The trooper in the front of the group [above] bears a striking resemblance to the older animated version of Clone Captain Rex [below], which has led to rampant speculation that the popular character actually made his live-action debut decades before he appeared in animation.
Mandalorian executive producer and Lucasfilm Creative Director Dave Filoni has as much as confirmed Rex’s Return of the Jedi appearance, quipping:
“But I think the one thing I have really thought about is I really do think that Rex is that guy on Endor. I really do. Why else is there a bearded old guy on Endor, Tano? Why? It makes no sense. If you don’t want that to happen, do you know what that means? I’m gonna make that happen. I’m getting like Palpatine, I’m getting power crazy.”
Now, Mandalorian and Book of Boba Fett star Temuera Morrison — who previously played Clone Army of the Republic template Jango Fett in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002) — has spoken out about the rumors that he will play another trooper, namely Rex himself, in an upcoming Star Wars series.
“Well, there are people — I’m thinking of Captain Rex for one. He looks a little like me. There’s Commander Cody. What happened to those guys? There’s all those clone armies. That could be something fresh and new and exciting.”
Due to the fact that Kenobi and Rex had a close relationship during the Clone Wars, it would make sense for the former leader of Anakin’s 501st Battalion to seek out the legendary Jedi during his Tatooine exile years after Order 66.
Per all reports, Rex believed Bail Organa’s assertion that Kenobi had been among the Jedi Knights who perished during Emperor Palpatine’s Great Jedi Purge, so if he discovered information to the contrary, there is little doubt that he would do everything in his power to confirm that Kenobi was, in fact, alive.
McGregor has confirmed that Star Wars fans will get to see a glimpse into Luke Skywalker’s childhood as a Tatooine farm boy and Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy has mentioned the “rematch of the century,” teasing that there will be a third lightsaber battle between Kenobi and his former Padawan.
The clone known as Rex served the Republic during the Clone Wars, often taking orders from Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano as first a captain and later a commander. He viewed military service as an honor, and he always completed his mission. Fond of using two blaster pistols at the same time, Rex customized his armor with distinctive blue markings. His loyalty to the Republic and his Jedi Generals was absolute, but even such a dedicated veteran soldier found himself plagued by doubts as the Clone Wars claimed more lives and brought ruin to more worlds. When Order 66 was executed, it was Ahsoka who helped to free Rex from the programming of his inhibitor chip. At the dawn of the Empire, Rex has escaped with his life but is considered killed-in-action in the eyes of the new regime. That allows him to operate in the shadows and help the handful of clone brothers who remain separate from the Imperial ranks.
Do you think Captain Rex will make his official live-action return soon, instead of just an ROTJ cameo?
2
Credit: Lucasfilm
