Warning: SPOILERS for The Book of Boba Fett episode 5.
In addition to setting up The Mandalorian season 3, The Book of Boba Fett episode 5 may have teased something big for the upcoming Ahsoka Disney+ show. The Book of Boba Fett episode 5's surprise Mandalorian-centric episode was a treasure trove of nods and references to previous entries in Star Wars canon. While the inclusion of an N1 starfighter, a visit to the Mos Eisley podrace course, and the return of the Darksaber were exciting additions, the biggest surprise of the episode may have come in the form of its video game-related cameo.
That the Mos Eisely docking bay to which the Mandalorian returned housed a BD-unit droid may have meant little to non-gamers, it was immediately noticed and appreciated by those who have played the award-winning Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order video game. The game follows the journey of Cal Kestis, a young Padawan who escaped from Order 66 at the end of the Clone Wars and found himself on the run from the fledgling Empire. His trusty companion, BD-1, was integral to both gameplay and story, and quickly won its way into the hearts of gamers. Even more importantly, this crossover cameo may point to a much bigger moment in the Ahsoka series.
Rumors abound as to what exactly the Ahsoka series will be about, but it's likely the show will follow Ahsoka Tano's hunt for Grand Admiral Thrawn and potentially even introduce Ezra Bridger, a young Jedi she became acquainted with in Star Wars: Rebels. However, as Ahsoka is one of the few known Force users alive during the timeline of her show (supposedly set just after her appearance in The Mandalorian, a few years after the events of Return of the Jedi), it's highly possible the show will be used as a springboard to bring more Force users into live-action. Although Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is set during the early days of the Empire, in current Star Wars canon, Cal Kestis would be very much alive during Ahsoka.
The Book of Boba Fett's BD-unit droid factors into this due to Disney's history with planting seeds very early for eventual character debuts or reveals. There are many notable examples of this - one of which is the introduction of Force Healing in The Mandalorian days before the ability was shown in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, not to mention Fennec Shand's mysterious disappearance during The Mandalorian season 1, which obviously set up the eventual return of Boba Fett. Disney has even used this approach with great success in Marvel properties, such as in the way Kingpin was introduced in Hawkeye the day before Matt Murdock made his MCU debut in Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Also of note is the very recent news that Respawn Entertainment, the company behind Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, has announced a follow-up to their hit game. In addition to the very plausible way in which Cal Kestis may factor into Ahsoka, it would be a smart marketing move by Disney, a company that is unabashedly devoted to synergizing its properties. While it's unclear if the BD unit in The Book of Boba Fett is in fact BD-1 (something that is possible given the timeline of the show), fans of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order should have reason to hope for a Cal Kestis appearance in Ahsoka.
New episodes of The Book of Boba Fett release every Wednesday on Disney+.
