The next Star Wars movie villain shouldn’t be Grand Admiral Thrawn – another, more intriguing option has already been set up. Though Ahsoka introduced Thrawn as the next major New Republic-era villain, there’s another antagonist that deserves to be explored further, and the next upcoming Star Wars movie is the perfect opportunity to do so. The Mandalorian & Grogu is the first of four announced Star Wars movies and will likely follow up on The Mandalorian season 3’s finale, which saw Moff Gideon defeated and Din Djarin and Grogu settling into a new life as freelance rangers for the New Republic.
Moff Gideon has been The Mandalorian’s primary antagonist since the very first season. Cunning and treacherous, The Mandalorian season 3 revealed that Gideon was after one thing, and one thing only: the power of the Force. Capturing Grogu, continuing Dr. Pershing’s cloning research, and amassing more resources by claiming Mandalore for himself, Gideon nearly succeeded in wiping out the last of the Mandalorians and creating a Force-sensitive clone of himself, but Din Djarin, Grogu, and Bo-Katan Kryze managed to defeat him together. Now that he’s (supposedly) dead, Thrawn seems to be the logical villain for The Mandalorian & Grogu – if it weren’t for Gideon’s most loyal servant.
Elia Kane Has Already Been Set Up In The Mandalorian
Throughout The Mandalorian season 2 and season 3, Elia Kane has been Moff Gideon’s most impressive and devoted officer. In The Mandalorian season 2, she was merely a background character, but The Mandalorian season 3 proved exactly why Moff Gideon kept her close. She’s resourceful, loyal, and an accomplished manipulator. The way she gained Dr. Pershing’s trust in The Mandalorian season 3, episode 3 “Chapter 19: The Convert” was nothing short of diabolical, even more so once she tortured him to wipe his knowledge of Gideon’s cloning aspirations.
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Elia Kane has not only proven herself to be a loyal servant of the Empire (and Gideon, specifically) but also cunning and devious. Given Gideon’s trust in her, Kane probably knows more about the Imperial Remnant and Project Necromancer – the project meant to provide Palpatine with a Force-sensitive clone – than any other low-ranking Imperial officer. Now that Gideon is gone, she’ll be looking to follow someone else. Why not Grand Admiral Thrawn? Why not become closer with the rest of the Imperial Shadow Council?
Elia Kane Can Now Serve As Thrawn’s Personal Hand
Elia Kane would be a perfect addition to Thrawn’s loyal team. She’s a compelling and resourceful character, but not (yet) influential enough to become a leading Imperial. After Gideon’s death, she’ll be looking to replace him, and Thrawn is now the most powerful Imperial in the galaxy. Unlike Gideon, Thrawn has the support of most of the Imperial Shadow Council, so having her talents recognized by him would be quite an accomplishment. Now that he’s back from Star Wars’ secondary galaxy, he’ll undoubtedly be building a close team of confidantes.
As Thrawn’s right-hand woman, Kane would be the perfect villain for The Mandalorian & Grogu movie. It’s very unlikely that Thrawn’s grand plan – a plan most likely involving Dathomir and the Nightsisters – will be the focus of The Mandalorian & Grogu movie. It’s much more plausible that Din Djarin and Grogu will uncover one of the Imperial Remnant’s many shady operations while patrolling the Outer Rim, setting the stage for Ahsoka season 2 and the other Mandalorian-focused movie. And who better to lead such an operation than Elia Kane?
Star Wars Has Already Set Up An Important Elia Kane Plot
If Elia Kane ends up being the main villain of The Mandalorian & Grogu movie, only one question remains: what kind of operation would she be put in charge of? There’s just one logical answer – anything to do with Project Necromancer. The time she spent with Pershing on Coruscant would have given her a solid understanding of his research, the tools he needed, and his progress, and the Imperial Shadow Council scene in The Mandalorian season 3’s penultimate episode proved that Project Necromancer is a top priority. Her knowledge of both Pershing’s research and Gideon’s covert operations practically makes her an expert.
The Mandalorian season 3 implied that Pershing did successfully manage to transfer midi-chlorians into a clone host. Additionally, before he died on Mandalore, Moff Gideon said that Pershing’s knowledge wasn’t irretrievable, despite his brain being severely electrocuted by Kane in “The Convert.” He’s likely still alive, and as an undercover member of the New Republic’s rehabilitation program, one who has convinced the New Republic’s officers that she’s his friend, she’ll probably be able to find him. If the Imperial Remnant wants Project Necromancer to succeed, they’ll need Pershing’s knowledge – and Kane would be the perfect person to extract it.
8 Star Wars Villains Who Could Be The Next Star Wars Movie’s Villain (Other Than Thrawn)
Seeing as how Grand Admiral Thrawn will likely be saved for Dave Filoni’s Star Wars movie, who will be the villain of The Mandalorian & Grogu?
Star Wars Can Save Thrawn For Its Next Mandalorian Movie
Grand Admiral Thrawn is an undeniably menacing villain. He’s proven his ferocity, cunning, and casual cruelty in both Star Wars Rebels and Ahsoka – being the main villain of the rest of The Mandalorian saga and the New Republic’s greatest enemy makes perfect sense. But he doesn’t need to be used in every upcoming project. He’s a planner, the one leading the Imperial Remnant from the shadows. Using Thrawn as the primary antagonist in Ahsoka season 2, The Mandalorian & Grogu, a potential fourth season of The Mandalorian, and the final Mandalorian movie would only dilute his impact.
In fact, the story would be better served by him only having a major role in the second Mandalorian movie. If he’s too present in Ahsoka season 2 and The Mandalorian & Grogu, the Imperial Remnant won’t feel as threatening. The New Republic would undoubtedly get wind of Thrawn’s location and plans if he inserted himself into each and every conflict. The entire point of the Imperial Remnant is to stay hidden in the furthest reaches of the galaxy until it knows for certain that it has the resources to conquer the New Republic and succeed in resurrecting Emperor Palpatine.
Thrawn is currently at the top of the food chain. Other, lesser villains are now needed to fill in the gaps in the narrative. The Imperial Remnant is spreading its influence in the Outer Rim, and it will need more loyal officers as its operation expands. The Mandalorian’s Elia Kane is now in a prime position to become a more prominent character within the Star Wars franchise. If she becomes the primary villain in The Mandalorian & Grogu, Din Djarin and Grogu will have to contend with a new Star Wars adversary, changing everything they thought they knew about the Empire’s continued presence in the galaxy.
The Mandalorian & Grogu
The Mandalorian & Grogu is a Star Wars movie directed by Jon Favreau that continues Disney+’s immensely popular TV Show, The Mandalorian. The film will replace The Mandalorian season 4 to bring the franchise back to the big screen and follow Din Djarin and his adventures with Grogu. The Mandalorian & Grogu is the first Star Wars film to be released since Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker in 2019.
- Director
- Jon Favreau
- Studio(s)
- Lucasfilm
- Distributor(s)
- Disney
- Cast
- Pedro Pascal
- Franchise(s)
- Star Wars
- Sequel(s)
- Dave Filoni’s Untitled Mandalorian Movie
