“The Mandalorian” is a space Western TV series set in the Star Wars universe and centered around the Mandalorian Din Djarin, played by Pedro Pascal, as he slowly becomes a father-figure by protecting an alien child he found named Grogu.

The past two seasons have demonstrated a progression in the relationship between Grogu and The Mandalorian. Din moves on from his bounty hunting past to serve a grander purpose for the universe, and Grogu becomes more in tune with the force.

Through the many trials and tribulations this duo encounters during their escapades, they begin to form an almost inseparable bond with each other. Din even takes off his helmet, an action forbidden by the Mandalorian creed, to save Grogu from the empire.

The current season addresses the ramifications of that mission as Din, now labeled an apostate by the other Mandalorians in his coven, must venture to Mandalore and bathe in its pits to atone for his action. However, this is much easier said than done, as Mandalore is now a withered wasteland in the aftermath of war against the Empire.

This makes for a great season premise, as it puts Din’s dedication to the Mandalorian culture on center stage, shining even more light on his clan’s specific sect of the culture.

For new watchers, this is beneficial because it gives novel insight into “the Mandalorian” with fun callbacks to other widely beloved shows, like “Clone Wars” and “Rebels” for the more seasoned Star Wars fans.

Although only the first two episodes have aired, this season is already shaping up to be an exciting one, as both episodes have a distinct and unique direction. Episode one features Din venturing back to Nevarro to obtain a droid that will help him explore Mandalore and along the way, he reunites with Greef Karga, portrayed by Carl Urban.

Though some have critiqued this episode for being too slow and being “filler,” its relaxed pace allows the viewer to reimmerse themselves into this world and shifts the focus away from the plot and to the characters.

Directed by Rick Famuyiwa, this episode highlights how much Karga has grown as a person throughout the show.

Karga, a former leader of the bounty hunters’ guild, is now the magistrate for Nevarro, turning the once lawless and dangerous planet to a safer one centered around the community. In doing so, Karga has gone through a similar arc as Din, evolving beyond just a bounty hunter and becoming a leader with the responsibility of uniting an entire town.

The focus on a character’s personal journey is a direction shared by the second episode, a more action-packed one than the last. It puts a spotlight on Bo-Katan, a prevalent character in the “Clone Wars” who made her live-action debut last season, played by Katee Sackhoff. Katan’s main goal is to bring Mandalore back to its former glory, and although she initially loses faith in this aspiration, this episode shows her regaining hope while rescuing Din.

Episode two also features a stunning atmosphere as Din, Bo and Grogu explore Mandalore’s ruins and battle newly created enemies. Directed by Rachel Morrison, this episode is ripe with cosmic horror as our titular cast descend deeper into Mandalore, uncertain of what they’ll find.

All in all, the season is off to a promising start. With six more episodes to be released, the compelling narrative along with great character development seems to be ramping up, leaving fans at the edge of their seats every Wednesday evening.