Canonically speaking, Plo Koon hasn’t returned from his “Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith” death, and it’s not hard to figure out why. As he pilots a starfighter above Cato Nemoidia, the 442nd Siege Battalion is given the order to eliminate all Jedi. Master Plo is promptly shot down, with his ship exploding in a ball of fire. That’s about as definitive a death as one can depict, hence why George Lucas didn’t see a need to bring the character back during the age of the Galactic Empire. Still, Lucas’ decree didn’t stop Dave Filoni in a roundabout way.

On the Disney+ featurette “Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian,” Filoni recalled the “Mandalorian” Season 2 episode “Chapter 16: The Rescue,” where Luke Skywalker (Max Lloyd-Jones, Mark Hamill) makes a surprise appearance. To throw those involved in the production off the scent, as to not spoil such a huge surprise, concept art, the episode’s script, and production dailies used Plo’s name and likeness. The few who did know the truth had to keep their lips sealed for months on end as well. The secrecy paid off, with Luke’s return surprising fans worldwide and capping off Season 2 on a major high note — just before the fan-upsetting “Mandalorian” Season 3.

Bearing in mind just how much respect and admiration Dave Filoni has for George Lucas, it stands to reason Plo Koon will remain dead going forward in honor of his past demand.