'The Mandalorian and Grogu': Why Zeb's Easy Acceptance Of Rotta Makes Perfect Sense

WARNING! SPOILERS for The Mandalorian and Grogu and Star Wars: Rebels.

After a seven-year wait for fans, the Star Wars franchise has returned to the big screen with The Mandalorian and Grogu. Set after season three of The Mandalorian TV series, the film follows The Mandalorian, Din Djarin, and his adopted son, Grogu, on a mission to rescue Rotta the Hutt, son and heir of the late crime lord Jabba, and return him to his Aunt and Uncle (Twin Hutts ruling in Rotta's absence) in exchange for info on a missing Imperial leader. Din and Grogu end up with a moral dilemma when faced with a surprisingly amiable Rotta who wants nothing to do with his Father's crime syndicate, and reveals that the Twins only want him 'rescued' so they can dispose of him themselves.

By the end of the film, Rotta expresses a plan to work for the New Republic. Mando doubts that Rotta will fit in, but he is quickly welcomed by Garazeb 'Zeb' Orellios, a New Republic pilot and regular mission partner of Mando's throughout the film. For fans aware of Zeb's history, his ease in accepting Rotta makes perfect sense.

Ragtag Rebels

Aside from a brief cameo in Season three of The Mandalorian, Zeb's major prior appearance in the Star Wars universe is as a major character in the animated series Star Wars: Rebels. Zeb is a member of the Ghost Crew, also known as the Spectre rebel cell. The first season of Rebels is set during the height of the Empire's power. The Rebel Alliance seems a distant dream, with those rebels that do exist part of uncoordinated groups scattered across the galaxy with little in the way of leadership or a central goal.

Now, the Ghost crew are definitely more competent than the early rebels encountered by Cassian Andor on a pre-rebel base Yavin 4 in Andor season two.

They were also operating with slightly more resources, regularly receiving information and supplies from the mysterious Fulcrum (later revealed to be the former Jedi Ahsoka Tano). However, this doesn't change the fact that the Ghost Crew- Zeb, Pilot Hera Syndulla, her droid Chopper, Jedi-in-hiding Kanan Jarrus, his unlikely new Padawan Ezra Bridger, and exiled Mandalorian Sabine Wren- were a mismatched group doing the best they can with very little.

Most of the rebellion was built on the backs of similar unlikely heroes, and the New Republic is formed by these same people. Despite Mando's concerns for Rotta, Zeb, through his experiences with his crew mates, and other people met during the Rebellion, knows that there is no typical example of a Rebel or New Republic member.

Let's look at a few examples in greater detail.

Ezra Bridger

When the existing Spectres first encounter Force-sensitive orphan teen Ezra Bridger on Lothal, Zeb is one of those against him joining the crew, seeing him as little more than a thief and trouble maker. Forced to share bunk space, Ezra and Zeb often bicker in the early episodes.

However, as Ezra's powers and maturity grow, so too does he and Zeb's respect for each other. By the end of the series, they are battle bonded brothers-in-arms, and Zeb is equally as heartbroken by Ezra's disappearance as the rest of the rebels. Many fans are eagerly awaiting a reunion between the two after Ezra's return from Peridea at the end of Ahsoka season one.

Sabine Wren

Sabine Wren is a Mandalorian warrior, and weapon and explosive expert of the Ghost Crew. A former cadet at the Imperial Academy, Sabine, interested in the science of it, designs and builds a device that can dissolve Beskar. Horrified when she realises the Empire has used her device against her people, Sabine destroys it and flees.

Unfortunately, following the Purge of Mandalore, most of the surviving Mandalorian Houses and Clans are trapped in the pocket of the Empire. For her own safety and theirs, Sabine's family, Clan Wren, are forced to disown and banish her. Eventually, she finds her way to the Ghost Crew.

Zeb has already been working with Sabine for some time before Rebels begins. It can be assumed that he knew about her Imperial past, yet he is never seen to judge her for it, or judge Sabine based on her family's actions.

However, perhaps the best example of Zeb's understanding comes from his relationship with a character not initially part of the crew.

Agent Kallus

At the beginning of Star Wars: Rebels, the Imperial Agent Aleksandr Kallus is a prominent recurring villain. Zeb has a particular disdain for Kallus due to his role in the Genocide on Lasan, which resulted in the near-extinction of Zeb's people, the Lasat. Zeb also believes that Kallus stole the Bo-staff he wields from a fallen Lasat, and that Kallus gave the order for the use of T-7 Ion disruptor rifles on Lasan, resulting in painful deaths for the population.

However, things between the two begin to shift in episode 2x17, 'The Honorable Ones'. After an attempted Imperial ambush on the rebels goes awry, Zeb and an injured Kallus are left stranded on one of the frozen moons of Geonosis. With Zeb refusing to defeat Kallus in an unfair fight, the unlikely duo are forced to work together to survive.

Against the odds, a mutual respect forms between the two, and Kallus reveals that he had not given the order to use the ion disruptor rifles, and had been quietly horrified by the result. The Bo-staff had been bestowed upon him by an opponent in recognition of a battle well fought. While Zeb is soon retrieved by the Ghost Crew, the Imperial Search for Kallus had already been called off, and he is saved only by the chance passing of a Trade Ship. This leaves Kallus disillusioned with the Empire. In season three, Kallus is eventually revealed to have defected from the Empire, becoming the second Fulcrum, a spy feeding the rebels information.

By the time of the Empire's fall, Zeb trusts Kallus enough to take him to Lira-san, the secret ancestral homeworld where many Lasat still live happily.

All this to say, Garazeb Orrelios has been through enough not to judge someone based solely on their family or past actions. Zeb has seen enough from Rotta to believe that he truly does not want to be his Father, and happily accepts him as a potential ally in the New Republic.

In Zeb, Rotta likely has a helpful and supportive new friend. Hopefully we we will see more of both characters in the future.