Carson Teva actor Paul Sun-Hyung Lee provides insight into his character ahead of The Mandalorian season 4. Lee made his Star Wars debut in The Mandalorian season 2 and reprises the role in The Book of Boba Fett, The Mandalorian season 3, and Ahsoka. In his role as a New Republic ranger, Carson notices the gradual rise in Imperial Remnant activity, and is one of the few in the New Republic who takes this threat seriously. Despite the mounting evidence behind Carson’s words, his warnings have fallen on deaf ears when shared with the New Republic leadership.
During an interview with Tatooine Times, Lee explains Carson’s unique perspective and motivations that make him one of the few to see the Imperial Remnant as a legitimate threat to the New Republic and the entire galaxy. He also explains the importance of Carson’s role in the overarching Mandalorian narrative and how grateful he is to play such an increasingly integral character in Star Wars. Read Lee’s comments below:
Jon Favreau described him like a beat cop back in New York … he knows the neighborhood, he’s been around for a while, and he knows how to pick and choose his battles. Because he has limited resources, he’s gotta depend on the community to help him out. I kind of took that idea and expanded it because The Mandalorian has such a Western theme to it, so I looked at him more like a Texas Ranger back in the day. These were formidable lawmen who had vast territories that they had to problem solve to keep the peace on their own. They had to rely on their smarts and the community to survive. That’s how I modeled Carson Teva … he’s a veteran of many battles. He’s very passionate about the cause and an honorable man. He knows how to play between the lines because there’s no absolutes when you’re out there with limited resources.
He’s a man of action who has been searching and digging, he sees patterns, he sees what’s happening. He can’t convince people that it’s as serious as he knows it’s going to be. That’s the dramatic irony, we all know what happens twenty years down the road. He’s kind of like the prophet Cassandra who is just doomed to be ignored even though they can see the future. I still have no idea where this is all leading. I’m just gratified and so happy that Jon and Dave want to keep me on board and play this character who is becoming more and more important in [the Star Wars universe].
Carson Teva Sees A Greater Threat Than Thrawn Coming
With the terrifying Grand Admiral Thrawn returning to the known galaxy during Ahsoka‘s finale, the New Republic will soon be forced to deal with him and the danger that he poses. The insightful Carson knows that Thrawn is only part of a greater threat against the galaxy. He notices plenty of Imperial Remnant activity long before Thrawn’s return and recognizes that they are more organized and well-equipped than the band of scattered and desperate warlords the New Republic’s leaders believe them to be.
As Lee mentions, the dramatic irony is that the audience knows Carson is right, and that even after Thrawn and the Imperial Remnant are dealt with, the New Republic and the galaxy will be severely threatened once again in approximately twenty years by the First Order. The First Order’s superweapon, Starkiller Base, will obliterate the New Republic’s capital on Hosnian Prime, along with most of the New Republic’s Defense Fleet. The Mandalorian season 3 shows Brendol Hux on the Shadow Council, making it clear that the Imperial Remnant will pave the way for the rise of the First Order.
Carson doesn’t know all these specific details and doesn’t know what will happen in the future, but he’s picking up on the patterns and signs of a resurgent Empire that most of the New Republic leadership seem desperate to ignore and invalidate. Lee also points out that Carson is a man of action, and that has proved invaluable to aiding Din Djarin, the Mandalorian people, Hera Syndulla, and even Ahsoka Tano. As The Mandalorian and its various spinoff series continue to expand, Carson will undoubtedly continue to be a vital ally able to see the larger picture.
The Mandalorian
The Mandalorian is set after the Empire’s fall and before the First Order’s emergence in the ever-growing Star Wars universe. The series follows the travails of a lone gunfighter named Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) in the outer reaches of the galaxy, far from the authority of the New Republic. Acting as the first live-action Star Wars series, The Mandalorian has become incredibly popular on Disney+, partly due to Mando’s relationship with Grogu, which the internet dubbed “Baby Yoda” upon his introduction in season 1.
- Release Date
- November 12, 2019
- Cast
- Werner Herzog , Emily Swallow , Pedro Pascal , Nick Nolte , Omid Abtahi , Gina Carano , Carl Weathers , Giancarlo Esposito
- Genres
- Fantasy , Sci-Fi
- Seasons
- 3
- Writers
- Jon Favreau
- Streaming Service(s)
- Disney+
- Franchise(s)
- Star Wars
- Directors
- Jon Favreau , Taika Waititi , Bryce Dallas Howard
- Showrunner
- Jon Favreau
