| Moff Gideon | |
|---|---|
| Star Wars character | |
 Giancarlo Esposito as Moff Gideon in The Mandalorian | |
| First appearance |
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| Last appearance |
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| Created by | Jon Favreau |
| Portrayed by | Giancarlo Esposito |
| In-universe information | |
| Species | Human |
| Title | Moff Heir to Mandalore (formerly) |
| Occupation |
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| Affiliation | |
| Weapon |
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| Relatives | Gideon's Force sensitive clones ("Chapter 24: The Return") |
Moff Gideon (/ˈmɒf ˈɡɪdiən/) is a fictional character in the Star Wars franchise who first appeared in the Disney+ television series The Mandalorian, where he is the main antagonist of its first three seasons. Gideon is the leader of a remnant of the fallen Galactic Empire and wielder of the Darksaber responsible for the Purge of Mandalore, who attempts to capture the young Force sensitive child Grogu, who is being protected by the title character of the series, planning on using Grogu's blood to imbue numerous clones of himself with Force sensitivity.
Gideon is portrayed by Giancarlo Esposito. He was recruited for the part by The Mandalorian creator and showrunner Jon Favreau, who had previously worked with Esposito on several projects. Gideon is portrayed as a dangerous and fierce man who, "seems to know everything about everyone",[1][2] and does not hesitate to kill anyone to get what he wants, including his men. The character did not make his first appearance until the penultimate episode of the first season but played a larger role in the second season with five episodes. He returns for the two last episodes of the third season.
Esposito has rejected simple classifications of Gideon as a "good" or "bad" character, noting that he is attempting to restore order to a lawless galaxy and could arguably be seen as a "savior for the galaxy".[3] Gideon's all-black costume has been compared to that of Star Wars character Darth Vader, and reviewers have noted similarities in their personalities and behavior as well. Moff Gideon has been received positively by reviewers and fans. Esposito was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his performance in the first season, while also earning a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for the second.