The Mandalorian Fans Are Praising Ahmed Best's Redemption Arc In Chapter 20

"The Mandalorian" rarely disappoints when it comes to surprises, and many fans probably weren't expecting the actor that played Jar Jar Binks to reappear wielding a lightsaber. While it's no secret his run as the Gungan persona in the prequels didn't go over so well, his appearance on the Disney+ series has fans going crazy with praise for Ahmed Best finally getting some needed vindication.

In "Chapter 20," in Grogu's flashback of his escape during Order 66 on Coruscant, it is revealed he had help from an individual named Kelleran Beq, and the man that plays the heroic Jedi is former Jar-Jar portrayer Best. In the entry, Best's character displays masterful lightsaber skills and a strong connection to the force. While his actions are exhilarating, the epic memory sequence also serves as a fitting redemption for the actor, who admitted he was never the same after playing Jar Jar Binks and that the obscene amount of hate for the character drastically impacted his mental health. 

In their review of "The Mandalorian" episode, Rolling Stone wrote, "Putting Best out front without any makeup or CGI and letting him wield two lightsabers and take on a few dozen Clone Troopers? Whether he plays this role again or not, it was a great moment for him." But they weren't the only ones excited about Best's run as Beq. One fan on Reddit posted, "Ahmed Best getting the redemption he deserved wasn't something I had on my Mando bingo card but here we are and I'm not complaining." Best definitely got people's attention, and other fans were quick to share their thoughts on his epic comeback.

The reaction to Ahmed Best's portrayal of Jar Jar Binks was not met with much positivity, but as far as Kelleran Beq is concerned, fans have reacted in a completely opposite fashion. Several Redditors revealed how much they loved Best on "The Mandalorian," like u/Nebula-586, who posted, "I'm so happy they did him right." Redditor u/titleproblems also expressed joy to see him playing someone other than Jar Jar Binks, posting "And I am so happy for Ahmed Best. They really gave him the best role too!" Some users recalled how rough things were on the actor during the prequels while praising his ability to overcome it all, like u/ar243, who wrote, "I am so so so happy for him. He went through so much crap, I'm so glad he's returned to acting and Star Wars, and I hope he's healed up okay."

His excellent efforts in saving Grogu also made it into the conversation. u/anson42 showed some love for rescuing everyone's favorite padawan, posting, "Great cameo. Kelleran Beq, you are a legend for saving Grogu!" There were also some that hoped to see more of him down the road, like one Reddit user who posted, "Ahmad Best ftw. I hope we get more of Grogu's backstory with him, too, before his inevitable awesome sacrifice." Some even called for a spin-off featuring the character. On Twitter, @mr3film posted, "And the Jedi was Ahmed Best? OMG! Talk about a bad-ass (new) character redemption arc! So cool! I really hope we get to see more of him! (You could easily do a whole other spin-off show!)."

Even if we don't see Beq in action again, fans are clearly thrilled that Best got the opportunity to redefine his legacy in "Star Wars" and solidify his status as the Jedi knight that overcame the toxic wrath of Jar Jar Binks.