The Mandalorian's latest episode fulfilled one actor's childhood dream. Actor Omid Abtahi plays Dr. Pershing in the Disney Plus hit Star Wars live-action series. Last seen in season one, Pershing appeared via hologram in season 2, episode 4 of The Mandalorian, titled, "Chapter 12: The Siege."
Pershing's appearance in "The Siege" answered one of the show's biggest mysteries. Why was Moff Gideon so interested in Baby Yoda? Back in season one, when Din Djarin handed Baby Yoda to the Client, Dr. Pershing was the scientist who was instructed to take blood from the Child. Although the Client told Pershing to take whatever he needed from Baby Yoda even if it killed him, Pershing refused. This act of kindness would result in Djarin sparing Pershing when he returned to take Baby Yoda back from the Client. Pershing returned in "The Siege" via a hologram. Djarin, Cara Dune, Greef Karga, and the Mythrol listen to Pershing's hologram explain that he injected strand-casts (bioengineered bodies) with Baby Yoda's blood. However, the bodies ultimately rejected the blood, and Pershing doubted he could find another test subject with a higher M-count. Pershing's failed experiments were all for Moff Gideon's master plan.
Although Pershing's experiments were intended for dark purposes, Abtahi's joy over fulfilling a childhood dream was far more lighthearted. The actor revealed on Twitter how his appearance in "The Siege" how the galaxy responded to his Star Wars childhood wish. Check out Abtahi's tweet on the subject below, via SWTweets.
It's excellent that Abtahi's childhood dream was finally fulfilled. He does a great job of playing Pershing, the doctor/scientist with a conscience. Holograms have always been vital in Star Wars communications to deliver information to other characters and the audience. Although Pershing has shown he has a sense of ethics, at the same time, he does work for the evil Moff Gideon. Gideon has demonstrated that he has a sinister plan and wants to retrieve Baby Yoda once more to accomplish his goals. After all, a soldier informs Gideon at the end of "The Siege" that a tracking beacon has been planted on Djarin's ship, the Razor Crest. More than likely, Gideon wants Baby Yoda (or the asset as Gideon calls him) so Pershing can extract more M-count rich blood from him.
The high M-count Pershing was referring to were Midi-chlorians. According to Star Wars canon, the higher the number of Midi-chlorians in someone's blood, the more likely they are force-sensitive. (For reference, Anakin Skywalker was said to have the highest Midi-chlorian count ever recorded in The Phantom Menace.) So Baby Yoda appears to be very strong in the Force. Gideon's desire to steal back Baby Yoda is tied to his room full of Dark Troopers and his plans for a "new era."
Hopefully, Djarin will realize there's a tracking device on his ship before it's too late. Could Pershing possibly have a conscience crisis once more and change sides due to refusing to kill Baby Yoda for more blood? Hopefully, chapter thirteen of The Mandalorian, "The Jedi," answers these questions and more when it premieres on November 27.
Source: SWTweets