Since The Mandalorian debuted back in 2019, fans have been clamouring to learn Baby Yoda’s (officially known as “The Child”) real name. Baby Yoda’s name was finally made public in The Mandalorian Season 2 episode “The Jedi.” It is Grogu. In the episode, the renowned Jedi Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) casually spoke Baby Yoda’s name when explaining his backstory to the Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal). However, how precisely and when did The Mandalorian team decide on the term “Grogu”?
Fortunately for us, executive producer, writer, and director of The Mandalorian Dave Filoni was able to divulge Baby Yoda’s real name history to Vanity Fair. The name, according to Filoni, has been well-known for some time owing to showrunner Jon Favreau, and throughout their chats, Filoni and Favreau came up with a specific plan for how the big moment should unfold. The name has been around for a while, according to Filoni, who stated that “Jon [Favreau] told me early in Season 1 what it would be, which made me start to think about how people could learn the name. This gave me the idea that Ahsoka, who is very compassionate, would be able to connect with the child, and that without words they probably could communicate through memories and experiences. Through that connection, she learns the name and then tells Mando and the audience.”
Baby Yoda’s name is a significant discovery in “The Jedi,” but it doesn’t provide much information about his species or his potential ties to the prequel trilogy characters Yoda and Yaddle, who also appear to be members of his kind. Ahsoka is the narrative’s key link, as Filoni continued to explain to VF, which is why the timing of her entry into the narrative is crucial (other than the fact that Ahsoka appearing in The Mandalorian is straight-up incredible).
I had to restrain myself from saying something ridiculous like, “Is that a Yoda baby? It almost demands to be said,” when introducing Ahsoka. “I thought one of the most compelling things about introducing Ahsoka is that she is one of the few, few people that we could encounter in a story and she would say, “All right. I met someone like him. I’ve only ever seen one other being like this.”
Additionally, Filoni gave VF an explanation of why the “The Jedi” episode not only revealed Baby Yoda’s real name but also explored his past before meeting the Mandalorian. Once more, Ahsoka has the key because of her psychic, Force-related link that allows her to communicate with Baby Yoda’s thoughts. As Ahsoka has such a long history, Filoni reasoned, “I felt that if anyone would know or understand The Child’s history, it would be her. By having her relate the story, it also helps the viewer to understand some of her own backstory. This is similar to when Obi-Wan tells Luke about his father’s history; through the story about Anakin, you are getting a look at Obi-Wan and his backstory as well.
Additionally, Filoni’s remarks appear to address the reason Ahsoka was presented so late in The Mandalorian Season 2. She is not just a kind person, but also someone who serves as a vital link to the history of the Jedi order. She not only adds a delightful treat for viewers of The Mandalorian, but it also gives Baby Yoda’s otherwise unmoving Season 2 tale some pace. By doing this, the plot of The Mandalorian can advance as we gain a greater understanding of Baby Yoda and the reasons behind the Mandalorian’s actions to defend him. It appears like Ahsoka is to blame for the huge Baby Yoda name moment, even though Filoni and Favreau are responsible for making the name of the baby Yoda public for a while.
Seasons 1 and 2 of The Mandalorian may now be watched on Disney+. Through December 18, The Mandalorian Season 2 will air brand-new episodes every Friday. Here you can find more Disney+ updates.
