Lucasfilm recently announced that a Mandalorian & Grogu movie is currently in development with director Jon Favreau. A theatrical release that will presumably continue Din Djarin’s journey with his newly adopted son after the events of The Mandalorian season 3, the news of a full movie heralding Star Wars’ return to the big screen is very exciting. However, there’s yet to be any confirmation as to who the movie’s main villain will be.
The Mandalorian show is set during the New Republic Era just as the movie no doubt will be. The same is true of the spin-off shows The Book of Boba Fett and the more recent Ahsoka series which ended with the dark return of the major Imperial villain Grand Admiral Thrawn. However, the hope would be that Thrawn is saved as a bigger bad for Dave Filoni’s movie which will reportedly be a crossover for all the New Republic shows. Keeping that in mind, here are 8 Star Wars characters who could be The Mandalorian & Grogu’s villain instead.
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8 Brendol Hux
Head Of Project Necromancer
Having made his live-action debut in The Mandalorian season 3, Brendol Hux is a key figure in the Imperial Remnant and the head of Project Necromancer, a mysterious operation most likely connected to the eventual return of Emperor Palpatine. However, Brendol Hux is also in charge of the brainwashing of children who will become the future stormtroopers of the First Order as seen in the sequels, soldiers who would then be led by Brendol’s adult son Armitage.
7 Captain Pellaeon
Heralding Thrawn’s Return
Formerly Grand Admiral Thrawn’s right-hand man in Legends, the reappearance of Captain Pellaeon in The Mandalorian season 3 saw him promising the other Imperial Remnant warlords that Thrawn’s return would bolster their military. As such, Pellaeon does seem to serve Thrawn in the new canon as well. Furthermore, his promises are likely true if the ending of Ahsoka is any indication considering Thrawn’s alliance with the Nightsisters who can reanimate the dead. To that end, Din Djarin and Grogu going after Pellaeon in their movie could help the New Republic learn more about Thrawn’s return.
6 Moff Gideon
Did A Clone Survive?
Although Moff Gideon and his clones were destroyed on Mandalore at the end of The Mandalorian season 3, there is a theory regarding the fact that the armored and seemingly actual Moff Gideon doesn’t have a mustache as he does in the first two seasons. To that end, some have suggested that the real Gideon is still alive and that only clones were on Mandalore during the planet’s liberation. As such, it’s possible that the real Gideon still lives and will seek revenge against Djarin and Grogu in their new movie (however unlikely).
5 Rae Sloane
Another Imperial Grand Admiral
Having led the majority of the Imperial Navy in the aftermath of Return of the Jedi leading up to the Battle of Jakku, Grand Admiral Rae Sloane is a crucial figure who ensured the Empire’s survival in the Unknown Regions before they reemerged as the First Order decades later. However, there are massive gaps in her history as well as her final fate seeing as how she’s not present in the sequel movies. As such, perhaps The Mandalorian & Grogu will serve as Sloane’s live-action debut, becoming the primary Imperial leader the New Republic is wanting to track down with Djarin’s help.
4 Shadow Council Warlords
The Imperial Remnant’s Key Leadership
The Mandalorian season 3 also had a variety of Imperial Remnant Moffs and warlords who went unnamed during the Imperial Shadow Council meeting. To that end, perhaps some or all of these members could be faced by Djrain and Grogu considering their new jobs working with the New Repubilc’s Adelphi Squadron to track down and capture them. Thanks to his skills as a bounty hunter, Djarin could use his abilities to help the galaxy at large by capturing the Shadow Council.
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3 Canonized Ysanne Isard
Director of Imperial Intelligence
Much like Grand Admiral Rae Sloane, Ysanne Isard was once a major Imperial figure in the aftermath of Palpatine death in the now non-canon Star Wars novels and comics known as Legends. However, characters can always be brought back (Thrawn being the biggest example). As the former director of Imperial Intelligence, Isard claimed vast amounts of power once the Empire shattered with the dawn of the New Republic.
Isard’s character arc could certainly be reworked in the established Star Wars canon. While she might not have as much power and resources, she could easily be one of the most dangerous and high-value Imperial warlords in The Mandalorian & Grogu, seeking to rule and restore the Empire as a sort of rival Imperial faction apart from Thrawn’s forces, just as she was in Legends.
2 Dark Mandalorians
Clan Saxon?
There’s also a possibility that Din Djarin could face darker Mandalorians who have no interest in returning to Mandalore such as Clan Saxon. Having bent the knee to the Empire during the Dark Times, Clan Saxon helped the Imperials subjugate their own planet and people on Mandalore. They also supported Darth Maul when he took over the Death Watch and and starting ruling Mandalore during the Clone Wars. Although their leaders Gar and Tiber Saxon were defeated, perhaps someone new will rise to lead Clan Saxon once more in The Mandalorian & Grogu.
1 Elia Kane
Infiltration on Coruscant
Currently, Moff Gideon’s secret agent Elia Kane is presumably still on Coruscant as a plant embedded within the New Republic. While professing to be a genuine Amnesty Officer loyal to the New Republic. Elia is still loyal to the Empire. As such, there’s a lot more damage Kane could do in Star Wars’ future, making her a prime candidate to perhaps have a villainous role in The Mandalorian & Grogu. It certainly seems as though there’s more of her story that can and should be told.
