WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 7, streaming now on Disney+.
With Star Wars: The Clone Wars wrapping up, the final four episodes are focusing on the Siege of Mandalore while also acting as a prequel to Revenge of the Sith. And in the latest episode, "Old Friends Not Forgotten," the Jedi are seen being spread thin, which is all part of Palpatine's plan to make the Order 66 genocide more seamless.
However, in the episode's opening montage, in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment, as the Jedi try to outline their next move, there's a cameo from one of the biggest heroes in Star Wars Rebels: Kanan Jarrus.
As the show's narrator covers ground on what's transpiring across the galaxy, the Separatist Movement are creating pure chaos. Offensive forces have been dispatched by General Grievous to weaken the Republic and Jedi like Plo Koon are embarking on a voyage to presumably Cato Neimoidia where he'd be killed. Aayla Secura is also dispatched and gearing for conflict on the flowery Felucia where she will also meet her end. But just before, as Mace Windu and Yoda convene a council meeting with the other members who appear via holograms, there's a quick shot of Kanan, but as Caleb Dume.
Marvel's Kanan: The Last Padawan would detail the Conquest of Kaller, with Billaba sacrificing herself to protect Caleb from the Jedi purge. He'd go into hiding, adopting the new name of Kanan, and as Rebels revealed, he became a Jedi in hiding. Kanan would later embrace his identity, completing his own training by teaching Ezra Bridger how to harness the Force.
It's a nice throwback because eventually Kanan's baby blue eyes seen here will meet Darth Maul's blade and be blinded. Still, he'd be very influential in Ezra's life, as well as Ahsoka Tano, helping her discover things about herself after she left Anakin Skywalker's side and struggled with him becoming Vader. Kanan ended up being one of those heroes who never stopped teaching, especially after he learned from Bendu about the mysticism behind the essence that bound the entire cosmos.
Kanan would also help the rebels liberate Lothal in the years to come, as well as help rescue Hera Syndulla from Governor Arihnda Pryce in a firefight that cost him his own life, all so his allies could escape. Hera would eventually give birth to Kanan's son, Jacen, whom we'd see in the Rebels series finale. Kanan's story wouldn't end there, though, as the Jedi's spirit would contact Rey during the finale of The Rise of Skywalker, reminding her "Rey... In the heart of a Jedi lies their strength." Kanan was all about the lost finding their way back home, so it's nice to see him appearing here in a story where his future ally in Ahsoka is trying to find her destiny as well.
Streaming on Disney+, the final season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars stars Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker, Ashley Eckstein as Ahsoka Tano, Dee Bradley Baker as Captain Rex and the clone troopers, James Arnold Taylor as Obi-Wan Kenobi, Katee Sackhoff as Bo-Katan and Sam Witwer as Maul. A new episode arrives each Friday.