Sasha Banks’ Character May Loop ‘The Mandalorian’ Into ‘The Rise of Skywalker'

Were you left with questions after you saw The Rise of Skywalker for the first time in theaters last December? Did you wonder how The Mandalorian could be so epic while the sequel trilogy was what it was? Were you baffled as to how The Child fit into the storyline or ponder about the fact that there was absolutely no mention of any characters from The Mandalorian throughout this entire trilogy? Some Star Wars may have been relieved about the fact that The Mandalorian had yet to cross paths with the sequel trilogy. However, considering the mysterious significance of The Child to the Empire, in the years following the fall of the Empire (The Mandalorian is set in 9 ABY), was The Child not worthy of a nod? Clearly, maintaining the secrecy of The Mandalorian storyline is a higher priority at Lucasfilm than anything else, which is understandable, but to a fan, a little frustrating.

As pleased as we were to see The Rise of Skywalker in theaters, let’s be honest, a good majority of Star Wars fans were probably a heck of a lot more excited to be at home, in front of their television screens for the remaining season one episode of The Mandalorian. Though some Star Wars fans would be quick to debate that being a fan of Star Wars films is hardly enough to consider oneself a Star Wars fan, some do not find enjoyment in watching animated series such as Rebels and just might not be into Star Wars literature. There is indeed something about The Mandalorian that has drawn in many of these types of Star Wars fans to the beyond-Skywalker scope of the Star Wars universe. Many of these individuals were under the impression that Boba Fett had died in the Sarlacc pit on Tatooine in Return of the Jedi, when in fact, he did not. Whether you knew he was alive or not, seeing Boba Fett’s armor and Temuera Morrison at the end of "Chapter 9: The Marshal" was exciting, period.

The reviews for :Chapter 10: The Passenger" have been mixed. Some fans appreciated it for the its concentration of The Child’s mischievous yet adorable antics, while others criticized it for being a slow “filler” episode. Hopefully "Chapter 11" will take this season back on track, and the mystery of Sasha Banks’ role will finally be revealed. Even though we STILL don’t officially know what character Banks will be playing, there are theories floating around.

One such theory has been proposed by Reddit user TheNinjaWhippet, who suggests that Sasha Banks could be portraying one of the Acolytes of the Beyond. This group is essentially a group of Sith worshipers. In the Aftermath novels by Chuck Wendig, they were introduced as worshipers of Darth Vader, trying to obtain his lightsaber. Ochi, the assassin seen murdering Rey's parents in flashbacks within The Rise of Skywalker, is said to be one of these Acolytes, though we do not yet know how the Acolytes came into contact with Palpatine. Could it be possible that Sasha Banks' character could shed more light on this aspect of The Rise of Skywalker?

One of the more popular speculations is that the character may be Sabine Wren, a Mandalorian warrior who first made her debut in the animated television series, Rebels. Sabine Wren herself is a Mandalorian and one of the freedom fighters who rescued Mandalore from the clutches of the Empire. The Mandalorian has already alluded to the detriment caused on Mandalore by the Empire, leaving the warrior race scattered throughout the galaxy, exiled from their home. By incorporating Sabine Wren into the The Mandalorian, Lucasfilm could draw a clear line from the events that occurred on Mandalore in Rebels to what is unfolding on The Mandalorian.

Sabine Wren was one of the last Mandalorians to wield the Darksaber. the powerful blade that, according to legend, was created a thousand years before the Empire, by Tarre Vizsla, the first Mandalorian initiated into the Jedi Order. In Rebels, she gifted the weapon to Mandalorian warrior, Bo-Katan Kryze, voiced by Katee Sackhoff in The Clone Wars and Rebels. Sackhoff is set to make her live-action debut as Bo-Katan Kryze in the second season of The Mandalorian. In lieu of the fact that there are only six episodes of season two remaining, it would make absolute sense for Din Djarin to encounter Sabine Wren in "Chapter 11" or "Chapter 12," at the latest. Do you believe that Banks was cast as Sabine Wren, or someone else? To find out, catch the upcoming episodes of The Mandalorian on Disney+, with the next one being available this Friday, November 13.

Written By Jill Hernandez

Syndicated From Culture Slate