One of Star Wars’ Most Underrated Villains Has No Future (& It’s Not Kylo Ren)

The Star Wars franchise has introduced some excellent villains over the years, but one of its recent underrated characters has seemingly been confirmed as having no future in the franchise. Having spent years as the dominant sci-fi franchise in the cinematic sphere, Star Wars made a shift to the small screen. This saw the franchise adapt considerably, with the resounding popularity of shows such as The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, and Obi-Wan Kenobi all proving that the Star Wars franchise still has countless avenues to explore compelling narratives and characters. The next big event in the franchise is the upcoming 2026 movie The Mandalorian and Grogu.

Though the movie itself is set to continue one of the most acclaimed and popular entries into the franchise in recent years, a disappointing update seems to confirm that a great villain has no Star Wars future. Katy O’Brian, whose role as Elia Kane provided one of The Mandalorian‘s most intriguing and underrated villains, has cast considerable doubt over her character’s future. Speaking with MovieWeb, O’Brian was asked about her involvement in the upcoming project, to which she simply replied, “I’m not in the movie.” It’s a disappointing development for fans of the character, particularly as her story seemed far from over.

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Elia Kane’s Star Wars Story Should Have Led Into Bigger Developments

Elia Kane’s story within the Disney+ series was not one of its most high-profile. The reveal that even after being inducted into the Republic’s amnesty program, Kane remained loyal to Moff Gideon was a promising one. It established that she would continue to work from within the Republic as a spy and an agent of Imperial interests, and that her role as a villain was far from over. It was suggested that her loyalty to Gideon would implicate her in a much larger plot against the Republic, potentially involving her joining forces with Grand Admiral Thrawn.

Though many actors have been confirmed as having roles in The Mandalorian and Grogu, leaving out O’Brian is subtly disheartening. The shift from making season 4 of The Mandalorian into a feature film has undoubtedly created a need to streamline the planned plot, but it hints that Kane’s role in events will be skimmed over or quietly forgotten altogether. Considering she had become one of the show’s most consistently intriguing characters, it’s a genuine shame that she may never return.

There is still a glimmer of hope for the character, though. While O’Brian herself succinctly denied her role in the upcoming movie, there may still be a chance for Elia Kane to return. As her character was last seen alive, active, and being tasked with continuing to enact Moff Gideon’s plan, O’Brian might yet feature in a future Star Wars sequel. After all, the actor was convinced that her character was dead after season 2 of The Mandalorian, only for her to return in season 3. Though it currently appears that Elia Kane might have no future in the franchise, she has already made an unlikely return once before.

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