The Mandalorian season 2, episode 5, "The Jedi" brought a distinct Knights of the Old Republic droid into Star Wars canon. Not only did the episode reveal Baby Yoda's real name, but it also introduced Ahsoka Tano - who was on Corvus for an important mission - into live-action. Aside from Ahsoka Tano, though, the episode added a few other newcomers, including Magistrate Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto). As the ruler of the city of Calodan, Elsbeth was notably guarded by two assassin droids.
By the time Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu arrived on Corvus, Ahsoka was already on the forest planet to confront the Imperial magistrate. It turned out that Ahsoka was searching for the location of Elsbeth's master, Grand Admiral Thrawn. She gave the Magistrate a 24-hour ultimatum before teaming with Din to ambush the city, freeing the innocent citizens in the process. While Din held off Elsbeth's lieutenant, Lang (Michael Biehn), Ahsoka dueled with her. The magistrate and her army were no match for Din and Ahsoka, allowing the pair to succeed in their mission.
Before Din and Ahsoka freed the city of Calodan, those who lived there were forced to abide by strict rules as the Imperials decimated the planet. In addition to scout guards, Elsbeth had extra force through her use of two HK-87 assassin droids. The droids had a humanoid form with the ability to jump great heights. The models were also equipped with blaster rifles, making them an even larger threat. On the side of their heads, a symbol of the Galactic Empire's Seventh Fleet could be seen, which was another connection to Admiral Thrawn. Though they were modified for The Mandalorian, the HK assassin droid model first appeared nearly two decades ago in Knights of the Old Republic.
HK Assassin Droids In Star Wars History
HK-series droids were assassins that first appeared in the 2003 Legends video game as a combination of protocol and assassin droids, which made them incredibly deadly. "HK" specifically stood for "Hunter Killer" due to their lethal programming. Considering they resembled ordinary protocol droids, the assassins were able to get close to their unassuming victims before killing them.
A number of prototypes were developed during the Old Republic era, but it's significant that the HK-87 model has been added to Star Wars canon. Even though an HK-model droid was mentioned in the canon book, Star Wars: Smuggler's Guide, the involvement of HK-87 droids is significant since they've not only been brought on-screen but in live-action as well. While Din and Ahsoka seemed to easily defeat the droids, it showed that Imperial remnants still have serious threats in their arsenal, including droids from an old era. The First Order might be years away from forming, but it's clear the Empire is still a danger in The Mandalorian.