20 burning questions we need answered in The Mandalorian season 2

Image: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker/Disney

Will we see the Rise of Snoke and the First Order?

It’s all a question of timing and story choices. The Mandalorian takes place in 9 ABY; the First Order is officially formed in 29 ABY, 20 years later), but the autocratic dictatorship eventually led by Supreme Leader Snoke will be the result of decades of warlord squabbles and Imperial remnant power grabs set against the slowly failing democratic government of the New Republic.

What we’re dealing with at the time of The Mandalorian is the rise of the Imperial Remnant, a predecessor to the First Order. Officially formed in 12 ABY, the Imperial Remnant will be an alliance of Imperial warlord territories still loyal to the Galactic Empire, ruled by a council of Moffs and a Supreme Commander of the Imperial Fleet. During later stages of the Galactic Civil War, the New Republic will carry out a series of successful military campaigns against the Imperial Remnant, which is eventually overwhelmed and forced to retreat into the Outer Rim territories by the year 19 ABY.

As for Snoke, he appears to be a Force-sensitive humanoid who was taken to Exegol to be engineered to channel the dark side by Darth Sideous. He eventually takes control of the First Order, at that point a hermit dictatorship in the Unknown Regions. Supreme Leader Snoke will continue to build their new fleets in secret, intending to one day crush the New Republic along with the Resistance and wipe out all that remains of the Jedi.

Image: Star Wars: The Force Awakens/Disney

What is Snoke up to in 9 ABY? He’s apparently ancient and has witnessed the rise and fall of the Galactic Empire, most likely from the confines of Exegol. His background is sketchy and it’s uncertain when he takes control of the First Order, but it is clear that happens at least a decade or so beyond the current time frame of The Mandalorian.

In conclusion, The Mandalorian takes place in the time following the defeat of the Galactic Empire when the New Republic, despite its deficiencies, is on the rise, while Imperial officers still loyal to the Empire operate as warlords in many scattered locations, including the lawless Outer Rim. Moff Gideon looks to be a great example of one of these Imperial Warlords. Snoke is probably busy being saturated with dark Force powers at Exegol, but his hologram or dark agents might be up to no good in the Outer Rim.

Emperor Palpatine on Exogal in Star Wars The Rise of Skywalker. Disney:Lucasfilm.

Could  Snoke or Palpatine be in contact with Moff Gideon, compelling him to collect the Force-sensitive Baby Yoda for his evil laboratory? Could be. If we run across Snoke or one of his powerful henchmen in The Mandalorian, that would connect the Baby Yoda storyline to a deep Dark Side, one already established in the movie franchise.

The Imperial warlords will organize and form the Imperial Remnant within three years on The Mandalorian‘s timeline, assuming the show proceeds on a one year=one season pace, and our characters will surely be right in the middle of the conflict that follows.