The Mandalorian season 3 has received mixed reception since Chapter 17 premiered on March 1, with some fans and critics complaining about the choppy nature of the writing and the overall lack of character development for the lead hero, Din Djarin. Despite those issues, one aspect of this season that appears to have been received almost-universally well is the development of the overarching story of the MandoVerse, as some fans have dubbed it. Along with Jon Favreau’s show, other series like Ahsoka, The Book of Boba Fett, and Skeleton Crew all connect with one another to form one large plot, and one that appears to be an adaption of the classic legends novel Heir to the Empire. That was one of the most popular legends stories, especially as it featured fan favorites characters like Thrawn and Mara Jade.
Fans had speculated about Favreau and Filoni adapting Heir to the Empire for some time, but the trailer for Ahsoka that was shown at Star Wars Celebration earlier this month appeared to confirm as much. Those connections were further doubled down upon in the penultimate episode of The Mandalorian season 3, where none other than Captain Gilad Pellaeon appeared along with the rest of the fallen Empire’s Shadow Council. In legends, Captain Pellaeon had a sizable role in the post Return of the Jedi era, and someone who was an important player in the Heir to the Empire story.
Pellaeon’s first appearance in the franchise came in Heir to the Empire, where he served Grand Admiral Thrawn. In fact, the very first words of that novel are a character speaking to Captain Pellaeon, and his presence was felt throughout in the pages afterward. More broadly, Heir to the Empire is the legends story that, as stated previously, is currently being adapted to be the climactic finale event of the MandoVerse. In that story, Grand Admiral Thrawn attempts to take down the newly established New Republic in order restore the Empire as the commanding force in the galaxy. It’s the first in the original legends Thrawn trilogy, which also includes Dark Force Rising and The Last Command, and Captain Pellaeon features prominently in all three stories.
In legends, Pellaeon is described as extremely loyal to the Empire, and therefore Grand Admiral Thrawn. He served the Empire for years after the fall of the Jedi and the subsequent Galactic Civil War. With the addition of the new canon stories, Pellaeon was even willing to reveal any and all of his Imperial colleagues if he felt they were not being loyal enough to the Emperor. In one instance, Captain Pellaeon gave Grand Admiral Thrawn vital information about another high ranking Imperial’s stealing of certain materials regarding Project Stardust (aka the creation of the Death Star).
That instance in particular brought Thrawn and Pellaeon closer together, and the latter went on to serve the Grand Admiral during the Civil War. Pellaeon was reintroduced into the modern canon in Star Wars Rebels, where he once again served Thrawn and was essentially his right-hand man (or at the very least a well-trusted ally). In The Mandalorian season 3, Pellaeon advocated for Thrawn in front of the Shadow Council, where he stated his belief that Thrawn would be returning to the known regions of the galaxy soon and he would then be ready to take command of the remaining Imperial fleet. Moff Gideon didn’t necessarily agree with Pellaeon there, which demonstrated a split in the group (at least to a certain extent), presumably because Giancarlo Esposito’s character wants to rule the galaxy and doesn’t want Thrawn to stand in his way.
In live-action, Pellaeon is played by Xander Berkeley, who is perhaps best known for his roles in The Walking Dead, Candyman, and The X-Files. Berkeley is a well known actor who has consistently appeared in popular stories for the last few decades at least, which could suggest that he’ll be back again soon as Pellaeon in a galaxy far, far away. After all, it’s unlikely that Lucasfilm and Disney would choose to hire a well known actor for just one scene, and it instead feels more probably that they have more planned for Pellaeon as the story continues to ramp up. Grand Admiral Thrawn hasn’t even made his official return yet, so when he does, Pellaeon will almost certainly be there.
Ultimately, Pellaeon is a crucial member of the post-Return of the Jedi era Empire and a key fighter in the remnants’ attempt to regain control of the galaxy. In both canon and legends, he’s loyal to Grand Admiral Thrawn, and more broadly is extremely committed to the Empire. After all, he served them for years during their reign and opted to continue that mission in the shadows long after the Emperor fell, which in itself is a risky decision as he risks being charged and punished for his war crimes.