One of the stars ofThe Mandalorianhas perfectly explained why theStar Warsgalaxy allowed the Empire to cling to power for so long. The Empire has beenStar Wars’greatest villain since the start; the destruction of Alderaan inthe firstStar Warsmovie – later retitledA New Hope– cemented the Empire as an irredeemable and genocidal organization.
Since 1977,Star Warshas expanded our understanding of the Empireas a ruling power. TheStar Warsprequels andStar Wars: The Clone Warsshowed us how the Empire became a viable institution, while shows likeAndor,Star Wars Rebels, and evenThe Mandalorianexplored the extent of the Empire’s reach and treachery.
The Mandalorianproved just how deeply the Empire had dug its roots. Even after Palpatine’s brainchild was soundly defeated following the Battle of Endor and theBattle of Jakku, shreds of the Empire’s power structure remained, culminating in Moff Gideon’s secret operation and theImperial Shadow Council, soon to be led by the formerly exiled Grand Admiral Thrawn.
One such member of the residual Empire was Dr. Penn Pershing, portrayed by Omid Abtahi inThe Mandalorian, who worked as an Imperial scientist on Palpatine’s and later Gideon’s cloning projects. At this year’s Fan Expo Denver, whereScreenRantwas in attendance,Abtahi explained how he approached playing such a morally dubious character, and how the Empire fueled Pershing’s obsession with science:
“Even though he works for the Empire, what I found interesting about him was that he was, to me, in my mind, science was above all else. The Empire were the people who allowed him to do the science. So, to me, I really wanted to make him morally gray.”
What Abtahi’s Comments Reveal About The Empire In Star Wars
The Empire’s Atrocities Were Hidden For Too Long
While Abtahi’s comments are directly related to hisMandaloriancharacter, Dr. Pershing, they reveal a wider truth about the Empire as well.People were willing to turn a blind eye to the Empire’s actions so long as it benefited them personally.
In many cases, the Empire gave people what they wanted – for Pershing, this meant unlimited experimental resources – and, so long as the Empire could keep the lid on, or spin the truth about what they were doing elsewhere, the Imperial machine was viewed as yet another form of government, easily ignored.
It wasn’t until the Empire’s atrocities came to light that the public started to see the horrific reality of what the Empire was doing to innocent worlds and people. The turning point was undoubtedlythe Ghorman Massacre, recently depicted inAndor. Senator Mon Mothma publicly labeling the Massacre as genocide and explicitly calling out Palpatine as a villain changed everything.
Our Take On The Mandalorian’s Dr. Pershing
Can Former Imperials Truly Be Redeemed?
Dr. Pershing was far from the only Imperial scientist, officer, or grunt to have been deceived or misled by the Empire. Many of the Empire’s workers had volunteered, but to what extent had they been lied to? Would they have joined if they had known that the Empire was building a virtually indestructible super weapon? Would they have joined if they could see past the “perks of the job”?
The Empire gave people the illusion of peace, control, and prosperity, and brought the Star Wars galaxy to its knees from the shadows.
That’s the question asked by one ofThe Mandalorian’s most interesting yet out-of-place episodes. In the season 3 episode “Chapter 19: The Convert,” Pershing is enrolled in the New Republic’s Amnesty Program, a rehabilitation program for former Imperials. Eventually, though, Pershing once again succumbs to his love of science,following the devious Elia Kane(one of Moff Gideon’s plants) to steal experimental supplies off a decommissioned Imperial ship.
Claudia Gray’s canonStar Warsnovel,Lost Stars, explores the Empire’s reach and public perception in depth, as well as how it functions as a recruitment organization.
Yes, Pershing claims that he only wants to use science to help people, a noble goal and one that directly contradicts everything the Empire stood for. If he’s willing to align himself with whoever’s offering him resources, however, exactly how morally right is he? At what point does wanting to help people become an obsessive, selfish, harmful quest?
The Empire survived for years by playing it safe. They gave people the illusion of peace, control, and prosperity, and brought theStar Warsgalaxy to its knees from the shadows.
The Mandalorian and Grogu
June 01, 2025
The Mandalorian
“The Mandalorian” is a live-action Star Wars television series set in the post-Empire galaxy, five years after the events of “Return of the Jedi.” The series follows the adventures of a lone bounty hunter, Din Djarin, who becomes the protector of a mysterious child known as Grogu (popularly referred to as “The Child” or “Baby Yoda”). Combining elements of Westerns, samurai films, and classic Star Wars lore, “The Mandalorian” has become a cultural phenomenon, praised for its storytelling, character development, and visual effects.
Star Wars
Star Wars is a multimedia franchise that started in 1977 by creator George Lucas. After the release of Star Wars: Episode IV- A New Hope (originally just titled Star Wars), the franchise quickly exploded, spawning multiple sequels, prequels, TV shows, video games, comics, and much more. After Disney acquired the rights to the franchise, they quickly expanded the universe on Disney+, starting with The Mandalorian.
