(WARNING: Spoilers for The Mandalorian Chapter 21 below.)
Another fan-favorite Star Wars character just made the jump to live-action. In “The Pirate,” the latest episode of The Mandalorian, X-Wing pilot Carson Teva (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee) is spotted talking to a hulking purple alien named Zeb Orrelios. While Zeb may look like just another random creature, he’s actually a main character from the animated series Star Wars: Rebels.
Alongside Kanan Jarrus and Hera Syndulla, Zeb was a key crew member aboard the Ghost and engaged in several missions to thwart the Galactic Empire across Rebels four seasons. He was also a close friend and companion of fledgling Jedi Knight Ezra Bridger, who will reportedly play a key role in the upcoming Ahsoka series.
Believing himself to be the last surviving member of his race, the Lasat, Zeb holds a deep, personal grudge against the Empire and dedicated himself to stomping out Emperor Palpatine’s fascist regime. While that particular task was accomplished by Luke Skywalker in Return of the Jedi, there are still remnants of the Empire left running around and Zeb is definitely your guy to deal with any leftover trouble.
Zeb’s inclusion in The Mandalorian continues the third season’s dip into Rebels lore. The season premiere brought purrgils into the live-action canon. In a nutshell, they’re whale-like creatures that can travel through hyperspace and played a significant role in the final season of Rebels. Ezra Bridger was last seen riding one to an unknown destination, and Ahsoka (Rosario Dawson) has been on a mission to find him ever since.
(Via Wookieepedia)