Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for The Mandalorian season 3, episode 7.
The opening sequence of The Mandalorian season 3, episode 7 featured the inclusion of an Imperial Shadow Council with one of the attendees, Brendol Hux - father of the sequels' Armitage Hux - being vital to the broader Star Wars timeline. During the episode's cold open, Katy O'Brian's Elia Kane was reintroduced, who revealed her true loyalty to the Empire. Kane warned Giancarlo Esposito's Moff Gideon of the Mandalorians' interference with the pirates on Nevarro, with Gideon bringing this to the attention of the Imperial Shadow Council.
This Shadow Council offered much in the way of wider Star Wars Easter eggs in Mandalorian season 3 episode 7, including more setup for the imminent return of Lars Mikkelsen's Grand Admiral Thrawn. Another neat Easter egg, though, was the apearance of a man named Commandant Hux, the father of General Armitage Hux introduced in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. While Hux's inclusion was seemingly a simple way to tie The Mandalorian to the Star Wars sequels, Brendol Hux actually has an expensive history in the series, as well as crucial ramifications on the future timeline.
Who Plays Brendol Hux In The Mandalorian
The actor who plays Brendol Hux is somewhat of an Easter egg in itself. Brendol Hux is portrayed by Brian Gleeson, the brother of Domnhall Gleeson, who played Armitage Hux. This continuity between actors shows the attention to detail in The Mandalorian and proves above all that Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni are committed to retroactively fitting their shows and other projects between the original trilogy and sequels. The benefit is twofold in getting Gleeson's brother to play the role of Hux's father. Not only do the characters' ages match up on the Star Wars timeline, but the resemblance is enough to show they are related.
Brendol Hux's Clone Wars Past & Role In The Empire
As for Brendol's importance to the wider Star Wars timeline, the character has been involved in many different eras of the franchise. Hux actually served in the Grand Army of the Republic during the Clone Wars, working as a junior officer. During the war, Hux was responsible for the transmission and communication of various tactics and strategies to the Grand Army that were devised by the Jedi Order generals. Hux served throughout the Clone Wars and subsequently transitioned into the Empire when the Republic fell.
After serving the Imperial military for a while, Hux was transferred to an Imperial Academy on the planet of Arkanis. Hux eventually rose to the title of Commandant during his time at the Arkanis Academy. He later shared his wishes to raise soldier conscripts from birth due to his dissatisfaction with the Empire's stormtroopers. While this concept was shot down, Hux found other Imperials who believed in his cause within Arkanis and started a group named the Commandant's Cadets. The Cadets were handpicked by Hux and served outside the jurisdiction of the Empire under the Commandant's command.
Eventually, after the fall of the Empire at the Battle of Endor, Hux was trapped by the New Republic during the Siege of Arkanis. Despite the siege, Hux managed to escape thanks to a bounty hunter named Mercurial Swift on the orders of the Empire's Fleet Admiral Gallius Rax. Rax was responsible for enlisting Hux in the Imperial Shadow Council seen in The Mandalorian, with Hux going on to serve the Empire long after the Battle of Jakku, shaping the formation of the First Order in the process.
What Brendol Hux Is Doing With Thrawn In The Mandalorian Timeline
In terms of Hux's role in The Mandalorian, however, he clearly has very important plans for Thrawn and the Empire. During the Shadow Council scene, Captain Pellaeon mentions that Grand Admiral Thrawn's return to the galaxy will re-establish the Empire's military might, allowing Commandant Hux enough time to work on Project Necromancer. While the exact details of Project Necromancer are unclear, there are many hints from the broader Star Wars timeline that foreshadow Hux's goals during the era of The Mandalorian.
The most likely outcome of Project Necromancer is exactly what the name suggests: raising Palpatine from the dead as seen in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Since The Mandalorian introduced the concept of cloning using Grogu's blood, many have theorized the show would be setting up the rise of the First Order through Supreme Leader Snoke and the other clones of Palpatine that served as the villains of the Star Wars sequels. With Project Necromancer being mentioned in The Mandalorian season 3, episode 7, this is evermore likely.
In the Shadow Council scene in The Mandalorian, Hux outwardly states that Project Necromancer is in place so that the Empire can look to new leadership other than Grand Admiral Thrawn. This certainly seems to hint towards the origins of Snoke or the clone of Palpatine seen in The Rise of Skywalker. Hux also mentions the cloning research of Dr. Pershing, which Moff Gideon states has been lost to the New Republic. All of this seems to point to Palpatine's revival with Project Necromancer, led by Commandant Brendol Hux himself.
Brendol Hux's Future: Armitage Hux & Captain Phasma Link Explained
While all of this information pertains to Brendol Hux's past in the Star Wars timeline, the Commandant also has a big impact on the franchise's future. Most importantly, Brendol is the father of Armitage Hux who will later go on to be instrumental in the sequel trilogy as one of the leaders of the villainous First Order. At some point in his life, Brendol sired Armitage out of wedlock with a kitchen maid, raising his son on the ideals of the Empire and that the regime saved the galaxy from the violence of the Clone Wars and corrupt Republic.
This explains Armitage's dedication to the evil ways of the First Order, with his indoctrination during his childhood leading him to believe the First Order was correct in its ideals. Despite Brendol's influence on Armitage's military career, it came with a vast amount of abuse, both physically and verbally, to the point where Armitage and Captain Phasma conspired to assassinate Brendol later in his life. Other than the assassination of Brendol by Phasma, the Commandant had a significant impact on her career, also.
Phasma grew up on the nuclear-ravaged planet of Parnassos as part of the Scyre clan, becoming a formidable warrior as a result. However, Phasma wished to seek passage off-world, aiding Brendol Hux to find his ship and betraying her brother in the process. Brendol became impressed with Phasma's martial prowess, as well as her dedication to her own cause that saw her betray her own clan. Hux was then instrumental in seeing Phasma inducted into the First Order before she solidified her position as one of its senior leaders by assassinating Brendol years after his appearance in season 3 of The Mandalorian.
The Mandalorian season 3 finale releases Wednesday on Disney+.