There’s a Mandalorian clone theory that will change how you watch the finale

Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) in The Mandalorian season 3 — (Image credit: Lucasfilm)

Should we be getting ready for another attack of the clones? One fan theory from The Mandalorian season 3 finale suggests a climactic moment from ‘The Return’ wasn’t all as it seems.

Spoilers for The Mandalorian season 3, episode 8 follow. If you haven’t caught up, look away now!

Partway through Chapter 24, Din Djarin discovers cloning tanks housing copies of Moff Gideon. While Mando managed to blow up the clone factory, there’s now speculation that the Gideon who perished at the end of an episode was, himself, a clone.

"The fact that the Gideon we saw throughout this whole season didn't have the mustache, and had noticeably different colored hair, I'd say it was a clone all along," Reddit user PhillyPhan34 wrote.

Another Redditor added, "The pre-show catch up clips are always a tell. They focused a lot on the clones. We know the clone arc isn’t over as it brings in Snoke. So either this one was a fake or another clone lived."

Mind. Blown. If you check back throughout the season – and the finale – you’ll notice Gideon looks just like his clone counterparts. Crucially, the character’s look in the first and second seasons are dramatically different than what we got here. Don’t be surprised if, somehow, Moff Gideon returns in a future season of The Mandalorian – or the planned Dave Filoni movie that will conclude all of Disney Plus’ live-action Star Wars shows.

Elsewhere, The Mandalorian fans are conflicted over the fate of the Darksaber, while viewers’ hearts are melting over Din adopting Grogu as his own son.