In Rebels, Kanan Jarrus hides his true identity because he is on the run from the Empire. His real name, from the time when he was a Jedi Padawan, is Caleb Dume. Kanan's two names – "Kanan" and "Caleb" – form a pair of interconnected allusions to the Bible. They point to the themes of wandering in exile and finding a home, both of which are central to Kanan's journey.
"Kanan" evokes the Biblical Canaan, the promised land to which the Israelites travel after their exodus from slavery in Egypt. The Biblical Caleb is one of twelve spies sent to investigate Canaan before the Israelites enter it. Caleb keeps his faith in God's promise and argues that the Israelites should make Canaan their new home, but most of the other spies are overcome by fear and doubt, condemning the Israelites to forty years of wandering in the wilderness.
When Rebels begins, Caleb Dume is a wanderer because of his fear and doubt. He is tormented by guilt over running away from his Jedi Master during Order 66 and sees himself as unfaithful to his Jedi calling. However, through his training of Ezra Bridger, Caleb overcomes the fear that kept him wandering in spiritual exile and returns to his true self. The Biblical Caleb helps the Israelites to make Canaan their new home after their escape from slavery; Caleb Dume frees Ezra from the Empire and helps him to find a new home with Kanan Jarrus and the crew of the Ghost.
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Characters: Kanan Jarrus
Shows: Rebels
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