In The Mandalorian Chapter 23, we had our first on-screen appearance of the Imperial Shadow Council. Thought to be dissolved by the time of the events of season 3 of The Mandalorian, the organization’s appearance will surely spark a plethora of questions. Especially when looking at its members in the episode, including high-ranking officials like Moff Giedeon, Commandant Brendol Hux, and Captain Gilad Pellaeon. To know the origins of this ominous meeting of the Empire’s top minds, you have to look to the Star Wars novels.
The Imperial Shadow Council made its first appearance in Chuck Wendig‘s Aftermath: Life Debt. It was in this novel and its sequel, Aftermath: Empire’s End that fans are introduced to the council’s creator Fleet Admiral Gallius Rax. Rax served as the de facto leader of the Imperial remnant following the destruction of the second Death Star. In 5 ABY (five years after the Battle of Yavin), the Imperial Shadow Council served as the successor to the Imperial Ruling Council which served as Emperor Palpatine’s direct advisor.
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While the Imperial Ruling Council was really nothing more than a group of Darth Sidious’s yes-men, Rax’s vision for the Imperial Shadow Council was to be more covert in their operations to restore the Galatic Empire. While Rax led from shadows, it was Grand Admiral Rae Sloane, who many regarded as the group’s true leader who was its face.
While not giving too much away from the events of the Aftermath books, Rax’s ambitiousness was largely rooted in selfishness as he had numerous secret plans for the Empire and the Imperial Shadow Council. All of his machinations for the future lead to the Battle of Jakku and the graveyard of Imperial and Rebel starships that we see in The Force Awakens. Following Rax’s defeat, the hopes of the Empire turned to Rae Sloane as she took Armitage Hux and orphans conscripted to be praetorian guards into the Unknown Regions.
With the appearance of the Praetorian Guards in Chapter 23 of The Mandalorian around 11 ABY, it is clear that the oldest children that were taken by Sloane have been trained enough to be deployed into combat. Coupled with the leadership of Commandant Hux’s son Armitage Hux, the Praetorian Guard would be instrumental in the success of the First Order over 20 years later in the Sequel Trilogy. Their presence assumes Sloane escape was successful but nothing about the Shadow Council’s appearance in The Mandalorian guarantees she will make an appearance.
Given her less dictatorial approach to the Empire and her place as a woman of color, Sloane stands as a perfect character to introduce into live action as she once thought to take mantle of leader for the First Order. As The Mandalorian comes to a close next week and more details are released for Dave Filoni’s film, there may be hope that she will make an appearance. However, given there was no mention of her in the episode and the clear focus on Thrawn, I am not hopeful unfortunately.
Regardless of how the Imperial Shadow Council persisted post-Battle of Jakku, its appearance included notable Imperial officers that continued to build the origins of the First Order. During the events of Aftermath, Brendal Hux was vital in the Imperial remnant remaining together. His mistreatment of his son Amitage Hux was well known and even led Sloane to come to the young Hux’s aid, further supporting the Grand Admiral’s importance.
Also making his live-action debut is Gilad Pellaeon who was originally created for Timothy Zahn’s Heir to the Empire. Canonized in Thrawn: Treason and with a brief appearance in Rebels, Pellaeon’s presence continues the hype surrounding the return of Thrawn. The Mandalorian Chapter 23 credits the other Imperials present as Warlords, but their different uniforms imply a variety of positions and just as many differences in ambition.
As new Star Wars stories begin to fill in the events between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens, it truly is uncharted territory. The appearance of the Imperial Shadow Council in The Mandalorian points to a larger scheme in place to transform the Empire into the First Order. Seeing those carefully planned steps in the shadows adds to the mystique surrounding the First Order and the planning of the Imperial officers in the brief absence of Emperor Palpatine.
The Mandalorian is streaming on Disney+.
