Star Wars’ Next Movie Villain Finally Revealed by New Theory (& It Explains the Bad Marketing)

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While The Mandalorian and Grogu is scheduled to hit theaters on May 22nd, details about the next Star Wars film remain largely unknown. The Mandalorian and Grogu will finally bring the Star Wars saga back to the big screen, and the recent trailer has successfully generated excitement, showcasing a galaxy facing chaos with the return of the Empire.

Jon Favreau, the director, has a history of keeping major plot points secret – for example, the character Grogu was a complete surprise when The Mandalorian first aired in 2019. However, it’s much more difficult to hide details about a movie than a TV show. The marketing for The Mandalorian and Grogu hasn’t quite hit the mark; a recent Super Bowl ad, while surprising, didn’t generate the same excitement as the Lilo & Stitch trailer. Favreau has acknowledged that they are now releasing more hints, including through official merchandise and tie-in products. As a result, fans are starting to develop theories about a specific aspect of the story…

We Don’t Really Know Who The Mandalorian and Grogu’s Villains Are

A great hero needs a great villain, and the success of Star Wars consistently proves this point – it’s hard to picture the franchise without Darth Vader. The concept of Mandalorians themselves was originally sparked by Boba Fett in The Empire Strikes Back. However, we haven’t learned much about the villains in The Mandalorian and Grogu. We know Din Djarin is pursuing the remnants of the Empire (as shown in the latest trailer), and Jonny Coyne will play an Imperial warlord, but we haven’t seen his character yet, and he doesn’t seem to be a central figure in the story so far.

The Mandalorian, Din Djarin, is expected to encounter the Hutts, with Jeremy Allen White providing the voice for Rotta, Jabba the Hutt’s son, who originally appeared in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. There are hints Din Djarin will even travel to Nal Hutta, the Hutts’ home planet. However, interviews suggest Rotta will actually help Din Djarin, and the Hutts might not be the main villains. This is a bit surprising for Star Wars, which usually makes its villains very obvious, so something unexpected seems to be happening.

Only Three Members of the Cast Are “Stars”

Lucasfilm has revealed several official products related to The Mandalorian and Grogu, including an art book. Interestingly, the book’s description only credits three actors: Pedro Pascal, Jeremy Allen White, and Sigourney Weaver. Weaver is playing a character called “Colonel Ward,” and the trailer hints she’ll be the one assigning missions to Din Djarin. Lucasfilm is heavily promoting Weaver’s first appearance in Star Wars, given her status as a science fiction icon. And it seems she won’t have a minor role – action figures confirm Colonel Ward is an X-Wing pilot.

However, there’s a confusing detail about the costume. The three red stripes on her uniform indicate she belongs to the New Republic Army, not the Starfighter Corps. This means she shouldn’t be flying an X-Wing – she’d typically be a base commander. If she is on a mission away from base, she should be flying a ship designed for command and control, with room for strategic displays. This discrepancy hints that Lucasfilm is keeping a lot of information about Colonel Ward and her part in the movie under wraps.

After carefully reviewing the first trailer for The Mandalorian and Grogu over the past few months, it’s becoming clear that the story will involve more than just a battle against AT-ATs. Several scenes suggest Din Djarin will be fighting against the Empire on a planet covered in water, and this location seems to match Adelphi – the New Republic outpost where Colonel Ward is stationed and Din usually receives his assignments. It appears the Empire is planning to occupy Adelphi, launching a direct attack on a key New Republic base in the Outer Rim.

Is Colonel Ward Actually an Imperial Agent?

What secrets is Lucasfilm keeping about Colonel Ward? One thought is that she’ll escape an Imperial attack on Adelphi using an X-Wing, but that would make her just another helper in Din Djarin’s story, and Sigourney Weaver deserves a bigger part. It’s more likely she’s actually the movie’s villain – an Imperial spy working to disrupt the Republic in the Outer Rim, and ultimately leading the Imperial forces’ attack on Adelphi.

Season 3 of The Mandalorian has shown that remnants of the old Empire are hiding within the New Republic, with characters like Elia Kane, played by Katy O’Brian, working as agents. Some of these individuals are former Imperial officers given a second chance, but who secretly remain loyal to the Empire. Others may be long-term spies who secretly served the Empire during the war, and Ward could be one of these hidden agents.

If a popular theory is true, The Mandalorian and Grogu’s main villain has been right in front of us the whole time. This could also explain the difficulty Lucasfilm has had marketing the new film – the entire story revolves around a significant betrayal, and they’re trying to keep the surprise ending secret. It’s just a theory for now, but there’s growing evidence to support it.

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2026-02-23 16:12