Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for The Mandalorian season 3, episode 7.
A The Mandalorian season 3, episode 7 scene strongly suggests that Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) had Dr. Pershing (Omid Abtahi) killed. Introduced in The Mandalorian season 1, Dr. Pershing was a central character in the cloning plotline that ties Grogu’s story with broader Star Wars events, namely Palpatine’s return in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. The Mandalorian’s “Chapter 23 - The Spies” has also introduced a potential new storyline, Project Necromancer, for which Dr. Pershing’s research is crucial.
Whereas previous The Mandalorian episodes were criticized for featuring way too many sidequests rather than moving the plot forward, “The Spies” saw all the main storylines coming together. Moff Gideon’s return confirmed who Elia Kane (Katy M. O'Brian) was working for this whole time, not to mention the casual Grand iral Thrawn namedrops. Dr. Pershing’s cloning research, Thrawn’s imminent return, and the Imperial Shadow Council’s Project Necromancer are now all connected to Din Djarin’s story.
Moff Gideon Couldn't Risk His Secrets Reaching The Republic
season 3, episode 7 “The Spies” saw Moff Gideon discussing his next moves with the Imperial Shadow Council. Gideon was asked by Brendol Hux, father of the sequel trilogy’s villain Armitage Hux, about Dr. Pershing’s whereabouts and the status of his research. Gideon replied that Dr. Pershing was captured by the New Republic, thus becoming a risk for the Imperial Shadow Council’s plans, and that Pershing’s research had now been lost. Though Gideon does not say that Dr. Pershing is dead, his answer strongly suggests that he had Pershing killed after plotting to get the doctor arrested by the New Republic.
Moff Gideon’s power and influence in this post-Empire galaxy cannot be ignored, even in sectors where the New Republic is present. Gideon was able to essentially rule Nevarro without ever sparking a New Republic reaction, and he was able to easily break out of the New Republic’s custody and keep his whereabouts a secret. Therefore, it is not too far-fetched to imagine that Gideon could have easily ordered the death of Dr. Pershing, especially considering that The Mandalorian’s villain had an agent, Elia Kane, infiltrate the New Republic. Though Moff Gideon claimed that the cloning research was not his obsession, The Mandalorian season 3, episode 7’s ending showed otherwise.
Has Elia Kane Preserved Dr. Pershing's Knowledge?
Elia Kane tricked Dr. Pershing into restarting his cloning research despite the prohibition placed by the New Republic, which led to Pershing being captured and submitted to a “mind reprogramming” process. As if the New Republic’s mind-flayer-like equipment was not questionable by itself, Kane also altered the machine’s parameters without the knowledge of other New Republic agents. It is important to note that the mind flayer equipment was first mentioned as something that could “scan minds.” meaning that Elia Kane might have ed Dr. Pershing’s knowledge from his brain before arranging his death at the orders of Moff Gideon.
Kane seems to have been loyal to Moff Gideon from the start, whereas Dr. Pershing appeared to be more focused on finding a person or organization that would back up his research. For that reason, it would make sense for Moff Gideon to prefer working directly with Elia Kane, rather than with a scientist that was already captured by the New Republic. There is also the possibility that Dr. Pershing is secretly alive but brainwashed into following Kane and Gideon’s orders. Regardless, The Mandalorian just proved that Moff Gideon does have personal plans involving cloning research on top of what the Imperial Shadow Council is seeking.
The Mandalorian season 3 finale releases Wednesday on Disney+.