Star Wars: The Mandalorian Chapter 12 is here, and it has introduced a new mysterious threat into the Star Wars Universe that may in fact help to explain some of the dangling plot threads of the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy films – in particular the final Skywalker Saga Episode, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. (SPOILERS) In The Mandalorian Chapter 12: The Seige, Din Djarin and The Child return to Planet Nevarro to get help from old friends Grief Carga and Cara Dune. However, Mando’s old allies need his help on a mission to attack an Imperial base – one that turns out to much more than meets the eye.
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In fact, Moff Gideon’s base on Nevarro from The Mandalorian season 1’s final episodes was actually an Imperial lab. The facility was used to grow a new breed of clone soldier, that could be infused with Force powers taken from samples of Baby Yoda’s blood, and the Midi-chlorians inside of it (yep, that controversial Phantom Menace plotline is back…). It looks like The Mandalorian is introducing some new form of Star Wars‘ Dark Trooper line – but more than that, this episode is a key first step in explaining the role of Emperor Palpatine/Supreme Leader Snoke in the ST.
The Rise of Skywalker revealed that Palpatine was still alive and in hiding on Exegol, and that he had in fact been the puppeteer behind “Supreme Leader Snoke” the entire time. That “reveal” left a lot of major plotholes open, so later TROS tie-in novels or ST series like the Rise of Kylo Ren comic had to fill in some of the blanks. We learned that “Palpatine” was actually an imperfect clone of the Emperor that his “essence” was transferred into; we also learned that “Snoke” was a genetically engineered being created and controlled by Darth Sidious/Palpatine to do his bidding.
The Mandalorian is presumably building toward an explanation of how Force powers – especially those as immense as Palpatine’s – could be transferred to new bodies from a Force-sensitive being. While the series may never show Palpatine or directly reference Snoke and Rise of Skywalker, Moff Gideon’s breakthrough could end up being the exact thing the Emperor needed to facilitate his survival and eventual return. At the time of The Mandalorian, Palpatine would presumably still be critically injured and clinging to life after the events of The Return of the Jedi, which could explain why Moff Gideon is so hellbent on getting his hands on Baby Yoda.
Star Wars: The Mandalorian is airing new season 2 episodes Fridays on Disney+.
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