Who is Moff Gideon? The Mandalorian has given us heroes to root for in the effortlessly cool Mando and his space-son Baby Yoda, but it also provided us a truly dastardly villain to despise, too.
Throughout the Star Wars series, we’ve seen Din Djarin shield the precious Baby Yoda from all kinds of nemeses, from Star Wars bounty hunters looking for a quick payday, to creepy Star Wars aliens looking for a quick snack. But, there’s one big bad who outdoes them all in this section of the Star Wars galaxy.
As we await The Mandalorian season 3 release date, it’s time to get Moff Gideon explained for you all. So, let’s dive into this Star Wars villain, his motivations, and his methods.
Who is Moff Gideon?
Moff Gideon was a ruthless warlord who served the Empire in the wake of the Galactic civil war. He rose through the ranks, from officer to leading his own Imperial remnant in the Outer Rim.
He began his work as an officer in the ISB, before becoming a Moff for the Galactic Empire, essentially serving as a governor for his own sector of the galaxy. Thus, he was part of the Council of Moffs assembled by Emperor Palpatine.
Gideon was involved in the Great Purge of Mandalore and is thought to have killed millions. It is there that he acquired the legendary Darksaber – the black-bladed lightsaber coveted by the Mandalore people.
What does Moff Gideon want?
In The Mandalorian, Moff Gideon wants to acquire Baby Yoda so that he can use the youngling’s blood for his experiments. Grogu is Force-sensitive and as such, his powers could be very valuable to Gideon and what remains of the Empire if they could harness them.
He almost succeeds in season 2 of the sci-fi series, too, with his assembly of Dark troopers capturing Grogu on Tython. Luckily, Mando steps in and saves the little green ball of fuzz and takes the Darksaber in the process. But, Gideon will be back in The Mandalorian season 3, and we dread to think what The Mandalorian character will do next to achieve his goals.
Who plays Moff Gideon in The Mandalorian?
Moff Gideon is played by Giancarlo Esposito in The Mandalorian. The actor first appeared in The Mandalorian season 1 episode 7 and has been a key figure in the TV series since.
You might recognise Esposito from the thriller series Breaking Bad where he played Gus Frings, or from the comedy series The Boys where he plays Stan Edgar. One thing’s for sure, he likes playing villains.
For more from Star Wars, check out our ranking of the Star Wars movies or our list of the best Star Wars droids and the best Star Wars scenes. Alternatively, look ahead to the Andor season 2 release date, the Ahsoka release date, or learn more about Star Wars characters like Cassian Andor and Obi-Wan Kenobi.