Editor's Note: The following contains minor spoilers from Season 3 Episode 5 of The Mandalorian."Chapter 21: The Pirate" is packed with plenty of hidden Star Wars gems, blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameos, and even a long-awaited live-action debut. Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) return once again with their Mandalorian kin and a primarily silent (though as adorable as always) Grogu. The people of Mandalore, the citizens of Nevarro, New Republic forces, and the looming presence of the Empire further converge in The Mandalorian. This is the way.

The Space Pirates

Pirate king Gorian Shard in The Mandalorian
Image via Disney+

The Pirate King Gorian Shard (Nonso Anozie) returns to Nevarro after an embarrassing defeat in this season's first episode. His lieutenant Vane (Marti Matulis) and crew of vagabonds make claim over the independent planet. Led by High Magistrate Greef Karga (Carl Weathers), the people of Nevarro must retreat to the lava flats, hoping their call for aid will be answered.

Sabacc

Alden Ehrenreich in Solo A Star Wars Story
Image via Lucasfilm

When High Magistrate Greef Karga is hailed over the hologram by Gorian Shard, he expresses to his droid that they cannot simply buy the pirates off, as it would set a bad precedent for future would-be invaders. The defenseless leader's only option for staving off the assault is to puff his chest and attempt intimidation. Warning the Pirate King that New Republic forces will come to their aid, Greef Karga's poker face is immediately detected by Gorian Shard. "This isn't sabacc. You can't bluff your way out of this one, Karga." Here, Gorgian references a card game played across the galaxy known as sabacc. The high-stakes game, not dissimilar to poker, was once mentioned in an earlier draft of The Empire Strikes Back as the means by which Lando Calrissian won Cloud City. On-screen, we saw Alden Ehrenreich's Han Solo best Lando in a version of sabacc in Solo: A Star Wars Story, infamously awarding him ownership of the iconic Millenium Falcon.

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Who Shot First?

Greedo Han Solo Star Wars
Image via Lucasfilm

During their back-and-forth, Gorian Shard accuses Greef Karga and his forces of gunning down his helmsmen in cold blood when they were last on Nevarro. He's talking, of course, about the events of this season's first episode, where Greef and Din Djarin took down a number of Gorian's henchmen. "He shot first," Greef tells him, calling back to the highly contentious debate surrounding the events of A New Hope, in which Han Solo decimates the bounty hunter Greedo. For the record, Han shot first.

Captain Teva

Paul Sun-Hyung Lee as Captain Teva in The Mandalorian
Image via Disney+

Returning to The Mandalorian from the second season, Captain Carson Teva (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee) receives a distress call from Greef Karga, a familiar face. Suspecting that the pirate activity (coupled with sightings of Storm Troopers) may indicate Empire involvement, Captain Teva decides to take the plea for help seriously and sets off to seek New Republic reinforcements. "All these events, it's not a coincidence."

Zeb & Trapper Wolf

Zeb voiced by Steve Blum in The Mandalorian Season 3 Episode 5
Image via Disney+

On Adelphi, the New Republic base where Captain Teva receives this distress call, two notable characters can be seen in the bar. First, we get a quick glimpse of Dave Filoni's Trapper Wolf. The executive producer of The Mandalorian, where he has also served as a writer and director, Filoni's overseen Star Wars properties for years (including The Book of Boba Fett, The Clone Wars, and Star Wars: Rebels). Sporting his signature cowboy hat, a Filoni cameo is always a welcome sight.

In the same scene, we get a brief moment with a live-action Garazeb Orrelios (voiced by Steve Blum). Known more commonly as Zeb, he makes his live-action debut after playing a prominent role throughout the animated series Star Wars Rebels. Of the Lasat species, creatures once falsely presumed to have been driven to near-extinction by the Galactic Empire, Zeb served valiantly in the rebellion and will likely return again in the upcoming Ahsoka series on Disney+ (if not sooner).

Blue

Paul Sun-Hyung Lee as Teva meeting the Mandalorians
Image via Disney+

Clearly indicating a lingering grievance toward members of the New Republic, the Mandalorians refer to them simply as "Blue." Likely referencing the blue color featured on the New Republic's insignia and throughout their garb, the Children of the Watch use "Blue" as a derogatory title when Captain Teva comes to seek their aid.

Puffer Pig

Puffer pig in Star Wars Rebels
Image via Disney+

"In a puffer pig's eye," the Pirate King Gorian Shard scoffs when his subordinates plead that they retreat. The non-sentient species, with their bulbous form and prominent snouts, were highly prized among smugglers for their ability to sniff their way toward valuable minerals more efficiently than a mining scanner. In Star Wars Rebels, even Lando Calrissian revered the puffer pig, offering to trade Twi-lek Hera Syndulla for one and fighting fervently for its return when captured.

Bo-Katan Walks Both Worlds

Katee Sackhoff as Bo-Katan in The Mandalorian
Image via Disney+

Fated to seek new hidden refuge, now that R5 has revealed their cover, the Children of the Watch opt to take Greef Karga up on his offer for a tract of land on Nevarro. After successfully defeating the space pirates and saving the planet, the High Magistrate cedes all land "from the western lava flats to Bulloch Canyon to the fine people of Mandalore." The Mandalorians now have a true home, and it seems that now their focus can finally shift from mere survival to allowing their culture to once again flourish. Reminiscing on the Great Forge on Mandalore, The Armorer (Emily Swallow) uncharacteristically presses Bo-Katan to remove her helmet. Motivated by the impossible sighting of the great Mythosaur, The Armorer acknowledges that Bo-Katan "walks both worlds," and that perhaps only she can unite all Mandalorian tribes together. "It is time to retake Mandalore."

Max Lloyd-Jones

Max Lloyd-Jones as Lieutenant Reed  in The Mandalorian
Image via Disney+

Canadian actor Max Lloyd-Jones returns to Star Wars in a brief cameo as Lieutenant Reed. Previously appearing in The Book of Boba Fett alongside Captain Teva, Lloyd-Jones can be heard once again lending his voice to Reed as Captain Teva investigates the derelict Lambda shuttle floating in deep space. Lloyd-Jones also appeared in The Mandalorian in the second season's finale, performing as Luke Skywalker's body double in the now-famous scene in which Skywalker arrives to rescue Din Djarin and assume custody of Grogu.

Moff Gideon's Escape

Fragment of beskar found at Moff Gideon's escape site in The Mandalorian
Image via Disney

As Captain Teva looks into the abandoned Lambda shuttle, he learns that the details of a missing craft in this region have been classified. Upon investigation with Lieutenant Reed, they discover that it was a New Republic prisoner transport and its flight time matches that of the ship that was transporting Moff Gideon. With Gideon's body missing from the wreckage, it's clear that this was an extraction mission, and embedded in the walls of the ship is a fragment of beskar alloy. What role the Mandalorians may have played in Moff Gideon's fate is a new mystery to be explored.

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