The Mandalorian season 3 trailer: 12 details and Easter eggs you may have missed
We break down the biggest Star Wars references in The Mandalorian season 3 trailer
A new trailer for The Mandalorian season 3 is here, and while it's filled with all the action, adventure, and adorable Baby Yoda moments that you'd expect, it's also packed with Star Wars references and Easter eggs.
We've broken down the 12 biggest details you might have missed here, with everything from the return of key planets to droid cameos to pore over for clues about The Mandalorian season 3.
Plot details on the new episodes are scarce at the moment, but it's clear that Din Djarin is headed to Mandalore to seek redemption, while he and Grogu have been reunited following The Book of Boba Fett.
So, for everything you might have missed in the new Mandalorian season 3 trailer, look no further than the below.
Salacious B. Crumb (Kowakian species)
In a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment, a strange looking creature is glimpsed in a tree. If it looks familiar, that's because it's a Kowakian – Salacious B. Crumb, a quirky resident of Jabba's palace in The Return of the Jedi, is of the same species.
R5-D4
In a few moments in the trailer, a red and white astromech can be spotted. This droid is in fact R5-D4, who malfunctioned while Luke Skywalker and Uncle Owen were checking out the droids for sale in A New Hope. That meant they purchased R2-D2 instead, and the rest is history.
Now, R5 hangs out with Peli Motto in her shop on Tatooine – though, the droid can also be seen in the pod of Din Djarin's starfighter, so it looks like it's off on an adventure in season 3.
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Tatooine
The return of Peli Motto also means we're going back to Tatooine in The Mandalorian season 3, the sandy desert planet that has been so significant in the Star Wars saga.
Order 66
We've already seen Order 66 through the eyes of Grogu during The Book of Boba Fett, but we'll be getting another look at the massacre in The Mandalorian season 3. Jedi are shown standing in front of a door in the Jedi Temple, which looks close to being blown open. Some people are even speculating that this moment could include an Anakin Skywalker cameo, considering he led the slaughter at the Temple.
It's possible we might finally discover who rescued Grogu from Order 66, too, as their identity has so far been a total mystery.
Force powers
A creature of some kind is seen jumping in front of Baby Yoda in a cave, but the fearsome being is soon blasted away by a particularly powerful Force-push from Grogu. Despite quitting his Jedi training, then, the Child is still strong in the Force.
Ruins of Mandalore
Din is going to Mandalore to seek forgiveness for removing his helmet, which means we'll be seeing the planet in live-action for the very first time. Judging by what's been shown so far, though, Mandalore is in a bad way: it looks to have been all-but destroyed by the Empire. Significantly, Din is the planet's rightful ruler after winning the Darksaber in combat, which Bo-Katan Kryze is not happy about.
TIE fighters
TIE fighters are in hot pursuit of Mando's silver starfighter. That means the Empire is most likely still seeking Grogu, though the relentless Moff Gideon has been absent from the trailers so far.
Doctor Pershing
Despite Gideon's absence, Doctor Pershing, who was previously experimenting with Baby Yoda's blood, is shown in the new footage. Ominously, his presence is revealed while a voiceover from Captain Teva warns of danger in the galaxy.
Coruscant
Pershing is travelling on Coruscant, the city-planet that features prominently in the Star Wars prequels and in Andor. It was the capital of the Republic and the Empire, though the New Republic did not resettle on the planet following the Empire's defeat.
Fighting Mandalorians
Multiple Mandalorians are seen fighting together in the trailer, but their enemy is hidden for now. We can hazard a guess that they're battling the Empire, though, especially considering the presence of TIE fighters in the new footage.
Babu Friks (Anzellans)
Babu Frik stole everyone's hearts in The Rise of Skywalker, and now more of his species, Anzellans, can be seen in The Mandalorian season 3 trailer. All together: hey hey!
Battle droids
Among visitors at a droid cantina are several battle droids. These featured prominently in the prequel trilogy and The Clone Wars animated TV show, and fought the Clone Wars on the Separatists' side. Here's hoping we'll hear that infamous "roger roger!" catchphrase once more.
Another droid in the cantina bears a striking resemblance to R2-D2, but the blue markings don't quite match up, so it's safe to assume it's merely a lookalike.
For everything else coming soon from the galaxy far, far away, check out our guide to all the upcoming Star Wars movies and Disney Plus TV shows.
I'm a Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering all things film and TV for the site's Total Film and SFX sections. I previously worked on the Disney magazines team at Immediate Media, and also wrote on the CBeebies, MEGA!, and Star Wars Galaxy titles after graduating with a BA in English.