From the moment "Chapter 23: The Spies" opens, the various storylines of this season of The Mandalorian finally begin to converge. Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) follows the lead of Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) in her quest to unite all Mandalorian tribes and retake Mandalore. The Imperial remnants of the Galactic Empire are growing in strength, and the foes are beginning to show their faces. However, it's not just the plot of The Mandalorian that's beginning to converge; the plentiful references in this episode are shaping a deeper connection to the franchise as a whole.
Laser Gates
It's a brief nod, but as Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) makes his way toward the chamber to meet with the Imperial Shadow Council, he passes through a corridor fitted with laser gates. Also known as electron walls, the high-security doors are a familiar site, immediately reminding us of the showdown between Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jinn, and Darth Maul in The Phantom Menace. As the mechanism that prevented Obi-Wan (Ewan McGregor) from coming to the aid of his Jedi Master, the laser gates make for an iconic piece of imagery in Star Wars media.
Commandant Brendol Hux
When Moff Gideon meets with the Shadow Council, surrounded by holograms of high-ranking Imperials, one figure in the group marks a particularly exciting addition to Star Wars canon. Brian Gleeson, son of actor Brendan Gleeson, appears as Commandant Brendol Hux. As the father of General Armitage Hux (who was played by Brian Gleeson's brother, Domhnall Gleeson), Brendol Hux's inclusion makes a direct connection between The Mandalorian and The Force Awakens. The formation of the First Order is beginning to bubble to the surface.
Project Necromancer
When Commandant Hux calls him out for his attempts at experimentation on Nevarro, Moff Gideon brushes it off. "The creation of clones is your obsession, not mine." However, we already know the accusation is based on truth, and even as he made his way to this Shadow Council meeting, Moff Gideon walked past what appeared to be several pods containing incubating clones. Moff Gideon's true intent is still not entirely clear, but we explicitly learn that Commandant Hux is leading a venture called Project Necromancer. If the connection laid before us continues, Project Necromancer will likely serve as the early stages of the cloning work that created the sequel trilogy's Supreme Leader Snoke and the eventual return of Emperor Palpatine.
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