Credit: LucasfilmWhen the eagerly-awaited Obi-Wan Kenobi miniseries debuted on Disney+ last May, it was met with nothing short of mixed reviews from critics and fans. Some praised the show’s character-centric storyline and undeniable nostalgia factor, while others slammed its distracting camerawork, rushed six-episode structure, and general goofiness that felt wildly out of place in such a dark era of the Star Wars timeline.
But despite lackluster reviews, one particular moment from Obi-Wan Kenobi is often cited by fans of the animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars as being a highlight of the entire series: legacy franchise actor Temuera Morrison’s blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo in Episode 2.
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Obi-Wan Kenobi saw the return of the titular Jedi Master for a brand new adventure in the galaxy far, far away, where he was once again played by franchise staple Ewan McGregor. The miniseries wrapped up its short six-episode run in June 2022, raking up massive viewership for Disney+. A second season currently remains in the air, with director Deborah Chow seeming hesitant about continuing the Jedi Master’s well-rounded story despite encouragement from McGregor and Darth Vader/Anakin Skywalker actor Hayden Christensen.
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Despite being a generally unremarkable series that followed “Ben” as he attempted to return the kidnapped Princess Leia (Vivien Lyra Blair) to her family on Alderaan, Obi-Wan Kenobi did have its high points, most notably in the form of flashback sequences and cameos from Christensen’s Anakin/Vader and Liam Neeson’s Qui-Gon Jinn. But perhaps most compelling of all were callbacks to The Clone Wars, which is only recently starting to make its way into live-action Star Wars projects.
In the second episode, titled “Part II,” Obi-Wan travels to a heavily urbanized planet called Daiyu while tracking down Leia. After meandering through the city, the Jedi Master comes face-to-face with a shocking reminder of the Clone Wars and Order 66 when he crosses paths with a homeless clone trooper, played by Temuera Morrison, donning 501st Legion blue armor.
While the two only share a brief exchange in which Obi-Wan tosses him a few spare credits, it’s a haunting scene that connects this point during the Empire’s rein to the Clone Wars and the subsequent destruction of the Jedi Order during Order 66. Considering Obi-Wan once served as the trusted General to millions of men who shared this trooper’s face, it’s a heart-wrenching moment that forces the titular Jedi Master to relive the horrors of his past.
Star Wars Legends has its own explanations as to what happened to the clone troopers after their inhibitor chips were activated by Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) during Order 66, with the 501st Legion wreaking even more havoc across the galaxy as “Vader’s Fist.” Meanwhile, in canon, Star Wars: The Bad Batch has painted a slightly different picture, with clones being experimented on, murdered, and decommissioned. However, some fan-favorite characters like Commander Cody and Captain Rex either defected or had their chips removed, with some going on to join in the fight against the Galactic Empire.
The unhelmeted clone trooper doesn’t appear again for the duration of the series, but recently, new information has come to light about this mysterious figure and his connections to the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR). In the upcoming book Star Wars: Dawn of the Rebellion: The Visual Guide, fans received new insight into the bearded Trooper’s tragic backstory and how he wound up begging for loose change on the streets of Daiyu.
In the book (via SFFGazette.com), this soldier’s name, battle history, and somber backstory are revealed, with his section reading, “Downtrodden in the streets of Daiyu is the clone trooper Nax. A veteran of many battlefields, including Teth, Christophsis, and Umbara, he was removed from the frontlines after extensive injuries. Rapidly declining from age acceleration and neglect, Nax asks passersby for credits.” Read the full description below:
Interestingly enough, this confirms that Nax wasn’t among the soldiers who attacked the Jedi Temple on Coruscant during Order 66, as he would’ve been removed from the 501st’s ranks by then due to his injuries. Because of this, he could’ve left the GAR far before the rise of the Galactic Empire, which might explain why he either doesn’t know or doesn’t remember Obi-Wan’s face.
It’s curious that Lucasfilm felt the need to flesh out this otherwise insignificant character’s backstory, given he had such little screen time in Obi-Wan Kenobi. While it’s unlikely, Nax’s addition to the latest Star Wars visual guide might imply that Temuera Morrison will revisit the role somewhere down the line. Or perhaps, Nax will get a cameo in the upcoming season of The Bad Batch.
As for Morrison’s role in the galaxy far, far away, things aren’t sounding too promising. Despite speculation about his rumored appearance in the Disney+ Ahsoka show as live-action Captain Rex, the actor, who also plays infamous bounty hunter Boba Fett, recently admitted that he’s fighting to keep his spot in the franchise.
Speaking on the Whatnot U.K. live podcast earlier this month, Morrison explained that he was “looking to pop into L.A.” earlier this month to “make sure they’re not gonna put me on a shelf,” of course, referring to the higher-ups at Lucasfilm. His remarks come amid surprising news that his role in Season 3 of The Mandalorian had been cut despite having played a crucial role in Season 2. Morrison was also supposed to reprise his role as Commander Cody in Obi-Wan Kenobi, but his involvement was also scrubbed due to scheduling conflicts.
We can only hope to see Temuera Morrison back in the Star Wars universe soon, with Captain Rex currently sounding like his best bet. But who knows? Maybe we’ll see more of Nax and other retired clone troopers down the line as Dave Filoni’s “Mando-Verse” continues to expand.
Star Wars: Dawn of the Rebellion: The Visual Guide will be available for purchase beginning November 7, 2023.
What do you think of Nax’s tragic backstory? Do you want to learn more about this character? Let us know in the comments below.