This season 3 episode ofThe Mandalorianhas been unpopular since it was first released, which is surprising given how much it has in common with the fan-favoriteStar WarsTV show,Star Wars: The Clone Wars.The Mandalorianis largely considered one ofStar Wars’best TV shows, and its lead characters, Din Djarin and Grogu, are amongStar Wars’best characters. This popularity has no doubt contributed to Lucasfilm’s decision to makeThe Mandalorian and Groguthe next to be released ofStar Wars’upcoming movies.
Yet,The Mandalorianhasn’t had a 100% success rate. On the contrary, there have been a few episodes that received backlash or intense criticism, and season 3 continues to be viewed asthe worst season ofThe Mandalorian.One episode from season 3 is the least liked of allThe Mandalorianepisodes, but I believe it’s not as bad as the episode’s scores would have you think.
Guns For Hire Is The Mandalorian Season 3’s Lowest-Rated Episode
Per IMDB, This Mandalorian Episode Is The Worst Rated—By A Lot
The Mandalorianseason 3, episode 6, “Guns for Hire,” is the lowest-ratedMandalorianepisode, according toThe Mandalorian’sIMDB page. Notably, this episode was the one that included massive celebrity cameos—something that is admittedly out of the ordinary forStar Warsmovies and TV shows—from Lizzo, Christopher Lloyd, and Jack Black. For many, this was a major factor in their dislike of the episode, which is reflected in the currently shockingly low 6.4/10 IMDB score for “Guns for Hire.”
8.6/10
8.5/10
8.9/10
7.7/10
7.5/10
8.3/10
9.0/10
9.2/10
8.8/10
7.8/10
8.7/10
9.3/10
9.1/10
9.8/10
7.4/10
Season 3, Episode 2, “The Mines of Mandalore”
8.2/10
7.0/10
7.6/10
8.1/10
Season 3, Episode 6, “Guns for Hire”
6.4/10
Season 3, Episode 8, “The Return”
8.4/10
Some viewers argued that seeing such major stars inThe Mandaloriantook them out of the galaxy and felt like too big a departure from whatStar Warshad done in the past. Others pointed to the slow plot and lack of action or excitement as reasons for disliking the episode, and many also cited tonal continuity issues not only with the largerStar Warsfranchise but also withThe Mandalorianitself. While these aren’t unfair arguments,I remain surprised that this episode didn’t land better with audiences, as it is so reminiscent ofThe Clone Wars.
This Episode Felt Like Something Straight Out Of The Clone Wars
The Off-Beat, Unexpected Tone Of The Episode Was Exactly Like The Clone Wars
While the tone and the cameos in “Guns for Hire” were legitimately out of the ordinary forThe Mandalorian, the playful oddities of this episode also felt like they were straight out ofThe Clone Wars. Particularly given the sheer number of episodes ofThe Clone Wars,there were plenty of arcs, typically three-episode arcs, inThe Clone Warsthat went off in their own directionand weren’t exactly tied to the show’s main narrative.
The playful oddities of this episode also felt like they were straight out ofThe Clone Wars.
Among these arcs are the episodes in which Ahsoka Tano, Anakin Skywalker, and Obi-Wan Kenobi become involved with the Zygerrian slave trade, with Ahsoka even posing as a slave being sold by Anakin (ironic given his own traumatic history). There was also an arc in which a defecting clone was revealed to have a secret family, and, arguably, eventhe Mortis Godsarc inThe Clone Warswas unusual compared to most of the show. Sure, that may pale in comparison to how jarring it was to see Jack Black inStar Wars, but, tonally, there’s a connection.
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The Mandalorianis aware of those similarities, as"Guns for Hire" has several direct connections toThe Clone Wars. For one, the episode includes Separatists and battle droids, among them the type used by Separatists throughout the Clone Wars. In the episode, Bo-Katan also directly references the Clone Wars, and, most surprisingly, Count Dooku himself is named dropped in this episode, with Christopher Lloyd’s character, Commissioner Helgait, saying,“Count Dooku was a visionary.”
Guns For Hire Wasn’t Perfect, But It Was Still Pure Star Wars Fun
It Is Far From The Mandalorian’s Most Serious Episode, But That Doesn’t Make It Bad
In addition to “Guns for Hire” sharing these themes and a side quest style similar toThe Clone Wars, the episode was simply fun to watch. If one can forgive and embrace the major cameos, the characters become much more enjoyable, and they become less distracting. The episode also has a bit of fun withThe Mandalorian’smain characters, including by having Grogu get knighted by Lizzo’s character, the Duchess of Plazir-15.
It’s fair to say that “Guns for Hire” is notThe Mandalorian’sstrongest episode, and the show’s other episode ratings on IMDB make that clear enough. However, the episode also didn’t deserve all the hate and backlash it got at the time and continues to get even now. For my part, I don’t believe this episode ofThe Mandalorianis as bad as the IMDB score suggests—especially because of its connections toStar Wars: The Clone Wars.
The Mandalorian
Cast
Released on August 05, 2025 The Mandalorian follows a lone gunfighter navigating the galaxy’s outer reaches after the Galactic Empire’s fall. As a skilled bounty hunter, he operates in a lawless universe, undertaking various missions on the fringes of the New Republic’s territories.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Star Wars: The Clone Wars is an animated series that explores the intense conflict between the Republic and the Separatists. Featuring a mix of loyalty shifts and alliances, it delves into complex mysteries of the Force and showcases pivotal moments for characters like Anakin Skywalker and Master Yoda.
