Star Wars is returning to the big screen next year, with The Mandalorian and Grogu – but Lucasfilm seem to be deliberately keeping one thing secret. The first trailer for The Mandalorian and Grogu released recently, with Pedro Pascal’s Din Djarin and his apprentice Grogu blazing the trail as Star Wars returns to theaters.

The first trailer is really quite basic, deliberately avoiding revealing anything about the film’s plot. It confirms that Din Djarin and Grogu are going up against the Empire, featuring a spectacular scene in which Din neutralizes an AT-AT and shows just how dangerous a Mandalorian warrior is; but we were left with so many more questions than answers.

But Lucasfilm is also deliberately keeping one key thing secret: Who is the film’s villain?

We Don’t Even Know Who Din Djarin Is Going Up Against In The Mandalorian and Grogu

The Mandalorian season 3 ended with Din Djarin resuming his career as a bounty hunter, but now he’s working exclusively for the New Republic. He thinks he’s dealing with the last remnants of the Empire, unaware these forces are secretly being coordinated across the galaxy by an Imperial Shadow Council.

The trailer confirms Din Djarin is taking on the Empire (and, for unknown reasons, the Hutts). There’s a brief glimpse of a Hutt gladiator – Rotta the Hutt, Jabba’s son, to be voiced by Jeremy Allen White. But there’s no trace of Alcatraz‘s Jonathan Coyne, who has been cast as an unknown Imperial warlord.

It’s Unusual For Star Wars To Hide Its Villain Like This

There’s an old saying that you can measure the quality of a man by his enemies. Star Wars has always understood the truth of this, and how important a good villain is to a story; there’s a reason the franchise has so many iconic foes, with characters like Darth Vader and Palpatine looming large as some of the best villains of all time.

Star Wars typically makes a big deal of the villains, giving them imposing silhouettes and featuring them in marketing. The first trailer for Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace stands out as one of the best Star Wars trailers of all time, largely because of Darth Maul’s debut; I watched it in 1998, and I’ll never forget it.

The Mandalorian followed the typical Star Wars pattern, with Giancarlo Esposito’s Moff Gideon patterning himself after Darth Vader and wielding the Darksaber, making him work as a villain. But Moff Gideon is ᴅᴇᴀᴅ, meaning there’s a big gap in the franchise’s story, one that needs to be filled by someone equally memorable.

The Mandalorian and Grogu is set during an important period in galactic history. As seen in Ahsoka season 1, an Imperial strategist named Grand Admiral Thrawn – an unforgettable Legends character who’s made his way into canon – has returned to marshal Imperial forces against the New Republic. It’s possible he’ll appear in The Mandalorian and Grogu.

But if he does, there’s no real hint of his presence in the first trailer. And that, too, is perhaps surprising.

Why Is Star Wars Hiding Its Villain Like This?

The reaction to The Mandalorian and Grogu‘s first trailer has been relatively muted; it’s only been watched 8.8 million times in the five days since its release. It’s true that this is really more of a teaser than anything else, an attempt to encourage the already-engaged fanbase, but it hasn’t exactly gone viral.

The absence of an iconic foe is likely one major reason, because a commanding villain always elevates a story. Lucasfilm would surely know there’d be a cost, which means they must believe the secret is worth it. It’s reminiscent of the decision to conceal Baby Yoda’s existence ahead of the 2019 premiere, sacrificing millions in merchandise revenue, which paid off in the long term.

Does this strange secrecy mean there’s a twist in the works? Perhaps Sigourney Weaver’s Colonel Ward, the New Republic officer giving Din Djarin his missions, is a double agent. Alternatively, it’s possible Lucasfilm simply believe that the true foe will catch the public eye in such a spectacular way that it’s better to wait.

We’ll have to wait and see what happens as we get closer to The Mandalorian and Grogu‘s release.