Grogu

For the Cape Verdean alcoholic beverage, see Grogue.

Din Grogu
Star Wars character
Grogu in The Mandalorian (2019).
First appearance
Created by
Voiced byDavid Acord (effects)
In-universe information
Full nameDin Grogu (né Grogu)
Nicknames
  • The Asset (by the Empire)
  • The Child
  • The Foundling
  • The Kid (by Din Djarin and others)
SpeciesYoda's species
GenderMale
Occupation
  • Jedi Initiate
  • Mandalorian foundling and apprentice
  • Knight of the Ancient Order of Independent Regencies
Affiliation
FamilyDin Djarin / The Mandalorian (adoptive father)
Masters
Age50 years (born ca. 41 BBY)

Din Grogu (/ˈɡroʊɡu/), colloquially referred to as Baby Yoda, is a character from the Star Wars Disney+ original television series The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. He is a toddler member of the same species as the Star Wars characters Yoda and Yaddle, with whom he shares a strong ability in the Force. In the series, the protagonist known as "the Mandalorian" is hired to track down and capture Grogu for a remnant of the fallen Galactic Empire, but instead, he becomes his adoptive father and protects him from the Imperials. The character's real name was not revealed until "Chapter 13: The Jedi", which also explained that Grogu was raised at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant during the Clone Wars. Before this, the character's official name, used in subtitles and captions, was "the Child". At the end of "Chapter 24: The Return", he is given the name Din Grogu after being formally adopted by the Mandalorian, whose family name is "Din".

Grogu has appeared in every episode of the first three seasons, except "Chapter 15: The Believer". He was created by The Mandalorian creator and showrunner Jon Favreau based upon his desire to explore the mystery around Yoda and his species. The character was further developed in early conversations between Favreau and executive producer Dave Filoni, and the character's imagery was defined by concept artist Christian Alzmann. Grogu is mostly a work of animatronics and puppetry, although accentuated with computer-generated imagery.

The puppet was designed by Legacy Effects. Actor Adam Pally has stated that showrunner Jon Favreau told him it cost about $5 million to make.[1] It is controlled by two technicians, one who operates the eyes and mouth and another who controls other facial expressions. The character's voice and sounds were created using a combination of adult and infant vocals, as well as recordings of a bat-eared fox and kinkajou. The dynamic between the Mandalorian and Grogu embodies a theme of parenting and fatherhood prevalent in The Mandalorian, with the character also raising questions about good and evil and nature versus nurture in the series.

Grogu has received a positive reception from fans and reviewers, is widely considered the show's breakout character,[2][3] and quickly became a popular Internet meme. The Guardian called him "2019's biggest new character",[4] and The Hollywood Reporter has said the character "represents the future of Hollywood".[5] Many writers have described Grogu as a key part in the success of Disney+.[6][7][8][9] Grogu was kept secret and was deliberately withheld from The Mandalorian's pre-release marketing and merchandise plans to avoid leaks and spoiling Grogu's reveal before the show aired.

  1. ^ Snierson, Dan (January 11, 2020). "Adam Pally on his punchy Mandalorian scene: 'Baby Yoda is a bit of a diva'". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on January 12, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
  2. ^ Fashingbauer, Gael (December 23, 2019). "Baby Yoda: Everything we know about The Mandalorian star". CNET. Archived from the original on December 23, 2019. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
  3. ^ "Baby Yoda Is an Acceptable Name for The Mandalorian's Breakout Star, Says Dave Filoni". IGN. November 21, 2019. Archived from the original on December 28, 2020. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Vasquez1203 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Keegan1219 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Nunan, Tom. "5 Reasons Why Disney+ Is Breaking Records While Making History". Forbes. Retrieved 2022-01-30.
  7. ^ Alexander, Julia (2019-12-06). "Baby Yoda is key to the Disney+ takeover". The Verge. Retrieved 2022-01-30.
  8. ^ "How Disney+ Uses Star Wars to Dominate Digital Entertainment". Michael Jung, Freelance Writer. 2021-01-04. Retrieved 2022-01-30.
  9. ^ Winck, Ben. "The massive popularity of Baby Yoda memes highlights just how successful Disney Plus has been, one analyst says". Markets Insider. Retrieved 2022-01-30.