How will The Mandalorian handle the loss of Cara Dune following Gina Carano's firing from the show? Premiering in 2019 on Disney+, The Mandalorian takes Din Djarin and Baby Yoda (now formally known as Grogu) across the galaxy on one misadventure after another. Along the way, the duo make a number of colorful allies, and one of the most prominent is Cara Dune, played by Gina Carano. A former Rebel shock trooper, Dune is hiding out on the backwater planet of Sorgen when Mando arrives, but their meeting relights the veteran's fighting spirit, and she aids Djarin's crusade against the Empire. In The Mandalorian season 2, Dune is one of several who band together to save Baby Yoda from Moff Gideon.

As a character, Cara Dune has been well received by The Mandalorian's audience, and with a history in MMA, Gina Carano was well-suited for the role, despite not having the acting experience of her co-stars. But around the time The Mandalorian season 2 premiered, Carano started receiving online backlash due to her social media activity. The Tweets in question include insults against the transgender community, mocking the wearing of masks during the COVID-19 pandemic, liking Tweets that claimed America doesn't have a racism problem but a "violent leftist extremist" problem, and spreading Donald Trump's entirely unfounded claims of voter fraud after his election loss to Joe Biden.

Related: Why Gina Carano Was Cut From The Mandalorian (Social Media Posts Explained)

The final straw for Lucasfilm came when Carano shared a post comparing Nazi Germany's treatment of Jews, one of the most abhorrent periods in mankind's history, to treatment of the present day American right wing. Given this sustained series of offensive and woefully misinformed Tweets, it comes as no surprise that Lucasfilm has condemned Carano's social media posts and ruled out working with the actress again. While it's hard to argue Lucasfilm didn't respond correctly, what does this mean for Cara Dune in the future of Star Wars?

What Cara Dune's Future Likely Would've Been In Star Wars

Gina Carano as Cara Dune ready to fire her gun in The Mandalorian.

It's a fairly safe bet that, were it not for the actions of Gina Carano, Cara Dune would've made an appearance in The Mandalorian season 3. When the second season ends, Dune is still on board Moff Gideon's ship with Din Djarin and the rest of the Baby Yoda rescue team, having just watched Luke Skywalker single-handedly take down an entire battalion of Dark Troopers. As a firm ally of Mando's, the bounty hunter surely would've called upon Cara Dune again whenever he next needed a helping hand.

Among the bevy of new Star Wars Disney+ projects announced was Rangers of the New Republic - a spinoff based around the exploits of X-Wing pilots such as Trapper Wolff and Carson Teva, who have popped up sporadically throughout The Mandalorian. These brave pilots are desperately attempting to bring peace to a galaxy still recovering from the tyrannical rule of Emperor Palpatine, and in The Mandalorian season 2, Teva enlisted Cara Dune to their cause, making her an official New Republic Marshal on Nevarro. This position surely would've meant Dune crossing over into Rangers of the New Republic at some stage, possibly even becoming a main character. Finally, unconfirmed reports suggest Lucasfilm considered giving Dune her own spinoff venture. It's not known whether this concept was cancelled due to the increasing controversy, dropped for creative reasons, or never seriously considered at all.

With that said, it is patently clear that Cara Dune had a big future in Star Wars, whether in The MandalorianRangers of the New Republic, or a different project entirely. Lucasfilm's recent Carano announcement softens the blow by reiterating that Carano is "not currently employed" by the company, but that doesn't mean Dune's story wouldn't have continued under better circumstances.

Related: The Mandalorian Could Conclude Clone Wars & Rebels' Darkest Storyline

Will The Mandalorian Recast Gina Carano's Cara Dune?

Lucy Lawless as Ruby in Ash vs. The Evil Dead

In terms of where Cara Dune goes next, recasting is certainly an option. Already, The Mandalorian fans are dream-casting their preferred actresses for the part, and the forerunners currently include Lucy Lawless (perhaps she could say a wizard did it?), Once Upon A Time's Lana Parrilla (who bears a close physical resemblance) and Katy O'Brian (Moff Gideon's comms officer in The Mandalorian season 2). All three actresses would be welcome additions to the cast, capable of picking up where Gina Carano left off, but also bringing new dimensions to the character as she begins her career as a New Republic Marshal. Of the three, Lucy Lawless looks to be the favorite, with the Xena: Warrior Princess actress able to effortlessly balance warmth of character and fearsome intimidation.

Star Wars has recast plenty of other major roles, but the change has always been less-than obvious. Masked characters such as Boba Fett, R2-D2 and Chewbacca have changed actors over the years, while some switch around when a character transitions from animation to live-action, like Rosario Dawson replacing Ashley Eckstein as Ahsoka Tano. In some circumstances, animated Star Wars voice actors have been replaced, such as General Leia in Star Wars Resistance. However, recasting one of The Mandalorian's main live-action faces is a different proposition entirely. Any recasting risks feeling jarring to viewers, and that's especially true in a small, tight-knit cast like The Mandalorian's.

The Mandalorian (& Star Wars Spinoffs) Can Easily Write Cara Dune Out

Gina Carano as Cara Dune from The Mandalorian

As much as Lucy Lawless opposite Pedro Pascal is a tempting proposition for The Mandalorian season 3, the Star Wars world might be better served simply writing Cara Dune out. There's no doubt Dune had more to give as a law enforcement officer on Nevarro, but her character arc had already been completed in The Mandalorian season 2. Introduced as a jaded former Rebel looking to get by and stay away from the New Republic's bureaucracy, Dune gradually softened thanks to the influence of Din Djarin. First by protecting the villagers on Sorgen, then by fighting Gideon on Nevarro and taking out the planet's remaining Empire stronghold. Finally, Cara accepts an official position within the New Republic, thereby ending her journey. There are no unresolved plot threads, lingering thematic arcs or unanswered questions that can only be addressed through Cara Dune's continued presence.

Additionally, The Mandalorian season 3's focus will be elsewhere. Din Djarin and Bo-Katan Kryze need to settle their Darksaber difficulties, while Grogu needs to get the hell out of Luke Skywalker's Jedi High before a certain Ben Solo joins the class. While a return to Nevarro might've been nice, Carano's presence is not required for The Mandalorian to move forward, nor was she ever officially confirmed for Rangers of the New Republic. Rather than risking credulity with a recast or "doing a Poochie," Star Wars can simply park Cara Dune where she is and leave the character be - as unfortunate as that may be.

Related: Star Wars: Why Kylo Ren & The First Order Didn't Use Mandalorian's Dark Troopers

Could Gina Carano Ever Return To Star Wars?

Cara Dune infiltrates Imperial facilty with Din and the heroes in The Mandalorian

It's highly unlikely. The Nazi Germany post that triggered Lucasfilm's announcement is not an isolated incident, but rather the latest in a sustained string of social media controversies that Disney can simply do without. Any potential route back would begin with a full and frank apology, but at the time of writing, one has not been publicly forthcoming, and in the wake of previous incidents, Gina Carano has typically doubled-down before lighting a brand new fire not long after. As mentioned previously, Cara Dune's character arc came to a natural close with The Mandalorian season 2, so there's no reason to risk the potential backlash of rehiring Carano in the future.

When it comes to firing talent for social media activity, Disney does have a history of backtracking. For example, Guardians of the Galaxy director, James Gunn, was fired by the studio in 2018 over Tweets relating to rape, AIDS are other highly sensitive topics, but got rehired less than a year later. Gunn's case is clearly quite different to Carano's, as the director's Tweets were historic in nature and he offered an apology. The same can't be said of Gina Carano's firing, and while nothing is ever completely certain in the movie business, The Mandalorian fans shouldn't expect to see Carano's Cara Dune again.

More: The Mandalorian Theory: Who Saved Baby Yoda From Anakin Skywalker