We’re only a few days away from some fresh Star Wars news at Celebration 2023. Until then, we’ll just have to enjoy the consistently satisfying third season of The Mandalorian. Despite a lengthy hiatus between seasons, the Disney Plus series has continued to hold fan fascination with unexpected cameos, the overarching mystery of Moff Gideon’s disappearance, and the glorious exploration of Mandalorian culture as a whole.
Bryce Dallas Howard is taking the helm for the next episode, and just knowing she is attached to the episode has some fans frothing at the mouth with joy. Daisy Ridley may not be appearing on the small screen any time soon, but the actor isn’t ruling out a possible future in the Star Wars universe. While it’s been several years since her last appearance as Rey, Ridley is still willing to pick up her lightsaber should Lucasfilm come a-calling.
After half a season, fans are ready for some Moff Gideon
Since the beginning of the third season of The Mandalorian, the series’ longtime villain Moff Gideon has been glaringly absent. The disappearance of the cold and calculating Imperial has fans on edge as they try to determine if the attack on Bo-Katan’s palace was the missing Moff or if it has something to do with the fan-favorite Grand Admiral Thrawn. The devious blue baddie has been titillating fans’ imagination for years, and the lack of Gideon has some fans hopeful his absence means Thrawn is paving the way for a larger role in the upcoming Ahsoka series. While the Rebels villain has yet to make his appearance, fans of the series got an unexpected surprise in the form of a cameo from one Garazeb Orrelios in the latest episode.
While fans may have to wait a considerable amount of time for Thrawn to emerge, we’ve painted a road map of where we think Moff Gideon’s storyline is heading in an all-you-need-to-know breakdown of what we know so far. With the season more than halfway through, there’s no doubt the next few episodes will finally answer the burning question of what Gideon has been up to and how Elia Kane works into his plans.
Bryce Dallas Howard returns to set up the season finale
Bryce Dallas Howard is set to helm the upcoming episode of The Mandalorian and fans are ready for the director’s careful hand on the till. Howard has become one of the preferred directors for the show after her excellent handling of the “Return of the Mandalorian” episode in The Book of Boba Fett. For her contributions to the Star Wars universe, fans have even called for Howard to get her shot at a big-screen release, but so far Lucasfilm hasn’t greenlit anything for the filmmaker.
Daisy Ridley will always be one with the Force
Daisy Ridley still loves her time in the Star Wars universe. The actor has been fairly open about her inability to get work after playing Rey in the sequel trilogy. She told The Independent that her prospects dried up in 2019, but called the pandemic — and her dry spell — a blessing of sorts. The time has given her space to process laying down her lightsaber and stepping away from her time in the galaxy far, far away, but it seems that four years isn’t long enough to fully shake her experience. Despite the growing expanse between her present and her time as Rey, Ridley still loves the character, and refuses to rule out a chance to play her in the future.