The highly-anticipated third season of ‘The Mandalorian‘ has been released, but not all of its characters have returned. The show mainly follows Din Djarin and Grogu, but they have made several friends along the way, including Gina Carano’s Cara Dune, who has frequently appeared in the series. However, she is absent from the Season 3 premiere and won’t be returning later, which is not surprising to fans as Carano was fired in 2021, allowing them time to adjust to her departure.
Uncertainty surrounded how Cara Dune’s departure from ‘The Mandalorian’ would be handled. Although not traveling with Din and Grogu, the absence of the character, who was frequently sought for assistance, could have been unexplained, and the audience would gradually forget about her as other characters took the spotlight. Alternatively, the show could have recast Dune, with fans suggesting potential replacements after Carano’s firing. However, no such announcement has been made. In the Season 3 premiere, executive producer Jon Favreau and his team opted for a different approach. They addressed Dune’s absence directly without drawing too much attention to it, clarifying where the character went.
Who is Cara Dune in the Mandalorian series?
In Season 1 of the Mandalorian series, Cara Dune was introduced as a former Alderaanian rebel who was away from her home planet when it was destroyed by the Death Star. After the Empire’s defeat, Dune took it upon herself to track down former Imperial officers who had turned into warlords. However, she eventually became disillusioned with the New Republic’s shift towards politics instead of military action, which led her to leave and become a mercenary. Dune settled on the planet Sorgan, where she met Din and Grogu.
Initially, Cara Dune was apprehensive and fought the Mandalorian, believing he was there to assassinate her. However, after realizing the misunderstanding and receiving payment, she teamed up with Din to protect a nearby city from raiders. This ordeal bonded the two of them, and they departed as unlikely friends. Later, when Din returned to seek Dune’s assistance against Imperial forces taking over Nevarro, she agreed to help again. Along with Greef Karga, they succeeded in defeating Moff Gideon with the help of IG-11’s sacrifice. Despite this victory, they were unaware that Gideon had survived.
After Din and Grogu depart from Nevarro, Cara Dune remains there to work with Greef Karga to clean up the city and defend it against future Imperial threats. Dune assumes the role of the city’s marshal and later becomes a New Republic Marshal and ranger. Despite her new responsibilities, she continues to assist Din whenever he requires her help, using her position to gather information and even accompanying him on a mission to rescue Grogu from Moff Gideon’s clutches. Dune plays a crucial role in the defeat of Gideon and is last seen in the final moments of Season 2, helping to save Grogu before Luke Skywalker takes the child under his protection.
What is the reason for Cara Dune’s absence?
The character played an important role in the first two seasons and garnered a large following, so why was she written out? The reason was attributed to the actress playing the role, Gina Carano. Her controversial statements, including transphobia, antisemitism, and spreading misinformation about Covid-19 and voter fraud, led to calls for her firing from fans. LucasFilm severed ties with her after she made a post on Instagram comparing being a Conservative in Hollywood to being Jewish during the Holocaust. In response, a LucasFilm spokesperson called her statements ‘abhorrent and unacceptable.’ As a result, she was let go from the studio, and it was made clear that she would no longer be a part of The Mandalorian and had no future plans to work with her.
Carano’s departure from The Mandalorian and its spinoff, Rangers of the New Republic, means she will not return to either show. However, there is still a possibility that the character could live on. Carano’s controversial statements were not new, and LucasFilm had already removed her from a presentation about Rangers of the New Republic prior to her firing. This suggests that the studio was considering recasting the role. While a new actress could potentially play Cara Dune in the spinoff, it is clear that any recasting would not happen in The Mandalorian.