UK with a love for all things Star Wars, Marvel and Disney.
Ahmed Best’s Redemption in The Mandalorian: Why He Was the Only Choice to Save Grogu
Ahmed Best had a rocky relationship with Star Wars fans after his appearance as Jar-Jar Binks in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. However, after a triumphant return in The Mandalorian Season 3, it’s clear that Best was the only choice to save Grogu.
The Mandalorian showrunners Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni recently appeared in a panel at Star Wars Celebration in London, where they revealed their decision-making behind Ahmed Best’s return.
Favreau said, “The opportunity for this role came up, and we knew we had to have someone – who was gonna be the one who rescues Baby Grogu? We were talking about that process of, who would it be and who should it be?” To which Filoni added, “It was a big decision, but I don’t think there is anybody better than Ahmed.”
Ahmed Best returned as Jedi Master Kelleran Beq in the episode, “The Foundling”, and spoke to StarWars.com about his return. He said, “As soon as I put the robes on for my first costume test, and I walked on to get approval from Jon and Dave, and they handed me a lightsaber, I was like, ‘Oh, I’m in this.’”
Best admitted that coming back to Star Wars wasn’t an easy decision for him. He said, “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 really want Star Wars to deliver, and if I become an obstacle to that, then I shouldn’t be in it. I don’t want to be bigger than the story. I don’t want to be bigger than the mythology. I want to contribute, I want to add to it. So it took me a minute.”
However, it was the support of Favreau and Filoni that convinced Best to return, and the response from fans was overwhelming. IGN’s review of The Mandalorian episode “The Foundling” gave it 7/10 and said: “Another giant monster attacks the Mandalorian covert in episode 4 of Season 3, which delivers some great action but mostly serves to further connect Bo-Katan to the Children of the Watch. She’s now in a stronger position than ever to potentially retake Mandalore, and hopefully the second half of the season will pay off on all the set up needed to get her there.”
Ahmed Best’s return to Star Wars as Jedi Master Kelleran Beq in The Mandalorian was a triumphant moment for the actor, and it’s clear that he was the only choice to save Grogu. With the support of Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni, Best was able to overcome the negativity of his past appearance and show fans that he is a valuable part of the Star Wars universe.