The Mandalorian: A Familiar Face Is Missing From The Season 3 Intro

Everyone's favorite father-like bounty hunter is back on Disney+, with "The Mandalorian" Season 3 premiering last week. It's been nearly three years since Din Djarin aka Mando (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu parted ways in the Season 2 finale, so the premiere had a lot of catching up to do for general audiences. 

Season 3 opens with Mando and Grogu reuniting once again, saving a group of Mandalorians from a massive alligator-like creature. Afterward, the Armorer (Emily Swallow) reiterates her rejection of Djarin from their clan for removing his helmet. However, the latter found evidence of the existence of the Mines of Mandalore, signaling hope for his redemption. The premiere suggests that fans will see familiar faces in Season 3, as Mando relies on those who have helped him before. In the first episode alone, "The Mandalorian" features many returns, including Greef Karga (Carl Weathers), IG-11 (Taika Waititi), and Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff). "Star Wars" fans even got to experience the triumphant return of Babu Frik, making for a cuteness overload on the space Western. 

If one thing's clear, "The Mandalorian" is here to stay on Disney+, continuing the franchise's success on the streaming service. However, Lucasfilm made a slight change to the show's intro, something only eagle-eyed fans would notice. The official "Star Wars" intro, which plays before every series, features many of the franchise's most popular characters. With "The Mandalorian" Season 3, the lineup got a shake-up, leading to some notable characters getting excluded.

With the franchise's shift to streaming, Lucasfilm created an official "Star Wars" opening that played before every "Star Wars" series, showcasing important characters from its rich history. The original intro featured Darth Vader, BB-8, C-3PO, Kylo Ren, R2-D2, an X-Wing Pilot, a First Order Storm Trooper, and Mando himself, each lit up with either red or blue lights. 

However, determined "Star Wars" fans will notice a few changes in the opening of "The Mandalorian" Season 3. The new intro features Darth Vader, R2, Fennec Shand, a TIE pilot, Bo-Katan, IG-11, a Scout Trooper, the Armorer, and Mando, meaning that characters like Kylo Ren got axed. The change-up within the "Star Wars" lineup signifies a shift to characters that are more integral to "The Mandalorian" story. Mando has met R2, interacted with Fennec more than once, and taken on numerous TIE fighters, and Season 1 included that incredible scene featuring Scout Troopers. Although Vader has no connection to the show, the character is just too iconic not to include in the intro. 

While it makes sense that the introduction that plays before "The Mandalorian" would feature characters important to the show's story, Kylo Ren getting the boot is an interesting change. Lucasfilm infamously dropped the ball with "The Rise of Skywalker," leading to the company distancing itself from the entire Skywalker Saga. Does this intro change signify the official end for Kylo Ren and other characters from the sequels? Are they officially in "Star Wars" limbo, meaning fans will never see them on screen again? Realistically, the change is probably just to focus more on "The Mandalorian" story, but it won't stop fans from strapping on their tinfoil hats to theorize the worst.