Oh, I get it. You think just because Grogu and Yoda belong to the same species, that must mean they’re related!? You think they all know each other?? Listen to yourself!
Nah, I’m kidding, that’s a totally reasonable assumption to make in the Star Wars universe. After all, it seems like all the other characters turn out to be related sooner or later, so why not two of the only three big-eared, green-skinned Force using characters we’ve met so far?
So what is the deal between The Mandalorian‘s Grogu, a.k.a. the Child, a.k.a. Baby Yoda, and Yoda of the Star Wars Original Trilogy? Here’s what we know.
Grogu and Yoda belong to the same species
It’s true, Grogu and Yoda are both members of the same species, which means they likely come from the same home world.
What is that species, exactly? Here’s where things get muddy. Although many species in the Star Wars universe have names and histories attached, we don’t actually know much about Grogu and Yoda’s species. They’re immediately recognizable by their distinctive physical appearance, but we don’t know what planet they come from or anything else about them.
Grogu and Yoda may have a history
In the first episode of The Mandalorian, we learn that Grogu is 50 years old. That means he was born before the rise and fall of the Empire. What’s more, we learn that Grogu spent his early years training in the Jedi Temple before Palpatine’s Order 66 wiped the Jedi out. We don’t know where Grogu came from before that, though, or who his parents are.
However, there’s an interesting connection between Grogu and Yoda. As we know from the Star Wars prequels, Yoda and another member of his species, Yaddle, both served on the Jedi council around the same time that Grogu was training as a youngling. That would have put all three of them on Coruscant at the same time.
But does that mean anything?
Is Grogu related to Yoda or not?
One fan theory is that Grogu is the child of Yoda and Yaddle. There’s no evidence to support that theory—but there’s no evidence against it, either. Plus, as we’ve established, the makers of Star Wars love to tie all its characters together (for example, by establishing that Anakin built Threepio).
Will The Mandalorian or a future Star Wars story reveal Grogu’s parentage? Will we find out for sure if he’s related to Yoda or not? That remains to be seen, but for now, we can enjoy the mystery.
(featured image: Disney+)
