The following contains spoilers for The Mandalorian Season 3, Episode 7, “Chapter 23: The Spies,” streaming now on Disney+.
The Mandalorian Season 3’s latest episode, “Chapter 23: The Spies,” has several fans convinced that the Armorer (Emily Swallow) is secretly an Imperial spy.
The “Armorer is a spy” fan theory began gaining traction on Twitter shortly after “Chapter 23: The Spies” aired on April 12. It makes much of the fact that the armor sported by The Mandalorian‘s main villain, Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito), features the same horned helmet design as the Armorer’s own protective gear. Other supposed clues that the Armorer is working for Moff Gideon cited by the theory’s proponents include her ties to terrorist cell Death Watch and her apparent absence during the episode’s climactic ambush set piece.
Star Wars devotees will have to wait until The Mandalorian Season 3’s eighth and final episode debuts on April 19 to find out whether the Armorer has indeed betrayed series protagonist Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal). Regardless of whether this proves to be the case, executive producer Dave Filoni recently promised fans that the ending of The Mandalorian‘s third season will leave them with plenty to think about. “They’ll have a lot to take in,” he said. “And I think with any good ending there’s the moment you’re in it when you’re cheering and you feel satisfied, but then there’s a little bit after that where you think back at all the things that happened.”
The Mandalorian Star Discusses Moff Gideon’s Return
Filoni was presumably referring at least in part to the shadowy machinations of Moff Gideon, whose return in “Chapter 23: The Spies” marked his first on-screen appearance since Season 2’s finale, “Chapter 16: The Jedi.” Giancarlo Esposito discussed Moff Gideon’s comeback in a recent interview, noting that the Imperial warlord’s extended absence was spent rethinking his plans to topple the New Republic. “[Moff Gideon’s] spent his time shuttered away,” Esposito explained. “[He’s had] a lot of time to think and figure out a new way to go about things. We know he escapes, so it gives us a chance to rebuild and start over.”
Moff Gideon isn’t the only threat that both Din Djarin and the New Republic should be worrying about, either. Filoni also alluded to “other things happening out there in the galaxy” that will come to light by the time The Mandalorian Season 3 wraps up, which is seemingly a nod to Grand Admiral Thrawn. Thrawn’s right-hand man Gilad Pellaeon made his live-action debut in “Chapter 23: The Spies,” during a scene in which the fan-favorite baddie’s imminent arrival was also teased.
Source: Twitter
