Since we’ve all had a lot longer to plumb the depths of every streaming service under the sun, it’s no surprise that Disney+’s “The Mandalorian” has been the breakthrough show of Lockdown 2020. Carrying the flag for the supersized movie studio’s latest offering, the show has been a spectacular answer to every critic who questioned whether paying $4 billion for Star Wars was wise.
An instant critical hit, the show has been poured over by thousands of viewers hungry to return to a galaxy far far away. However, for all the analysis and endless internet fan-theories, it turns out that The Mandalorian still has a few more secrets up its sleeve that managed to slip under the radar of most observers.
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According to Disney’s behind the scenes featurette “Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian”, Star Wars icon Mark Hamill actually made an uncredited cameo in the series. 68-year-old Hamill, who rose to stardom after his role as Jedi warrior Luke Skywalker, played a droid bartender on the planet Tatooine, according to the special episode.
Series creator and showrunner Jon Favreau revealed to show biz gossip site Deadline that “the droid’s name is EV-9D9, and that he was previously seen torturing other droids in Return of the Jedi,” although Hamill had nothing to do with the droid’s previous incarnation.
Watch The Mandalorian Docuseries Official Trailer:
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News of Hamill’s appearance may come as an even greater to shock to fans after the 68-year-old revealed that he had no intention of returning to the franchise. As he told Entertainment Weekly:
"I had a beginning, middle, and end. Those films gave me far more than I ever expected when we started out so it's never even occurred to me. My farewell was in Episode IX and it was bittersweet.
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“I love all those people and I certainly have affection for George and the character he created. I'm full of gratitude for what it has given me and my career but I don't want to be greedy. There are still so many more stories to tell and so many great actors to tell them, they don't need me."
If this is true, it means that Hamill’s turn as EV-9D9 will be the last time he appears in the Star Wars cinematic universe.