What Jon Favreau meant is that he wants “The Mandalorian” to have an specific focus on the relationship between Din and Grogu. Because “The Book of Boba Fett” was always meant to cross-over with “The Mandalorian,” it made sense to the showrunner to reckon with the separation of these characters before stepping into season 3. Favreau explained to Empire:
“You saw what Mando was like without Baby Yoda and we saw what Grogu was like without the Mandalorian and neither of them was doing too good. So them coming back together was a really good plot point that allows us to jump back into season 3 while maintaining the central relationship.”
To Favreau, there’s no show without Din and Grogu. The idea of starting season 3 with Din moving on without his child was antithetical to the show he wanted to create. In the interview, Favreau emphasized that in “Boba Fett,” it was important that we watch Grogu make an active choice to choose family over destiny or fate.
“I think you had to service both things,” Favreau added. “Just because this kid has the potential and had training, does he belong away from the Mandalorian?” He continued:
“I saw it more like ‘Paper Moon,’ where the whole thing is about delivering the kid to the blood relative, only to realize that, whether genetically through her father or just through bonding, Tatum O’Neal has to end up with Ryan O’Neal. That ending feels really good to me. And this little kid [Grogu] is given a decision to choose. And the kid chooses the emotional relationship and wants to be with the Mandalorian, and passing up Yoda’s lightsaber. Part of you wants to see him develop in that way, and part the other.”