Don’t correct me if I’m wrong. I want to believe that this is how it all went down.

I know Werner Herzog has a respectable list of acting credits—including a bad guy or two—but nothing about him says, “Star Wars villain” to me. When I saw him in a clip from “The Mandalorian“—playing the heavy in need of the bounty hunter’s services—I was having some trouble buying it despite the German accent excellent writing.

I can’t be the only person who finds Herzog’s voice kind of soothing. I loved listening to his first-person narration of the plastic bag pining for the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. He even made Timothy Treadwell‘s descent into madness a little less depressing.

Who would think to cast him as a villain in a live-action Star Wars series? Then I got to thinking, maybe no one did. At least no one at Lucasfilm. Maybe it was Herzog himself. Maybe he approached Jon Favreau, begging for a part.

Can’t you just hear Herzog’s voice in your head…

“I have always wanted to be in a Star Wars movie. I would be so grateful if you would do me the honor of casting me in this project, even if it is only a small role.”

And they had to give him a part because who’s going to say no to Werner Herzog?