Warning this article contains spoilers for The Mandalorian season three.
Chapter 23 of The Mandalorian not only showcased the union of various Mandalorians that were scattered across the galaxy, it also revealed that the Imperials have something up their sleeves and are working together in secret to ensure their success. It was revealed in the show that Moff Gideon escaped and has Elia Kane feeding him the information he needs.
One thing that was mentioned in the episode by Captain Pellaeon is ‘Project: Necromancer.’ Unfortunately, the episode didn’t explain much of the Imperial’s grand scheme. But could other Star Wars titles help piece together what this grand Imperial scheme is?
What is Project: Necromancer?
In the season three episode of The Mandalorian, titled “The Spies,” Captain Pellaeon claimed that Grand Admiral Thrawn’s return will bring back the strength needed for the Imperial army and that Commandant Hux is the one in charge of Project Necromancer. During the Shadow Council’s meeting, it was also revealed that Hux is interested in Doctor Pershing’s research into cloning, so perhaps this is a clue for what this Imperial project may imply. This was supported by Gideon’s comments to Hux, claiming that “the creation of clones was Hux’s obsession.”
One may first assume that Project: Necromancer is what Moff Gideon was doing in Mandalore, where he plans to use influences from the Jedi, Mandalorians, and clones. After all, a necromancer is someone who wants to bring something back to life. In Moff Gideon’s speech to Din Djarin, Bo Katan, and the rest of the Mandalorians, he says that Mandalore “will live on” through his name and influence. He also plans to use Mandalore’s rich resources to build his Dark Trooper army.
However, based on the Shadow Council’s conversation at the start of the episode, it seems like the project is more than just building an army to take down the New Republic. It could be assumed that Project: Necromancer is related to Emperor Palpatine’s return in the sequel trilogy.
The clue viewers got for this was Hux’s interest in Doctor Pershing’s research. Pershing was known to have a heavy interest in cloning and believed that his work could benefit others if delivered into the right hands. However, it seems like the Imperials were more interested in his research compared to the New Republic.
If the word “necromancy” means the practice of bringing someone back to life, perhaps this could explain how Emperor Palpatine was revived and has multiple clones of himself. Considering how The Mandalorian takes place 30 years before the sequel trilogy, that is enough time to revive a powerful Sith Lord. After all, the practices of the dark side tend to be seen as “unnatural.”