In The Mandalorian “Chapter 19,” Dr. Penn Pershing makes a reappearance, potentially holding the key to the future of the Star Wars series and addressing unresolved issues from the sequel trilogy. Season 3 is currently airing on Disney+, featuring returning characters such as Bo Katan Kryze, Peli Motto, and Dr. Pershing himself.

Dr. Pershing’s Cloning Dilemma Warning

“Chapter 19” follow. Dr. Pershing is reintroduced to New Republic life through the Amnesty program on Coruscant after working for the Empire. While he doesn’t harbor evil intentions, he misses his cloning work and believes it could potentially benefit the New Republic. However, following a failed attempt to retrieve lab equipment, Dr. Pershing’s mind is wiped by Elia Kane using a Mind Flayer-like device.

Implications For The Star Wars Series

Dr. Pershing’s interest in cloning raises questions about the future of The Mandalorian and the broader Star Wars timeline. Cloning has become a prominent topic, with The Bad Batch Season 2 exploring similar themes. Dr. Pershing might be the key to understanding Emperor Palpatine’s return in The Rise of Skywalker. Showrunners Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau have been working to legitimize controversial Star Wars content through supplemental storytelling.

Possible Connection To Palpatine’s Cloning

In The Mandalorian “Chapter 19,” Dr. Pershing mentions being close to a breakthrough before being captured by the New Republic. This breakthrough could be the creation of a perfect Palpatine clone. Rumors suggest that Andy Serkis’s Snoke, an imperfect Palpatine clone, might appear in this season of The Mandalorian, linking Dr. Pershing to the Sith Lord’s cloning process. However, a flawless Palpatine clone was never achieved, as seen in The Rise of Skywalker.

Elia Kane’s Motivation In The Mandalorian

The question remains why Katy O’Brian’s character, Elia Kane, wiped Dr. Pershing’s mind. Speculations point to a possible connection to Palpatine or the Sith, with Sith-themed music accompanying her character. Dr. Pershing wants to use his cloning knowledge for good, which might conflict with Kane’s continuing allegiance to the Empire. With a mind-wiped Pershing, Kane could use him to further the Empire’s interests and potentially restart the program working towards a perfect Palpatine clone, possibly under Moff Gideon’s direction.