What Does Moff Gideon Want From The Child?
This seems to be the million credit question. Moff Gideon is an intelligent man, having risen from the ranks of the ISB (Imperial Security Bureau) to one of the loftiest positions in the Empire. He seems to know a whole lot, just based off the tidbits of details he revealed in his conversation with our heroes in the last season—that’s how we learned Din’s name!
He’s a cunning adversary, and his knowledge is one of his greatest strengths. Somehow, he knows what The Child is, or at least that its species is highly connected to the Force. How he plans to use that knowledge is something I’m hoping we find out sooner rather than later.
Considering he isn’t one of the Imperials who ran off to the Unknown Regions after the Battle of Jakku, it seems that Moff Gideon has his own plans. At this point he may be the only major Imperial Remnant LEFT inside the New Republic.
I think he likes it that way. He’s an Imperial loyalist, as we saw in his exchange with the ill-fated freighter captain from Chapter 11, “Long live the Empire.” I think he’s trying to bring it back and stay true to those original ideals. Eschewing the others and their plans for the First Order, Moff Gideon wants to rebuild the Empire himself.
A smart man like Gideon undoubtedly knew that one of the keys to Emperor Palptine’s power was his connection to the Force. Having acquired the Darksaber, a weapon connected to both Mandalorians and Force-wielders alike, it’s possible he’s searching for a way to tap into the Force himself. If he can’t naturally do it, then it would make sense he’s trying to do it genetically through the Child.
It would also explain Dr. Pershing’s (who could still be around) involvement in Season One. He was clearly wearing the Kamino cloning emblem last time we saw him, and who would know more about genetics than cloners? Granted, it could still be part of some plan to clone the Child and build an army of Force-users Gideon can control, but who knows.
Either way, I think Gideon is planning to use the Child in order to try and crown himself the new Emperor of the Empire. Something that could easily play out in seasons beyond the current one.
The War for Mandalore
From what we’ve seen in season one and just the few episodes of this season, I think it’s clear we’re headed directly into the war over Mandalore. The time spent in the Mandalorian covert on Nevarro, while short, gave us some clues as to the current state of its people. The clans are fractured and in hiding, keeping their numbers secret.
Thanks to Bo-Katan, we learn that Din is part of a smaller sect, one more extreme than the others. Meanwhile, Bo is seeking to rebuild, stealing back their equipment and trying to unite the clans in an effort to retake the planet and put a new “Mand’alor” on the throne.
It’s a lofty goal, and one Din has no interest in at the moment. He’s only concerned about the Child and his quest, but if that wraps up, it makes sense for Din to immerse himself deeper into his own culture to learn where he fits in.
The revelations brought about by Bo-Katan has likely rocked his somewhat sheltered world. Everything he thought he knew about his people is no longer set in stone. How he deals with this could alter the course of the show in big ways. Either way, it seems like Din would be eager to work with Bo-Katan and other Mandalorians, to take on Moff Gideon and reclaim their home from the Imperials once and for all.
Season three feels like the perfect time to explore this. It’s an excellent way to expand the scope of the show, basically going to war, while keeping it focused on Din and his personal struggles. After all, a war between Mandalorians and the Remnant Empire would be “big”, but not galaxy shaking enough to impact the larger story with the New Republic and the eventual emergence of the First Order.
Retaking Mandalore could setup more inter-conflict as well. It’s already been mentioned that the other clans don’t exactly jive with the “Children of the Watch” and would have vastly different ideas on the future of their culture. Such friction would put Din in the middle, potentially forcing him to choose between those who initially saved him and the good of Mandalorians in general.
I think I mentioned it in one of my recaps from the previous season, but we’ve seen glimpses of Din wanting something more. He’s lonely and pushes himself from bounty-to-bounty to keep busy, while donating most of his funds to take care of other foundlings, like he once was. It seems clear he’s not as cold-hearted as others within his clan and is deeply committed to “the way of the Mand’alor” and bettering his people.
Ultimately, I think this mentality will bring him directly into conflict with The Armorer and other Children of the Watch. Much as I hate to say it, considering she’s one of my favorite new characters, I wouldn’t be surprised to see The Armorer end up being the next villain. Who knows, perhaps she’s actually a character we’ve seen before, like Rook Kast, who followed Maul in his takeover of Mandalore during The Clone Wars!
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