The Mandalorian Teases a Snoke Connection To the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy

This week’s new episode of The Mandalorian on Disney+ revealed some new details about why Moff Gideon is hunting the Child (a.k.a. Baby Yoda) by offering new information concerning the Imperial remnant’s plans following the loss of the second Death Star, which involve cloning. This may be setting up a future reveal connecting The Mandalorian, Baby Yoda, Supreme Leader Snoke, and the return of Emperor Palpatine. IN Friday’s episode, “Chapter 12: The Siege,” The Mandalorian reveals that Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) is conducting experiments involving clones at a laboratory on Nevarro. To continue those experiments, he needs to get his hands on the Child.

Full spoilers up ahead for the latest episode of The Mandalorian, “The Siege.” Proceed with caution if you’ve yet to watch the latest episode of the Disney+ hit.

As suspected with the Kamino-based Easter eggs from the first season of the show, Gideon’s operation — which is based on board his own version of a Star Destroyer, nonetheless — is focusing on cloning or, at the very least, genetic experimentation. During the episode, the Imperial outpost on Nevarro raided by Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and company was found to be home to a handful of tanks that had lab subjects floating about inside.

Furthermore, the group found a hologram message from the aforementioned Kaminoan scientist explaining they had been using The Child’s blood for the projects. Unfortunately enough for the Empire, they ran out of the kid’s blood, hence the game of cat-and-mouse they’ve been playing with Djarin.

While the episode doesn’t expressly state the clones are for the Supreme Leader, a pause and frame-by-frame treatment will show you the experiments look eerily similar to the Andy Serkis-played villain. In fact, it’s totally possible the experiments are the earliest versions of Snoke, especially since The Mandalorian takes place quite some time prior to the events of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Gideon’s background is still shrouded in mystery, and it’s something the back half of this season is likely to explore. That said, the Star Wars franchise could be on a course to having its largest film-to-television crossover yet — plus, it’d tie together a few of the loose ends left by the end of the Skywalker saga.

“Moff is very different from Gus Fring, he wields his own darksaber,” Esposito previously told Variety of his character. “He does his own dirty work and he’s certainly willing to. He’s much more volatile, he’s much more of the warrior, and that could tell us some things about him next season. Where is he really from? I’ve been asked all these questions. Is he a former Mando? Is he this, is he that? So all of these interesting things will want to come out. I love this show and it is the ultimate space Western, you’ve never seen anything like it.”

New episodes of The Mandalorian release every Friday on Disney+.

Do you think Gideon’s group ties into Snoke or the First Order somehow? Why or why not? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section!