With Grogu (aka Baby Yoda), “The Mandalorian” introduces not only one of the most well-liked characters of the contemporary “Star Wars” era but also one of the most well-liked characters ever. Time will tell if that popularity can last, but the cute little Force user’s mystique may very well contribute to his longevity. To that end, while we recently learned a lot more about Mando’s tiny friend and Luke’s new Padawan, what we learned actually raises more questions that will eventually need to be answered.
Folks, this is your last chance to avoid spoilers for “The Book of Boba Fett.”
In particular, Chapter 6 of “The Book of Boba Fett” brought back not only Grogu but also Din, Luke, Ahsoka, and a large number of other (relatively) new and old characters to the galaxy. While doing so, some of Grogu’s murky past came to light, which may have connections to Baby Yoda and some of the most terrible incidents in “Star Wars” history. Let’s get going.
Grogu’s Mysterious Past
Up until the conclusion of the first episode of “The Mandalorian,” Baby Yoda’s existence was kept a complete secret. The first two seasons of the show did very little to address the problems that were still posed by discovering that treasure in a floating metal container. What was his origin? How did the Empire come upon him? How did he end up in Mando in the first 50 years of his life? Fortunately, “The Book of Boba Fett,” which focused on these questions in the penultimate episode of his own show, provided a window into the past.
Grogu appears to have no recollection of his origins when Luke questions him about “back home” during their training session at the brand-new Jedi temple. Then, after asking the youngster if he would like to remember, he transports him back to some sinister, ancient memories using the Force. This is when we get a highly significant flashback that tells us much more about the character’s past than what we have learned thus far.
In the vision, Grogu is lying down, just as he was when we first saw him in his tiny pod. We see a conflict between several Jedi and a garrison of Republic soldiers from the Clone Wars. Little Grogu watches in dread as all of this happens, his Jedi pals helpless to stop the onslaught of blaster fire that is headed in their direction. Yes, it does seem as though the tiny alien was present during Order 66, the crucial moment in “Revenge of the Sith” and “The Clone Wars” conclusion when Palpatine issues the order to kill all Jedi. Many specifics are currently off the table, as one might anticipate, but the connotation is obvious. Grogu was present when the Jedi were all but wiped off the face of the planet about 25 years ago (give or take), and he miraculously survived the experience.
Lingering Questions
What does that leave us with, then? Finding out exactly where Grogu was throughout those events would be intriguing, to start with. It is implied that he somehow escaped Anakin Skywalker’s anger if he was at the true Jedi temple on Coruscant. After all, we are aware that the recently dubbed Darth Vader had no problem slaughtering children. If so, then who rescued Grogu? For the past 25 years, where has he been? Yoda, did he know he was there? Does that imply that every person from Yoda’s planet utilises the Force? Or Grogu was unique? There are now a lot of questions and very few answers.
The truth is that we still have a tonne of questions about the person we call Baby Yoda, and we might have to wait a bit to find out the answers, if we ever do. The Disney+ “Star Wars” ship’s captains, Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni, are well aware of the mystery’s role in Grogu’s current allure and aren’t going to reveal it all right now. They’re going to make us wait for it, and in the end, better storytelling results from that.
The Force Is Strong In Him
We don’t learn much more about Grogu’s history in the episode, at least not explicitly. Another instance is Ahsoka approaching Luke following a training session with the young Padawan. The Jedi responds when Ahsoka praises Luke for his training, saying, “It’s more like he’s remembering than I’m truly teaching him anything.” The tiny one may have previously been schooled in the ways of the Force, but it hints that he has been away from the Jedi for some time, which may be why his skills are (or at least were) so rusty. This is a significant indication.
The prequel trilogy era, during the height of the Republic, seems to indicate that Grogu may have been training in the Jedi temple. It would have been simple to assume he was just one of the multitude at the temple at that time because there would have been a lot of small children present before Order 66 was implemented. This raises a plethora of additional issues that future “Star Wars” tales will have to address.
