Star Wars: The Mandalorian Star Teases the Importance of the Darksaber in Season 2

Giancarlo Esposito didn’t make his debut in the first season of The Mandalorian until its final episodes, with one of the last images we saw of that season being him emerging from a TIE wielding the mythical Darksaber, as the actor recently teased just how important the weapon will be in the upcoming season. Fans familiar with the animated adventures of Star Wars knew the importance of the Darksaber, which had appeared in both Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels, but with this live-action series exploring a new point in time in the franchise, we were left wondering how the villain ended up with the weapon.

“You’ll see more of the Darksaber, you’ll get the explanation of this ancient weapon to the modern world, a collapsed world,” Esposito revealed to Deadline. “Where did this saber come from and how was it revived? It’s a key in our second season, which will be back sooner than later.”

He added, “(The saber) is a key to Moff Gideon’s past, which possibly has a lot to do with where he comes from and his desire to build a planet and bring it back together.”

The weapon was an important item in Mandalorian culture, having changed hands a number of times, with one of our last looks at the Darksaber being in Rebels when Sabine Wren bequeathed it to Bo-Katan Kryze. Rumors have claimed that Bo-Katan will appear in the new season, igniting speculation among fans that her appearance will be tied directly into Gideon’s use of the Darksaber.

Little is known about Moff Gideon, other than him being one of the last remnants of the Galactic Empire, with Esposito also teasing that his performance as the Moff was inspired by Peter Cushing’s depiction of Grand Moff Tarkin in Star Wars: A New Hope.

“You could always read his mind through his eyes,” the actor explained. “I took a look at the imagery of this supreme chancellor, which really helped me. He is a supreme being in a sense. He knows it, but not everyone in the universe knows it.”

He continued, “What we don’t know is how extra special he is yet.”

While the coronavirus pandemic has delayed virtually all movie and TV productions around the world, enough of The Mandalorian Season Two had been filmed prior to the pandemic that Lucasfilm claims the new episodes are still expected to debut in October.

Are you looking forward to the new season of the series? Let us know in the comments below or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things Star Wars and horror!