A major recurring character in The Mandalorian, Omid Abtahi’s Dr. Pershing breaks one of George Lucas’ original Star Wars rules. Introduced as an Imperial scientist whose expertise lay in cloning and creating artificial beings called strandcasts, Dr. Pershing saved Grogu from being terminated in The Mandalorian season 1, episode 3. Although Pershing extracted biological information from Grogu to continue Moff Gideon’s experiments, he refused to terminate the Child.
Dr. Pershing has become something of a fan-favorite character, although his fate is uncertain after The Mandalorian season 3, episode 3. Rehabilitated into the New Republic, Dr. Pershing was tricked by Katy O’Brian’s Elia Kane. An Imperial spy now working in the New Republic, Elia Kane ensured Pershing could not give the Republic his knowledge of cloning by having his mind wiped. There have been hints the process may not be irreversible, however, meaning this unique Star Wars scientist could yet return.
Dr. Pershing Is The First Star Wars Character To Wear Glasses
Pershing is notable because he’s the first live-action human in Disney’s Star Wars canon to wear glasses. In Star Wars Legends, there were only two instances of live-action characters with glasses: Noa Briqualon from the Ewoks: The Battle For Endor movie, and Saun Dann of the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special. Glasses made their canon debut in the 2009 Star Wars: The Clone Wars episode, “Blue Shadow Virus.” A few more animated series and comic book characters have worn them since then, but Pershing is the first live-action Star Wars character to sport specs.
Dr. Pershing’s Glasses Point To A Major Star Wars Change
There are, of course, plenty of goggles and other eyewear in Star Wars movies and TV shows, but very few traditional glasses. When first creating the original Star Wars trilogy, George Lucas reportedly did not want glasses to appear in the films, likely to help sell the idea that Star Wars takes place in a fantastical world removed from Earth’s everyday technologies. Similar to pirate king Gorian Shard’s steering wheel in The Mandalorian season 3, Pershing’s glasses mark a shift from Lucas’ belief that wheels and glasses were things that the Star Wars universe had long replaced.
It’s entirely possible Pershing’s glasses are not the sight-enhancing spectacles modern-day Earth humans use. They are tinted, after all, suggesting they could serve some alternative purpose, but he also wears them at all times, even in dimly lit indoor environments, meaning they probably aren’t just used for sun or dust protection. Even when scavenging a derelict Star Destroyer with Elia Kane, Pershing still needed his glasses to see. In any case, his glasses were removed from him shortly before Pershing’s mind was wiped when Kane used a New Republic mind flayer on him in The Mandalorian season 3, episode 3. Only time will tell whether Pershing’s glasses will return.