Ahmed Best has returned to the Star Wars universe as another canonical character, and his appearance on this week's episode of The Mandalorian has viewers celebrating on social media.
Twitter user @jaredellis_96 references Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, featuring Viggo Mortensen's King Aragorn, and all of Gondor, bowing before Frodo and his heroic Hobbit allies. User @anasianskywalkr shared his prophetic 2020 tweet calling for Best's character to serve as Grogu's rescuer during the Jedi purge. And @ResonantJustice posted, "Ahmed Best getting to return to Star Wars and play the Jedi who saved Grogu is just so wholesome. Dude deserves everything."
Best made his television debut as Jedi Knight Kelleran Beq on the latest episode of The Mandalorian, "Chapter 20: The Foundling." The character appears in a flashback sequence, revealing himself as the savior of Grogu during the execution of Order 66, as first seen in 2005's Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. The purge was previously seen on The Mandalorian in flashback from Grogu's perspective, but how he was rescued, and the identity of his rescuer, was unknown until "The Foundling."
Multiple users shared Return of the King's opening credits featuring that film's title in support of Best. A tweet from @Lix_wan_Kenobi shows Maul presenting a crown in a photoshopped screenshot. And @JuanAndresBazan said, "This entire season of #TheMandalorian has told us about redemption, and that this concept has transcended into reality and brings us the redemption of a man who undoubtedly deserved it is beautiful, thanks for this gift our dear Star Wars."
Ahmed Best - From Jar Jar to Jedi
Best, of course, is best known for his portrayal of the goofy Gungan Jar Jar Binks, introduced in 1999's Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. The character proved unpopular with many fans, who disliked the character's overly comedic, clumsy demeanor and often confusing speech pattern. Much of the toxic vitriol was directed at Best himself, but Best's return to Star Wars is welcomed by many fans.
Jar Jar had an increasingly diminished role in subsequent installments of the prequel trilogy. Notably, though, 2002's Star Wars: Attack of the Clones featured his character moving to grant Chancellor Palpatine the emergency powers needed for Palpatine to later assume the role of Emperor and takeover of the galaxy, and subsequent destruction of the Jedi Order.
The Mandalorian isn't the first series to feature Kelleran Beq, however -- online children's game show Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge, hosted by Best, introduced the character in 2020.
New episodes of The Mandalorian stream Wednesdays on Disney+.
Source: Twitter