A newStar Warsbook suggests that one belovedStar Warscharacter could soon make a live-action return, and it would be the perfect way to honor 16 years ofStar Wars’best TV shows.Star Warsmovies and TV showshave long proven how influential animated shows can be. Particularly with recent additions totheStar Warstimeline—including those in live-action—Star Wars’animated shows have become increasingly important.
This seems particularly true in light ofStar Wars’upcoming moviesandStar Wars’upcoming TV shows, many of which are set during the ‘Mandalorian era,’ which runs concurrently withthe New Republic timeline. Projects such asThe Mandalorian & Grogu,Ahsokaseason 2, and Dave Filoni’s mysterious Mandalorian movie will bring together various animated characters and storylines, all but requiring audiences to familiarize themselves with these arcs. Now it seems one incredibly popularStar Wars: TheClone Warscharacter may join their ranks, after only appearing very briefly in live-action once before.
Star Wars' New Clone Trooper Book Sets Up A Captain Rex Return
A brand-new canonStar Warsreference book,Star Wars: The Secrets of the Clone Troopers, written by Marc Sumerak and illustrated by Alberto Buscicchio, hints thatbeloved clone trooper Captain Rex could make a return toStar Warssoon. In the book, which is told from Rex’s point-of-view, Rex muses on the fall of the Empire, stating:
“The war against the Empire may be over, but a good soldier knows that there’s plenty of work left to be done after the last shots are fired.My rebel friends and I are still picking up the pieces, but as far as we can tell, Palpatine is gone for good and the galaxy is finally free.”
This small statement about Rex’s"rebel friends"suggests that, followingReturn of the Jedi, Rex continued his work alongside the Rebels, among them his Clone Wars-era comrade, Ahsoka Tano.
Purchase Star Wars: The Secrets of the Clone Troopers on Amazon
InStar Wars Rebels, Rex and Ahsoka reconnected after surviving Order 66 in theClone Warsfinale. Ahsoka had been working with the Ghost crew for some time as Fulcrum, the alias she used when aiding the Rebellion. In season 2, episode 3 ofRebels,“The Lost Commanders,“Ahsoka sent the Ghost crew members to find Rex, Wolffe, and Gregor to seek their assistance. This arc ends up being truly fascinating, as Kanan, another survivor of Order 66, must confront his negative perception of the clones.
Star Wars: Every Jedi Who Survived Order 66 (In Canon)
Clone Protocol Order 66 caused once-loyal Clone troopers in Star Wars to wipe out the Jedi, but a handful managed to survive this initial purge.
This connection toRebelsis essential in this context becauseit is presumably Ahsoka and the Ghost crew members Rex is referring to when he mentions his"rebel friends.“This means that not only is Rex still involved in the galaxy during the New Republic/Mandalorian era, but also that he remains connected to characters who have already proven to be essential inStar Warsshows during this time. Given that, it seems quite likely that Captain Rex could appear in an upcoming show or movie set during the Mandalorian era.
Captain Rex could appear in an upcoming show or movie set during the Mandalorian era.
Star Wars Has Already Begun Bringing Heroes To Live-Action
Some ofStar Wars’best charactersbegan in animation and then made the jump to full-fledged live-action stories, most notably Ahsoka Tano, who has appeared in multipleStar Warsshows, includingThe Clone WarsandRebelsin animation andThe Mandalorian,The Book of Boba Fett, andAhsokain live-action. Other fan favorites, including Ezra Bridger, Hera Syndulla, and Sabine Wren, have also transitioned to live-action, all in theAhsokashow. Given this trend, it would be little surprise forStar Warsto give Captain Rex a momentous live-action return.
Rex has already appeared in live-action once, also inAhsoka, but it was not the roleSecrets of the Clone Troopershints could be coming for the character. Rather than Rex making his live-action debut in the New Republic era as many of theAhsokacharacters did, Rex appeared only in flashback inthe World Between Worlds.Secrets of the Clone Troopersteases a much more significant role for Rex moving forward, and whether that be inAhsokaseason 2,The Mandalorian & Grogu, or another upcomingStar Warsshow or movie, it feels quite possible this could be coming.
Rex’s Live-Action Return Could Perfectly Unite Star Wars' TV Shows
Rex’s return toStar Warslive-action would be so much more than just a connection toThe Clone WarsandRebels, although it would also provide that. Rather,Rex returning to theStar Warsscreen in live-action during the New Republic era would unite 16 years ofStar WarsTV. Not only would Rex reuniting with Ahsoka and the Ghost crew bridge this new era withThe Clone WarsandRebels, but also, yet another familiar face could make an appearance.
Omega joined the Rebellion following the events ofThe Bad Batch.
TheStar Wars: The Bad Batchfinaleconfirmed that Omega joined the Rebellion following the events ofThe Bad Batch. Surely,Star Warsestablished this arc for Omega so that she could make another appearance in the future. Given that Rex’s"rebel friends"are working together in the Mandalorian era according toThe Secrets of the Clone Troopers,Star Warshas the opportunity to bring together Omega, Ahsoka, Rex, and the various characters ofAhsokaandThe Mandalorian, which would be nothing short of incredible.
This could be precisely the plan for Dave Filoni’s currently untitled Mandalorian movie. It’s unclear what exactly this movie will entail, but Filoni certainly seems to be building toward some sort of culminating event. That could very easily be his Mandalorian movie, which could offer a groundbreakingStar Warscrossover event featuring beloved characters from acrossStar Wars’TV shows. While many of these possibilities remain speculative for now,Star Warshas clearly teased Captain Rex’s return, which could mean incredible things for the franchise’s future.
