Giancarlo Esposito says there is an "iconic battle" between Moff Gideon and Pedro Pascal's Din Djarin coming in The Mandalorian season 2. Created by Jon Favreau, The Mandalorian premiered on Disney+ late last year to widespread critical acclaim and near-instant popularity. As the first live-action TV series in Star Wars history, The Mandalorian managed to carve out a new space for itself in the Star Wars universe, one where smaller stories could exist in the same form as the big-budget films that had previously defined the franchise. Through the work done by Favreau and his key team of Star Wars creatives, The Mandalorian provided fans not only with weekly doses of space opera spectacle, but also a whole host of new characters.

Among the memorable characters introduced in The Mandalorian season 1 was Esposito's Gideon, a ruthless warlord intent on snatching Baby Yoda/The Child away from the protection of Pascal's Mandalorian bounty hunter. Introduced late in season 1, Gideon played a central role in the action-packed events of the season finale, coming unbearably close to taking down Mando and his allies. However, despite the character ultimately failing to achieve his goals, the season didn't end without making it painfully clear Gideon would be continuing his pursuit of both Mando and the Child in The Mandalorian season 2.

Related: The Mandalorian Season 2 Can Make Baby Yoda More Than A MacGuffin

In a new interview with EW, Esposito further teased the role Gideon will play in The Mandalorian season 2. When asked about how Gideon's mission and tactics have evolved in the new season, the actor elaborated on the various ways Gideon will be attacking Pascal's Mando in season 2 and even confirmed a fight between the two characters is, in fact, on its way:

I’ll be going toe-to-toe with Mando. It’s an iconic battle. I want to disarm him mentally as well. Who knows? Maybe there’s an opportunity to get him to fight some battles for me. You may think I’m a villain, but I’m trying to harness some energy and some powers for a path that could be best for all. You'll get to see him be somewhat diplomatic and more of a manipulator. 

The Mandalorian and Baby Yoda in Season 2

There has been some considerable speculation surrounding the Moff Gideon character since he was introduced at the end of The Mandalorian's first season. Many fans have wondered how he came into possession of the Darksaber he was seen holding in the season 1 finale, while others have been more interested in why he needs Baby Yoda. Esposito's hints that Gideon has some kind of connection to the force have only further fueled the rumors surrounding his character, especially as Lucasfilm and Disney+ have begun ramping up promotion for The Mandalorian season 2 in recent weeks.

There is, of course, no telling as of right now how much time The Mandalorian season 2 will invest into exploring Gideon's backstory, or if fans will even get to learn the full extent of his motivations by the time the season has come to an end. But Esposito's comments do reinforce Gideon having a much larger presence in The Mandalorian season 2 than he did in the show's first. That's not necessarily surprising considering what was set up in the season 1 finale, but it is noteworthy, especially considering the Mandalorian season 2 details that have been released up until this point. For right now, though, all viewers can do is hope that by the time The Mandalorian brings Djarin and Gideon face-to-face again, they'll know more about how the latter came to be so dangerous in the first place.

More: The Mandalorian Season 2 Risks Ruining The Show's Best Aspect

Source: EW