MOVIE NEWS – New behind-the-scenes information has surfaced about the popular Star Wars series, The Mandalorian, streaming on Disney Plus. These details put the decision to bring back Ahmed Best, the actor who portrayed Jar Jar Binks, into a new perspective. After suffering from years of toxic fandom, Best finally gets the long overdue recognition he deserves, and the choice to include him in the cast was not a simple one.

In the third season of The Mandalorian, several stunning guest appearances occurred. However, for many fans, the most enjoyable and moving performance was from Best, who portrayed Jedi Master Kelleran Beq in a flashback, saving young Grogu during Order 66 of the Jedi Purge. Best, best known for his role as Jar Jar Binks in the 1999 film The Phantom Menace, previously played Master Beq in the Star Wars children’s game show Jedi Temple Challenge. But what prompted the people behind The Mandalorian to incorporate this character into the series as well?

Disney Plus has just published some new behind-the-scenes information about the series through Disney Gallery: The Making of The Mandalorian Season 3. This includes some backstory about why showrunners Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau chose Best’s lightsaber-wielding Jedi Master for this special cameo. “We needed someone who saved Grogu, predating Mando, and that this be a Jedi,” detailed Filoni (source: IGN). “And then it becomes important to ask, ‘Well, who is that? Because that carries a lot of weight.’ And for me, it’s always good if it’s someone from the ‘Lucasfilm family.’ Someone who represents Star Wars, who connects with fans, who carries the flag. And Ahmed Best was a very important part of the Star Wars story.”

Best also contributed to the development of the Jedi character as he is a lifelong Star Wars fan himself, which heavily influenced the decision. “He grew up with this. Through all different eras,” added Favreau. “And he has a martial arts background. He created the character of Jedi Kelleran Beq in Star Wars. We thought it was a great opportunity to integrate him into The Mandalorian series.” Best’s connection with his character helped convince viewers of the significance of the scene, setting the path for Grogu to eventually be brought together with Pedro Pascal’s Din Djarin (the titular Mandalorian, sometimes referred to as “Mando”). The context made Grogu’s rescue even more poignant.

“We knew that we had to tell more story because we had flashbacks of what happened to Grogu. And how Grogu escaped from the Jedi temple,” continued Favreau. “We gave a few little glimpses and details from his memories, most recently in The Book of Boba Fett. And we wanted to continue telling the story in small chapters. So we had to figure out, ‘Okay, what’s the next chapter? What likely would have happened?'”

This “likelihood” became one of the most memorable moments in the recent Star Wars narrative. Although the destruction of the Darksaber might have had a greater impact as part of the canon, Best’s return brought smiles to the faces of numerous fans. It’s regrettable that many of these same fans contributed to Best’s harassment over the years before finally recognizing their mistakes, as Best deserved far better. But we hope that this could be the beginning of something wonderful for this beloved and passionate actor.

Seasons 1-3 of The Mandalorian can be viewed on Disney Plus.

Source: Game Rant