Ming-Na Wen convinced The Mandalorian showrunner Dave Filoni to revive Fennec Shand. The Disney+ series was the first live-action Star Wars content to hit the streaming service in November 2019 and its critical and commercial success paved the way for many more shows of its kind. Set five years after the events of Return of the Jedi, The Mandalorian follows the adventures of its titular bounty hunter Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and the child Grogu, though the series also features several fan-favorite characters who will be featured in upcoming spin-offs, The Book of Boba Fett and Ahsoka.
The Chinese-American actress Ming-Na Wen made her debut as the sharpshooting assassin in “Chapter 5: The Gunslinger” of The Mandalorian. Fennec is sought out by Din Djarin and another bounty hunter Toro Calican (Jake Cannavale), the latter of which seemingly kills Fennec in her first episode. During season 2’s “Chapter 14: The Tragedy,” it is revealed that she was revived by Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison) and later helps him retrieve his old armor and rescue Grogu.
Now, during a recent discussion with EW, the Fennec Shand actress reveals that it was actually her who convinced The Mandalorian showrunner Dave Filoni to revive the character. While on set, Wen learned that she and Filoni attended the same high school in Pittsburgh, which she began using to her advantage while campaigning Filoni for Fennec’s return. Wen recalls saying to him jokingly, “You can’t kill an alum, dude! C’mon, we’ve got to figure out something here. There’s gotta be nepotism. We’re both Yinzers!‘”
Filoni eventually agreed to bring Fennec back during The Mandalorian season 2 alongside Boba Fett, a legendary figure in the Star Wars universe who is no stranger to returning from the dead himself. The character was famously swallowed in the Sarlacc pit in Return of the Jedi and was presumed dead. His survival was first confirmed in the Dark Empire comics. Now, the duo are teaming up for their own spinoff, The Book of Boba Fett, as announced by The Mandalorian season 2’s post-credits stinger.
The series premiering on December 29 will see Wen return as Fennec alongside Morrison as her bounty-hunter boss, Boba Fett, as the two attempt to make a name for themselves in the galaxy’s underworld by conquering and controlling Tatooine, the territory previously held by Jabba the Hutt. While The Mandalorian was more of a space-faring adventure mixed with Western elements, Boba Fett appears to be Star Wars’ take on organized crime and the gangster genre. Thankfully, Wen was able to convince Filoni to revive Fennec, as it would be hard to imagine the series without her by Boba Fett’s side.
