Warning: This article contains spoilers forThe Mandalorianseason 3.
After teasing his escape from New Republic custody throughout season 3,The Mandalorianfinally brought back Moff Gideon and he’s stronger than ever. In the season 2 finale, “Chapter 16: The Rescue,” Mando defeated Gideon in close-quarters combat, acquired the Darksaber from him, and handed him over to the New Republic to be punished for his crimes. But in the penultimate episode of season 3, “Chapter 23: The Spies,” Gideon was back to his old ways, commanding an Imperial Remnants cruiser and plotting the return of the Empire. It might have seemed like a cop-out to bring back Gideon right after his defeat – much like the quick reversal of Grogu’s departure with Luke Skywalker – but Giancarlo Esposito quickly reminded audiences why his big bad is such an integral part ofThe Mandalorian. Gideon is one ofStar Wars’ most genuinely intimidating villains, and he gives Mando a recurring arch-rival to tie all the story threads together.
FollowingElia Kane’s infiltration of the New Republicand Captain Teva’s disturbing discovery that Gideon never made it to trial, the Moff was revealed to still be at the helm of the Imperial Remnants. He’s shown to be a member of the Shadow Council, a covert operation under the leadership of Grand Admiral Thrawn. But he’s unhappy being an underling; he wants to topple Thrawn and seize control of the council for himself. Not only was Gideon’s defeat inThe Mandalorian’s second-season finale not the end of his story; it’s just the beginning.
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During his triumphant third-season return, Moff Gideon finally revealed his diabolical plan. When the Mandalorian tribes join forces to retake their homeworld, they’re surprised to find that Gideon and his troops have already set up shop in the ruins of Mandalore. While the other Mandalorians are able to escape (thanks to Paz Vizsla’s heartbreaking sacrifice), Mando himself is captured by Gideon. The Moff explains why he wanted to clone Grogu and why there were traces of beskar steel on the New Republic shuttle he escaped from: he’s taking all the best parts of various cultures and civilizations – the cloners’ technology,the Jedi’s Force powers, the Mandalorians’ indestructible armor – to create an army of perfect soldiers.
Like every great villain, Gideon sees himself as the hero. It’s obvious to the audience that he’s a villain, but it’s not so obvious to himself. He doesn’t think of himself as the bad guy; he’s a government suit who’s desperate to bring order back to a lawless galaxy. While the fall of the Empire was liberating for many, Gideon feels thatthe Imperials’ oppressive systemswere put in place for a good reason, and he wants to get back to that. A character this rich and complex is too good to only last two seasons.
Within seconds of his return, Esposito reminded audiences that he’s an unparalleled screen presence. Whenever he shows up, it’s impossible for viewers to take their eyes off him. Esposito started his career as a frequent collaborator of Spike Lee’s – playing such memorable roles as Buggin’ Out inDo the Right Thingand Thomas Hagan inMalcolm X– but he’s since become the go-to guy for TV villains. He was a match for Heisenberg asruthless drug lord Gus FringinBreaking Badand its spin-offBetter Call Saul; he was a match for Homelander as cold-hearted Vought executive Stan Edgar inThe Boys; and, of course, he was a match for Din Djarin as Moff Gideon inThe Mandalorian. Much like Fring or Edgar, as much as fans hate Gideon for what he’s done to the show’s beloved heroes, they’re in no hurry for him to be killed off, becauseEsposito is an incredible actorwho’s endlessly watchable.
Ever since his first appearance in season 1, Moff Gideon has been one of the best characters thatThe Mandalorianhas brought into theStar Warsensemble. Gideon could’ve been a typical Imperial bureaucrat in the mold of Grand Moff Tarkin. But he’s not a cheap imitation like General Hux or Admiral Ozzel; Esposito has put his own unique spin on the role. He walks a fine line between smarmy and sinister, and his delusions of grandeur make him oddly relatable. There have been plenty of memorable villains inThe Mandalorian, like Ranzar Malk, Morgan Elsbeth, andthe Pirate King Gorian Shard, but Moff Gideon blows them all out of the water.
After the finality ofThe Mandalorian’s second-season finale, it might have seemed like a bad idea on paper togo right back to the status quo– breaking Gideon out of prison off-screen to continue tormenting Mando and cutting Grogu’s Jedi training short to reunite father and son – but season 3 has promptly reminded audiences why that dynamic worked so well in the first place. Having Grogu to protect gives Mando a purpose, and having Gideon out there, leading the Imperial Remnants from strength to strength, gives him someone to fight against.
