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In the first The Mandalorian spin-off series, The Book of Boba Fett, early on viewers are introduced to Mos Espa's "de facto" mayor named Mok Shaiz.

Mok

Now while Star Wars has it's own unique lexicon of names or name-play, Mok Shaiz struck me as both unique, but also a little familiar, but I couldn't put my foot on it.

Then comes episode 1.06 (From The Desert Comes A Stranger) where fans are once again treated to a wondrous technological advancement in the recreation of a younger Luke Skywalker.

When Luke was first presented at the end of The Mandalorian Season 2, a renowned Deepfake technology user known by the handle, Shamook proved that he was better than Disney/Lucasfilm specialists and recreated a better version of the scene! Disney was so impressed that they hired Shamook and he is behind the spectacle of Luke Skywalker seen in The Book of Boba Fett 1.06 along with a new actor to stand-in!

Another amusing fact is that this version Luke Skywalker was not voiced-over by Mark Hamill, but rather it was done with vocal reconstruction software called respeecher. Curiously Mok Shaiz also uses a "translator" to speak "basic" to Boba Fett and the like, ironically in a voice that doesn't at all match his position or his appearance.

So I was wondering, given the BTS connections, the situation with a 'de facto' (aka 'deep fake') Mayor, and that MOK SHiAz has many of the same letters or sound-combinations as SHAMOoK, if the character is reference to the new tech specialist at Lucasfilm?

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  • I'd be surprised if this is the case. Considering how Mok Shaiz is portrayed throughout the series, it wouldn't exactly be the most flattering reference to make.
    – F1Krazy
    Feb 26, 2022 at 17:49
  • Depends on how you look at it. The mayor was pretty much a "fake" de facto mayor who was just 'play acting' -- aka pun on a deep-faker. Plus who says all references are 100% about one person or that they are all flattering (JJ Abrams created and voiced D-O is that flattering or does that just go to the pressure he was under and his love for keyboards and synth sounds??). This is about what the guy does for living, not whom he really is in his entirety. I just feel like it's an awfully big coincidence other wise.
    – Darth Locke
    Feb 26, 2022 at 18:01
  • Then you also get into the whole guy "mok"s Disney by proving he's better. Seen as hero by non wealthy everyday people of internet. He's then bought out by Disney. Some would call him a sell-out. There is just a lot of ways you could take the situation and translate it to screen.
    – Darth Locke
    Feb 26, 2022 at 18:04
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    I was convinced that his name was a play on "Mayor McCheese". It's the only thing I could hear when they said his name.
    – Josh
    Mar 4, 2022 at 2:01
  • @Josh Could totally be the case. "Shaiz" also sounds like a play on Arabic names and there are def some allusions to Laurence of Arabia & Indiana Jones stuff going on in some of these episodes. But I still find the parallels between him and real world events in relation to episode 1.06 a bit suspect.
    – Darth Locke
    Mar 4, 2022 at 16:44

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