Mandalorian S3 Returning Character Supports Bo-Katan Darksaber Theories

A set picture of The Mandalorian season 3 reveals that a character from season 2 is returning to show, and this could have implications not only for Din Djarin’s story but also for the Darksaber and Bo-Katan. With The Mandalorian season 3 still far away, there’s nothing left for audiences but to speculate about what the next chapters of Din Djarin’s story will be. After winning the Darksaber in combat at the end of The Mandalorian season 2, Din may now be heading toward a much greater challenge than he’s ever faced.

Audiences did get the chance to see what the Mandalorian has been doing in Book of Boba Fett, in a special appearance so significant that many jokingly called as The Mandalorian season 2.5. The biggest leap in the Mandalorian’s story was that he learned more about the Darksaber’s legacy from his encounter with The Armorer, and obviously the fact that he reconnected with Grogu. Even so, Mando’s future is still a great mystery.

A supporting character created exclusively for The Mandalorian and introduced as one of Bo-Katan’s right-hand people, Axe Woves, will be in The Mandalorian season 3. It all but confirms that Katee Sackhoff’s character will also return for the next season of the show. More than Bo-Katan’s return, the presence of the Nite Owls means that the plotline about who should wield Star Wars’ Darksaber and consequently rule Mandalore will continue in The Mandalorian season 3. Initially entirely unaware of Mandalore’s history except for what he had learned from the fanatical sect of Mandalorians that took him in, Din Djarin began to understand more of his people’s legacy upon encountering Bo-Katan in The Mandalorian season 2. It all became more complicated for Din when he won the Darksaber in combat against Moff Gideon, essentially being given the burden of being the ruler of Mandalore. While Bo-Katan has shown no resistance to Din wielding the Darksaber at the end of The Mandalorian season 2, it remains unclear whether the sister of the former ruler of Mandalore Duchess Satine will encourage Din to claim the throne or if she and her followers will oppose the bounty hunter.

The fact that Bo-Katan hasn’t been seen since The Mandalorian season 2 finale, having only been mentioned in The Book of Boba Fett, makes the Nite Owls’ plans even more difficult to predict. Bo-Katan mentioned at the end of The Mandalorian season 2 that Axe had returned for a mission in Mandalore, which indicates that their plans for Mandalore may already be in place. It’s worth noting that Bo-Katan has already experienced firsthand what being given the Darksaber can do to one’s pretensions to rule Mandalore, which means she has every reason to respect Din having won the artifact in combat. According to Mandalore’s belief, Bo-Katan accepting the Darksaber from Sabine and attempting to rule the planet may have been the cause of all the doom that befell what was once the most important world in the Outer Rim. More than respect for traditions, it would be interesting if Bo-Katan really believed that the Mandalorian Din Djarin would make a good ruler and pushed the Mandalorian to fulfill his destiny.

The legacy of the Darksaber is a complicated one, and the presence of Axe Woves and consequently of Bo-Katan and the Nite Owls indicates that this should be a central theme of The Mandalorian season 3. Once a show about a bounty hunter protecting a child, The Mandalorian quickly evolved into a crucial part of the Star Wars lore. How all of those themes play out will be discovered when The Mandalorian season 3 premieres.