Much of post-Empire life for Mandalorians is wrapped in secrecy. They had to hide from the Empire after the purge, and even now they still keep to themselves, forcing the Armorer and Paz Vizsla to make basecamps on space stations and in the sewers of Navarro.
But in The Mandalorian Season 3, the pair have moved to an unknown desert planet with some truly treacherous creatures. Two episodes have featured the same child get swept up by a gigantic beast, so it’s strange the group would choose to settle down here.
Just where is this planet, and why is it so dangerous? Lucasfilm may be silent on the matter, but that’s not going to stop us.
The Clues
Our first hint comes from the native creatures. The (probable) shriek-hawk seen in Episode 4 already exists in Star Wars canon, unlike the dinosaur turtle that ate it. However, it’s listed as indigenous to Mandalore. Why would a Mandalorian creature be present on a different planet?
The other clues are more general: the planet has sand, lakes, at least one sun, and plenty of rock crabs. It’s also probably not in an obvious place. It’s called a Mandalorian covert, not a Mandalorian overt.
Theory #1: It’s In Mandalore System
If that raptor creature really is a shriek-hawk, it may be a transplant from Mandalore. That doesn’t narrow it down much; while it would be easiest to transplant a screaming murder monster to a nearby planet, it’s not inconceivable to haul one across the whole galaxy. There may not be any planets in the Mandalore system that match this planet’s description, but that leaves any number of moons.
A location in the Mandalore system would, however, explain why Mando was able to easily divert his merry band’s route when they escaped from Mandalore. And it would make the inevitable return to Mandalore an easy commute. Sure, they’re trying to stay undercover, but no one wants a long-haul work trip either. A moon somewhere near Mandalore feels like the safest bet.
Theory #2: It’s Space Jurassic Park
This theory is more out there, but what if this planet is riddled with deadly creatures on purpose? If the Children of the Watch wanted to keep intruders out, monsters would certainly help. Sure, they’re getting attacked too, but they’re Mandalorians! They’re tough.
This isn’t a likely explanation, but it would be a fun one. The arrival of new and dangerous creatures every episode that work both for and against their Mandalorian neighbors would certainly shake up the formula. We could still be in the Mandalore system in this case, but we could also be a little ways away from it.
Theory #3: It’s Just Some Planet
Star Wars loves a curveball, so there’s always a chance that this planet is simply one we’ve never seen before. The galaxy is huge, countless planets have never been given the spotlight, and our heroes are trying to stay unobserved, so it would make sense for them to be nowhere near Mandalore. Don’t be shocked if someone just calls this place by a Star Wars-y name like Raxcor VII before the matter is dropped forever.
With Mando and Grogu on this mystery planet for at least one more episode, we still might learn its name. If not, it will simply be the Terrifying Monster Planet, and that’s okay too.
The Mandalorian is now streaming on Disney+.
