‘The Mandalorian’ confirms that a ‘The Phantom Menace’ tradition is alive and well

This article contains spoilers for The Mandalorian season 3, episode 2

The Mandalorian takes place more than four decades after The Phantom Menace. Within that time, the Empire has risen and fallen, the Jedi have been all but wiped out, and there’s been massive social, cultural, and political change across the galaxy. On Tatooine at least, though, there’s one tradition that’s survived the turmoil.

In season three episode two – “The Mines of Mandalore” – Din and Grogu return once again to the planet to seek the help of Peli Motto. Their aim is to find a new memory circuit for IG-11, but it seems not even the Jawas have a good lead on this obscure and obsolete tech, which turns out to be a bad time for Motto, as this is Tatooine’s Boonta Eve.

That occasion will be familiar to anyone with memories of The Phantom Menace, as the podracing sequence in that movie revolved around the “Boonta Eve Classic.” Of course, podracing is just one aspect of this Tatooine festival, which honors the rise of the legendary Hutt Hestilic Shad’ruu, who is said to have transcended his physical form and achieved godhood.

The Empire did its best to stamp out traditions like this, going so far as to ban podracing during its rule. Post-Return of the Jedi, it seems Tatooine is once again openly celebrating their annual festival. Sadly, we don’t get to see any podracing in The Mandalorian, as the New Republic maintained the ban due to it being considered too dangerous for participants and spectators. Spoilsports.

Even so, fingers crossed there’s an underground league going on somewhere, as we’d love to once again be able to say “Now THIS is podracing!”

The Mandalorian airs Wednesdays on Disney Plus.