Cobb Vanth's return to The Mandalorian could have been revealed in the first episode of Season 3.
Timothy Olyphant made his Star Wars debut in the Season 2 premiere of The Mandalorian.
The character also appeared in "Chapter 6" of The Book of Boba Fett, where he was shot and injured by bounty hunter Cad Bane and forced to be put in a bacta tank. The character was shown in the tank in the series' post-credits scene and hasn't been heard from since.
With the next batch of episodes for The Mandalorian officially underway on Disney+, some have speculated that Vanth will make his inevitable return at some point in the season. The only question is how, and that may have already been answered.
Greef Karga Needs a Marshal
Even though the first episode of Season 3 of The Mandalorian never even mentioned Cobb Vanth's name, it hinted at the role the character could take on if/when he does come back.
In the episode, Pedro Pascal's Din Djarin and Grogu made a pit stop on Nevarro to speak with Carl Weathers' Greef Karga.
After a brief shootout with a gang of pirates, High Magistrate Karga told the Mandalorian that he desperately needed a marshal, and even charmed him by saying "(he) would make a fine lawman."
However, Din turned the offer down due to his current mission and suggested that Cara Dune fill the role, but then learned from Greef that she had taken another position in a different part of the galaxy.
There are only a handful of other characters Din is familiar with that would fit the need Greef has, and the most likely candidate is definitely Cobb Vanth.
As previously mentioned, the character was last seen in a bacta tank. It is unlikely that his survival would have been confirmed and even teased in a post-credits scene if there were no plans for him to take on some role moving forward.
Cobb Vanth Is the Perfect Choice
Cobb Vanth already has years of experience when it comes to marshaling. His nickname is literally "The Marshal," as he served in that position for the town of Mos Pelgo on Tatooine.
After giving Din Djarin the Mandalorian armor that previously belonged to Boba Fett, Vanth became the mayor and sheriff of Mos Pelgo and had a hand in officially naming it Freetown.
In both The Book of Boba Fett and Season 2 of The Mandalorian, Vanth displayed his skills with a blaster. More importantly, he also proved that he could protect the people of his town when he drove out the Red Key Raiders and later the Pyke Syndicate.
It is also important to remember that Din Djarin just so happens to be a close mutual friend of both Greef Karga and Cobb Vanth.
After the Pykes were driven off Tatooine, it is likely that Boba Fett would be able to keep the surrounding areas of Mos Eisley safe, which would allow Vanth to pack up and move to Nevarro.
Why Vanth Would Want the Job
Greef told Din that if he were to accept the marshal position, he would have nice housing right in the middle of the town, and ensured that the pay would be good, so Vanth wouldn't have to worry about that if he took the job.
After Din showed his support for Freetown and helped save him in The Book of Boba Fett, Cobb's moral compass suggests that he would have no problem doing a favor for Din if he explained the situation.
As the remnants of the Empire continuously get stronger, it is also reasonable to expect that Vanth may want to join the cause and help drive them away.
It is unclear how long Vanth had to stay in the bacta tank following his shootout with Cad Bane, or if the healing process for the character is even finished yet.
However, when he does come back into the fold, it will likely be in some way to help the Mandalorian.
Afterward, fans may just see Vanth as the next marshal of Nevarro.
Season 3, Episode 1 of The Mandalorian is available to stream on Disney+.
