Although the Empire was technically brought down decades ago in Star Wars, it’s continued to be a defining aspect of Star Wars movies and TV shows. For one, Star Wars shows have begun exploring what the wake of the Empire’s downfall actually looked like, particularly in terms of the Imperial remnant. Shows like The Mandalorian and Ahsoka have shown Imperial sympathizers and lingering loyalists, from Moff Gideon and Thrawn to countless nameless supporters. In turn, the same shows have offered much closer looks at how the New Republic operated and navigated this tumultuous landscape.
Less directly, the sequel trilogy essentially revealed that the Empire had been reborn. Yes, it went by the First Order now, but for all intents and purposes, it was the Empire, complete with stormtroopers, planet destroyers, and dark side Force-users running things. How, exactly, the remnants of the Empire became the First Order between the original trilogy and the sequel trilogy hasn’t been made explicit. Yet, Star Wars’ next movie, The Mandalorian and Grogu, may have the answer.
As Star Wars shows have explored this era of the Star Wars timeline between the original and sequel trilogies, one of the biggest names to emerge has been Moff Gideon’s. The primary antagonist of The Mandalorian and a genuine threat, Moff Gideon was a clear Imperial loyalist, even chanting, “Long live the Empire” at multiple points. However, as much of a threat as he ever seemed to be, he was only ever a distraction from the very real rising threat that was happening far away from the Core Worlds.
Specifically, as highlighted in Star Wars: The Mandalorian Visual Guide, Moff Gideon was symptomatic of a larger issue—one that the newfound New Republic was desperately trying to put out, even as it was spread too thin. In addition to threats like Moff Gideon, in fact, the New Republic was also facing political opposition from the so-called Centrists, who were also Imperial supporters. And, more troublingly, in the midst of all of these threats, the real danger of the burgeoning First Order was building up in the Unknown Regions, unbeknown to the New Republic.
‘The Mandalorian – Visual Guide’ has a new insight on the New Republic in ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’
“Though Moff Gideon was defeated, the power he wielded at his demise was a sobering reminder of the danger that the imperial remnant still poses. The Senate and bureaucrats… pic.twitter.com/W29bTvesO6
However bleak it may be, the New Republic never really had a chance. As identified in The Mandalorian Visual Guide, the New Republic was always struggling to get its footing all while putting out fires of varying levels of threat. Those were far from ideal conditions to completely rebuild a galaxy, establish a new political system, and (at least partially related) bring back the Jedi.
What makes this even more devastating is how hopeful the end of Return of the Jedi was. While it didn’t seem like it was going to be easy, the original trilogy ended in such a way that suggested the galaxy was about to begin anew, now free from the Empire, Emperor Palpatine, and Darth Vader. Yet, 30 years later, the galaxy was once again under a ruthless system’s control, and it’s become increasingly clear that even the decades in between were far from a period of peace.
Although the pieces are beginning to fall into place when it comes to the events that lead to the dominance of the First Order in the sequel trilogy, Star Wars still needs to connect the dots directly between the Imperial remnant and the dawn of the First Order. There also isn’t necessarily a ton of time to do that. It’s clear that the Imperial sympathizers dovetail into the First Order, but more than just that transition has to happen.
Snoke still needs to emerge, a full-fledged military operation needs to begin, and the First Order needs to amass so much power that it was able to destroy the entire New Republic by The Force Awakens. That’s quite a bit of ground to cover, particularly considering The Mandalorian and Grogu will already be set several years after Return of the Jedi.
Yet, that is what would actually make The Mandalorian and Grogu the best place for these connections to be explored. Particularly knowing that Din Djarin and Grogu are now working with the New Republic and will be identifying threats (which is clear given that they’re spying on stormtroopers in The Mandalorian and Grogu trailer), this would be a great way for Star Wars to uncover the earliest days of the First Order and set the stage for what will come. Whether or not that happens, however, remains to be seen.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
