'The Mandalorian' has lost its way and it's unclear what the show is even about anymore

• Warning: Spoilers ahead for "The Mandalorian" season three.
• In its latest episodes, "The Mandalorian" has lost some of the spark that made us love it.

In episode seven of the latest season of "The Mandalorian," a remnant of the Empire had Din Djarin, aka the titular Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal), and his allies backed into a corner.

The odds seemed dire and yet, somehow, by the end of the season finale, the good guys made a spectacular recovery and defeated the Empire militia's leader, Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito).

To some viewers, that description of the final two episodes may sound familiar. That's because it's essentially the same story as the last two episodes of seasons one and two.

"Star Wars" is a franchise full of repetition. There's always another Death Star. The big evil always somehow ties back to Palpatine. Every hero needs a sassy droid sidekick.

Yet "The Mandalorian" was supposed to be different. A fresh direction after the chaos of the "Star Wars" movie sequels. A series that could unite old fans who loved Boba Fett, and new fans who have fallen in love with Baby Yoda.

It was no longer about space wizards, giant armies fighting against each other, or the battle between good and evil. It was about one bounty hunter and his mission to protect the little green alien he stumbled upon one day.

The simplicity of their bond is what made "The Mandalorian" so good.

But the show has lost its way this season, though one could argue that it has been veering off course for some time now.

While the series has always had season-long story arcs, it initially established itself as a mission-of-the-week show.

As Mando attempts to protect Grogu, he journeys to new planets and completes missions while setting the stage for a season-ending showdown. This makes every episode feel like watching a mini-movie, especially with the talented directors involved, while providing an emotional payoff at the end.

However, the longer the series has gone on, the more its writers have begun to complicate it with lore that has begun to overshadow the mission-of-the-week premise that made us love it in the first place.

Particularly this season, the show's writers have ham-fistedly tried to balance the weekly missions with season-long narrative arcs, making for disjointed viewing.

At one point, for example, we see Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) struggle to decide whether she's the right leader for the Mandalorians. But then we are pulled away from that story and thrust into a monster hunt for most of the episode. We never truly see Bo-Katan's array of emotions as she struggles with the weight of her predicament.

And in episode three, we follow former Imperial officers Dr. Pershing (Omid Abtahi) and Elia Kane (Katy O'Brian) adjusting to their lives in the Republic. However, their story — one of the most compelling of the season — comes right after we see Bo-Katan's only home destroyed. Instead of sitting in the moment, we are never shown the impact that this might have on Bo-Katan, and thus, her character feels underserved.

Neither plot, then, really flourishes.

The confusing dissonance between the long-term story arcs and the episodic nature of "The Mandalorian" makes every journey in season three — from Mando's redemption quest to the return of Gideon Moff — feel underdeveloped, rushed, and ultimately boring.

The end of season three gives us some hope that "The Mandalorian" may be returning to its humble beginnings, with Mando and Grogu traveling the galaxy on new adventures.

However, for the show to thrive, its creators really need to learn from season three's mistakes. Less is more.

"The Mandalorian" season three is now streaming on Disney+.