Baby Yoda (aka Grogu) is getting more than he may have bargained for after floating away from Jedi training with Luke Skywalker at the beginning of season three of The Mandalorian. The heart wants what the heart wants, Luke. That said, it’s been a wild ride for Grogu and Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) as they’ve reunited with Bo-Katan (Katee Sackhoff) and other Mandalorians in a quest to reclaim Mandalore.

Sure, this season of The Mandalorian is becoming a point of contention with fans, but the now-released sixth episode delivers a surprise twist: The return of Axe Woves (Simon Kassianides), who was curiously missing at the end of season two. With two more episodes left in season three, expect for things to heat up, especially as Axe re-enters the fold. Kassianides, who says he was thrilled to return to The Madalorian, shares more about the episodes ahead in this exclusive MovieWeb interview.

This Changes Everything

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MovieWeb: It’s great you’ve returned to The Mandalorian. Fans will be surprised. What can we expect in upcoming episodes?

Simon Kassianides: We reintroduce Axe, and it helps explain where he was at the end of season two, and why he fell out with both Mando and Bo-Katan. So, we’re meeting him at a time that Bo-Katan is very much reinvigorated to return to Mandalore, haven gone there and explored it. She meets my character hoping to reunite forces, but you know, they’re Mandalorians. They’re not going to have a cup of tea and a good chat. They’re going to do their talking with their fists, jetpacks, and firepower, and try to best one another. So, I’m in a leadership position with those that have defected. I’m in charge of those guys. When Bo-Katan comes, basically we were done with her. There’s a moment where we meet, and after we fight, there’s hope that we’re on the same team following the same ideas.

MW: What will viewers be surprised to discover about where your character has been?

Simon Kassianides: It depends, It was hinted in the opening episode this season, when Din Djarin finds Bo-Katan on the throne in the palace. She mentions that the Mandalorians are off acting as mercenaries. I think it will be a surprise to see that I’m in charge of them. Then it will be an immediate question of, ‘How’s this going to work out?’ Who is this guy, actually? We saw him as part of a unit, but who is he on his own terms? And what does he believe in? And how is that going to relate with Bo-Katan’s messaging?

Related: The Mandalorian: How the Mythosaur Will Unite Mandalore

My character, and those that are with me, haven’t had the opportunity to go on this journey of self-doubt that she went on in the first part of the season. And her arc, in terms of coming back to, ‘You know what? Mandalore is okay. What I had in mind is still achievable, and it’s something that we should actually be going for.’ That’s a great way to kind of face that question with my character coming back into it and representing those elements.

Playing Axe Is an Out-of-Body Experience

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MW: What do you love most about being part of The Mandalorian?

Simon Kassianides: Very easily, it’s the fans all around the world. I mean, I had no idea. You’re on set, and you really hope that you do good. I always hope every character I play resonates in terms of the performance. But with something like this, the audience is going to turn up. So, in order to move out of the way of the nerves that come with knowing this will be seen by so many people, then be embraced by the fans, is quite something. I was constantly asked where I was at the end of season two. So, this was a dream come true.

MW: What have your Comic-Con experiences been like?

Simon Kassianides: I experienced a few, and actually, the opportunity to meet these incredible fans and understand that you’re part of something greater, and to be reminded of what it felt like as a kid yourself is unique. I grew up playing with the original figures from my brother, who’s eight years older than me, so he was a kid who saw the original trilogy. For me to be part of that and reignite my formative memories around how important the storytelling was in the messaging within the universe, it’s just humbling. You can’t help but take it more seriously, and with a bit of responsibility.

Related: Is The Mandalorian a Western?

MW: How has it been for you, morphing into Axe?

Simon Kassianides: Well, I mean, putting on a Mandalorian helmet and seeing yourself back in the mirror, and being a full-size version of a toy you played with when you were a kid is otherworldly. It’s an out-of-body experience. I mean, there’s a healthy detachment for me in terms of stepping outside myself, because I can’t compute what that is. You don’t imagine you’re ever going to be that as a boy. So that’s quite incredible. Being a Mandalorian within that universe, for me, and wanting to play this action roles and bring some drama to them has always been my dream.

Some Surprises Ahead in The Mandalorian

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MW: What do you think people are really connecting with in the series? And why do we love it so much?

Simon Kassianides: I think it’s quite clearly this little green, gorgeous creature, that is possibly the cutest anyone has seen. I just think it’s genius. Grogu is adorable. For somebody who isn’t actually able to articulate, it triggers an innate care for a character. The design was so well crafted. It’s a stroke of genius on Jon Favreau’s part.

MW: Have to ask: What’s it like in that costume?

Simon Kassianides: Obviously, you know I’m from Greek heritage, right? And if you look at the Mandalorian helmet, to me, the visor is the shape of what they see through an inverted Spartan helmet. So, does it trigger some sort of weird DNA of mine, you know, back to the ancient Greeks? I’d like to think so. Wearing it is very empowering. In the show, I’m part of a crew of Mandalorians that take their helmets off. So, they have the armor, the arm guards, the jetpack, the boots, the utility belt, the guns, and the blasters. The costume designer made sure that we can move so you can bend, kick, jump. You feel like you could do some damage. And that, to use a very overused word, is just cool.

MW: What do you think fans will be most surprised by the end of the season?

Simon Kassianides: I think fans have come to expect great storytelling. The show aims for spectacle and great storytelling. Every week, we’re getting to see the quality that we probably only see in movies. I think what’s really going to be surprising, just like every season, is that it will knock the fans’ socks off. I just can’t wait to see what they make of the end of the season.

The Mandalorian streams Wednesdays on Disney+