The Mandalorianmade one major mistake inThe Mandalorianseason 3 ending, and it’s likely too late forStar Warsto do anything to fix it.The Mandalorianis easily one ofStar Wars’best TV shows, and several characters from the show are amongStar Wars’best characters—Din Djarin and Grogu in particular. The show perfectly combines elements that cater to the intense nostalgia most viewers feel for the franchise and brand-new concepts and storylines that make the show stand out amongStar Wars’movies and TV shows.
That doesn’t mean thatThe Mandalorianis without its faults, though. There are someharsh realities aboutThe Mandalorianseason 3in particular, which led many to argue that season 3 ‘ruined’The Mandalorian. While this incredibly popularStar Warsshow is far from ruined,there was one shocking decision inThe Mandalorianseason 3 finale that was definitely a mistake, particularly in light ofStar Wars’upcoming movies.
The Mandalorian Season 3 Killed Off Moff Gideon
Moff Gideon Proved To Be A Fan-Favorite Villain, But His Story Is Now (Seemingly) Over
Giancarlo Esposito’s Moff Gideon first appeared toward the end ofThe Mandalorianseason 1 and was revealed to be the villain trying to obtain Grogu’s blood. Although he was after the already beloved Grogu, then only called The Child in the show and ‘Baby Yoda’ by many viewers,Esposito’s charismatic performance and the compelling nature of the character made him a hit. He also went on to prove how formidable a character he was, at one point even wieldingthe Mandalorian Darksaber.
Star Wars Completes The Darksaber Timeline With Moff Gideon Twist
The Mandalorian season 3, episode 7 finally reveals exactly how Moff Gideon got the Darksaber from Bo-Katan Kryze during the Purge of Mandalore.
While he didn’t win the Darksaber in battle, as is typically required to wield the iconic weapon—he instead convinced Bo-Katan Kryze to give it to him duringthe Purge of Mandalore—this was symbolic of how great a threat he had become. This was made all the clearer when it was revealed inThe Mandalorianseason 3 that Moff Gideon had been developing clones. Like Palpatine,Moff Gideon had specifically wanted to create Force-sensitive clones of himself.
Many of these intriguing plot points connected to Moff Gideon died with him inThe Mandalorianseason 3 ending.
Sadly, many of these intriguing plot points connected to Moff Gideon died with him inThe Mandalorianseason 3. In the finale, Gideon faced off against Bo-Katan, Din Djarin, and Grogu, but after a light cruiser crashed into the base, causing a fire, Gideon was engulfed in flames and burned to death. This is a particularly disappointing turn of events, not only because it means Moff Gideon’s time inStar Warsis seemingly over, but also because it meansMoff Gideon almost certainly won’t appear inThe Mandalorian & Grogu.
Everything We Know About The Mandalorian & Grogu Movie
The Mandalorian’s story will continue with a Star Wars movie. Here’s everything we know about the project, including cast, release, and timeline.
Giancarlo Esposito’s Moff Gideon Deserves A Movie Spotlight Treatment
Esposito Is A Brilliant Actor, Full Of Passion And Love For Star Wars
WithThe MandalorianTV show making the jump to the big screen inThe Mandalorian & Grogu, it is truly a shame Moff Gideon (and Giancarlo Esposito) will likely not be part of the cast of characters. In addition to Moff Gideon being an excellent character,Giancarlo Esposito is an amazing actor who truly lovesStar Wars, and he deserves to have his movie moment as Moff Gideon. In fact, in August 2024, Esposito confirmed that he continues to have love for his character even after his death inThe Mandalorianseason 3.
Giancarlo Esposito surprised the audience at FAN EXPO Chicago’s “Mark Hamill Live” event by appearing on stage fully in character as Moff Gideon. In a video posted byva.va.veraon TikTok, Esposito walks onto the stage chanting"Long live the Empire!“and introduces himself as Moff Gideon.
Clearly, Esposito remains a majorStar Warsfan, and he still cares deeply aboutThe Mandalorianand Moff Gideon, making it all the sadder thatThe Mandalorian & Groguwill likely happen without him.
There are of course waysStar Warscould still incorporate Moff Gideon into the movie, including in flashback, although that wouldn’t quite be the same.Star Warscould also make the controversial choice to reveal that Moff Gideon didn’t die after all, which would be in keeping with the franchise’s many resurrections, most notably Emperor Palpatine’s inStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker(Darth Maul, Boba Fett, and Asajj Ventress have also had shocking returns). Particularly given the way Moff Gideon died, though, this would be a questionable decision, to say the least.
Will The Mandalorian & Grogu Bring Gideon Back - & Should It?
Star Wars Is Known For Miraculous Resurrections, But This Would Be The Wrong Move
As mentioned,Star Warshas had a number of resurrections over the years, including of characters who seemed to definitely be dead. Even so,it would be a mistake forThe Mandalorian & Groguto reveal that Moff Gideon didn’t really die in the fire. It simply wouldn’t be believable that Gideon survived such a gruesome death, and this would continue a trend that has proven largely unpopular among the fanbase. WithStar Warsstill recovering from"Somehow, Palpatine returned,“this would be the wrong choice.
WithStar Warsstill recovering from"Somehow, Palpatine returned,“this would be the wrong choice.
The only slightly more believable wayThe Mandalorian & Grogucould bring Moff Gideon back would be to reveal that the version of Moff Gideon who was incinerated inThe Mandalorianseason 3 ending was a clone. However, this would be a bit of a stretch, and it would be too close to repeating the exact explanation for Palpatine’s return. Sadly,Star Warsmay need to accept that Moff Gideon’s death inThe Mandalorianwas a mistake that can no longer be fixed.
The Mandalorian
Cast
Released on June 18, 2025 The Mandalorian follows a lone gunfighter navigating the galaxy’s outer reaches after the Galactic Empire’s fall. As a skilled bounty hunter, he operates in a lawless universe, undertaking various missions on the fringes of the New Republic’s territories.
The Mandalorian and Grogu
The Mandalorian and Grogu is a Star Wars movie directed by Jon Favreau that continues Disney+’s immensely popular TV Show, The Mandalorian.
