Star Wars: Who is Baby Yoda – The Grogu Breakdown
Everyone knows the real draw of his show the Mandalorian is in fact the little Baby Yoda, but who is this mysterious child?
The Mandalorian is an amazing show. It restored the joy of Star Wars for many and has shown us all The Way. At the heart of this show is the relationship between the titular Mandalorian and the small green “Baby Yoda” he picks up along the way. But it quickly becomes clear there is more to the child than meets the eye.
So who is the Child?
This article contains spoilers for the recently-concluded first season of ‘The Book of Boba Fett’.
Baby Yoda’s Name is Grogu
The Child, or as most of the world knows him, Baby Yoda, is actually named Grogu. He was born in the year 41 BBY and raised on Coruscant at the Jedi Temple.
Grogu managed to survive the Clone Wars – despite being an infant at the time of the attack on the Jedi Temple after the execution of Order-66. The Book of Boba Fett includes a flashback of Grogu witnessing some Jedi, and presumably his master, being killed by Clone Troopers. We’re given the impression that they are memories he’s suppressing by choice.
Little else is known about how the child escaped the Great Jedi Purge. The infant later wound up in the hands of a Nikto mercenary encampment on Arvala-7, a remote desert planet in the outer rim. It’s also home to everyone’s favorite blurrg herder, the Ugnaught Kuiil.
The Mandalorian
It was there that the Mandalorian bounty hunter, Din Djarin, found Grogu. He was collecting on a bounty from an Imperial Remnant faction led by Moff Gideon and contracted by The Client, whose name is probably just Space Werner Herzog. Working together with the assassin droid IG-11, the Mandalorian took down the mercenary encampment and rescued the child.
After two seasons’ worth of adventures with his new dad, Grogu is finally returned to his own kind. In this case, that’s the Jedi and not Yoda-Yaddles. Grogu trained with Luke Skywalker as the first student of his new Jedi Academy. And for a time, his training goes well.
Grogu & the Force
Grogu, like both Yoda and Yaddle, shows remarkable Force sensitivity. He’s able to move things telekinetically, heal injuries, create defensive barriers. And of course, choke people with the Force’s crushing grip. While Luke doesn’t want to nurture all of those tendencies, there is a strong connection to the Force with Grogu’s nurturing.
Under Luke’s care, Baby Yoda learns – or re-learns – key Force abilities. But it was clear that The Child’s heart wasn’t in it and he’d rather be elsewhere in the galaxy. When given the choice between the Mandalorian’s adventures or taking Yoda’s lightsaber and training to be the galaxy’s next Jedi Knight, Grogu chooses Din.
But his training was not for nothing. No sooner reunited with Din than he is using the Force to dismantle droids and calming a raging Rancor.
What’s Next for Baby Yoda?
We’re all looking forward to learning more about Grogu’s past and seeing what’s next for him. And luckily, he’ll be back in future episodes of The Mandalorian.
Will Grogu get or make a lightsaber of his own one day? Do you call The Child by his name, or are you still on the Baby Yoda train? What do you think of Grogu’s choice in The Book of Boba Fett? Let us know in the comments!
May The Force Be With You, Adventurers!
