The Mandalorian season 2 is nearly over, but it could still have some big surprises left in store, even in terms of which characters might show up before the end. The show has already reintroduced its fair share of popular Star Wars characters, from galactically renowned bounty hunters and fellow Mandalorians to former Jedi Knights. There’s a good chance The Mandalorian season 2 finale will continue that trend.
After the Imperial base infiltration in “The Believer”, Din Djarin and company have acquired the location of Moff Gideon’s command ship. The episode ended with a clear and pointed message from Mando directly to one of the leaders of the Imperial Remnants, announcing his intentions to take the Child back. That’s easier said than done though, as Grogu is currently being held securely within the depths of Gideon’s cruiser, surrounded by squads of Stormtroopers and Dark Troopers, not to mention surface guns and, presumably, TIE fighters.
To bust him out, Din may need even more than his current crew - an already fierce group that includes Boba Fett, Fennec Shand, and New Republic marshal Cara Dune. Some of those potential allies include Bo-Katan Kryze, who’s been hunting Gideon to reclaim the Darksaber, and Ahsoka Tano, whose quest for Grand Admiral Thrawn could lead her straight through the Imperial remnant. Outside of those characters already seen on the show, however, there are some others who could pop up as well.
As the biggest character name-dropped this season and yet to be seen, Grand Admiral Thrawn has a strong chance of appearing in the last episode in one way or another. His status in the galaxy during The Mandalorian remains a mystery. Is he the shadow leader behind Gideon’s remnant? Is he off elsewhere leading some new faction of his own? There’s no guarantee that Thrawn’s role is still tied to the Empire (since he was launched into the Unknown Regions at the end of Star Wars Rebels), but it seems highly likely.
If he is connected to the remnant, it looks like Thrawn is being set up as a sort of Palpatine to Gideon’s Vader. Given the show’s penchant for visual and stylistic allusions to the original trilogy, a cliffhanger hologram call at the end of the finale seems like a good bet. Popular theories hold that Thrawn will be central to the coming Mandalorian spinoffs, Ahsoka and Ranger of the New Republic, but with all three shows planned for a far-out convergence event, there’s a good chance he’ll be introduced in The Mandalorian.
Ezra Bridger’s unknown status in the New Republic era is tied to Thrawn’s, but the young Jedi’s potential to return in The Mandalorian hangs on very different things. When Din brought Grogu to the seeing stone on Tython, he entered into a Force trance - the effects of which have yet to be revealed. However, Ahsoka has said that placing Grogu on the stone would possibly allow other Jedi across the galaxy to see him.
Ezra Bridger is one of the only Jedi known to exist during the show, and while his whereabouts remain a mystery, he could easily be the one to answer Grogu’s call. His chances of appearing in the season 2 finale may not be super high as Ahsoka still seems to be searching for him, but it’s still a possibility. The Mandalorian will have to give some kind of payoff for the Tython scene before season 2 ends, and Ezra Bridger could be that payoff.
The Mandalorian season 2 has already brought back one of the most beloved Mandalorian characters in Bo-Katan. Her quest to defeat Gideon, take back the Darksaber, and reassert herself as Mandalore could easily bring her back for the season 2 finale. If she returns though, she might not be alone, and there’s another fan-favorite character who’d make a lot of sense to appear by her side.
As of the events of The Mandalorian, Sabine Wren is presumably still on Lothal. She theoretically remains there until Ahsoka comes to recruit her in the search for Ezra - if it's to be believed that Ahsoka's episode in The Mandalorian takes place before Star Wars Rebels' epilogue. It could even have happened during the last few episodes after Din took Grogu to Tython. Even if Sabine hasn’t been contacted by Ahsoka yet, she could still enter the Mandalorian fray as an ally to Bo-Katan. The two have teamed up before and share the goal of restoring their planet, Mandalore. If Gideon and the Darksaber are the way to do that, Sabine could absolutely be recruited to join the cause.
Another Star Wars Rebels character with a less explicit tie to the events of The Mandalorian, Hera Syndulla could nonetheless make an appearance in the season 2 finale. Whether or not she does though largely depends on the New Republic’s involvement in the final episode. With X-wing pilots having made several appearances throughout the season and Cara Dune now wearing a New Republic badge, the old Alliance could be brought into the brewing battle with Gideon.
If they are, Hera would be a great character to bring back. It’s known that she stays with Rebellion through the Galactic Civil War, eventually ascending to the rank of General by the time the New Republic is established. She’s also been involved in numerous missions against the Empire, from the earliest Rebel raids to hunting down remaining forces after the Battle of Endor. The latter is what could bring her into The Mandalorian, as Gideon represents the greatest threat to the New Republic since the Empire was initially vanquished. Any appearance by her would likely be little more than a cameo, but it would still be fun to see the ace pilot brought to live-action.
Out of all the possible characters, a surprise appearance from Luke Skywalker would certainly be the biggest deal. It's not entirely likely, but it is possible. Like Ezra, Luke is one of the only known canonical Jedi still alive and active after Return of the Jedi. And if he heard Grogu’s call from Tython, he'd surely want to meet him.
The logistics of bringing Luke back are a bit trickier, of course. Mark Hamill has said that he’s done playing the character, which means recasting the role with a younger actor might make the most sense. Star Wars has done it before with Han Solo and Lando Calrissian in Solo: A Star Wars Story, so it’s not wholly new territory. Still, putting anyone besides Hamill in the role of Luke is a tall task. A vocal group of fans has been calling for Sebastian Stan to play the role for some time. Stan, himself, has expressed immense interest, and since he’s already in the Disney+ ecosystem, he could be a great fit all around.
Regardless of what it would look like, a Luke cameo in the season 2 finale would be a huge deal and could still fit with the story so far. There’s no mention of Grogu anywhere in the sequel trilogy, but that could mean any number of things. With more original trilogy era content on the way, like Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron film, a new Luke seems inevitable sooner or later. Maybe he’ll make his debut in The Mandalorian’s season 2 finale.
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