Ahmed Best’s Jedi Knight character Kelleran Beq is set to return to the Star Wars franchise soon in a new comic book that will see him team up with some fellow Jedi. During the Lucasfilm Publishing panel at this year’s Star Wars Celebration in Japan, it was announced that Kelleran Beq will appear in Star Wars: Jedi Knights #8, which will be published at an unspecified date in October. Specific plot details for the issue are being kept under wraps for now, but the official Star Wars website noted that in addition to Kelleran Beq, it will feature “familiar (and maybe not so familiar)” Jedi.
As part of the announcement, Lucasfilm unveiled three covers for the issue — including two variants that show Kelleran posing alone with his green lightsaber in hand. The regular cover has Kelleran standing together with three other Jedi, one of whom is Yoda. Check out the covers in the space below:
Best, who previously portrayed Jar Jar Binks in the prequel trilogy, debuted as Kelleran Beq in the children’s game show Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge. The character served as a mentor figure for the program’s young contestants, guiding them through their Jedi training. Best later reprised the role in a memorable cameo on The Mandalorian Season 3, where a flashback sequence revealed he was the one who rescued Grogu from the Jedi Temple during the events of Revenge of the Sith. Kelleran’s fate after saving Grogu is unknown.
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Kelleran Beq was in Star Wars: Jedi Knights #1, appearing as a vision to Obi-Wan. The comic series is set prior to The Phantom Menace, showcasing how the Jedi operated before the rise of Palpatine and the start of the Clone Wars. Each issue chronicles a different team of Jedi on a mission, and it all builds to a showdown against a villain that ties everything together. Star Wars: Jedi Knights kicked off in March, and there are 10 total issues planned.
Best was a standout in his brief screen time on The Mandalorian, quickly elevating Kelleran Beq to fan-favorite status. Star Wars fans would love to see more of him, so there should be sizable interest in this upcoming Star Wars: Jedi Knights issue. Based on what was seen in The Mandalorian, Kelleran is very powerful and also extremely selfless — risking his life to ensure Grogu’s safety. It should be fun to see him interact with other Jedi, allowing fans to see the character in a different context. And since Star Wars: Jedi Knights is moving toward an endgame, perhaps Kelleran will return before the series’ end to help his friends deal with whatever threat emerges.
Utilizing published materials like Star Wars: Jedi Knights might be the best (and only) way for Lucasfilm to flesh Kelleran out moving forward. Though Best has pitched his idea to make a “Jedi John Wick” movie, it seems unlikely that project will come to fruition. Lucasfilm has several new Star Wars films in development, none of which seem to take place in the prequel era (where Kelleran could fit). Fortunately, the studio isn’t abandoning the character. Perhaps one day, there will be a book or comic detailing what happened to him after Order 66.
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