Warning - This article contains spoilers for the premiere of Star Wars: The Bad Batch.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch , Lucasfilm's latest series for Disney+, marks the return of Clone Force 99 who was first introduced in the final season of The Clone Wars .
This new animated Star Wars series follows the high-performing, experimental clone unit as they navigate the end of the war and the rise of the Empire.
But, since this is a Star Wars Disney+ series, character cameos from other Star Wars projects are a given; the debut episode of The Bad Batch wasted no time in continuing that tradition.
STAR WARS REBELS CHARACTER RETURNS
For the series premiere episode titled "Aftermath," voice actor Freddie Prinze Jr. returned to reprise his character of Caleb Dume from Star Wars Rebels .
Better known as Kanan Jarrus, Caleb Dume was an apprentice to Jedi Master Depa Billaba during the Clone Wars. Due to her actions, Dume survived Order 66 and eventually assumed the name Kanan Jarrus. He then joined forces with Hera Syndulla against the Empire.
Kanan later mentored Ezra Bridger in the ways of the Force, even after an attack from Maul left him blind. He eventually sacrificed himself to save Hera, Ezra, and Sabine and through the Force manifested himself through a loth-wolf.
This, of course, is why fans might be surprised to see the renegade Jedi's return in The Bad Batch .
However, it's not exactly the first time he's appeared in a Star Wars project outside of Star Wars Rebels , or that Freddie Prinze Jr. returned to voice the character.
Kanan Jarrus' voice, provided by Prinze Jr., was among the other voices of Jedi past heard by Rey in 2019's The Rise of Skywalker .
In addition, a young version of Caleb Dume also appeared briefly alongside his Jedi Master Depa Billaba via hologram in the ninth episode of Season 7 of The Clone Wars .
Another appearance of the young version of the Jedi wasn't expected, but it seems The Bad Batch and Dave Filoni had other plans in mind.
MORE CALEB DUME TO COME IN THE BAD BATCH?
During the events of the episode "Aftermath," young Caleb Dume manages to escape from Hunter and Crosshair on Kaller.
But, considering the focus placed on the character coupled with his significance in Star Wars Rebels , it seems likely that audiences will see the grieving Padawan again later on in the series.
After all, while fans are somewhat familiar with his story, they've yet to see it play out.
Dume's journey also has the potential to complement that of Clone Force 99. His struggle to establish an identity and survive in the galaxy without a Jedi Order mirrors that of Clone Force 99 who also needs to establish their identities outside of battle and without the Republic.
It's also possible that, given his age, a young Caleb Dume could cameo in future Disney+ Star Wars series such as Andor or Obi-Wan Kenobi .
Regardless, The Bad Batch 's Caleb Dume/Kanan Jarrus cameo wasn't just a powerful surprise for Star Wars fans tuning in on Disney+, but it also enriched the character's story and his journey told in Star Wars Rebels .
Star Wars: The Bad Batch will premiere new episodes on Disney+ every Friday starting on May 7, 2021.
