A surprise Star Wars reveal may have just blown the plot of The Mandalorian and Grogu wide open. The Mandalorian and Grogu‘s first trailer concealed a lot more plot than it revealed; it certainly confirmed that Din Djarin will be going up against the Empire, but that’s about it.
Surprisingly, though, a new theory suggests Lucasfilm has just dropped a major clue to the movie’s plot. Lucasfilm Publishing used their New York Comic Con panel to reveal sneak peaks at some upcoming books, including The Mandalorian Visual Guide, which incorporates information from the movie.
And that drops a major hint about the Outer Rim planet Adelphi, one that may well reveal what the Empire is really up to.
Adelphi Base Is An Important New Republic Outpost
Found in the Kibilini sector, Adelphi is quite close to major hyperspace routes such as the Corellian Run. It’s one of the most storied New Republic outposts, with fighter pilots based in Adelphi policing the Outer Rim.
This year’s NYCC Lucasfilm Publishing panel featured a sneak peak at a spread from The Mandalorian Visual Guide, which includes information from next year’s movie; excitingly, it revealed more parts of the tropical planet Adelphi, which will likely be explored in The Mandalorian and Grogu.
The Adelphi Ranger Outpost is one of the few settlements on Aldani, and it services 450 New Republic personnel at a given time. In addition to the outpost itself, The Mandalorian Visual Guide reveals four other key locations on the planet:
- An ordnance testing atoll
- A secondary fuel depot
- A long-range communications array
- A long-range electrotelescope array
Some officers apparently refer to Adelphi as the Vacation Spot, given the idyllic climate.
How Big A Role Will Adelphi Play In The Mandalorian and Grogu?
Visual Guides tend to avoid giving away too much about planets, for fear of restricting future storytellers. Given this is the case, it’s reasonable to ᴀssume these four locations all appear in The Mandalorian and Grogu. That means we’ll be spending a lot more time on Adelphi than we expected.
Rewatching The Mandalorian and Grogu‘s trailer, it’s striking that quite a few scenes appear to be set on Adelphi – or, at least, a planet remarkably like it. The first few moments of the trailer show Din Djarin flying his Razor Crest in to land on what is recognizably Adelphi; we’ve been distracted by the return of the Razor Crest, but the outpost is quite distinctive.
But here’s the catch; Din Djarin is then shown watching Imperials on a planet strikingly similar to Adelphi. There’s a sH๏τ of Zeb, one of the New Republic Rangers based at Adelphi, in combat against Imperial forces… and the architecture matches quite well with what we’ve seen of Adelphi.
The Empire Will Always Strike Back
Lucasfilm’s marketing seems to suggest The Mandalorian and Grogu riffs on The Empire Strikes Back; the movie even features the return of AT-ATs. So far, viewers have tended to focus in on the obvious aesthetic similarities; but it looks as though there’s a thematic one as well. The New Republic Rangers have been causing trouble for the Empire, and it seems the Empire will strike back.
This would be a key moment in the shadow war between the New Republic and the Empire. Until now, the Empire has been careful to only act through proxies (such as the pirate group who invaded Nevarro in The Mandalorian season 3). Now, though, Imperial forces seem to be trying to neutralize a New Republic outpost.
It’s interesting to note that a communications array is mentioned on the new map; the Empire would clearly want to take this if they didn’t want Adelphi to call in for backup. Indeed, that may well be the location seen in the trailer, where Din peers over a dune to watch Imperials. He’s perhaps trying to send out a Mayday.
Why Is The Empire Getting So Much Bolder?
The Empire’s forces on the Outer Rim have been coordinated by the Imperial Shadow Council, a group of leaders who have worked hard to keep off the New Republic’s radar. But the end of Ahsoka season 1 – set at the same time as The Mandalorian season 3 – changed everything. The Empire’s greatest strategist, Grand Admiral Thrawn, has returned.
Even more importantly, though, the New Republic’s leadership know Thrawn has returned. Ezra Bridger escaped from Thrawn’s flagship with news that the Grand Admiral was back, and Imperial spies will surely have reported this to the Shadow Council. The time for secrecy has come to an end, and the Empire is presumably emboldened.
If this theory is right, then the shadow war between Imperial Remnants and the New Republic is about to erupt into the open. Grand Admiral Thrawn’s return means things are about to heat up across the galaxy, and The Mandalorian and Grogu will see Din Djarin on the front lines.
