Entertainment
‘Star Wars’ Brings Back Carl Weathers 2 Years After His Death
Star Wars is definitely one of those worlds, or universes, where you never really say goodbye to somebody. Characters can survive almost anything, especially in a world where being chopped in half isn’t quite the career-ending injury you might expect. But Lucasfilm has understandably taken a much more careful approach to characters whose actors have died, particularly when those performers became synonymous with their roles.
Which is why the newest chapter of The Mandalorian feels so poignant and well-handled. Two years after Carl Weathers died at the age of 76, his character Greef Karga, a huge favorite of viewers, has officially returned to Star Wars canon — although, importantly, Lucasfilm hasn’t recast the role or digitally recreated Weathers to make it happen.
Karga appears in the new comic The Mandalorian & Grogu – Danger in the Dark, a prequel story released by Mad Cave, Papercutz and Disney that leads directly into the events of The Mandalorian & Grogu, and it’s the character’s first appearance since we lost Weathers back in February 2024. The story finds Karga alive and well on Nevarro, where he’s still serving as High Magistrate and has maintained his friendship with Din Djarin and the Baby with the Magic Hands. He’s even still handing out jobs, tasking Mando and his young apprentice with dealing with a potentially explosive problem beneath the planet.
What Happened to Greef Karga After ‘The Mandalorian’?
The comic picks up on the aftermath of Gorian Shard’s assault from Season 3, with scans revealing that one of the pirate vessels destroyed during the battle was carrying armed torpedoes in underground lava tubes. Karga subsequently sends Din, Grogu, and the Anzellans to disarm them, with the adventure taking place before Mando’s eventual encounter with Colonel Ward (Sigourney Weaver).
Weathers became an integral part of The Mandalorian after Greef Karga was originally conceived as a much smaller role. He ultimately appeared throughout all three seasons and even stepped behind the camera, directing the Season 2 episode “The Siege” and Season 3’s “The Foundling.” Lucasfilm also included a tribute to the actor in The Mandalorian & Grogu. Aurebesh text appearing in the movie translates to “Weathers Apollo,” simultaneously honoring Weathers and his iconic Rocky character Apollo Creed.
The Mandalorian & Grogu – Danger in the Dark is available now.
- Release Date
-
2019 – 2023-00-00
- Network
-
Disney+
- Directors
-
Rick Famuyiwa, Bryce Dallas Howard, Dave Filoni, Carl Weathers, Peyton Reed, Deborah Chow, Jon Favreau, Peter Ramsey, Robert Rodriguez, Taika Waititi, Lee Isaac Chung
You must be logged in to post a comment Login