Summary
Star Warsrecently confirmed the final fate of one major character inThe Mandalorian, and the franchise might have set up his return at the same time.The Mandalorianis becoming an increasingly important part ofStar Warsthanks to the upcoming movie,The Mandalorian & Grogu. Din Djarin and Grogu will star in the nextupcomingStar Warsfilm, and while there aren’t many story details about the movie yet, it’s safe to assume some of their past allies and enemies will join them. One of those returning characters could even be a person who had a very uncertain fate inThe Mandalorian.
Quite a few of Din and Grogu’s enemies have met very definitive, and often violent, ends overall three seasons ofThe Mandalorian. The Client, for example, was killed by Moff Gideon at the end ofThe Mandalorianseason 1. Other antagonists, however, have had much less certain fates. Gideon seemingly died in a fiery explosion, but there could be evidence that he survived. The absurd"mustache theory" suggests Moff Gideon survived, and it’s possible he could return. One character in particular, though, had a very uncertain fate that may have just signalled that he’ll soon return in the future.
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Dr. Pershing Didn’t Die In The Mandalorian Season 3 After All
Dr. Penn Pershing, the scientist who researched Grogu’s blood as part ofProject Necromancer, didn’t actually die.InThe Mandalorianseason 3, episode 3, Penn Pershing was betrayed by another former member of the New Republic Amnesty Program, Elia Kane. As a result of her betrayal, Pershing was put into a device called a mind flayer, which was designed to remove his memories. When he was put in the mind flayer, Kane turned the voltage all the way up, andThe Mandaloriannever fully revealed Pershing’s fate.
Project Necromancer was the Imperial Remnant’s plan to create a clone capable of holding Emperor Palpatine’s life essence, which would essentially grant the Sith Lord eternal life.
Luckily, an excerpt from the “Star Wars Encyclopedia: The Comprehensive Guide to the Star Wars Galaxy” revealed that Pershing only had his memory wiped.
Pershing is turned over to the New Republic, and during his rehabilitation, he’s betrayed by Elia Kane, who wipes his memory with a mind flayer.
TheStar Wars Encyclopediawas very particular about what terms it used to describe Pershing’s fate. It purposefully avoided any mention of his death, and the note that his memory was wiped is an indication that he’s still alive.Since Pershing survived Elia Kane’s betrayal, that means he could soon return to the world ofThe Mandalorian.
How Dr. Pershing Could Return
Penn Pershing’s mind was wiped inThe Mandalorianseason 3, episode 3, but he still had a small effect onThe Mandalorianseason 3, episode 7. When Moff Gideon met with the Imperial Remnant’s Shadow Council, he mentioned that Pershing’s research was captured by the New Republic and said, “His research is lost. For now, at least.“Gideon’s comments may be a hint that the Imperial Remnant could attempt to recapture Pershing and restore his memories to help with Project Necromancer. Pershing was one of the Remnant’s leading scientists, and his knowledge of Midi-chlorians and cloning could prove vital to their efforts.
Star Wars’ Imperial Remnant Explained: Timeline, History, & Notable Leaders
The Imperial Remnant provided a throughline between the Galactic Empire and the First Order, and it was very important to a huge chunk of Star Wars.
If the Imperial Remnant does try to bring Pershing back on board and have him help with Project Necromancer,The Mandalorian & Groguwould be the perfect place to do it. After Grand Admiral Thrawn’s return at the end ofAhsoka, the Imperial Remnant is stronger than it ever has been.The Remnant could even be strong enough to start working against the New Republic out in the open, which would be the perfect excuse to free Pershing from the Amnesty Program. With Thrawn’s military might and Pershing’s cloning research, the Imperial Remnant could wreak havoc inThe Mandalorian & Grogu.
The Mandalorian and Grogu
Cast
The Mandalorian and Grogu is a Star Wars movie directed by Jon Favreau that continues Disney+’s immensely popular TV Show, The Mandalorian.
Bringing Dr. Pershing back forThe Mandalorian & Groguwould also work outside the confines of the story.The Mandalorian & Groguwill be the firstStar Warsmovie to hit theaters sinceStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. It needs to raise the stakes beyond anything seen in the show so far, and using both Thrawn and Pershing to threaten the galaxy at the same time could be the perfect way to make it more exciting. If that does prove to be the case, then Penn Pershing could go from a side character inThe Mandalorianto a key part of the future ofStar Warsas a whole.
The Mandalorian & Grogu
August 23, 2025
Purchase Star Wars Encyclopedia: The Comprehensive Guide to the Star Wars Galaxy on Amazon.
The Mandalorian
Released on June 10, 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.
