‘The Mandalorian’ Season 3 Easter Egg Harks Back to ‘Return of the Jedi’

Season 3 of The Mandalorian is treating fans to several exciting Easter eggs and nods to the wider Star Wars universe. One particular Easter egg in Episode 5, “Chapter 21: The Pirate,” harks back to Return of the Jedi and features a creature that many fans will recognize. 

A familiar ‘Star Wars’ creature helps the Mandalorians during the battle with pirates on Nevarro

In The Mandalorian Season 3 episode, “The Pirate,” Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) convinces his tribe of Mandalorians to help defend Nevarro against the Pirate King Gorian Shard’s (Nonso Anozie) forces. With the promise of new land and homes, the bounty hunters team up to take down the pirates. 

During the battle, a creature in the trees — a group of whom were shot at for fun by Gorian Shard’s henchmen in the first episode of the season — helps the Mandalorians as they look for pirates. The creature points out where the enemies are hiding, and allows the Mandalorians to take them out swiftly. 

The Kowakian Monkey-Lizards seen in ‘The Mandalorian’ Season 3 first appeared in ‘Return of the Jedi’ 

The creatures seen helping the Mandalorians in The Mandalorian Season 3 are called Kowakian monkey lizards. They were first introduced in the 1983 film Return of the Jedi. 

In the movie, which stars Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford, a Kowakian monkey-lizard named Salacious B. Crumb serves as the jester to the infamous gangster Jabba the Hutt. Kowakian monkey lizards have since made appearances in other Star Wars media, including the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels.

According to the official Star Wars website, Kowakian monkey lizards are native to the planet Kowak, located on the Outer Rim of the galaxy. One of their most notable features is their distinctive laugh. The creatures emit a high-pitched cackle that is both annoying and endearing. They are often kept as pets by criminals and other shady characters.

However, in The Mandalorian, Kowakian monkey lizards seem to be free and faring well. This is probably because of Greef Karga’s initiative to make Nevarro a better place to live for everyone. 

‘The Mandalorian’ Season 3 is diving deeper into the story of Mandalore 

Season 3 of The Mandalorian has been full of surprises. Along with guest appearances from Jack Black, Lizzo, and Christopher Lloyd, the season has also introduced the Mythosaur — a fascinating creature central to the story of Mandalore and the Mandalorians. 

The Mythosaur was seen by Bo Katan Kryze when she helped Din Djarin out of the Living Waters of Mandalore. With the emergence of the Mythosaur and the Armoror’s (Emily Swallow) call to reunite all Mandalorian tribes, it looks like the show will continue diving deeper into Mandalore’s story. 

There’s still more left to Moff Gideon’s story. And there’s a chance fans will get to see him face off with Din Djarin again before the season ends. 

New episodes of The Mandalorian hit Disney+ on Wednesdays. The season finale will air on April 19.