The Mandalorian just delivered another standout episode full of new revelations, twists, and epic Mando fight scenes. But perhaps lost in all that was the reintroduction of a beloved Star Wars character that some fans might not recognize.
Who is Zeb in Star Wars and why does his appearance in The Mandalorian matter? Let’s dive right in.
Zeb in The Mandalorian
Season 3 Episode 5 brings back New Republic ranger Carson Teva, who receives a distress call from Nevaroo that sends him down a curious rabbit hole. But when we first see Carson he’s throwing one back at a cantina on Adelphi, a far-flung planet where New Republic pilots seem to congregate.
Carson expresses concern over the message and says he’ll call Coruscant for support, but another pilot (who happens to be a big purple alien) points out that the New Republic has a backlog of similar requests and will probably ignore him. That other pilot? None other than Garazeb “Zeb” Orrelios, a popular character from Star Wars Rebels voiced by Steve Blum. (It should be noted that Blum’s voice isn’t (who reprises the role in The Mandalorian).
That’s all we see of Zeb (for now), but the character has a rich backstory in Star Wars canon.
Zeb in Star Wars Rebels
Set shortly after the events of Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith, the animated series Rebels followed a rebel cell in the early days of the rebellion. Before joining the group, Zeb was a captain of the Honor Guard on his homeworld Lasat. However, when the Empire destroyed his planet, he became one of the last of his people and sought out revenge.
Throughout Rebels, Zeb participated in many raids against the Empire. He fought everyone from Darth Vader and Darth Maul to Admiral Thrawn and managed to survive (which is not something all the main characters in Rebels can say). When the Rebel Alliance officially formed, Zeb was reluctant to join, but he eventually did and helped overthrow the Empire. (He also later helped prove that some Imperial remnants were still out there.)
After Rebels, it was unclear what happened to Zeb. But now, we finally know. The question is: What comes next?
What’s next for Zeb in Star Wars?
When it comes to the Mando-verse, it’s hard to predict much. Lucasfilm’s planned Rangers of the New Republic show was canceled, and some of its stories seem to be showing up in The Mandalorian Season 3 instead. It seems likely Zeb would have played a major role on that show if given the chance, but we doubt he’ll get much more screen time on The Mandalorian.
Then again, there’s one obvious place where Zeb could show up next: Ahsoka. The upcoming series is set to reunite several Rebels characters (namely Sabine Wren and Ahsoka Tano) in the search for their lost compatriot Ezra Bridger. Zeb would fit right into that plotline, while also giving him a chance to explain why he decided to become a pilot for the New Republic.
But in the meantime, it’s just nice to know that Garazeb “Zeb” Orrelios is out there somewhere keeping the galaxy safe — or just having a few drinks with his co-workers.
