When does The Mandalorian Season 3 take place? Star Wars timeline explained

❘ Updated: 2023-04-18T16:35:37

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When does The Mandalorian Season 3 take place? We’re about to say goodbye to Din and Grogu again, but when is the new season set in the Star Wars timeline? We’re here to break it down for you.

The chronology of Star Wars movies has never been simple. The first film hit cinemas in 1977, simply titled Star Wars. However, following its success and the release of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (Episode V), the studio allowed George Lucas to release the first film under a new title, as well as add Episode IV.

More than 45 years later, we’ve had sequels, prequels, spinoffs, and other shows in-between and beyond, whether it’s Rogue One, Andor, or Star Wars: Visions.

Trying to figure out the order of everything is enough to bring on a headache – so, from the earliest point in the Star Wars timeline to the most recent, let’s see where The Mandalorian takes place.

When does The Mandalorian Season 3 take place?

It’s believed The Mandalorian Season 3 takes place in 11 ABY, taking place around seven years after the events of The Return of the Jedi.

This means it takes place during the era of the New Republic, considered to be mostly peaceful – but the shadow of the Empire still looms over the galaxy, and it’ll eventually lead to the rise of the First Order.

Considering The Force Awakens is still decades away, it’s a particularly exciting stretch of time in the series, with the possibility of further appearances from Luke Skywalker (and the confirmed return of Ahsoka in her own show).

The Mandalorian Season 3: Star Wars timeline explained

There are a couple of abbreviations you need to know: BBY and ABY.

The former indicates the time period before the Battle of Yavin, the mission to blow up the Death Star seen in A New Hope, while the latter marks the years after the Battle of Yavin.

Where does The Mandalorian Season 3 fit in the Star Wars timeline?

We’ve made a comprehensive list of every canon Star Wars movie and TV show and their respective time periods below, from the earliest to the latest, including The Mandalorian Season 3.

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace – 32 BBY
Star Wars: Attack of the Clones – 22 BBY
The Clone Wars – 22 BBY-19 BBY
Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith – 19 BBY
The Bad Batch – 19 BBY
Solo: A Star Wars Story – 13 BBY-10 BBY
Obi-Wan Kenobi – 10 BBY
Andor – 5 BBY
Star Wars Rebels – 5 BBY-1 BBY
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story – 0 BBY
Star Wars: A New Hope – 0 BBY
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back – 3 ABY
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi – 4 ABY
The Mandalorian Season 1 – 9 ABY
The Mandalorian Season 2 – 9 ABY
The Book of Boba Fett – 11 ABY
The Mandalorian Season 3 – 12 ABY
Ahsoka – 12 ABY
Star Wars: The Force Awakens – 34 ABY
Star Wars: The Last Jedi – 34 ABY
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker – 35 ABY

Din Djarin found Grogu in 9 ABY, and they spent a year together before the Season 2 finale, in which Luke Skywalker whisked him away for Jedi training, and the father-and-son duo parted ways.

They reunited in The Book of Boba Fett, believed to take place two years after the events of the second season, with Grogu training for around a year before he decides to leave with Din.

That being said, Jon Favreau messed with the chronology a bit during an appearance on the Skytalkers podcast. “[Grogu] rescued and spent many years with The Mandalorian, went back with Luke [Skywalker], now he’s been two years apart from him, training,” he said.

The official synopsis for the new season reads: “The journeys of the Mandalorian through the Star Wars galaxy continue. Once a lone bounty hunter, Din Djarin has reunited with Grogu. Meanwhile, the New Republic struggles to lead the galaxy away from its dark history. The Mandalorian will cross paths with old allies and make new enemies as he and Grogu continue their journey together.”

The Mandalorian Season 3 Episodes 1-6 are available to stream now. Check out our other coverage below: