The Mandalorian Season 3: what is this advice at the beginning of episode 7?

The Mandalorian Season 3 Episode 7 saw the on-screen introduction of a major element of the Star Wars saga canon…before the arrival of Disney.

SPOILERS ALERT!

The season 3 of The Mandalorian is nearing its end, and finally seems ready to reveal its last secrets to us. This season was an opportunity to further cement the show's place in the Star Wars grand plan. Whether to rehabilitate the interpreter of Jar Jar Binks or hang up the wagons with the postlogy, any opportunity was good to reconcile all this little world, even if it meant sometimes leaving aside what originally made the charm of the series.

This season 3 also confirmed the now major place occupied by Dave Filoni in the Lucasfilm organization chart, which was all the more highlighted by the recent Star Wars Celebration. The first Ahsoka trailerwas unveiled with great fanfare, while Filoni was offered a film at the cinema to conclude the adventures of the characters developed on Disney+. After his mention in The Mandalorian Season 2, Grand Admiral Thrawn is back in the spotlight this week, witha new convergence of extended universes symbolized by the introduction of the Council of the Shadow.

Long live the Empire

After six episodes of waiting for him, here it is, Moff Gideon is back, and he has looks in great shape. The former officer of the Empire has therefore well and truly escaped the clutches of the New Republic, which seems more than ever on the kneecaps. Further confirmation, Elia Kane, the ex-Imperial admitted to the Amnesty reintegration program, still works for Gideon, and she was the one who had hired the pirates to attack Nevarro in episode 5. In short, everything is linked, and the somewhat scattered aspect of this season 3 was perfectly logical (at least that's what they try to make us believe).

It doesn't matter, because in the end, it's not Gideon's triumphant return that is the most striking in the introduction to this episode 7. But the group of individuals he addresses by hologram. Eight mysterious figures, in uniform, who echo the finest hours of the Empire (one thinks in particular of the stormy political debates on the Death Star in the very first film). No Tarkin or Darth Vader here, but the characters presented are still very interesting to understand where it all goes. Because this merry band forms what is called the Shadow Council (they chose the name), and it will be the basis for Thrawn's return.

Rescue Mission

Dave Filoni decided to still have fun with elements of the canon, that is to say everything that exists in Star Wars mythology since the takeover by Disney, but also Legends elements, decanonized by the Mouse to create its own extended universe. It thus takes up the concept of the Shadow Council, introduced in the trilogy of novels Riposte, which is canon to the saga therefore. In short: a group of officers who assembled to save the Empire after the death of Palpatine, right after the events of Return of the Jedi. This first Council fell during the Battle of Jakku, the last major clash between the Empire and the Rebel Alliance.

Some of its members survived, however, and can be found in the new Council featured in The Mandalorian. Among them, Commander Brendol Hux, father of the famous General Hux of postlogy(As a reminder, The Mandalorian takes place about 25 years before Episode VII). There is also a certain Gilad Pellaeon, who is more from the Legends corner of Star Wars. Second in command to Grand Admiral Thrawn, this veteran had a significant place in Timothy Zahn's trilogy of novels devoted to the blue-skinned villain (The Mad Jedi's Dark Crusade). This character returned to the saga canon recently, first through a voice cameo in Star Wars: Rebels, then through the novel Thrawn: Betrayal.

Somehow…

Several things are to be remembered from this rather unexpected appearance. Already, by the mention of a mysterious (but not too much) “Necromancer project”, the resurrection of Emperor Palpatine is for the first time clearly mentioned in The Mandalorian. Until then, it had been guessed that the capture of the force-sensitive Grogu had a part to play in this impromptu return. Now, the existence of this project, combined with the idea of ​​a change in the hierarchy of this dying Empire (Gideon is not a big fan of Thrawn) and the obsession with cloning these individuals, opens wide the door to a slightly more detailed explanation of the comeback of our good old Palpatine.

Another great lesson: the preeminent place that Thrawn occupies in this Council, which he seems to lead. Even if he doesn't show up, the Chiss obviously has a plan to regain control of the Galaxy. A genius tactician, the character has not appeared since his disappearance alongside the young Jedi Ezra Bridger, in the finale of Star Wars: Rebels. He will officially be back on the Ahsoka series in August, with his voice interpreter from Rebels, Lars Mikkelsen. Everything is linked, we told you.

Our excitement would already go through the roof normally. It's only increased tenfold a week after Star Wars Celebration, which announced a film directed by Dave Filoni to wrap up all of his work on The Mandalorian and its spinoffs. A film described as “the culminating event centered on the war between the remnants of the Empire and the fledgling New Republic”. In other words, everything the Expanded Universe had narrated, and everything Disney had thrown away when it came to power, to favor a wobbly, ill-prepared postlogy. Dave Filoni has set out to fix Star Wars, and all of these events will be key to bringing some glory to the hated trilogy.

This whole story arc will undoubtedly lead to the creation of the First Order, made possible in particular by Thrawn's spatial knowledge. The birth of Snoke, then the return of Palpatine will no longer be hair in the soup. We might even be able (a little) to mourn the New Republic after its destruction in The Force Awakens. The most frustrating thing about this case is that no matter how hard he tries, Filoni won't be able to salvage all of the postlogy's problems. But, who knows? Maybe he can help us take a fresh look. More than ever, Star Wars seems to be in good hands, and this is the best news to come out of it all.

By the way, this episode comes at the perfect time, since the author who implanted Thrawn in the franchise, Timothy Zahn, will be present alongside Ecran Large for a meeting at the Paris Fan Festival, event of which the site is a partner, and which will be held on April 15 and 16, 2023.