The Mandalorian Season 3's Place In The Star Wars Timeline - And Why It's Important

The third season of the Disney+ favorite "The Mandalorian" is full of ups and downs. The pace and some of the character decisions proved divisive among "Star Wars" fans, though the action and worldbuilding didn't disappoint by any means. Meanwhile, the season's placement in the overall "Star Wars" timeline has become a point of contention. As laid out by Dexerto, Season 1 took place during 8 ABY — after the Battle of Yavin — with the second season and "The Book of Boba Fett" picking up sometime during 10 ABY.

Thus, "The Mandalorian" Season 3 takes place somewhere in the neighborhood of 11 ABY, though series creator Jon Favreau is of a differing opinion. "[Grogu] rescued and spent many years with The Mandalorian, went back with Luke [Skywalker], now he's been two years apart from him, training," Favreau said of Grogu's journey from Season 1 to "The Book of Boba Fett" on the "Skytalkers" podcast. Going by his word, Season 3 would have to take place much further in the timeline than 11 ABY to account for Grogu's adventures with Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and training with Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill, Max Lloyd-Jones).

Regardless of the specifics, "The Mandalorian" Season 3 resides within a pivotal era in the "Star Wars" universe.

Being set after the fall of the Galactic Empire and before the rise of the First Order, "The Mandalorian" as a whole is an incredibly important project to the overall "Star Wars" timeline. In honoring the original trilogy and the events of those films, it also works to set up the sequel trilogy and flesh out some of its most important elements. The third season is no exception, giving fans updates on the post-OT world, planting the seeds for the ST, and making "The Mandalorian" even more must-see than it already is.

For instance, in the third season alone, we learn a lot about the New Republic and its struggles after the Battle of Endor. It's trying hard to escape the shadow of the Empire while foolishly downplaying the consolidation of Imperial remnant forces behind Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) — something the Disney+ series "Ahsoka" will dive further into. It also expands on Moff Gideon's (Giancarlo Esposito) interest in cloning, which could lead into Emperor Palpatine's resurrection via cloning in "Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker." We also see Praetorian guards, who famously protect First Order Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis).

As if the previous two seasons didn't drive the point home well enough, "The Mandalorian" Season 3 makes it abundantly clear that the series is essential viewing for those seeking as complete a "Star Wars" viewing experience as possible.