What is a Mythosaur? Does Star Wars creature appear in The Mandalorian season 3 episode 2 - ending explained

The Mandalorian Chapter 18: The Mines of Mandalore finally saw  Din Djarin visit Mandalore, though it wasn’t a pleasant trip for him, and he was nearly killed almost as soon as he set foot on the distant planet.

The Star Wars universe has expanded greatly since the release of the original trilogy four decades ago. With new Disney+ shows such as Andor, The Book of Boba Fett, and Obi-Wan Kenobi adding to the history of the galaxy far far away, it seems that there is always more to discover.

The Mandalorian has also further enriched the Star Wars universe, and the latest season continues to bring more surprises - the second episode of season three saw the first screen appearance of the folkloric creature, the Mythosaur.

What is a Mythosaur?

Mythosaurs are a species of large predators who were believed to have flourished on Mandalore, a planet in the Outer Rim Territories, until the arrival of Mandalore the First, a warrior who conquered the planet and began to wipe out the Mythosaurs.

It was believed that ancient Mandalorians tamed and rode the creatures before eventually driving them to extinction. Over many generations the existence of the Mythosaurs was debated and the creatures became subject of legend. The skull of the Mythosaur became an important symbol for Mandalorians and was often seen on their armour.

Before this episode, the Mythosaur had only ever featured in Star Wars films and shows as a sigil - the symbol is first seen way back in The Empire Strikes Back, on Boba Fett’s shoulder plating.

Mythosaurs are mentioned several times in the latest episode of The Mandalorian - Bo-Katan learns that the Mines of Mandalore used to be a Mythosaur lair, although she remains sceptical of the legends. At the end of the episode Bo-Katan and Din Djarin encounter a living Mythosaur.

What happened in The Mandalorian season 3 episode 2?

Episode two, The Mines of Mandalore, finally introduces us to the planet of Mandalore. On arriving at the homeworld of his people, Din encounters several hostile residents including a group of Alamaites, who he dispatches with his darksaber, and a creature in a crablike metal exoskeleton.

Din is captured by the crab creature which begins to harvest his blood - Grogu leaves Mandalore to enlist Bo-Katan’s help in a rescue mission. Bo-Katan frees Din from the crab-like enemy and takes him to the Living Waters in the mines for a cleansing ritual.

During the ritual, Din is pulled under the water by a huge creature and Bo-Katan dives in after him to rescue him for the second time that day. As she saves Din, Bo-Katan gets a closer look at the creature that grabbed Din and realises that it is a Mythosaur, a species believed to be long extinct.

The Mythosaur is seen in the depths of the Living Waters, and we are treated to a glimpse of a black eye illuminated in a huge scaled head.

When is the next episode of The Mandalorian out?

The Mandalorian season 3 episode 3 will be released on Disney+ on Wednesday 15 March. There are eight episodes in the current season and they will be released weekly.