A major current name from Star Wars compared his villain to the franchise's ultimate big bad, Darth Vader. Still holding a place in Star Wars lore to this day, Darth Vader is not only the galaxy far, far away's biggest villain but arguably the most popular antagonist in cinema history as well. However, as new chapters are added to the story, other post-Vader bad guys may have a chance at reaching his level of acclaim.
The Mandalorian star Giancarlo Esposito compared his character, Moff Gideon, to Darth Vader. Gideon made a name for himself as the former Galactic Empire leader, who was responsible for the Great Purge of Mandalore and regularly serves as a foe for Din Djarin and his band of misfits. Having played a major role in the story since the final moments of Season 1 in 2019, Esposito is now set in stone as one of the biggest villains in Star Wars' nearly 50-year history.
At a panel from GalaxyCon New Orleans 2025 (via The Popverse), Gideon recalled feeling that Moff Gideon was "somewhat of a Darth Vader in some ways," particularly in terms of his "power and...essence." After starting the role without a helmet and moving toward getting that addition in later episodes, he understood the reasoning for those adjustments and loved learning about how that process worked:
"I have to say that it grew on me that my character was somewhat of a Darth Vader in some ways…He certainly encompassed that power and that essence. And I started out not having a helmet and then going, you know, growing into a helmet had me understand, okay, there's a reason for that helmet. And it was great for me to understand it in that way."
Darth Vader has been Star Wars' biggest overarching villain since his debut in 1977's Episode IV: A New Hope, appearing in six movies and even more TV shows and streaming series. While Moff Gideon does not have the same volume of work as Darth Vader, he stands as the biggest villain from Star Wars' new line of streaming shows, with all his work coming in The Mandalorian.
As of writing, Esposito's Moff Gideon is presumed dead after getting caught in an explosion on Mandalore in The Mandalorian Season 3, Episode 8.
Could Moff Gideon Reach Darth Vader Levels for Star Wars?
While Moff Gideon was presumed dead in The Mandalorian's Season 3 finale, there was no definitive shot that confirmed he was truly gone. As is the case with most major sci-fi franchises, characters have been killed off and brought back on multiple occasions, which may allow Moff Gideon to have another chance at villainous glory.
Star Wars may have an opportunity to bring Esposito back for 2026's The Mandalorian & Grogu, which will conclude the story laid out in The Mandalorian. With Din Djarin and Grogu teaming up for another adventure through the galaxy together and Gideon believed to be dead, Esposito's villain could wreak major havoc for the film's heroes.
While multiple major characters from The Mandalorian certainly will not be in the new movie, Esposito remains adamant that fans did not see a body when the fires consumed Gideon. The actor teased Gideon's resurrection on multiple occasions, and he appears open and willing to continue the villain's story after this tragedy.
Richard Nebens joined The Direct in March 2020, now serving as the site's Senior Writer and also working as an assistant editor and content creator. He started his journalism career as a hobby in 2019 and is passionate about sharing news and stories from the entertainment industry, especially comic book movies, comedy, and sci-fi. Richard looks to expand his knowledge about movies and TV every day, and he is eager to stay locked into the latest releases and breaking news at every opportunity.
