Can We Talk About The Cameo In Yesterday’s Mandalorian Episode?

First, if you haven't watched Wednesday's episode of The Mandalorian yet, and you share sensibilities with Frank Constanza, you probably want to turn back now.


In the episode, we find ourselves in what can best be described as a pilot bar. Seemingly every patron is wearing a variation of the familiar Rebel flight suit (which is now, of course, the New Republic flight suit). I'm pretty sure this was an homage to the bar in Top Gun: Maverick (not really). I was already in love with this scene because the bartender is a female Snivvian, which is one of my favorite Star Wars species:


That bartender was played by Mandalorian regular Misty Rosas, who was also the performance artist for Kuiil and Frog Lady. But that is not the big cameo. We see a hulking figure approach the bar behind Captain Carson Teva, who is rapidly demanding a Vintage Collection action figure. When that hulking mass of sentience is revealed, we see that it is a Lasat:


You could argue that the Lasat are Star Wars royalty. The species clearly draws inspiration from both Ralph McQuarrie's design for the concept Chewbacca as well as his design for the Fenrille species in the Sci-Fi novel The War for Eternity:


Lasats have been filthy throughout Star Wars media, but so far that has been constrained to animation, novels, comic books and video games. The fact that the species has finally made the jump to live action is a pretty big deal. BUT WAIT! THERE'S MORE. In case you couldn't tell from the voice, this Lasat is Zeb from Rebels as confirmed by the credits:


Steve Blum also voiced the character in Star Wars: Rebels. That's right kids, Garazeb "Zeb" Orrelios has been brought into live action, the first unique biological Rebels character to do so. But he assuredly won't be the last.

Edit: "biological" was added because as Shagbert pointed out in the comments, Chopper was in Rogue One. You guys think it's easy writing this stuff after a full work day when all you want to do is watch Bad Batch and go to bed? Huh? HUH?

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