The Mandalorian Season 3 Trailer Breakdown: Atonement Never Looked This Good

It may not have been that long since Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his little green ward, Grogu, last graced our screens, but time certainly moves differently when you're a "Star Wars" fan — and that's especially true for those who've been waiting for the third season of "The Mandalorian." After what's felt like months of teasing and speculation, Lucasfilm has dropped the full-length trailer for the new season, along with its official release date and the following synopsis:

The journeys of the Mandalorian through the Star Wars galaxy continue. Once a lone bounty hunter, Din Djarin has reunited with Grogu. Meanwhile, the New Republic struggles to lead the galaxy away from its dark history. The Mandalorian will cross paths with old allies and make new enemies as he and Grogu continue their journey together.

Though fans will have to wait just a little bit longer for the premiere, there's plenty in the new trailer to speculate over until that fateful day arrives. With that in mind, let's break down the references, new developments, and characters that feature in the latest "Mandalorian" trailer.

When we last saw Din Djarin, the bounty hunter had effectively been stripped of his Mandalorian title for daring to remove his helmet a bunch of times. After winning the Darksaber in the second season of "The Mandalorian" — and reuniting with Grogu in "The Book of Boba Fett" — Din is setting off to redeem himself. Not only will he be making a pilgrimage to Mandalore this season, but he seems to be forming a larger clan than just himself and Grogu.

"Our people are scattered like stars in the galaxy," Din says, as he and a group of Mandalorians — all decked out in mismatching armor — travel across a desert planet. Din has clearly been busy since the events of "Book of Boba Fett," and he seems to be testing out the responsibility of leadership, at least on a smaller scale. Taking on a group of foundlings could be just one of the ways that Din plans to atone for all his Mandalorian sins. Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) holds Din's "cult," The Children of the Watch, at least partially responsible for the downfall of Mandalore: though she's not present in this trailer, she does say as much in the season 3 teaser. If Din took her words to heart, he might be working to restore Mandalore — but first, he has to come to terms with what it really means to be a Mandalorian.

As Din waxes poetic about the true responsibility of his creed, the trailer features him traveling across the galaxy, reuniting with old allies like Greef Karga (Carl Weathers) and even the Armorer (Emily Swallow). He tells the latter of his plan to head to Mandalore, "so that I may be forgiven for my transgressions." Pretty heavy stuff — it's a good thing Peli Motto (Amy Sedaris) is around to lighten to mood a bit.

While "The Mandalorian" is going to feature a whole lot of Mandalore in its third season, the series will also be returning (however briefly) to Coruscant. The trailer teases the return of Doctor Pershing (Omid Abtahi), a member of the Imperial remnant that experimented on Grogu way back in season 1. What he's doing in Coruscant is anyone's guess, but it's clear that the Empire is trying hard to rise again.

Paul Sun-Hyung Lee's New Republic Captain Carson Teva also pops up to deliver a warning. "There's something dangerous out there," he says — maybe to Din, maybe not. "By the time it becomes big enough for you to act, it will be too late." Paired with another flashback to Grogu's rescue in the Jedi Temple during Order 66 — this time defended by a group of Jedi! — and Din recovering the helmet of a fallen Mandalorian, things are looking a bit bleak for our clan of two.

With Din's very own, very personal quest underway, it's likely he won't have time to combat the very real threat that the Empire (or, more appropriately, the First Order) poses to the New Republic. Fortunately, it seems like familiar group of Mandalorians are returning in full force. Fans of "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" are in for a treat with the return of The Death Watch, the terrorist group that Bo-Katan briefly led during the fall of the Republic.

This time around, Death Watch seems to be sticking up for the little guys — namely a group of Anzellans hiding from a band of pirates. What's more, Paz Vizsla (voiced by series creator Jon Favreau) seems to be following in his family's footsteps and fighting with them instead of The Children of the Watch. The last time Paz popped up, he was gunning for the Darksaber, a weapon that he believed was his birthright. Though he lost his duel with Din in "The Book of Boba Fett," he's probably not going to give up his ancestral claim so easily. With the Death Watch on his side, things are probably going to get even more complicated for Din.

Grogu lovers may be a bit sad to hear that there isn't a whole lot of the little guy in the new trailer. He and Din do share a few heartwarming moments as they zoom across the galaxy in Din's souped-up starfighter. But with Din's new responsibilities as a potential leader of Mandalore, Grogu's going to have to fend for himself a bit more. Those who skipped "The Book of Boba Fett" will have missed Grogu's training under the tutelage of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill... kind of) — and though he didn't stick around long enough to learn all the Jedi basics, it seems that he's picked up enough skill to defend himself with the Force.

The "Mandalorian" trailer ends with Grogu trekking through a cave alone in his floating crib, only to be stopped by an axe-wielding warrior. Unsurprisingly, he's no match for Grogu, who uses the Force to throw him back with ease. Hopefully this is but a taste of Grogu's newly unlocked power, and this new season will prove just how powerful he (and Din) can become — together, and apart.

The third season of "The Mandalorian" premieres on March 1, 2023, on Disney+.