The premiere of Ahsoka is just a few days away, and fans are using the final hours to run through a list of all of the things they would like to see. There are plenty of loose ends that need to be wrapped up, from the much-deserved outro for a beloved trooper, to the return of some favorite villains, and now, the reintroduction of Tom Baker as the enigmatic Force creature, Bendu from Star Wars: Rebels.
Bendu, a massive ape-like creature, is a Force-sensitive entity last seen on the planet of Atollon. Claiming to be the forgotten center of the Force, Bendu taught Force-sensitive travelers how to align the dark and light sides of the Force within themselves. The creature would eventually help Kanan Jarrus rediscover his connection to the Force and master his fears after a debilitating accident and would likewise help Ezra Bridger learn to navigate the Force in a more neutral way. Bendu affirmed to both master and apprentice that it wasn’t objects like Sith holocrons that made a Force wielder good or evil, but rather who they were that determined their alignment.
His teachings match the long-forgotten ways of the Grey Jedi, Force users who shunned Jedi and Sith alike in order to maintain a neutral path. Bendu’s ideals went staunchly against what Kanan had learned as a Padawan, but despite their differences, he still considered the creature an ally. Though their lessons and alliance were cut short when Grand Admiral Thrawn tracked their rebel cell to the planet. Despite their friendly interactions, Bendu refused to help defend against the onslaught, becoming enraged by the very notion of helping either side.
Instead, he suggests that it was the will of the Force that the rebels be wiped out by Thrawn, and in a fit of pique, he manifests himself as lightning within a massive sandstorm, taking it upon himself to smite every unwanted creature on his planet. While the rebels fled, Thrawn concentrated his fire on the storm, eventually hurting the pseudo-god enough to knock him from the sky. Though injured and at Thrawn’s mercy, Bendu shows no fear or remorse. In a moment that echoes A New Hope, Bendu reveals that Thrawn lacks the power to kill him before cryptically revealing to him his future defeat at the hands of Ezra Bridger. Just before Thrawn’s blaster bolt can strike him, Bendu disappears into nothing, leaving only an otherworldly laugh in his place.
In the live-action Star Wars universe, there isn’t anything quite like the god-like entities Dave Filoni has created. Whether it be the mysterious family known as The Ones, deep space Force whales, or the massive incarnations of Force energy like the creature Bendu, Filoni has created some of the most interesting pieces of Force lore the series has ever seen. Even though these odd characters appear sparingly throughout the animated series, their impact on fans — and the larger Star Wars universe — can’t be denied.
Bendu’s voice can be heard by placing a Galaxy’s Edge Jedi and Sith holocron next to one another. Filoni has confirmed that Bendu spoke to Ahsoka during the second season of the series, though it never took place on screen. There is no doubt that the Force entity is still circulating the universe, and the appearance of Shin Hati and her master, Baylan Skoll, might indicate that Bendu has some new students. With his connections to two main characters in Ahsoka and the World Between Worlds openly displayed in the recent trailers, there’s no telling how Bendu might make an appearance, but one thing is for certain, fans are jonesing for more Grey Jedi and their enigmatic master.