The Mandalorian & Grogu, which is the next Star Wars movie that will be released and the first feature film from the franchise since 2019, will replace something that was controlled by Emperor Palpatine in Return of the Jedi. The Mandalorian & Grogu is perhaps the most important Star Wars movie in history, as it has so much riding on it. If the film is successful, it gives Disney and Lucasfilm the green light to create more Star Wars films and continue to flesh out the MandoVerse, but if it is a financial flop, the on-screen future of Star Wars could be in jeopardy.
Fans recently got to learn a bit more about The Mandalorian & Grogu in a recent story published by Empire Magazine. In that story, it was confirmed that the upcoming film will feature something called the Shadow Council, which was previously introduced in The Mandalorian Season 3.
Essentially, the Shadow Council is a direct replacement of Emperor Palpatine's Imperial Ruling Council. It is made up of individuals who were high-ranking officers in the Galactic Empire, and they are the ones pulling the strings and giving the orders to the Imperial remnants spread throughout the galaxy.
For reference, the Imperial Ruling Council was a panel of politicians and bureaucrats who served as Palpatine's advisors as he operated as Emperor. This council's headquarters were on Coruscant, but they were first introduced and most notably seen 43 years ago in 1983's Return of the Jedi on the second Death Star, specifically in Palpatine's Throne Room.
Specifically, six members of the Imperial Ruling Council journeyed to the second Death Star with Palpatine during the events of Return of the Jedi, and all six of them perished with the destruction of the superweapon.
Essentially, after the Battle of Endor, the death of Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader, and the fall of the Empire, the Imperial Ruling Council was disbanded. In its place, the Shadow Council was formed as a more covert and secretive group of high-ranking officials.
The Shadow Council was started by Gallius Rax, but a short time after its formation, it was eliminated during the Battle of Jakku. However, a few members, including Grand Admiral Rae Sloane, Commandant Brendol Hux (the father of General Hux from the sequels), and Grand Moff Randd, brought it back four years after the Battle of Jakku.
The Shadow Council then became what was seen in The Mandalorian Season 3, and it will be showcased again in The Mandalorian & Grogu.
In the official trailer for The Mandalorian & Grogu, the Shadow Council was included. Specifically, a wide shot of the entire council was showcased, and it appeared as though they were meeting on a snowy planet.
However, a close-up of one of the members can also be seen.
While the Shadow Council and the Imperial Ruling Council had a lot of similarities, their main motivations were quite different. The Imperial Ruling Council was much more political as they made decisions and advised Palpatine on how to rule the galaxy.
The Shadow Council, on the other hand, was strictly formed to resist the New Republic and find a way to fight back against it so that the Empire could be restored to its former glory.
The Shadow Council has only briefly been showcased on-screen at this point, but it will likely continue to play a major role in the MandoVerse storyline in The Mandalorian & Grogu and beyond.
How The Shadow Council Could Be the Overarching Villains of the MandoVerse
In The Mandalorian Season 3, Episode 7, the Shadow Council was featured talking to Moff Gideon. It was established that one of the council members was none other than Captain Pellaeon. In Timothy Zahn's Heir to the Empire books, Captain Pellaeon was Grand Admiral Thrawn's second-in-command and a vital part of Thrawn's character arc and plan to overthrow the New Republic.
Pellaeon first showed up in canon in a voice-only role in Star Wars Rebels, but that small part proved that he was still tied to Thrawn in canon. He also appeared in the canon novel Thrawn: Treason. Then, he appeared in that Mandalorian episode, as well as an episode of Tales of the Empire, where he could be seen with Thrawn and Rukh (who operated as Thrawn's assassin).
Now that Thrawn has returned to the normal Star Wars galaxy from Peridea, he will likely get in contact with Captain Pellaeon in Ahsoka Season 2 and take his place on the Shadow Council. Most likely, Thrawn will lead the council, with Pellaeon by his side, which should be easy considering Moff Gideon is dead and is no longer in possession of the Darksaber. Essentially, Thrawn has the strongest claim to lead the Shadow Council.
It would not be a surprise if Thrawn actually makes a cameo appearance in The Mandalorian & Grogu, as that would be the perfect place for his role as the leader of the Shadow Council to be established. That would also provide connective tissue between The Mandalorian & Grogu and Ahsoka, allowing Ahsoka Season 2 to hit the ground running and further the MandoVerse storyline.
It is also possible that the Shadow Council will explain how Palpatine returned in the sequel trilogy and flesh out his contingency plan. That could further connect The Mandalorian to the rest of the MandoVerse, and then connect the entire MandoVerse to the sequel trilogy.
