We’re halfway through The Mandalorian as of last Wednesday, and while there’s only been so much conflict facing Din Djarin and Grogu so far, the mythos looks to be heating up with every passing day. Elia Kane’s mysterious antics are bound to cause some big problems for our heroes before long, and it feels safe to say that Bo-Katan’s brief encounter with the Mythosaur on Mandalore wasn’t just a one-and-done instance.
But the spoils of the latest episode didn’t end there; having been granted a glimpse into Grogu’s rather traumatic past, specifically his harrowing survival of Order 66, we’ve also learned just who we have to thank for rescuing the internet’s favorite alien from the clutches of the Empire, and, as it turns out, he’s a rather familiar face.
Indeed, “Chapter 20” of The Mandalorian brought Kelleran Beq, the Jedi responsible for saving Grogu’s life during the raid on the Jedi Temple, into the fold, and the actor behind him was none other than Ahmed Best, a longtime member of the Star Wars family known for his motion-capture/voice portrayal of Jar Jar Binks.
But Best’s triumphant return to Star Wars didn’t come without a fair shake of anxiety. In an interview with ScreenRant, the actor reflected on the racist backlash he was targeted with when the prequels were coming out, noting how that prior experience made for a lot of apprehension about returning.
“Honestly, I had to think about it. I’ve been in the Star Wars world for such a long time and my story is such a rollercoaster ride of emotions. So coming back to Star Wars wasn’t an easy decision for me. It wasn’t something I could have immediately said yes to. I did have to marinate over it for a bit.”
He would go on to reveal that the sheer love he has for Star Wars helped to balance out the aforementioned conflict he felt about returning.
“I mean, I was excited. I don’t think people really understand how much I care about Star Wars. Like, I really care. I really, really care about the storytelling, about the mythology, about the fans. I want to contribute, I want to add to it. So it took me a minute.”
If we can infer anything from Best’s Mandalorian cameo, it’s that hatred will never prevail, and we hope he continues this live-action phoenix moment well beyond Grogu’s flashback.
The Mandalorian is available to stream on Disney Plus, with new episodes of the third season releasing every Thursday until the season finale on April 19.