What Happened To Timothy Olyphant’s Cobb Vanth In The Mandalorian, & Can He Return?

The Mandalorian‘s Cobb Vanth, played by Timothy Olyphant, has recently been absent from Star Wars, with many wondering if he could return. The Mandalorian season 2’s Cobb Vanth was introduced in the fittingly titled “Chapter 9: The Marshal.” Donning the armor of Boba Fett after acquiring it from Jawas, Cobb Vanth returned to his home of Mos Pelgo on Tatooine to drive out the members of the Mining Collective who had been exploiting the townsfolk.

At the onset of The Mandalorian season 2, the titular Din Djarin sought out Vanth after hearing of a Mandalorian protecting Mos Pelgo. Vanth then became an ally of Din Djarin, leading many to wish for more appearances in upcoming Star Wars TV shows. Even upcoming Star Wars movies have since become the subject of theorization regarding Vanth’s return, though the character has had his share of life-changing events in Star Wars between the events of The Mandalorian season 2 and the potential story of The Mandalorian season 4.

Cobb Vanth Survived His Shootout With Cad Bane

After the events of The Mandalorian season 2, Cobb Vanth returned in The Book of Boba Fett. Vanth was shown defending Mos Pelgo, renamed Freetown, from members of the Pyke Syndicate who wished to involve Tatooine in their spice trade operation. This led Vanth to be sought out by Din Djarin once more, with the latter asking the former to aid Boba Fett in repelling the Pyke Syndicate. Vanth refused Djarin’s offer before being intimidated by another bounty hunter, Star Wars’ infamous Cad Bane.

Bane and Vanth engaged in a brief shootout, with the latter suffering a grievous wound. With the people of Freetown feeling threatened by the Pykes in the wake of Vanth’s injury, they teamed up with Boba Fett to remove the Syndicate from Tatooine. After his duel with Cad Bane, little was seen of Cobb Vanth until a post-credit scene at the end of The Book of Boba Fett season 1. In this scene, Vanth is shown still alive in a bacta tank owned by Fett, recuperating from the injuries suffered at Bane’s hands.

Where Cobb Vanth Could Return In Star Wars

The reveal that Cobb Vanth was alive came in The Book of Boba Fett episode 7, which aired in February 2022. Since then, Vanth has not been seen nor mentioned in any Star Wars property, begging the question of where he could appear again in a galaxy far, far away. The character of Cobb Vanth certainly has a lot of potential, and there are several upcoming projects in which the gunslinger could return.

The Mandalorian & Grogu

The first possible story in which Cobb Vanth could return is The Mandalorian & Grogu. Transitioning the franchise of The Mandalorian to the big screen, The Mandalorian & Grogu was announced in January 2024 and will reportedly be the next Star Wars movie to be released in theaters. Given that the film will focus on the titular duo, it is expected that several cast members from The Mandalorian seasons 1, 2, and 3 will also return. One such character could be Cobb Vanth, whom Star Wars has already made clear is a valued ally of Din Djarin.

The Mandalorian Season 4

Despite The Mandalorian & Grogu being confirmed as a theatrical film, Disney is yet to confirm or deny whether the movie will actively replace or follow on from The Mandalorian season 4. If the continuation of the TV series happens, it marks another story in which Cobb Vanth could return. As alluded to, it is clear the former marshal of Freetown is a trusted friend of Din Djarin, meaning he could be recruited for Mando’s exploits against Outer Rim Imperial remnants.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is another likely project Cobb Vanth could appear in. Despite little being known about the 2024 Star Wars show, it has been confirmed that Skeleton Crew will take place in the New Republic era. This means that it will be tied to the likes of Ahsoka, The Mandalorian, and The Book of Boba Fett, the latter two of which feature appearances by Cobb Vanth. This alone could justify Skeleton Crew‘s inclusion of Vanth to connect the show to its New Republic peers.

Dave Filoni’s New Republic Movie

Finally, the last Star Wars project in which Cobb Vanth’s appearance would make sense is Dave Filoni’s untitled New Republic film. This film was sold as the culmination of the New Republic era that began with The Mandalorian, likely tying together the varying threads of Star Wars’ Disney+ shows in an Avengers-like theatrical film. As such, it is likely the varying supporting members of the New Republic era will appear, The Mandalorian‘s Cobb Vanth among them.