Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau, the creators of The Mandalorian, have acknowledged the difficulty in giving a name to the character known as “the Kid” or “Baby Yoda.” Grogu, as he is now known, quickly became one of the most beloved characters in the Star Wars universe, but his name was not revealed until the second season of the show.
Filoni and Favreau spoke about the challenge of naming Grogu in an interview with the official Star Wars website. Filoni noted that even the show’s protagonist, Mando, initially reacted with surprise to the name. However, he also noted that Grogu’s response to his name was reminiscent of a pet learning its own name, which he found endearing.
Favreau, on the other hand, acknowledged that Grogu’s name was not particularly cute or fitting for a character as old as Yoda. However, he felt a responsibility to uphold the legacy of Star Wars and its characters, including those that are beloved by fans of all ages.
The revelation that Grogu had been a youngling at the Jedi Temple before Order 66 was a major surprise for fans. Favreau noted that the reveal was intended to be unexpected and to deviate from people’s assumptions about the show.
Grogu is only the third character of Yoda’s species to appear in the Star Wars canon. The other two, Yoda and Yaddle, were both strong users of the Force and served on the Jedi Council. Grogu’s abilities as a Force-sensitive child are also impressive, including Force-healing and lifting large creatures.
Despite being 50 years old, Grogu still exhibits infantile development, suggesting that Yoda’s species ages very slowly. Yoda himself passed away at around 900 years old and became one with the Force. He continued to guide future Jedi as a Force ghost.
Yaddle remains a mysterious character, with little known about her age or life expectancy. She was no longer a member of the Jedi Council during the Clone Wars.
The first three episodes of The Mandalorian season three are now available on Disney+.