TheStar WarsTV shows on Disney+ continue to interweave with each other, connecting storylines and characters that help to make all of these series feel more connected as one overarching story.The Mandalorianhas been a huge part of this interconnection, integrating elements fromThe Clone Wars, Rebels, and more in the story of Din Djarin and Grogu. The culture of the Mandalorians has been a huge part of the show, particularly in season 3, and much of that originated withThe Clone Warsanimated series.
On theStar Wars Rebelsfront, Ahsoka has already appeared, and is getting her own series that looks to continue many of the plot lines of that series. That trend continued inThe MandalorianChapter 21 with the appearance of Zeb Orrelios, a core member of the Ghost crew who showed up alongside Carson Teva in a New Republic base. Zeb has a big history in theStar Warsfranchise already, and this cameo reveals what he’s been up to since the conclusion of the animated series. It also offers some hints as to what his journey might include in the future.
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In the initial moments of Chapter 21, Carson Tevatook center stage as he answered the callof the citizens of Nevarro and the planet’s leader, Greef Karga. Teva listened to Karga’s message in a New Republic base, which had plenty of X-Wing pilots in the background. In the forefront, though, was Zeb.
The character appears to have been recreated for live action using a mixture of prosthetics and CGI. He was dressed in an X-Wing pilot outfit, revealing that he has been part of the New Republic after the fall of the Empire. To some viewers, Zeb might have just been a random New Republic fighter pilot, butRebelsfans would have instantly recognized the character’s unique appearance and gravely voice.There was no sign of Kallus,Zeb’s companion fromRebels,but it seems that he might come later on, perhaps in another future series.
In canon, Zeb is a Lasan, an endangered alien species that were almost wiped out entirely, which is where his hatred for the Empire comes from. It’s this anger that motivated Zeb to join the Rebel cell on Lothal and, most likely, the reason why he became a leader in the New Republic in the years after the fall of the Empire. ThroughoutStar Wars Rebels, Zeb helped to push back against the Imperials with the help of the rest of the Ghost crew. The group completed many missions together, including fighting off the likes of Darth Maul and Darth Vader. Considering his past feats, it’s no wonder thatZeb’s reappearance in live actionhas resulted in such a joyous response from fans.
It’s been around a decade since the conclusion of the animated series, but recent comments from Favreau have muddled the timeline in regards to how long afterReturn of the Jedi The Mandaloriantakes place. This means that Zeb has clearly been up to a lot in the years since. It seems that the Ghost crew has indeed split up, something that was relatively clear in the finale ofRebels,but the future might bring them back together once again.Ahsokacould be the show that unites everyone, and Zeb might just appear in the upcoming series. The fact that Zeb has appeared inThe Mandalorianalready could just be a little tease for what’s to come inAhsoka, a show that fans already know will feature the likes of Ezra Bridger, Hera, Sabine, and more.
Zeb has not yet been confirmed forAhsoka, but at this point it would be a surprise if he didn’t appear in some capacity. Thrawn is back, as are the characters listed above, so it seems likely that Zeb will come back into the fold to help his old friends. Many speculate that this Mando-Verse is slowly building up to anHeir of the Empireadaption, where Thrawn, Gideon, Snoke, and Palpatine serve as the main villains (with some of them serving in the shadows). If that’s the case, Din Djarin and Grogu will certainly be there,as will Ahsoka and (most likely) Luke Skywalker. But it also seems possible that Zeb could play a role in that finale event, thus highlighting the character’s potential importance to some of the most crucial stories in a galaxy far, far away right now.
In the meantime,The Mandalorianseason 3 has just a few episodes before the conclusion of this new outing. This season has been focused much more on Mandalore than on some of the galaxy-wide conflicts, such as the rising threat of the Imperial remnants and the Jedi/Sith battle. But it could all be to serve the greater story going forward.
