Star Wars: Rebels - Why Bendu Is So Important & How He Could Tie Into Ahsoka
Throughout "Star Wars Rebels," the concept of the Force and its divide between the light and dark sides is explored thoroughly. As he trains under Jedi Kanan Jarrus (Freddie Prinze Jr.), Ezra Bridger (Taylor Gray) comes to understand some of the "Star Wars" franchise's longstanding rules and elements of the Force, in addition to some that even the most seasoned fans hadn't seen before. Among these is Bendu (Tom Baker), who debuts in the special "Star Wars Rebels: Steps Into Shadow" and goes on to recur on the animated program from there.
A native of Atollon, the hulking, moose-like Bendu is a Force-sensitive being said to represent the very center of the Force. This means he leans toward neither the light nor dark side, instead presenting the balance between the two extremes. Though it's never shown on-screen, "Rebels" figurehead Dave Filoni revealed that Bendu has encountered famed Jedi Ahsoka Tano (Ashley Eckstein), specifically during the events of the episode "The Mystery of Chopper Base." Filoni shared the details of their meeting on Twitter, revealing that she spoke with him about her impending confrontation with Darth Vader (James Earl Jones).
Given their connection, it's entirely possible that Bendu could factor into the plot of the Disney+ series "Ahsoka." Perhaps, for one reason or another, her work to find the missing Ezra will bring her back to the massive Force-connected creature, or maybe we'll see a flashback to her meeting with him on Atollon. Some would love to see him again, while others aren't so sure about his potential return.
Star Wars fans are split on Bendu's return
Outside of a handful of "Star Wars Rebels" installments, Bendu hasn't taken much of a spotlight elsewhere in the "Star Wars" franchise. Thus, between this and the fact that "Ahsoka" has brought back a number of "Rebels" originals, it's not totally out there to question if a Bendu appearance is in the cards. Redditor u/Several_Recording_29 brought up the idea of Bendu reemerging in a thread, prompting "Star Wars" fans across Reddit to come out of the woodwork and give their thoughts on such a moment.
"I hope so. I think there is a lot to explore with a character like him," commented u/Ok-Detective-1721, hopeful that Bendu's backstory and overall characterization will be fleshed out more. u/Professional_War7640 fully expects "Ahsoka" will host a Bendu appearance, assuming the great Tom Baker will return to reprise the role. Meanwhile, folks such as u/Eaglethornsen are happy with the character's mystery, and they prefer it remains intact. Others point out that the character might look a tad goofy in live-action and that he served his purpose and isn't necessary to bring back at this point.
We'll just have to wait and see if Bendu is up for the live-action treatment via "Ahsoka," if he'll appear in a different project, or if his story is well and truly over.