Credit: LucasfilmFrom playing Prince Oberyn Martell in Game of Thrones to Agent Javier Pena in Narcos, Chilean-born actor Pedro Pascal had a loyal fanbase before he ever made his debut in the Star Wars universe.
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Then, on November 12, 2019, Pascal’s bounty hunter Din Djarin rescued a tiny foundling fondly called “Baby Yoda” — who we now know, thanks to Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson), is named Grogu — and the actor himself skyrocketed to stardom both in and out of the Star Wars fan community.
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From the start, The Mandalorian did something very few Star Wars projects have ever been able to do — it appealed to both lifelong fans and those who have never even so much as seen the original trilogy — with Djarin and Grogu stealing hearts over the course of two seasons so far.
**SPOILERS FOR THE BOOK OF BOBA FETT SEASON 1, EPISODE 2 BELOW**
Now, Pascal’s doppelganger has made an appearance in the Star Wars galaxy in the most unexpected way. While most fans were expecting the actor to make a cameo in Mandalorian spinoff, The Book of Boba Fett, nobody anticipated Galen Howard (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Middle) — who looks shockingly like Pascal — to make an appearance.
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Instead of the beskar-clad bounty hunter showing up, his lookalike Howard played a receptionship at the Mayor’s office in the Tatooine city of Mos Espa, where Fett has taken over as Daimyo following the deaths of both Jabba the Hutt — at the hands of Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) in Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983) — and Bib Fortuna (Michael Carter), at Fett’s own hands in The Mandalorian Season 2 finale episode post credits scene.
Viewers undoubtedly did a double-take during the scene.
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As for how the second episode connected to The Mandalorian saga — we saw Fett ingratiate himself with a Tusken Raider tribe and become an honorary member of the Sand People himself — we still haven’t learned exactly what’s next for Djarin when The Mandalorian Season 3 finally airs.
What do we know about The Mandalorian Season 3?
The series is currently filming and several stars, including Pascal, Carl Weathers (Greef Karga), Giancarlo Esposito (Moff Gideon), and Katee Sackhoff (Bo-Katan Kryze), have confirmed their characters will return for the third season of Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni’s hit show.
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When we last saw Djarin in The Mandalorian Season 2, Episode 8 (“Chapter 16: The Rescue”) he was being rescued by Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker (CGI Mark Hamill) — alongside Grogu, Kryze, Koska Reeves (Sasha Banks), Fennec Shand (Ming-Na Wen), and Cara Dune (Gina Carano) — when they were facing certain doom at the hands of Gideon’s Dark Trooper droids.
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Following Skywalker’s successful intervention, Pascal and his “son” were forced to part ways so Grogu could complete his Jedi Order training under his new Master. The bittersweet scene saw the duo separated for the first time since they initially appeared in the Star Wars franchise, leading to numerous questions about the future.
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It is, however, expected that they will be reunited at some point, perhaps when Djarin — who now wields the Darksaber and is de facto ruler of Mandalore — fights to keep his place as the leader of his home world. This storyline remains unconfirmed, but seems a likely direction for Season 3.
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For now, Grogu is reportedly set to appear in The Book of Boba Fett, and many fans are also hoping for cameos by Timothy Olyphant’s Marshal Cobb Vanth, and, of course, Harrison Ford’s Han Solo — CGI, obviously — but showrunner Robert Rodriguez and other members of the crew have yet to confirm any details regarding special appearances by Star Wars fan-favorites.
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The short official description of the series reads, “No longer just a hired gun, Boba Fett reinvents himself on Tatooine alongside Fennec Shand.”
What do you think about Pedro Pascal’s doppelganger appearing in The Book of Boba Fett?