In The Mandalorian and Grogu, Alien franchise icon Sigourney Weaver plays the New Republic's Colonel Ward. The character has been prominently featured in the movie's trailers. However, we know relatively little about her beyond the fact that she dispatches the titilar duo to capture the New Republic's enemies.
When we pick up with Din Djarin and The Child in filmmaker Jon Favreau's big-screen follow-up to The Mandalorian, Ward will task the duo with a mission meant to help "prevent another war."
In the latest issue of Empire Magazine (via SFFGazette.com), the character is described as a "military leader" and "crack pilot," neither of which comes as a surprise when merchandise has shown Ward in an X-wing pilot uniform.
However, she has more history in this Galaxy Far, Far Away than you might have expected, with Weaver confirming that Ward and Princess Leia "go way back."
The Mandalorian and Grogu co-writer and new Lucasfilm President Dave Filoni expanded on that by revealing Ward is part of a group of formidable female Rebel leaders that includes characters like Leia, Amilyn Holdo, Hera Syndulla, and Mon Mothma. As Filoni puts it, they "really went through it" during the war with the Empire and have since been key in dismantling Emperor Palpatine's Imperial army.
Talking about her Star Wars debut, the Avatar: Fire and Ash star said, "To be playing someone who is from that time, and from that history, who would have been a cohort of these guys, is a great honor. The '70s, all the unrest, fighting against the [Vietnam] war. People had that sense of unity. It clicks into a whole thing for George Lucas, and I'm the same generation."
While we wouldn't bank on any of the characters listed above making an appearance (it's possible, but risks stepping on Ahsoka's toes, for example), Ward's story is bound to be fleshed out somewhere.
Looking at what's happened with other noteworthy supporting players, chances are we'll eventually get a novel or comic that retcons her into past stories and expands on the role she played in helping topple the Empire.
In The Mandalorian and Grogu, the evil Empire has fallen, and Imperial warlords remain scattered throughout the galaxy. As the fledgling New Republic works to protect everything the Rebellion fought for, they have enlisted the help of legendary Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his young apprentice Grogu.
Directed by Jon Favreau, the movie also stars Sigourney Weaver and Jeremy Allen White and is produced by Jon Favreau, Kathleen Kennedy, Dave Filoni, and Ian Bryce, with music composed by Ludwig Göransson.
The Mandalorian and Grogu arrives in theaters on May 22.