The Mandalorian season 2 will explain the origins of a major piece of Star Wars lore, it's been revealed. The Darksaber, a lightsaber-like weapon seen at the end of season 1 of the now Emmy-nominated Disney Plus series, will be a major focus in the next set of episodes.
That's according to Giancarlo Esposito, who plays the villain Moff Gideon in the show. "You’ll see more of the darksaber, you’ll get the explanation of this ancient weapon to the modern world, a collapsed world,” Esposito told Deadline. “Where did this saber come from and how was it revived? It’s a key in our second season, which will be back sooner than later.”
The Darksaber is a Mandalorian-made weapon, so it makes sense we'd find out more about it given the title of the show, but this is the strongest hint we've had yet of what season 2 will actually be about. The finale of season 1 teased the audience that they'd learn more about Baby Yoda's origins in the future – but otherwise we've not been clued in on what's planned by Jon Favreau and his team of Lucasfilm storytellers.
“(The saber) is a key to Moff Gideon’s past, which possibly has a lot to do with where he comes from and his desire to build a planet and bring it back together," Esposito elaborated.
The Darksaber featured prominently in The Clone Wars animated series. Its appearance in live-action was met with surprise, although it makes sense when you consider the fact that Lucasfilm's animated overseer Dave Filoni is deeply involved with The Mandalorian, too.
The Mandalorian season 2 is set to release in October.
What else is rumored for next season?
You might want to stop reading if you'd like to go into The Mandalorian without spoilers, but credible reports on The Hollywood Reporter have pointed towards a number of Star Wars characters turning up in season 2.
These include Boba Fett, played by Jango Fett actor Temuera Morrison, and The Clone Wars favorite Ahsoka Tano, rumored to be played by Ahsoka Tano.
How they will weave into The Mandalorian's relatively small-scale story is a mystery.
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