Even though we all know that Grogu has already chosen the path of the Mandalorian after deciding to leave Luke Skywalker’s Jedi Order, we still don’t know much about his past and how he escaped Order 66 nearly 30 years before the events of The Mandalorian. But episode 4 of season 3 of The Mandalorian gave us some insight into how he escaped the Jedi Temple, and it was through the help of a Jedi Master. So, who was the Jedi that rescued Grogu?
The Jedi that rescued Grogu was Master Kelleran Beq. Played by Ahmed Best, who was also the one that portrayed Jar Jar Binks, Kelleran Beq is the host of the Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge children’s game show. He and Grogu escaped Coruscant with the help of sympathetic Naboo soldiers.
The fact that Kelleran finally debuted in a Star Wars TV show proves that he is a canon character despite being first introduced in a game show. Of course, the fact that he was the one that rescued Grogu is also proof that Kelleran also survived Order 66. As such, the events of season 3 of The Mandalorian might give us more insight into his fate during the age of the Empire.
How Did Grogu Survive Order 66?
One of the things that we know about Grogu is that he has been alive for more than 50 years already and was actually living as a youngling in the Jedi Temple during the time of the Old Republic. That means he was there during Order 66, as seen from his flashbacks with Luke Skywalker in The Book of Boba Fett. The only thing we saw back then was that he was being protected by a group of Jedi Knights facing clone troopers. So, how did Grogu survive Order 66?
During the events of episode 4 of season 3 of The Mandalorian, Grogu went inside the forge together with the Armorer while Din Djarin and Bo-Katan were out on a mission to save a boy from a raptor. She told Grogu about the nature of Mandalorian Beskar Steel and the forging process that allowed it to be strong. And as the Armorer was pounding on the steel, Grogu’s memories of the past returned.
The Jedi Knights that were protecting Grogu tried to fight off the clones that were there due to Order 66. One of them told the other to ensure that Grogu would be taken to Kelleran. While the Jedi valiantly tried to ensure the youngling would survive, the clones overwhelmed them, but not before Grogu could get to a lift that took him up to Kelleran, another Jedi.
Kelleran fought off the clones that were out to kill him and Grogu. They boarded a speeder bike on the Jedi Temple platform and outmaneuvered the clones sent after them.
The duo got to a platform with a Naboo ship and a few members of the Naboo royal guard, as it was clear that Kelleran was working with them. When one of the guards asked him where the others were, Kelleran said there was no one else, as it was clear that Grogu was the only one who made it out of the Jedi Temple. Meanwhile, as the guards were fighting the clones off, Kelleran and Grogu left Coruscant onboard the Naboo ship.
Who Is Kelleran Beq?
For those who aren’t too deep in the Star Wars lore, Kelleran is actually a newer character. But the truth is that episode 4 of season 3 of The Mandalorian wasn’t Kelleran’s introduction into the Star Wars lore. That’s because he was first introduced as the host of the Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge children’s game show that you can watch on theStar Wars Kids website. The game show puts kids through obstacles and challenges that are part of the training course that a Jedi needs to undergo, and Kelleran Beq oversees the events of the game show.
Played by Ahmed Best, Kelleran Beq is a Jedi Master that’s also nicknamed “The Sabered Hand” due to his prowess as a lightsaber combatant. Of course, while Kelleran is new in the Star Wars world as far as movies and shows are concerned, his appearance in The Mandalorian proves he is a canon character despite being first introduced as a game show host.
Unlike all of the other Jedi Masters that went out to become generals in the Clone Wars, Kelleran stayed behind in the Jedi Temple because he was one of the Jedi Masters that supervised the younglings and the Padawans during their training. That explains why he was in the Jedi Temple during Order 66.
It is also worth noting that Ahmed Best wasn’t new to Star Wars when he started playing Kelleran Beq. That’s because he started as the actor that portrayed Jar Jar Binks from Star Wars Episode I to Episode III. As such, he returned to Star Wars as a Jedi Master when he was given the role of Kelleran.
What Happened to Kelleran Beq?
At this point, we aren’t sure what happened to Kelleran Beq because we only know that he could escape the events of Order 66 with Grogu while they were onboard a Naboo starship. That means that he probably went with Grogu to a place that was meant to be a secure haven for him. But because we know that Kelleran and many other Jedi were already dead by the time Luke Skywalker learned that he had the gifts of a Jedi, he must have died during the reign of the Empire.
It is possible that the Inquisitors eventually found Kelleran and Grogu during the time of the Empire. As such, he might have been killed by the Inquisitors while protecting Grogu, who may have been able to escape due to Kelleran’s sacrifice. But because we know that Grogu found himself in the custody of Nikto pirates before Din Djarin found him, it is also possible that the Nikto pirates were the ones that killed Kelleran before they captured Grogu.
We don’t know what happened to Kelleran between Order 66 and the events of the Rebellion. But all we know is that he was instrumental in Grogu’s escape and in helping the child stay hidden from the Empire for over two decades.
