'The Mandalorian' Season 3 Proves It, R5-D4 Is a Rebel Spy (2024)

Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for ‘The Mandalorian’ Season 3, Episode 5.

While The Mandalorian is still struggling to find its footing between a serialized format and an episodic one, the show delivered the best episode in years with “Chapter 21: The Pirate.” Season 3, Episode 5 deliciously expands the Mandalorian lore, gives this season the purpose it lacked, and features a high-stakes battle against space pirates. There’s much to love about the latest episode, but Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal/Brendan Wayne/Lateef Crowder) is also forced to face a harsh truth in Episode 5. That’s because his new android, R5-D4, is not an ally. In fact, he might as well be a rebel spy.

The Mandalorian Exposes R5-D4’s Rebellion Alliances

R5-D4 has a long Star Wars history that began with 1977’s A New Hope, the first chapter of the “Skywalker Saga” to ever hit theaters. In the movie, R5-D4 was a droid who dreamed of freedom inside the Jawas’ huge scrap collector. In this dire situation, R5-D4 meets R2-D2, who also falls victim to the Jawas’ greed. As we know, R2-D2 carries an important message from Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) to Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness), and as such, he must escape from the Jawas at any cost. That’s why he first tries to sabotage R5-D4 and take out the competition. When that fails, R2-D2 appeals to R5-D4’s sense of justice and convinces the red-and-white droid to relinquish his freedom for the Rebellion. That’s why R5-D4 pretends to malfunction after being bought by Owen Lars (Phil Brown), so that R2-D2 can take his place. That’s canon, folks! It’s all in the From a Certain Point of View, told in the "The Red One" short story by Rae Carson.

The next time we see R5-D4, the Rebellion has already defeated the Empire, the New Republic has taken administrative control of Coruscant, and the droid has ended up in the yard of crooked – but charming – mechanic Peli Motto (Amy Sedaris). In Season 3 of The Mandalorian, Peli manages to sell R5-D4 to Din, telling tall stories about how the droid is experienced in combat. We all thought Peli was lying – that wouldn’t be the first time. However, in Season 3, Episode 5, we learn that R5-D4 fought for the Rebellion alongside former rebel captain Carson Teva (Paul Sun Hyung Lee). That wouldn’t be a big deal if R5-D4 hadn’t betrayed Din’s trust, revealed the secret location of the Children of the Watch’s covert, and proved he’s still loyal to the Rebellion.

RELATED: ‘The Mandalorian’ Season 3’s New Republic Amnesty Program Is Doomed to Fail

R5-D4 Is Willing to Betray the Mandalorians

In a galaxy split between former Rebellion members trying to make the New Republic work, and formal Imperial officers willing to restore their power, the Mandalorians try to keep to themselves. R5-D4 is well aware of that, but he still answers when Carson calls and promptly gives away Din’s location. Every betrayal hurts, but one coming from a piece of metal stings even more. How can you trust a droid again, knowing they can ignore their master and stab them in the back?

R5-D4’s betrayal also raises many questions about his past. What happened to the droid after being converted by R2-D2? Yes, he went to war against the Empire. But what exactly did he do after that? Why would R5-D4 return to Tatooine instead of claiming his due glory in Coruscant? We can only conclude R5-D4 is a rebel spy, working for the New Republic and keeping an eye out on an Outer Rim planet that proved vital for the galaxy's fate multiple times. So, did he plan to betray Din all along? And what was he ready to do with the Mandalorians to prove his loyalty? There’s no more denying R5-D4 is a dangerous spy. And from now on, Din should sleep with one eye open and a wrench clenched between his fingers.

New episodes of The Mandalorian come to Disney+ every Wednesday.

Read More About 'The Mandalorian'

• A Brief History of the Mandalorians in Star Wars

• 'The Mandalorian' Season 3: What Does the New Intro Logo Mean?

• 'The Mandalorian' Season 3: Did the Armorer Serve Maul?