from the inside.
He escaped custody.
He’s in prison.
He’s dead.
Other (let us know in the comments)
But what actually happened to Gideon? There are a few theories bandied about by the amnesty program members which Elia stays mum on. Pershing’s speech at the beginning shows that the New Republic is proud of its successes so it seems like they would be eager to show off his capture and trial. If he has somehow escaped, it would make sense that he’d specifically target Bo-Katan given their history involving the Darksaber.
Just as The Book of Boba Fett turned into more of The Mandalorian, “The Convert” demonstrates that Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni are telling stories that don’t necessarily obey the standard expectations of what an episode of a given show should be. We’ll likely learn more soon what exactly this detour was setting up besides delivering a fascinating look at what’s happening in the corridors of Galactic power.
The Mandalorian feels more like Andor in “The Convert,” which heads to Coruscant for a gorgeous episode focused on world building and setting up the possible return of Moff Gideon. The action and show’s typical main characters might be limited to the episode’s bookends, but they still get to shine with a dramatic aerial battle and a reunion that pr...
Review scoring
great
The Mandalorian feels more like Andor in “The Convert,” which heads to Coruscant for a gorgeous episode focused on world building and setting up the possible return of Moff Gideon.
Samantha Nelson
S3-E3 was a protocol droid with masculine programming who served in the Galactic Republic's army during the Cold War, a conflict between the Sith Empire and the Republic. During the war he worked with the Republic Corps of Engineers, a branch of the army that specialized in mechanical maintenance.
- 2 min
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