Mandalorian timelines

As the final installment in the second season of “The Mandalorian” was released on Disney+ in late 2020, countless fans took to the internet searching for information about the future of the show. We’re not going to spoil the Mandalorian season finale for those who have yet to see it. It suffices to say that a surprise guest’s appearance both resolves and further complicates the main plot. Don’t worry, though, we haven’t seen the last of beskar-clad space cowboy.

Unfortunately, it’s going to be a while before we find out where Din Djarin’s story is headed. Jon Favreau – the creator of the series – announced that production on the Mandalorian season 3 will only commence after the completion of the spin-off titled “Book of Boba Fett”, which is teased in the post credits of the second season’s finale. The series following Boba Fett’s adventures is the third Mandalorian spin-off announced by Disney, in addition to “Ahsoka” and “Rangers of the New Republic”.

The appearance of these already established characters – Anakin’s former padawan and the heroic pilots flying New Republic colors – confer the Mandalorian series consistency in the otherwise complex and twisted chronology of the Star Wars universe. Naturally, the delightfully misbehaved 50 year old baby Grogu – the only other creature from Master Yoda’s species known to exist so far – and the vitriolic, Darth Vader-like Moff Gideon help complete the picture.

The cat and mouse game between Moff Gideon and Din Djarin who ends up looking after “baby Yoda” (we don’t learn Grogu’s real name until Chapter 13) takes place 5 years after the Empire crumbles, when Emperor Palpatine takes a deep dive down an elevator shaft. Palpatine’s demise is not the swansong of Sith, who re-emerge 25 years later in the shape of the First Order.

It’s worth noting here that the Star Wars universe has a Current Era / Before Current Era timekeeping system. Year 0 is marked by the Battle of Yavin, more commonly known as “that time when Luke made an impossible shot through the thermal exhaust port of the Deathstar and the planet-killer ship exploded”. Therefore, Din Djarin and Grogu’s journey are set in year 9 After the Battle of Yavin (ABY).

It is a time when the Rebel Alliance’s New Republic seem to hold all the cards. However, the Empire has not yet been completely defanged. Isolated pockets of Empire loyalists like Moff Gideon continue to probe for chinks in the New Republic’s armor and constantly hatch schemes that would allow tipping the scales of power. And let’s not forget about the various Mandalorian factions that have their own stakes in the conflict.

Unsurprisingly, the show also offers us various glimpses of Mandalore’s history as the main storyline’s events unfold. It is a history marked by war, foreign occupation and suffering that culminates with the eerily named event known as “The Purge”. Not a great deal is known about it, except that we’re talking about a mass extermination at the hands of the Empire that leaves most surviving Mandalorians with exile as their only option.

Some Mandalorians, however, like Bo-Katan Kryze – whom we also see in Star Wars: The Clone Wars – refuse to lay down their weapons until the shackles of the Empire are cast off and their proud warrior civilization is restored to its former glory. It’s likely that the spin-offs will shed more light on their story and personally, we can’t wait to see them!

About the Mandalorian Timelines

To celebrate the end of the second season for the multiple award-winning show, we have created two timelines showing both how the story arc fits with the movies and the major events in the history of the Mandalorians using Office Timeline. Office Timeline is a powerful yet easy-to-use PowerPoint add-in for project management that can create stellar visuals for your data in no time. Try out the free version or take advantage of the 14-day trial to explore the tool's premium edition, which comes with extra features for those who need more advanced applications.