By George & Josh Bate
Over the past few years, news about The Mandalorian and Grogu has slowly trickled out from a variety of channels. As reports of Jeremy Allen White and Sigourney Weaver joining the new Star Wars movie project gained much attention, news that English actor Jonny Coyne reprising his role from The Mandalorian Season 3 in the movie flew under the radar, although it certainly stood out.
Why was Coyne, who played a seemingly menial member of The Shadow Council, one of the few confirmed names to be attached to the movie? Well, Jon Favreau may have just hinted at the important role Coyne plays in the film.
Speaking with Empire Magazine, Jon Favreau spoke about Jonny Coyne’s Imperial leader, stating, “You’ll like his character name when you hear it.” Of course, this led to numerous people predicting his name will be “Glup Shitto” or, based on Coyne’s appearance, “Dr. Evil,” but other fans have started to speculate Coyne may indeed be playing a well-known character from the Expanded Universe.
Favreau’s remarks suggest either one of two things: a) The name of Coyne’s character is some kind of Easter egg to someone or something with connections to Star Wars or, b) Coyne is playing a character fans will recognize. If we run with the latter of these possibilities, as many fans have done, speculation suggests Coyne may be playing the canon version of Zsinj.
Zsinj first appeared in Dave Wolverton’s The Courtship of Princess Leia as the novel’s primary antagonist. He subsequently was an antagonist in the first four books of the X-Wing series written by Michael A. Stackpole.
While Zsinj and Coyne don’t necessarily bear much of a physical resemblance, they seem to be playing near identicial roles in Star Wars.
In Legends, Zsinj was notable as one of the most powerful Imperial warlords following the fall of the Empire and the death of Emperor Palpatine. In fact, Zsinj was even given the title “Warlord of the Empire” and, at the height of his power, went on to control a third of the known galaxy.
Jon Favreau has already taken another major Imperial figure from Legends and brought him into canon as Captain Pellaeon made his canon debut in The Mandalorian Season 3. Prior to that, Dave Filoni of course brought Grand Admiral Thrawn into canon by introducing him in Star Wars Rebels and eventually making him the main antagonist in Ahsoka.
It speaks to the anticipation surrounding The Mandalorian and Grogu that the name of an obscure Imperial warlord is generating so much attention, but this is Star Wars after all.
The Mandalorian and Grogu is in theaters on May 22
