Giancarlo Esposito’s Moff Gideon was a major threat across three seasons of The Mandalorian, a force so efficient and invincible that it was hard to believe he’d be defeated... at least not without a struggle. Yet that’s exactly what we’re expected to buy at the end of Mando Season 3: when Gideon appoints himself the new leader of Mandalore, Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) rally a group of Mandalorians to take their planet back. Gideon seemed to perish during the ensuing battle, but given all the precautions he took elsewhere, a lot of fans weren’t buying his demise.
Lucasfilm has been mum on Gideon’s fate ever since, and for good reason. The Mandalorian is set to continue its story on the big screen, meaning that director Jon Favreau and producer Dave Filoni have their hands full with a large-scale story. There’s no telling who the true villain of The Mandalorian and Grogu could be, or whether Gideon will rise again to fill that void, but Esposito himself doesn’t seem to be done with the character.
During a recent appearance at FAN EXPO Boston, Esposito weighed in on Moff Gideon’s demise, teasing a potential return for the character. The actor noted that he’s perished on-screen countless times, from Breaking Bad to Far Cry 6, and that each demise has been pretty graphic. Gideon’s destruction via explosion seems tame by contrast, and the fact that it took place off-screen only detracts from its credibility, at least according to Esposito.
“I say, if you don’t see it, it didn’t happen,” the actor said, adding more fuel to the theory that Gideon might have faked his final exit.
Esposito’s comments align with everything he’s said about Gideon lately. Earlier this year, he expressed interest in returning to the world of The Mandalorian, most likely after The Mandalorian and Grogu.
“There is a big movie coming out that’s focusing on Mando and The Child,” Esposito told Empire last March. “I can’t say it’ll be that. But I hope to be able to join that franchise again because I think there’s more road for Moff Gideon.”
He’s not wrong; The Mandalorian even sets up a clear path for Gideon to return. Similar to Emperor Palpatine in the Star Wars sequels, Season 3 reveals that Gideon had been growing clones. At least one could have survived the explosion on Mandalore, meaning that a different incarnation of Gideon could appear down the line and stir up more trouble for Din and Grogu. Time will tell, but Lucasfilm has the opportunity to unleash the true potential of one of its most underused villains. The company shouldn’t waste it.
