Warning: Spoilers for The Mandalorian season 2, episode 1, "The Marshal"
The Mandalorian season 2 premiere episode featured several new characters played by well-known actors, including Cobb Vanth. Lead character Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) encountered the figure, also referred to as "The Marshal" while searching Tatooine for other Mandalorians in existence. Vanth isn't a newcomer to Star Wars canon, but his Disney+ appearance marks his introduction to live-action. While the prominence of his role is still unclear as the season continues, The Mandalorian seemed to make a perfect choice by casting Timothy Olyphant as Cobb.
The Mandalorian episode 9, titled "The Marshal," follows Din as he searches for intel regarding the location of other Mandalorians. With the Child in tow, Din's findings lead him to Tatooine, and more specifically, the mining settlement of Mos Pelgo. Din and the Child use a speeder bike to travel to the small town where they encounter a man named Cobb Vanth wearing Mandalorian armor. The armor, of course, was owned by Boba Fett, who was last seen falling into a Sarlacc pit in Return of the Jedi, but the Marshal obtained the gear from Jawas. In exchange for the armor, Din agrees to help Cobb kill the giant krayt dragon that is terrorizing the area. The pair then get help from fellow miners and local Tusken Raiders in slaying the beast.
Seeing as Cobb isn't a real Mandalorian, fans are quickly given a look under the mask. Actor Timothy Olyphant is certainly a recognizable face, but viewers could be curious about what he previously starred in. Olyphant got his start in acting in the mid-'90s, and he's best known for playing Sheriff Seth Bullock in HBO's Deadwood and Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens in FX's Justified. More recently, he starred in Santa Clarita Diet, Fargo, and the Quentin Tarantino film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Olyphant's casting was rumored back in May 2020, but his introductory appearance proves why the actor was an easy choice when adapting the book character to live-action.
Why Timothy Olyphant Is The Perfect Casting Choice For Cobb Vanth
Before appearing in The Mandalorian, Cobb Vanth was a brand new character introduced in Chuck Wendig's Star Wars: Aftermath book trilogy. While the book explained how Cobb acquired Mandalorian armor, the series also dives into his encounter with Jawas after escaping town when a Mining Collective attacks. Cobb manages to trade a box of valuable crystals in exchange for the armor, which he then uses to scare off the town's attackers with his intimidating new look. Acting as the town's marshal is a perfect role for Olyphant since his previous roles have carried the same type of persona.
Olyphant already has a ton of experience playing a Marshal, Sheriff, or another authoritative type in not only Deadwood and Justified, but also titles like Gone in 60 Seconds, Stop-Loss, The Crazies, and Snowden. Tatooine's desert environment also fits with Olyphant's history of portraying western figures with cowboy demeanors. He's an expert at playing figures that are a bit rough around the edges, which seems to describe Cobb thus far. Din will surely look to Olyphant's character as a suitable ally if his help is needed again in the near future. It's safe to say that this is just the beginning of Olyphant in The Mandalorian and the world of Star Wars.