After a sprawling and wide-ranging third season,The Mandalorianfelt like it finally got back on track withEpisode 7, “Chapter 23: The Spies”, which finally revealed the pieces were in place for where the story is headed, showing audiences a hidden threat to both Mandalore and the galaxy itself.
The episode brought backGiancarlo Esposito’s Moff Gideon, the main antagonist from the second season, and revealed he has been working in tandem with what was referred to as The Shadow Council, a shadowy cabal of Imperial remnants and officers spread across the galaxy attempting to fight the fascist fight even in the wake of Emperor Palpatine’s demise aboard the second Death Star.
Among this Shadow Council was one with whom we may already be familiar - at least with his name - in the shape of Commandant Hux. If the name rings a bell, it’s because the name is shared with General Hux, the sneering and pompous villain from the sequel trilogy with anantagonistic relationshiptoAdam Driver’s Kylo Ren,General Hux, portrayed byDomhnall Gleeson.The characters are not the same person - General Armitage Hux first appeared inThe Force Awakens, while Commandant Brendol Hux is Armitage’s father. And in a neat piece of casting, Brendol is portrayed byBrian Gleeson, brother of Domnhall. Both actors, too, are the sons of Academy Award-nominated actorBrendan Gleeson.The scene also revealed that Commandant Hux is hard at work on what was referred to as “Project Necromancer”,which was hinted at involving cloning. Given the plot threads that lead to – somehow –the return of Emperor Palpatine inThe Rise of Skywalker, the question now is: was this the start of that story?
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Who Is Brendol Hux?
Brendol Hux is not a new character to theStar Warsuniverse, however this is his first appearance in live action. The character first appeared in theStar Wars: Aftermathtrilogy of novels, which chronicled the events in the galaxy following the events of the Battle of Endor, fromReturn of the Jedi(returning to cinemas soon). Brendol treated his son cruelly, which eventually culiminated in his demise at the hands of Armitage andPhasma, another character who would go on to appear in the sequel trilogy. Having been made his own personal bodyguard, Phasma betrayed Brendol and aligned herself with Armitage, poisoning and killing Brendol.
The final episode ofThe Mandalorian’s third season will air on April 19, exclusively on Disney+.
