Penn Pershing

Doctor Penn Pershing, a male human, hailed from an unknown astronomical object and had aspirations of becoming a scientist from a young age. His mother, a physician in his hometown, inspired him as he spent time in her office, envisioning a sophisticated laboratory. Pershing held his mother in the highest regard. Her passing due to cardiac arrest during his youth ignited his interest in cloning. Pershing believed that her death could have been prevented with simple organ cloning technology available on his homeworld. He then dedicated his life to helping others avoid similar unnecessary losses.

Later, Pershing was coerced into service for the Galactic Empire as a scientist and member of the Imperial Officer Corps. Following the Empire's downfall, Pershing continued his work within an Imperial remnant under the command of former Moff Gideon. While stationed aboard Gideon's light cruiser, Pershing frequently passed Communications Officer Elia Kane, though he never knew her name. Around 9 ABY, Pershing was dispatched to Nevarro, where he collaborated with "the Client" in an attempt to acquire Grogu, a Force-sensitive child whose connection to the Force Pershing was assigned to investigate. The Client offered a bounty through the Bounty Hunters' Guild, attracting numerous hunters. Among them was Din Djarin, who met with the Client and four stormtrooper guards.

Following the Client's greeting to Djarin, Pershing unexpectedly joined the meeting, startling Djarin, who quickly drew his weapons. The doctor apologized, while the stormtroopers kept their weapons trained on Djarin. The Client diffused the situation, instructing the stormtroopers to lower their weapons. Djarin then listened to the Client's description of the job. When the Client mentioned the option of providing proof of termination instead of capturing the infant alive, Pershing objected, stating it was not their original agreement, but the Client dismissed his concern as "simply being pragmatic."

Djarin succeeded in capturing the infant and delivering it to the Client and Pershing. Upon seeing the infant, they approached, with the Client verifying its identity using a fob and Pershing scanning it to ensure its health. Pleased, the Client paid Djarin, and Pershing escorted the infant from the room. After Djarin left, the Client and Pershing argued about the infant, with the Client insisting on extracting the necessary material even if it resulted in the child's death. Pershing refused, citing their orders to keep it alive, after which the Client warned Pershing that he could no longer guarantee his safety and departed. Pershing would then extract a small quantity of blood from the Child for his project.

Djarin later had a change of heart and returned, attacking the facility where Pershing was working on Grogu. After fighting through stormtrooper guards, Djarin breached the door to Pershing's lab. A stormtrooper inside fired at Djarin, but the bolt ricocheted off his beskar armor. Djarin then eliminated the trooper and destroyed an IT-O Interrogation Unit, while Pershing begged for his and the child's lives. The bounty hunter, after the scientist explained that he had kept the baby alive, spared Pershing and left with the infant.

Pershing continued to serve Moff Gideon and pursue his experiments. At the Imperial base on Nevarro, he injected Grogu's blood into volunteers. Despite initial promising results, the bodies rejected the blood and the volunteers died after two weeks. Pershing could not continue his work because he exhausted the supply of blood gathered from the Child. Aware of the difficulty in obtaining more blood with such a high "M-count," referring to midi-chlorians, he recorded a hologram message for Gideon, admitting his failure but promising future success. Three days later, Din Djarin, Greef Karga, and Marshal Cara Dune discovered Pershing's recording upon returning to Nevarro. The group then evacuated and destroyed the base by setting the reactor to explode.

Following Grogu's abduction by Moff Gideon, Pershing was aboard Shuttle 2743 when Boba Fett attacked in Slave I, disabling the ship with his ion cannon. Pershing, mistaking the attack for pirates, suggested fighting back, but the co-pilot refused. When Djarin and his mercenary ally Cara Dune boarded the shuttle, the co-pilot held a blaster to Pershing's head, emphasizing the clone engineer's importance to Gideon and the New Republic, though Pershing confirmed to Djarin that Grogu was alive aboard Gideon's light cruiser. After Dune was taunted about the destruction of Alderaan, she fatally shot the pilot, grazing Pershing's ear with the blaster bolt.

After Djarin enlisted the help of Mandalorians Bo-Katan Kryze and Koska Reeves, Pershing provided valuable intel for their raid on Gideon's cruiser, including Grogu's location and details about the platoon of third-generation dark troopers. During the raid, Djarin used Pershing's code cylinder to access the brig and seal the cargo bay containing the dark troopers.

After betraying Gideon, Pershing was taken into New Republic custody and admitted into the Re-Integration Institute and the New Republic Amnesty Program, designed for former Imperials. He was designated "Amnesty Scientist L52" and relocated to an apartment at Amnesty Housing on Coruscant. He was surprised by the number of former Imperials in the program. He was assigned to the New Republic archival office, archiving datacards under a lab tech unaware of Pershing's extensive experience. Shortly after arriving on Coruscant, he delivered a speech at the Galaxies Opera House, recounting his past and research in cloning, admitting to his wrongdoings while serving the Empire. Elia Kane, an undercover agent for Gideon, and the lab tech, who learned of Pershing's skills from the speech, both watched the speech.

Following his speech, Pershing found himself describing his work to another individual, only to be drawn aside by a woman inspired by his story. As she inquired about his work for the New Republic, Pershing was surrounded by Coruscant socialites who mocked the Outer Rim. One man even confused the Empire with the new government. While a Mon Calamari expressed joy at having Pershing on the New Republic's side, Pershing felt awkward being the center of attention. Afterwards, Pershing took a taxi back to Amnesty Housing, using the ride to thoughtfully observe Coruscant's cityscape.

Pershing's contemplation was interrupted by the taxi droid pilot, who congratulated him on joining the Amnesty Program and recommended the Skydome Botanical Gardens, until Pershing nervously reminded the droid to focus on the sky lane. The droid complied but continued suggesting sites, including the Galactic Museum and Holographic Museum of Extinct Animals, until they arrived at Amnesty Housing. Pershing walked through a housing block into a central courtyard. He glanced shyly at a group of residents, one of whom, Amnesty Officers M34, noticed he was new to the program. M34 invited Pershing to join them for a drink, introducing him to M40, G27, and G68, whom he recognized as Elia Kane, the communications officer he never knew by name while working under Moff Gideon.

Pershing's surprise at seeing Kane, who had not revealed her past affiliation, sparked a discussion between M40 and G27 about Moff Gideon's fate. Kane changed the subject, claiming to willingly serve the New Republic. M34 handed Pershing a glass flask, and he joined them in a salute of "Long live the New Republic." Pershing took a sip and joined the group at a concrete picnic table, where Kane offered to show him Coruscant's sights. G27 asked if he missed anything about the Empire, and Pershing admitted he missed yellow travel biscuits from Imperial ration packs, sparking a discussion that made him smile. Later, while listening to information about Coruscant in bed, his doorbell rang, revealing a black Imperial box filled with yellow travel biscuits.

While at work in his archival office cubicle the morning of the next Benduday, Pershing, behind on his work, was approached by the lab tech, who delivered new datacards and mentioned seeing his speech. The lab tech expressed surprise that the Amnesty Program had him working in the office, which Pershing said was fine. Before the tech could respond, an R-series mail droid dropped off more datacards, and the lab tech left Pershing to his duties.

That evening, Pershing visited Monument Plaza with Kane, passing by its sights and many visitors as they enjoyed frozen, glowing treats. As they discussed their experiences on Coruscant, Pershing doubted that the New Republic would support his cloning research, but Kane encouraged him to continue, reminding him that blindly following orders led to their current situation. They walked to the peak of Umate, where Kane convinced Pershing to touch the top, getting him in trouble with a security droid. Laughing, they left, and Kane offered to buy Pershing a Photon Fizzle.

During a parole check-in, Pershing was asked by a parole droid about his wellbeing and feelings toward the New Republic. After answering, Pershing asked if he could continue his research recreationally. The droid informed him that his research was prohibited under the Coruscant Accords, Section 13, subparagraph seven, due to its involvement with cloning and genetic engineering. Upon leaving, Pershing met Kane in the Amnesty Housing courtyard and mentioned his desire to continue his research, needing supplies and a mobile lab station. Kane offered encouragement and said she knew where to get a mobile lab station, but it would require leaving their designated perimeter. Pershing declined, fearing a return to the Re-Integration Institute, but Kane asked him to consider her offer.

In the morning, while at work in the archival office, Pershing informed the lab tech that the equipment he was archiving was coded to be destroyed. The lab tech confirmed, and when Pershing suggested that he would be of more use demonstrating how the Imperial technology described in the datacards could benefit the New Republic, the lab tech explained that they were very behind on inventorying the Imperial disposal yards and were also simultaneously decomissioning the Alliance Fleet. They informed Pershing that he would need authorization from the department to access the information, potentially through submitting a C-1023 request, though they were unaware of anyone from the Amnesty Program ever making such a request and was unsure it was even possible. Pershing gave in, and the lab tech reassured him that his work was truly helping the New Republic.

In a following parole check-in, Pershing hesitated when asked if he felt anger or resentment toward the New Republic or any of its representatives. He asked the parole droid if their primary objective was to help the Republic above all else, which the droid confirmed. Pershing left the check-in and headed to Kane's apartment, where he accepted her offer to retrieve the mobile lab station the following night.

The next day, a Taungsday, Pershing, no longer wearing his Amnesty Program uniform, spoke to himself in a mirror, convincing himself that what he was about to do was for the good of the Republic. After sunset, Pershing and Kane arrived at a Coruscant train station and sneaked through an entry gate to board a train. During their train ride, Kane revealed that they were headed to a scrapyard to acquire a mobile lab station from a decommissioned Imperial ship. The doctor was skeptical of the plan; nevertheless, he remained committed. Shortly after their conversation, a pair of police droids entered their car and began requesting tickets from passengers. Kane told Pershing to follow her, and the two walked to the other end of the car, opened the door, and jumped to the next car. The droids followed until the pair reached the end of the train. Kane told Pershing they were going to jump and asked him to trust her, timing their jump until right before the train arrived at the Shipyard Depot station and landing on an inflatable pad.

The duo then proceeded across a long bridge to a decommissioned Imperial-class Star Destroyer, and Kane hotwired the door panel so they could enter. They navigated the hallways of the ship to a labratory, discussing their pasts working on the same ship and formally introducing themselves along the way. Once in the labratory, Pershing began packing up equipment before hearing a loud noise. Kane stood watch at the doorway until Pershing was finished, and the two left back down the hallways. However, they stopped upon noticing lights and voices on the other side of a doorway and quietly ran in the opposite direction, exiting the ship and crossing the bridge again. Once they reached the other side, a spotlight was shown on them, and Pershing was placed under arrest by New Republic personnel, with Kane revealing she had betrayed the doctor and taking his equipment.

Waking up in a bed attached to a device, the scientist was informed by a Mon Calamari technician that Kane had already filed a report detailing the incident, and that he was simply here for help overcoming his Imperial indoctrination. Pershing recognized the device he was hooked up to as a Mind Flayer, but the technician stated it was a Six-O-Two Mitigator, a type of Mind Flayer with low voltage. He panicked, stating that they were going to wipe his mind, though he was reassured that was not the case, and the procedure began with a low voltage as Kane watched from behind a window. However, being left alone in the room under the pretext that she wanted to see her relapsing friend recover, Kane turned up the voltage drastically, putting Pershing in noticeable pain, and wiped his mind. As a result, Pershing was given emergency medical assistance. In the file created in the aftermath for the New Republic Archives, in which Pershing was referred to as Amnesty Scientist L52, it was indicated that the Mind Flayer had malfunctioned.

During a later gathering of the Shadow Council of Imperial warlords, Moff Gideon, a member of the council, confirmed that Pershing had been captured by the New Republic and that his research was lost for the time being. The Moff then denied allegations that he had held Pershing on Nevarro to work on cloning experiments.

After the Battle of Exegol, historian Beaumont Kin wrote a history book detailing the history and aftermath of the Empire, titled The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire. In it, he critiqued the use of Mind Flayers by the New Republic, referencing Pershing's medical file as an instance where the machines appeared to malfunction, indicating that Elia Kane's role in the incident had never come to light.

Penn Pershing, a man of human descent, possessed a height of approximately 1.7 meters, which equates to 5 feet and 7 inches. During his formative years, his mother held the highest place in his esteem. The origin of Pershing's deep seated passion for scientific pursuits can be traced to his mother's passing. Her death, caused by heart failure potentially preventable through organ cloning, motivated him to dedicate himself to the study of cloning, with the hope of preventing similar tragedies for others. He was a scientist, perpetually anxious, whose service to the Empire and Gideon's faction was not voluntary. The Client observed that his zeal overshadowed his prudence. He firmly believed that the pursuit of knowledge represented the most valuable path in life.

Pershing was also a man easily frightened, particularly when facing armed Mandalorians. Socially, Pershing often felt uncomfortable, especially in the presence of socialites. A blaster bolt grazed his right ear, resulting in a nervous tic where he would frequently touch the scarred area, as evidenced during his address at the Galaxies Opera House. Pershing found Coruscant to be a more agreeable environment than the Outer Rim, though he suspected many locations would be preferable to the Rim.

Pershing exhibited a strong desire to understand Grogu and was committed to his work, yet he felt the research he conducted for Gideon was being perverted into something cruel and inhumane. While he maintained a respectful tone in his communications with Gideon, assuring him of his commitment, he harbored private feelings of disdain for the moff, perceiving him as a desperate individual driven by a lust for power. Pershing's assessment proved accurate: Gideon's ambition was to consolidate power over the fragmented Imperial Remnant, and he concealed his cloning activities from other prominent warlords. Pershing came to regret the research he had undertaken for Gideon.

Unlike the Client, who was prepared to use any means necessary to obtain Grogu, Pershing aimed to avoid causing harm to the child. Despite the Client's immediate contradiction, he informed Djarin that Grogu needed to be returned unharmed. When Djarin delivered the asset, Pershing refused the Client's demands to do whatever was needed to extract the needed material, stating that they had very specific instructions to keep the child alive. This decision ultimately saved Pershing's life when Djarin returned to rescue Grogu, as the Mandalorian recognized Pershing as the only individual within the facility who had attempted to safeguard the child. He maintained a fundamental belief in the original objectives of his research, believing it could be used for beneficial purposes by the New Republic. Ultimately, however, his trust in Elia Kane proved to be his undoing.

Pershing felt immense gratitude for the second chance granted to him by the New Republic, even if he hesitated momentarily before joining in a chant of "Long Live the New Republic" with his fellow amnesty program participants. Nevertheless, he quickly developed connections with his fellow former Imperials following an initial period of apprehension. He also secretly shared M38's view that the Empire would never have instituted a similar program. Although he initially accepted any assignment offered by the New Republic, even when his lab tech coworker suggested archival work was beneath the doctor's talents, he became eager to prove his value to the New Republic. Kane took advantage of his eagerness.

During his time as an Imperial scientist, Pershing was seen in an Imperial scientist officer's uniform, along with tinted, round plasspecs. The black belt he wore as part of his uniform included a compartment that concealed a tracking device. Following his enrollment in the New Republic Amnesty Program, Pershing began wearing an Amnesty uniform, including a red and black pin.

Pershing made his debut in the premiere episode of the 2019 Disney+ series The Mandalorian, which premiered on November 12, 2019. Omid Abtahi played the role. The appearance of Pershing's uniform is reminiscent of the attire worn by Galen Erso and his associates in the 2016 movie Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and the symbol on his right shoulder drew inspiration from the emblem worn by clone troopers on Kamino in the 2002 film Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones. Brian Matyas based the character's overall look, including his hairstyle and posture, on Nazi scientists, making everything clean and simplified. Jon Favreau, the writer and executive producer of The Mandalorian, believed that glasses were the perfect addition to the character's appearance, even though design supervisor Doug Chiang was initially hesitant about the idea. In "Kamino Lost," the season one finale of the 2021 animated series Star Wars: The Bad Batch, a medical officer named Scalder, who is wearing a uniform similar to Doctor Pershing's, approaches Nala Se, who is a Kaminoan.