Disney+’s Obi-Wan Kenobi takes place years earlier, but the series might provide world-building and lore integral to plot driving The Mandalorian.
Din Djarin’s current narrative surrounds not only his relationship with Grogu, but his place in Mandalorian history as the darksaber’s current owner. The darksaber, if won in combat, makes its wielder the Mand’alor–the ruler of all Mandalorians. This puts Mando in direct conflict with Bo-Katan Kryze, who once ruled Mandalore with the darksaber. Since losing both blade and planet, she wants the weapon and her throne back. In The Book of Boba Fett, the Armorer tells Mando that by claiming the throne even though the darksaber was given to her, and not won in combat, Bo-Katan cursed the planet: under her, Mandalore was destroyed by the Empire. Mando’s sect, The Children Of The Watch, only survived because they were sequestered on a moon of Mandalore called Concordia. The Armorer also reveals that Mand'alor Tarre Vizsla, creator of the darksaber, was both Mandalorian and Jedi.
Obi-Wan Kenobi Has A Huge Advantage Over Disney+'s Other Star Wars Shows
Unfortunately, there are still many crucial holes in the Armorer’s story. However, Ewan McGregor has hinted at the presence of flashbacks in the Obi-Wan series. Because Obi-Wan spends so much time among Mandalorians during the Clone Wars, his series provides an opportunity to reveal more about the Mandalorian history that has become one of the foundations for Din’s journey. As a result, Obi-Wan Kenobi can reveal several key details that could prove crucial in The Mandalorian season 3.
Obi-Wan spends time both before and during The Clone Wars on Mandalore, even falling in love with its ruler events of The Clone Wars could show how the sect began, and why they stayed on Concordia.
Since Obi-Wan is a Jedi and fought with Mandalorians against Mandalorians, the show could also explore the relationship between Mandalorians and Jedi–another unresolved source of tension in The Mandalorian. The Armorer additionally condemns not only Bo-Katan, but her whole family–"a mighty house" that "lost sight of the way." The Mandalorian does not disclose how House Kryze broke the Mandalorian Creed. So far, it has only shown Bo-Katan’s sins—whereas Satine loses sight of the way just as badly by turning her back on all Mandalorian tradition. Since Obi-Wan visits Satine and fights with her against the Death Watch, his series has the opportunity to show Mandalore under Satine’s rule–a point in the planet’s history so far only shown only in The Clone Wars. The stark contrast between Satine’s regime and what The Mandalorian depicts as “Mandalorian culture” would further raise the stakes in the conflict over what it means to be a Mandalorian–an issue that has haunted the series from its beginning and continues to grow more fraught. Obi-Wan Kenobi could therefore potentially not only set up part of the plot for The Mandalorian season 3, but its key themes and emotional conflict as well.
