Din Grogu

Biography

Jedi Order

Training

During the era of the Galactic Republic, around 41 BBY, the enigmatic alien known as Grogu was nurtured in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. He underwent training under the guidance of several masters until the Jedi Order collapsed during the Great Jedi Purge at the close of the Clone Wars.

At some point during or after 41 BBY, Grogu was meditating over a puddle of water using the Force. As he meditated, a group of dust bunnies noticed him and began to playfully bounce and swing around him. One dust bunny caused Grogu to sneeze, leading him to fall into the puddle. After lifting himself from the puddle with the Force and gently descending to his feet, he noticed the dust bunnies and began to retreat. Grogu continued to move away from the creatures as they followed, and when he realized they were still behind him, he started to run. Turning to check if they were still chasing him, one of the dust bunnies collided with his face, knocking the youngling over. Grogu picked himself up once again and observed the dust bunnies, which began to dance in front of him before offering him a flower. Grogu accepted the gift, bowing in gratitude. He and the dust bunnies then huddled together.

Great Jedi Purge

During the Great Jedi Purge in 19 BBY, amidst the siege of the Jedi Temple, Grogu was protected by four Jedi who attempted to evacuate him from the Temple and transport him to an extraction point where a shuttle awaited. Ultimately, three of the Jedi died at the hands of the 501st Legion, but not before successfully loading Grogu's pram onto a turbolift, moving him away from danger. Grogu successfully fled the Jedi Temple with the assistance of Jedi Master Kelleran Beq, who evacuated him from the burning building aboard a BARC speeder. Despite being pursued by Republic LAATs, Beq managed to evade them in the tunnels of the station by Monument Plaza and reached a repulsor platform where sympathetic Naboo troopers were waiting with a H-type Nubian yacht to evacuate him and his companions. Ambushed by clones led by shock troopers, Beq took Grogu onto the ship under cover from the Naboo troopers, and they successfully escaped the planet. After the Galactic Empire seized power, Grogu, along with all other surviving Jedi, went into hiding. During the Imperial Era, he remained undetected by concealing his Force powers, which allowed him to be unnoticed by the Inquisitorius.

Hunted by Gideon

Liberation

By 9 ABY, Grogu had ended up in the hands of a Nikto camp on the planet Arvala-7. Din Djarin, a Mandalorian bounty hunter, was sent by "the Client," a member of Gideon's Imperial remnant, and Imperial Doctor Penn Pershing, to capture Grogu alive, although the Client offered Djarin the option to return Grogu dead for a reduced payment. The assassin droid IG-11 was also dispatched to eliminate him. After collaborating to storm the infant's encampment, Djarin and IG-11 discovered Grogu. Upon seeing the infant, Djarin was puzzled, as he had been informed that the asset was 50 years old. However, IG-11 explained that Grogu must have had a unique aging process. IG-11 then attempted to terminate the infant, but Djarin shot the droid before it could do so.

Shortly afterward, Djarin brought Grogu back to his ship, the Razor Crest. During the return journey, they were attacked by a trio of Trandoshan bounty hunters, who attempted to kill Grogu. After Djarin defeated them, he and Grogu camped out in the desert for the night. While Djarin sat by the fire, Grogu got out of his pram and approached the bounty hunter, raising his hand to the Mandalorian's wounds. Djarin stopped him and placed him back into his pram twice. The next day, the pair made it to the Razor Crest only to discover it being scavenged by Jawas. Djarin attacked their sandcrawler for the scavenged parts and attempted to climb it while Grogu followed in his pod. However, Djarin was knocked to the ground.

The duo then sought assistance from the only other known living local. While Djarin was explaining the situation, Grogu chased some frogs meant for the local Blurrgs and eventually ate one of the creatures. Eventually, Djarin enlisted the help of Kuiil, a local Ugnaught Moisture farmer, to try to persuade the Jawas to return the parts peacefully. The Jawas wanted Grogu and Djarin's armor, but eventually Djarin agreed to retrieve a mudhorn's egg in exchange for the parts. Djarin fought the mudhorn but was quickly sprawled across the mud while the infant just watched. Just as the mudhorn was about to charge at Djarin, who only had a vibro-knife to defend himself, Grogu then used the Force to levitate the beast into the air long enough for Djarin to get up and kill it. After using the Force, Grogu lost consciousness from Force exhaustion. When Grogu eventually awoke, the Razor Crest had been repaired, and they were en route to Nevarro.

Into hiding

As they approached their destination, Grogu left his pod to remove a knob from one of the controls for the Razor Crest. Just as he was about to put it in his mouth, Djarin took it from him, stating, "That's not a toy," and then placed him back in his pod. Upon returning to Nevarro, Djarin took Grogu to the Client's facility. The Client and Dr. Pershing were excited at their arrival and immediately began examining Grogu. Pershing then took him away, and the bounty hunter left, wondering what the Client wanted with him, especially when Grogu cried out for help. However, shortly before leaving Nevarro to carry out a new bounty, Djarin, experiencing a change of heart, returned to rescue Grogu. Shortly after Djarin stormed the facility, he found Grogu sedated with Pershing. After taking Grogu back, he was forced to defend him from the Bounty Hunters' Guild, who attempted to reclaim him. However, Djarin's tribe came to his assistance, enabling Djarin to escape from the Bounty Hunters' Guild with Grogu. Just as they were about to leave the planet, Grogu once again tried to take the knob from the control switch. This time, Djarin unscrewed it and handed it to a delighted Grogu.

As the duo traveled the galaxy, Grogu kept flipping switches, much to Djarin's annoyance. After flipping one that caused the Razor Crest to shake uncontrollably, Djarin reset the control and took Grogu into his lap. Djarin took Grogu to the backwater world of Sorgan, where he intended to lie low for several months and avoid the guild. Upon their arrival, the Mandalorian told Grogu to stay put and not touch anything. When Grogu refused to leave his side, he accepted his company. The pair traveled to a settlement and walked through it. Grogu was startled by a Loth-cat which growled at him. Djarin and Grogu stopped at a common house, and Grogu had some soup. One customer, though, caught Djarin's attention, and he exited the common house to find her when she seemingly disappeared. The customer, named Cara Dune, ambushed Djarin, and they fought with Grogu watching them quietly. Grogu then interrupted their fight by slurping his soup when they had drawn their blasters.

Djarin spoke with Dune, who assured him Sorgan was "taken." Consequently, he took Grogu back to the Razor Crest, where two krill farmers were waiting. They negotiated with Djarin for protection of their village against Klatooinian raiders in exchange for residence at the village. Bringing Dune and Grogu with him, Djarin defeated the raiders with the help of Dune and the village. He continued to live there for several weeks, and Grogu became extremely popular with the children, although they were not fond of his attempt to eat a Sorgan frog. This, however, didn't stop them from playing with and feeding him their harvested krill. Djarin considered leaving Grogu behind in the village where he could have a childhood. However, a Kubaz bounty hunter came searching for Grogu and attempted to shoot him. After Dune killed the bounty hunter, Djarin changed his mind, and both he and Grogu left Sorgan behind.

Tatooine

Some time after leaving Sorgan, Djarin encountered fellow bounty hunter Riot Mar, who engaged him in a dogfight. Grogu, who sat at the cockpit with Djarin, watched him evade his opponent and was thrust forward as his guardian maneuvered the Razor Crest behind Mar and destroyed his ship. Djarin then took Grogu to the spaceport Mos Eisley on Tatooine. He left Grogu to sleep on the Razor Crest as he looked for work to gain credits for repairs. Grogu later awoke at the initial alarm of the hangar manager, Peli Motto, who took a liking to the child and fed him. She then decided to watch Grogu in exchange for an increased payment from Djarin upon his return.

After learning of the Mandalorian's actions on Nevarro, inexperienced hunter Toro Calican kidnapped both Motto and Grogu in an attempt to blackmail Djarin. When Djarin arrived, he confronted Calican, who held his captives at gunpoint. Using a flare to blind his foe, Djarin flanked and shot him. Grogu hid in fright but was immediately found again by Motto and Djarin. Djarin then left Tatooine with Grogu.

The mercenaries' mission

Seeking credits, Djarin accepted another assignment from an old mercenary friend named Ranzar Malk to rescue Qin, a Twi'lek prisoner who had been arrested by the New Republic. Needing the Razor Crest to complete the mission, Ranzar assembled a crew of mercenaries consisting of Migs Mayfeld, a former Imperial sharpshooter, Burg, a Devaronian, Q9-0, a skilled pilot droid nicknamed "Zero," and Xi'an, Qin's sister. While en route to the New Republic Correctional Transport, the Bothan-5, Djarin concealed Grogu within a compartment, which the mercenaries accidentally discovered when Burg opened the sleeping quarters. Astonished by what it was, Mayfeld was very curious about the child and even wondered if it was the result of a past relationship between Xi'an and Djarin. Mayfeld picked up Grogu, jokingly claiming that he could keep it as a pet before pretending to drop it. As this happened, the Razor Crest exited hyperspace, and its current pilot, Zero, performed a risky docking maneuver that tossed the crew members around the vessel, including Grogu, who fell face first onto the deck of the Razor Crest before being protected by Djarin and placed back into his compartment before Djarin left with the other mercenaries to board the prison ship.

As their mission progressed, Zero uncovered a hologram from Greef Karga regarding Grogu's initial capture. Possibly realizing Grogu's value, Zero became intrigued by him. Around this time, the mercenaries had rescued Qin, betraying Djarin in the process. However, Djarin retaliated by attacking each of the mercenaries one by one and disabling Zero's ability to contact the crew. While attempting to make sense of the situation, Grogu left his compartment and was encountered by Zero, who attempted to apprehend him. Eventually being chased back into his compartment, Grogu attempted to use the Force in self-defense by raising his hand to Zero, who was aiming his blaster at Grogu. Before anything could happen, Djarin arrived aboard the Razor Crest and shot Zero in the back, destroying the droid.

With his mission accomplished, Djarin returned to Ranzar's station and delivered Qin, receiving his full payment. As Djarin and Grogu left the station aboard the Razor Crest, Ranzar prepared to deploy a gunship to destroy the ship. However, as it prepared to launch, three X-wing starfighters exited hyperspace following a New Republic tracking beacon that had been activated during the mission, and which Djarin had planted on Qin. As the X-wings assaulted the station, the Razor Crest jumped to hyperspace, and during travel, Djarin comforted Grogu by giving him a knob from one of his control sticks.

Return to Nevarro

Locating allies

Following an extensive search operation for the Mandalorian, Greef Karga extended an offer to the hunter: assist in liberating Nevarro from the clutches of the Empire, with the assurance of retaining Grogu. After a moment's thought, Djarin accepted Karga's proposition. Djarin journeyed back to Sorgan, enlisting Cara Dune's assistance for the impending assault. During their conversation, Grogu, left unattended in the cockpit, briefly tinkered with the Razor Crest's controls, leading to a temporary loss of control of the vessel.

To ensure constant supervision of Grogu, Djarin and Dune made their way back to Arvala-7 to retrieve Kuiil, who had not only repaired but also reprogrammed IG-11. Djarin harbored reservations about IG-11's presence, fearing potential harm to Grogu despite the reprogramming efforts. While the entire group was aboard the Razor Crest, Grogu, misinterpreting Dune's arm-wrestling match with Djarin as a threat, attempted to use the Force to choke Dune, much to the dismay of both Djarin and Dune.

During the mission's progression, Kuiil proved instrumental in caring for Grogu, even crafting a brand-new mobile pram for the child. Grogu was intended to serve as bait to draw the Imperials into their trap. En route to Nevarro's city, the group paused for the night to have dinner. Karga observed Kuiil feeding Grogu meat and remarked on the immense value of such a small and seemingly delicate creature. Subsequently, the group faced an assault by a band of native reptavians, resulting in the loss of two blurrg and an injury to Karga. As Kara struggled to stabilize the injured Karga due to a scarcity of medpacs, Grogu employed the Force to heal Karga's poisonous wound. Witnessing Grogu's extraordinary power, Karga, who had initially planned to betray Djarin, had a change of heart and eliminated the bounty hunters accompanying him.

In devising a revised strategy, Djarin proposed that he would pose as a captive, feigning capture by Karga and Dune. Despite the suggestion of using Grogu as bait, Djarin firmly refused, entrusting Kuiil with the responsibility of escorting Grogu back to the safety of the Razor Crest. However, as the plan unraveled, a pair of Imperial scout troopers discovered Kuiil and Grogu, resulting in the Ugnaught's demise and the infant's abduction just as they reached the Razor Crest.

The Rescue Operation

Upon realizing that Grogu had been kidnapped and Kuiil had been killed, IG-11 departed from the Razor Crest to fulfill his core programming: "to nurse and protect." The Imperial Scout troopers halted at the city's outskirts, awaiting directives from Moff Gideon, the Imperial leader who sought Grogu's capture. During this time, they subjected Grogu to harassment. IG-11 arrived on the scene and rescued the infant by eliminating the two troopers. The droid, carrying Grogu, commandeered one of the 74-Z speeder bikes belonging to the troopers and made its way towards the city. As IG-11 traversed the city, engaging the stormtroopers who had seized control of Nevarro, Grogu expressed his delight with laughter.

IG-11 and Grogu reunited with Djarin, Dune, and Karga. While they initially held back the Imperial remnant, Djarin sustained a severe injury inflicted by Moff Gideon, prompting a retreat into the cantina. Trapped within the building, Gideon dispatched an Incinerator trooper to eliminate them. Grogu harnessed the Force to contain the flames before redirecting them back at the stormtrooper, resulting in his demise. However, this exertion weakened Grogu, causing him to collapse and preventing him from aiding in healing Djarin's wound.

Djarin instructed Dune to escort Grogu as she and Karga escaped through the sewers towards the Mandalorian covert. After being healed by IG-11, Djarin eventually caught up with them. At the desolate enclave, the group encountered the Armorer. As Djarin recounted his experiences with the infant, the Armorer declared Grogu to be a foundling. Consequently, Djarin was henceforth regarded as Grogu's father, tasked with training him or returning him to his own kind. The Armorer proclaimed Djarin and Grogu to be a clan of two, before imprinting the Mandalorian's shoulder plate with his new signet: a mudhorn, commemorating Grogu's act of saving him on Arvala-7.

The group ventured further into the sewer system, traversing a lava river to escape. At the river's terminus, Imperial stormtroopers lay in wait, prompting IG-11 to sacrifice himself in accordance with his programming to safeguard Grogu. During an attack by Gideon piloting his Outland TIE fighter, Karga implored Grogu to perform the "magic hand thing," alluding to the Force, to protect them from Gideon. Unaware of what was meant, Grogu simply smiled and waved his hand in response to the request. Ultimately, Djarin triumphed over Gideon, causing his TIE fighter to crash. While the three adults deliberated on Nevarro's future, Grogu embraced Djarin's leg, prompting Djarin to pick him up. Djarin expressed his desire to continue bounty hunting but acknowledged his obligation to return Grogu to the Jedi. Using his jetpack to transport Grogu away from the scene, Djarin then buried Kuiil and bid farewell to Karga and Dune, departing Nevarro aboard the Razor Crest with Grogu as his foundling. Djarin permitted Grogu to retain his mythosaur necklace, which Grogu continued to nibble on.

The Quest for Origins

In Search of Fellow Mandalorians

Djarin and Grogu journeyed to an unidentified planet to rendezvous with Gor Koresh, whom Djarin hoped could provide information about another Mandalorian. However, Koresh's sole objective was to acquire Djarin's beskar armor and subsequently turned against Djarin. As the spectators hastily exited the stadium, Djarin activated his whistling birds, prompting Grogu to close his cradle. After Djarin eliminated all of Koresh's associates, Koresh attempted to escape but was apprehended by Djarin. Koresh disclosed that he had heard of a Mandalorian residing in Mos Pelgo on Tatooine. Satisfied with the information, Djarin left Koresh to the mercy of some local creatures and departed with Grogu.

Return to Tatooine

Grogu accompanied Djarin to gather intelligence regarding a Mandalorian residing on Tatooine. Upon their return to the desert planet, Peli Motto expressed her delight at seeing Grogu again, jokingly wishing she could have more of Grogu's kind. Djarin explained that he required her assistance in locating a Mandalorian on the planet. Motto offered to care for Grogu while he embarked on his adventure, but Djarin clarified that he was on a mission to reunite Grogu with his own kind. Motto responded that she was unable to assist him in that regard, as she had never encountered a member of Grogu's species.

After Peli directed them towards Mos Pelgo, Djarin and Grogu traveled there using her speeder bike. Upon arrival, Djarin left Grogu in his side pocket and entered a small cantina. Grogu promptly followed him inside and witnessed Djarin and Cobb Vanth on the verge of a confrontation. Before the two men could engage in combat, they heard a rumbling sound outside. Grogu sought refuge in a pot as the rumbling intensified. The rumbling turned out to be a krayt dragon that had been terrorizing the village of Mos Pelgo.

Grogu journeyed with Djarin and Vanth, who had agreed to collaborate in slaying the krayt dragon that plagued Mos Pelgo, with Vanth promising Djarin his salvaged Mandalorian armor if they succeeded. As they traversed a canyon, they encountered a pack of massiffs. Grogu concealed himself from the animals until Djarin was able to communicate and establish peace with them and the Tusken Raiders they accompanied.

The following day, Djarin, Grogu, and Vanth accompanied the Tusken Raiders on banthas to confront the krayt dragon, having forged an alliance the previous night. While Din, Vanth, Grogu, and the Tuskens observed from a cliff, a lone Tusken and his steed rode into a large cave, which one of the Tuskens explained was the krayt dragon's lair. The krayt dragon emerged and promptly devoured the Tusken Raider, leaving the bantha behind. As Grogu scurried away in fear, the Tuskens reacted with horror as one of their own was consumed.

Djarin enlisted the aid of the citizens of Mos Pelgo to support the cause. Collaboratively, the citizens of Mos Pelgo and the Tuskens laid explosives as a trap. During the battle with the krayt dragon, Grogu watched from a distance as Djarin ultimately slew the dragon. After the battle, Grogu eyed a piece of meat from the dragon that Djarin was loading onto the speeder. Djarin and Vanth exchanged farewells before Djarin and Grogu departed on the speeder bike.

Journey to Trask

En route back to Mos Eisley, Djarin and Grogu were intercepted during their leisurely speeder bike ride by bounty hunters seeking to capture Grogu. Grogu was taken hostage by one of the hunters, but after Djarin traded his jetpack for Grogu, Djarin remotely activated the jetpack, causing the bounty hunter to plummet to his death. Djarin reclaimed his jetpack and carried his gear back to Mos Eisley on foot, with Grogu riding in a cloth. Djarin collaborated with Motto to uncover another lead on Mandalorians, agreeing to transport "Frog Lady" to the estuary moon of Trask, where Frog Lady insisted her husband had sighted Mandalorians.

While traveling at sublight speed towards the planet, Grogu's attention was captivated by the Frog Lady's eggs. Shortly after departing Tatooine, he began discreetly snacking on them until Djarin caught him and reprimanded him, confining him to the bunk. Later, after crash landing on an ice planet to evade a New Republic patrol, Grogu once again consumed a number of eggs before Djarin intervened. As Djarin attempted to assess the damage, he provided food to Grogu and the Frog Lady. However, Grogu remained dissatisfied with his meal and continued to fixate on the Frog eggs. When Djarin suggested they get some rest, Grogu willingly cuddled up next to his caretaker. After the Frog Lady fully explained her situation with the assistance of Q9-0 to translate her speech, Djarin reluctantly agreed to repair the Razor Crest, as Grogu also had a pleading look on his face.

While Djarin repaired the Razor Crest, Grogu noticed that Frog Lady had wandered off, and the duo went in search of her, discovering both her and her unfertilized eggs at a nearby hot spring. Grogu attempted to take one but was stopped by Djarin. Noticing several different eggs nearby, Grogu experimentally snacked on one of the spiders cocooned inside, inadvertently awakening all of the ice spiders. Fighting their way back to the Razor Crest, the trio were nearly overwhelmed by the spiders until the New Republic pilots who had pursued them earlier arrived to rescue them. With the spiders no longer a threat, Djarin managed to repair the Razor Crest just enough for them to escape the planet. As the trio departed the planet, Grogu retrieved one of the Frog Lady's eggs that he had hidden inside his robes and consumed it.

Encountering More Mandalorians

Upon arriving on Trask, Djarin, Grogu, and Frog Lady managed to enter the planet's atmosphere, only to crash-land in the spaceport's harbor. After witnessing the reunion of Frog Lady and her husband, Grogu accompanied Djarin and the couple to a tavern. Before discussing his deal with a Quarren, Djarin ordered some soup for Grogu, who was surprised when a small tentacled creature attacked him from the broth as he ate. Luckily, Djarin casually removed the creature and told Grogu not to play with his food.

Later, Grogu accompanied Djarin on a trawler owned by the Quarren, who claimed to know the location of more Mandalorians. This turned out to be a ruse, however, as Grogu was knocked into the mouth of their mamacore and they prepared to kill Djarin for his beskar armor. Fortunately, the duo was rescued by three members of the Nite Owls, led by Bo-Katan Kryze. Grogu was saved from the mamacore, though his crib was damaged beyond repair. Not believing Kryze's claim that he was from a cult-like faction of Mandalorians known as the Children of the Watch, Djarin returned with Grogu to the port.

That evening, after being saved again from another group of Quarren by the Nite Owls, Djarin and Grogu agreed to hear them out, and discussed their plan at the nearby tavern. Knowing the mission would be too dangerous for him, Djarin left Grogu in the care of the Frog couple, just in time to see their first child hatch. Once his business with Bo-Katan was concluded, Djarin returned for Grogu and they departed Trask together, despite Grogu wanting to keep the new born hatchling. Din then commented that he wasn't going to take it as "he already had enough pets" referring to Grogu.

Brief Respite on Nevarro

The Mon Calamari engaged to repair the Razor Crest performed a subpar job. At Djarin's behest, Grogu attempted to assist with the ship's maintenance, only to inadvertently electrocute himself by connecting the wrong wires. Taking a break from repair work, Djarin served himself and Grogu some soup. Subsequently, Djarin decided to make a stop at Nevarro for proper repairs and set a course for the planet.

Upon arrival, Djarin and Grogu were greeted by Greef Karga and Cara Dune, who had since become the town's new marshal. Following a tour of the settlement, Grogu was enrolled in the new school while Djarin accompanied Dune and Karga on their mission to destroy the last Imperial base on Nevarro. Instead of attending to the protocol droid's lecture, Grogu requested a cookie from the student seated next to him. When the boy refused, Grogu used the Force to move the cookie package from the boy's desk to his own before snacking on one of them.

Later, once Djarin returned to collect Grogu, the two took off in the Razor Crest and proceeded to destroy the last three TIE fighters that had been pursuing their friends. All the while, Grogu enjoyed the experience and consumed another cookie. Djarin successfully downed the TIEs in a dogfight, but his piloting caused Grogu to regurgitate the cookies he ate, which Djarin had to clean up. Once Karga and company were safe, Djarin and Grogu departed the planet in a fully repaired Razor Crest.

Encounter with Ahsoka Tano

Djarin and Grogu arrived on the forest planet of Corvus, acting on a tip from Bo-Katan that a Jedi, specifically Ahsoka Tano, was residing there. Before entering the planet, however, Grogu used The Force to take the shifter knob with him, but Djarin took it away and stowed it in one of his pouches. Grogu accompanied Djarin inside the planet's capital, Calodan, as he inquired with the residents for information, and was present when Djarin "agreed" to find and kill Tano for the local Magistrate, Morgan Elsbeth, in exchange for a spear of pure beskar. On their way out of the city, Elsbeth's main enforcer, Lang, asked what Grogu was, to which Djarin simply replied he kept him around for luck.

Djarin and Grogu proceeded to search the surrounding forest for Tano. Djarin set Grogu down as he scouted ahead, only to be quickly ambushed by the Jedi. Grogu witnessed them briefly fight until Djarin assured her he was a friend. Seeing Grogu behind him, Tano in turn realized why he had come looking for her. That evening, she connected with Grogu through the Force, revealing his name and history to Djarin for the first time. Ahsoka said that she wanted test Grogu's connection to The Force but had decided to let Grogu sleep.

The next morning, Tano attempted to instruct Grogu by using the Force to move a stone, but he refused to follow her command. When Djarin had more success using the knob from his ship, Tano decided not to train him because she felt that Grogu had developed too strong of a connection to Djarin, and worried that the fear and attachment inside of Grogu would cause him to suffer the same fate as her own master. Grogu stayed on the Razor Crest while Tano and Djarin worked together to liberate Calodan. After the city had been freed, Tano instructed Djarin to find the ruins of an ancient temple on the planet Tython, where Grogu would be able to choose his own destiny, before wishing them both goodbye.

Meditation on Tython

While en route to Tython, Djarin repeatedly called Grogu's name, finding the child's reaction to his name amusing. Djarin then requested the control knob from Grogu, who hesitated to return it; however, Djarin offered it back to Grogu, who used the Force to pull it back. Djarin then landed the Razor Crest, transporting Grogu to the temple via jetpack afterward.

Grogu was placed on the seeing stone by Djarin, where Grogu contacted a Jedi who was later revealed to be Luke Skywalker. Djarin asked Grogu to do his job, with some confusion as to how the process worked due to his lack of understanding of the Force. Grogu simply sat on the stone for a few moments, much to Djarin's annoyance, until the Slave I entered the atmosphere nearby, forcing Djarin to investigate. By the time Djarin spotted Boba Fett exiting his ship, Grogu had begun to meditate, creating an aura around himself, blocking Djarin from reaching him. Djarin eventually gave up trying to retrieve Grogu to escape and left to confront the newly arrived ship. When Djarin confronted Fett, the older bounty hunter threatened Djarin, stating that his accomplice, Fennec Shand, would shoot Grogu if Djarin refused to give his armor back.

As Grogu continued meditating, stormtroopers of Gideon's remnant arrived on Tython, attempting to storm the temple to reach and capture Grogu. The Razor Crest was also bombarded by Gideon's ship from orbit, destroying their present means of escape. Djarin attempted to reach Grogu once more before the force field around Grogu temporarily incapacitated him. Fett and Shand, however, continued to hold off the Imperial forces in defense of Grogu. Djarin eventually woke up, attempting to reach Grogu once more to no avail, then instead joining Fett and Shand in defense of the child.

After the Imperial forces were forced to retreat, Gideon ordered that a squad of dark troopers be sent to apprehend Grogu by force. At this point, Grogu was no longer meditating and was incapacitated. Despite Djarin and Shand's efforts to reach Grogu before the dark troopers, the child was nonetheless captured and taken to Gideon's command cruiser. Fett briefly followed the dark troopers in the Slave I to rescue Grogu, but fell back after Djarin requested for Fett to refrain from harming him.

After Gideon's escape with Grogu, Fett and Shand agreed to help Djarin rescue Grogu. The group first went to Nevarro, where Djarin asked Cara Dune, now a marshal of the New Republic, for assistance. Djarin also requested that Dune help him spring Migs Mayfeld from prison, in hopes that the sharpshooter would help him rescue Grogu.

While on Gideon's command cruiser, Grogu was held in a containment cell, where he tossed around two stormtroopers using the Force; however, this act weakened him. Gideon entered Grogu's cell, taunting him with the Darksaber; as Grogu reached for the blade, Gideon pulled back, telling him he was not yet ready to play with such things. Gideon then ordered his troops to place Grogu in binders, before exiting the cell, ordering a nearby officer to contact Doctor Pershing and inform him of the asset's return.

Rescuing Grogu from Gideon

Djarin, Fett, Shand, Dune, and Mayfeld soon embarked on a mission to ascertain the coordinates of Gideon's ship. The mission proved successful, but not without Djarin compromising his creed and removing his helmet in the presence of others to retrieve the coordinates, underscoring the depth of his affection for Grogu as a son. Djarin then contacted Gideon and conveyed his intention to recover Grogu, turning Gideon's own words against him.

To get to Grogu, who was being held on Gideon's vessel, Djarin, along with Fett, Shand, and Dune, commandeered an Imperial shuttle. They also captured Doctor Pershing during this operation. Bo-Katan Kryze and Koska Reeves joined the rescue operation, with Bo-Katan's goal being to win the Darksaber from Gideon in battle. After successfully boarding the Imperial ship, Djarin discovered Grogu in the ship's brig, with Gideon looming over him, Darksaber in hand. Gideon, after stating that he had already acquired the necessary blood from Grogu, permitted Djarin to approach him. As Djarin picked up Grogu, Gideon attacked him with the Darksaber. Djarin, using his beskar staff, defeated Gideon in combat, while Grogu remained within his cell.

Djarin escorted Gideon and Grogu to the ship's bridge, which the other members of the boarding party had already secured. While they were on the bridge, dark troopers boarded the ship and began attempting to breach the blast doors that protected the bridge. Gideon informed Djarin that the dark troopers would spare only him and Grogu. However, before the dark troopers could break through, an unidentified X-wing starfighter landed on the light cruiser.

A figure cloaked in robes emerged from the X-wing, igniting a green lightsaber and utilizing Force abilities to defeat the dark troopers and reach the bridge. Grogu reached out toward the image of this figure displayed on a monitor on the bridge. Djarin, recognizing the robed figure as a Jedi, opened the blast doors to allow him entry. The Jedi entered the bridge, revealing himself to be Luke Skywalker as he lowered his hood. Djarin shared a poignant farewell with Grogu, removing his helmet so Grogu could see his face. Initially hesitant, Grogu agreed to go with Skywalker upon seeing his astromech droid, R2-D2, and walked toward the droid before being picked up by Skywalker. Skywalker departed with Grogu to commence his Force training.

The Jedi Academy

Grogu engaged in a relatively brief training period with Skywalker on Ossus, the location where Skywalker was in the process of establishing a Jedi Academy. During this time, Luke remarked that Grogu reminded him of Master Yoda, even carrying him up a bamboo tree to show him the planet's landscape. They also meditated, with Skywalker explaining that Grogu would achieve balance through the Force. Initially, Grogu's focus was on using the Force to catch and consume local frogs, but Luke quickly curbed this habit. Luke also aided Grogu in recalling fragments of his past and training, including memories of Order 66. After Grogu demonstrated a remarkable display of Force abilities, Ahsoka Tano praised Luke's teaching skills, but Luke attributed it to Grogu's recollection of his prior training. However, Skywalker sensed that Grogu's heart was not fully committed to the Jedi path. When Djarin visited with a gift of armor for Grogu, Skywalker presented Grogu with a choice: accept the gift, embracing attachment and abandoning the Jedi way to return to the Mandalorian, or take Yoda's lightsaber to continue his Jedi training, forsaking attachment and potentially never seeing his Mandalorian caretaker again.

Returning to the Mandalorian

Grogu chose the armor, succumbing to his attachment to the Mandalorian. R2-D2 transported Grogu in Skywalker's X-wing to Tatooine, where Djarin was caught in the middle of a gang war between Boba Fett's gotra, which Djarin was supporting, and the Pyke Syndicate. Grogu's return was to Peli Motto's hangar, where she learned his name from R2-D2. She commented that the name was awful and that she would never use it. Noticing his armor beneath his robes, she remarked on his fancy attire. Despite R2's urgency to bring Grogu to Djarin, Motto instructed her pit droids to fetch some dung worms for Grogu to eat. After Grogu had his fill, she cared for him that night and promised R2 to take Grogu to Djarin the following day.

She fulfilled her promise, only to discover that Djarin was being pursued by a Scorpenek annihilator droid. While evading the droid, Motto revealed Grogu, who had been concealed under a blanket. Upon seeing Djarin, Grogu leaped into his arms for a hug. Djarin, overjoyed at the reunion and noticing Grogu's beskar shirt, instructed Grogu to hide. However, the rickshaw droid pulling their ride was damaged, causing the carriage to overturn. Djarin caught Grogu mid-air, and they landed safely, only to be confronted by the loud screeching and stomping of a rancor, ridden by Boba Fett. Djarin hid Grogu in a nearby house, but Grogu emerged. As the Scorpenek droid was about to stomp on Djarin again, Grogu used the Force to pull an articulation pin from one of its legs. He caught it, but was sent rolling back. He dropped the pin and was picked up by Motto. After the rancor destroyed the droid, Djarin took Grogu from Motto and carried him throughout the rest of the battle.

Cad Bane frightened the rancor with his flamethrower, causing it to wreak havoc on the city. Djarin handed Grogu over to Motto for safety, along with his favorite knob. Djarin attempted to control the rancor by landing on its back and grabbing the chains, but he failed, and the rancor threw him to the ground. Unable to eat him due to his beskar armor, Grogu escaped Motto's grasp and stood before the rancor, placing himself between it and the fallen Djarin. Using the Force, he calmed it and put it to sleep, curling up beside it, exhausted.

Before they departed Tatooine's atmosphere, Grogu leaned forward in his seat to the glass pit of Din Djarin's N-1 starfighter. He repeatedly tapped the glass with his knob. Djarin, initially hesitant, eventually relented but stated it would be the last time. Djarin then activated the starfighter's sublight thrusters, causing Grogu to fall back in his seat and squeal with delight.

At some point, Grogu visited the planet Batuu with Djarin, specifically its Black Spire Outpost.

Learning the Way of the Mandalore

Path to Mandalore

After the Tribe relocated their hideout and prepared to welcome a new foundling, they were attacked by a lake monster. While the tribe struggled to defeat the creature, Djarin used his starfighter to kill it. Afterward, he and Grogu went to the Armorer, who greeted Djarin coldly and reminded him of his exile. As they sat down, Djarin presented a shard from their home planet of Mandalore, expressing his intention to bathe in the Living Waters in the mines to remove his exile status. The Armorer acknowledged him and sent them on their way. As they traveled through Hyperspace and Djarin slept in the pilot's seat, Grogu marveled at his surroundings when he noticed a pod of purrgils flying nearby. Soon after, Grogu left his cockpit to be with Djarin.

The duo arrived at Nevarro. After Djarin landed, Grogu entered his hovering pram. As they walked the streets, they were amazed by the changes and the planet's vibrancy. They stopped at the statue of IG-11, which Grogu observed with interest. Greef Karga, now High Magistrate, greeted them enthusiastically and led them to his new office. While the two friends caught up, Grogu sat on the chair and used the Force to rotate it. Karga learned Grogu's name from Djarin at this time. When Karga showed a map of a proposed location for Djarin to settle down, he refused and stopped Grogu from spinning the chair. Grogu then noticed snacks in a bowl on Karga's desk, using the Force to take and eat one. As Grogu continued to eat, a protocol droid informed Karga that pirates had appeared in front of the school.

The duo confronted the pirates, led by a Nikto named Vane. A disagreement led to the death of all the pirates except Vane, whom Karga allowed to live to spread the word that Nevarro was now a respectable place. When Djarin questioned the New Republic's inaction, Karga explained that Nevarro was now an independent system and had updated its law enforcement. Djarin then stated that he and Grogu were on Nevarro for business, explaining that he needed a trustworthy droid to explore Mandalore, with IG-11 as his first choice. IG-11's upper body was taken back to Karga's office. While Djarin restored IG-11's circuits and motor function, IG-11's original bounty hunting program was also restored, causing it to attack Grogu. The group attempted to terminate IG-11 while protecting Grogu. Karga's protocol droid caused a copper head statue of Karga to fall on IG-11's head, damaging the memory circuit.

Karga explained that restoring IG-11 was beyond Djarin's skills, so they sought out the best droidsmiths in the Outer Rim Territories: The Anzellans. Grogu was delighted upon seeing one of the Anzellans. As the Anzellans worked on IG-11, Grogu wandered around the workshop, observing their work. After Djarin promised to bring a memory circuit to the Anzellans, Grogu crept behind one of them and grabbed him. Djarin managed to take the Anzellan away from Grogu, placing him out of reach. Disappointed, Grogu made another attempt to capture the Anzellan, but failed.

The duo departed from Nevarro, bidding farewell to Karga. As they left, Djarin showed and explained to Grogu how the ship's interior worked, including the mapping system, fuel, and enemy proximity warning system. At that moment, a trio of pirate ships led by Vane tried to force Djarin to their captain's ship. Djarin refused, and more pirates joined the battle. After destroying all but Vane's ship, they learned that Vane had led them to Pirate King Gorian Shard. Shard demanded Djarin surrender himself and his ship in exchange for his safety. Djarin told Grogu to never trust a pirate before activating the ship's sublight thrusters, allowing them to escape the target lock and jump into lightspeed.

After which the duo went to Kalevala. On the way there, Djarin explained that the planet was also located in the Mandalore system. The duo then landed on Kryze Castle to join Bo-Katan’s crusade at retaking Mandalore. Upon arriving, they were informed by Bo that the fleet she once had abandoned her, as she no longer had the rightful means to lead the group, due to Djarin now possessing the Darksaber. She then told Djarin that the fleet would obey him, but she would not fight him for control of the blade. Djarin, however, refused to lead and instead vowed to go to Mandalore and be cleansed of his sins by bathing in the Living Waters. Bo then told the duo that the Mines of Mandalore was located beneath the Civic Center of Sundari. Djarin then left for their next destination.

Mission on Mandalore

Returning to Tatooine on Boonta Eve, they once again landed in Peli Motto's hangar. Upon seeing Peli, Grogu leapt out of the cockpit into her arms in delight. Motto began fussing the young alien, who made infant noises, prompting Motto to believe Grogu had said her name. Din Djarin then told Motto that he had business here on Tatooine. Motto then recounted their adventures as she tried to guess his business, even wonder if either The Twins or Boba Fett were his target. Djarin then said that he needed an IG droid memory circuit, as he was going to the surface of Mandalore, and needed a droid suitable for spelunking. Motto passed the request to a group of Jawas nearby, however they stated that currently they did not have one available, so Peli sold R5-D4 to Djarin. After an oil bath and modifying the N1 to hold R5, the new trio left Tatooine enjoying the fireworks that showered the night..

Entering the Mandalore system, Djarin explained to Grogu about its history and the fact that he has never been to the planet before. He then pointed to the moon of Concordia telling his foundling that is where he grew up after being taken in by the Mandalorians. Djarin then shows Grogu where on the star map Kalevala is, before descending toward the planet's surface. Despite the terrible weather and turbulence, the N1 was able to make it onto the planet. Finding a safe place to land, Djarin then instructed his new astromech droid on what to do.

Reclaiming Mandalore

Eventually, Djarin and Grogu participated in a successful assault aimed at retaking Mandalore from the clutches of Gideon's forces. This endeavor achieved its goal, resulting in Moff Gideon's demise, and Grogu's formal adoption as Djarin's son. Their shared adventures would continue.

Personality and traits

Grogu established a deep connection with Djarin, who became his adoptive father. Ahsoka Tano detected fear and anger within Grogu, as well as his emotional attachment to the Mandalorian. Grogu initially resisted Tano's attempts to assess his Force connection; Djarin attributed this to Grogu's stubborn nature. Tano wanted to see if Grogu would listen to Djarin, to which Djarin responded that it would "be a first." Due to his stubbornness, Grogu often found himself in troublesome situations, such as eating vendor food without paying, hugging an Anzellan without consent, and causing numerous ice spiders to attack him and his group.

Although Grogu survived by keeping his powers hidden, he occasionally used his Force abilities to obtain what he desired, whether it was food or the control knob from the Razor Crest. He also demonstrated a willingness to use the Force to safeguard his Mandalorian caretaker.

Grogu's diet was characterized by his fondness for a diverse range of meals, including living creatures. During his time with Djarin, Grogu consumed frogs, unfertilized frog eggs, a spider egg, a creature with tentacles, blue macarons, worms, and various types of soups/broths.

Grogu was a male alien belonging to the same species as Grand Master Yoda. Despite being fifty standard years old when Djarin discovered him, Grogu possessed the appearance and behavior of a toddler. At that time, he was a wide-eyed youngling standing 0.34 meters tall. He also had sparse strands of white hair on his wrinkled head, brown eyes, green skin, and two long ears that moved with his emotions. He typically wore baggy youngling's robes, which included pockets for holding small items like eggs or his favorite control knob. Since choosing to return to Clan Mudhorn, he wore his chain mail armor beneath his robes.

Powers and abilities

Grogu was able to tap into the mystical energies of the Force due to his Force-sensitivity. A notable demonstration of his power occurred when he telekinetically lifted a giant mudhorn into the air to save Djarin. However, this feat was physically taxing for Grogu, causing him to fall unconscious for several hours. He could also channel the Force when angered, such as when he telekinetically strangled Cara Dune because he believed she was harming Djarin during an arm-wrestling match. He later displayed the ability to heal serious injuries and cure poisoning by touching the injury and using the Force, though this act, like levitating the mudhorn, was incredibly draining. In another telekinetic display, Grogu created a strong barrier to protect his companions by blocking and redirecting fire from an Incinerator trooper.

Grogu's proficiency in using the Force had grown by the time of his capture on Tython, as observed by Moff Gideon. He could telekinetically toss around two stormtroopers until his Force powers diminished. He could also manipulate small, nearby objects with ease, such as pulling cookies toward himself or unscrewing a knob from one of the Razor Crest's levers.

After training with Master Skywalker, Grogu could use the Force to enhance his reaction times and swiftly jump long distances (relative to his size). He also calmed a rancor that attacked Djarin in Mos Espa. Taming the rancor exhausted Grogu, and he fell asleep cuddled with the beast.

Behind the scenes

Conception

Grogu made his debut in the initial episode of the 2019 Disney+ series The Mandalorian, which premiered on November 12, 2019. Jon Favreau originated the character, desiring to delve into a new character belonging to Yoda's species early in his training, contrasting with Jedi Master Yoda at the conclusion of his journey in the 1983 movie Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi. A discussion between Favreau and executive producer Dave Filoni regarding the character sparked a debate because Filoni aimed to safeguard the enigma that Star Wars creator George Lucas had crafted around Yoda. Filoni sketched a preliminary drawing of the Child on cocktail napkins. Another illustration by Filoni depicted the Child's hand extending from a hovering bassinet toward his protector.

Favreau envisioned the Child possessing a name reflecting his blend of cuteness and slight ugliness, leading to the creation of the name Grogu. Early during the first season's production, Favreau informed Filoni of the Child's name, Grogu, prompting Filoni to consider how the audience could discover this information. His concept involved Ahsoka Tano connecting with Grogu and communicating through memories and experiences, enabling her to learn Grogu's name and subsequently inform Djarin and the viewers. Favreau stipulated that the character should exhibit numerous wrinkles, minimize the visibility of the sclera in his eyes, and avoid appearing overly cute. Several members of the Lucasfilm art department collaborated to refine Filoni's initial image. Christian Alzmann's depiction of the Child was the first to truly resonate. His design drew inspiration from J. C. Leyendecker's baby illustrations and vintage Warner Bros. cartoon characters, known for their babies' prominent cheeks. Favreau commented on Alzmann's design: "It conveyed cuteness, yet also possessed a hint of strangeness. That's an essential aspect of Yoda. It cannot simply be cute. It cannot merely resemble a typical Disney baby; it must have a slightly altered quality."

Grogu isn't the first young member of Yoda's species to appear in a Star Wars narrative; a young member of the species was depicted in a single panel of the Star Wars Legends comic Children of the Force, featured in Star Wars Tales 13 in 2002.

Depiction

Filoni and Favreau originally planned to film Grogu as a puppet, with the intention of later adding CGI if the puppet didn't appear convincing enough. However, Werner Herzog, who portrayed "the Client" in The Mandalorian, urged them to stick with the puppet, accusing them of cowardice if they didn't. Throughout the show's production, a team of puppeteers operated Grogu. Jason Matthews manipulated the eyes, Trevor Hensley managed his body movements and head, Hiroshi Ikeuchi controlled the ears and mouth, Mike Manzel handled the majority of the body movements, and Tamara Carlson Woodard served as a standby operator and also designed the costume. During filming, the actors referred to it as "the Being". According to Emily Swallow, who played "the Armorer," people on set, including herself, felt compelled to interact with Grogu, despite knowing it was a puppet, due to the character's endearing design. The puppeteers developed the habit of subtly moving Grogu as people spoke to him on set.

News outlets and social media platforms have widely and affectionately dubbed Grogu as "Baby Yoda". According to a Vanity Fair article, fans eagerly sought "Baby Yoda" merchandise, although Favreau initially hesitated, fearing potential leaks of Grogu's appearance before the first episode's premiere. Despite this popular nickname, Disney deliberately referred to the character solely as "The Child" in merchandising materials. Favreau even reprimanded Disney CEO Bob Iger for using the name Baby Yoda. Indeed, Swallow recalled directives from higher-ups instructing her and others to avoid using the term "Baby Yoda," with the official policy being to use Grogu's actual name. Nevertheless, the product description for the LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar 2021 acknowledges that Grogu is "affectionately known as Baby Yoda," and the term officially entered Canon that same year with the release of The Mandalorian Junior Novel (audiobook). Swallow mentioned in 2024 that the higher-ups had given up trying to prevent people from calling the character Baby Yoda.

Grogu and Djarin made their debut at Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge in November 2022. According to "The Journey of Din Djarin," an article by Kristin Baver in Star Wars Insider 216, Djarin became Grogu's adoptive father before the events of The Mandalorian Season Three. However, "Chapter 24: The Return" depicted Djarin adopting Grogu during Season Three, not beforehand.

Non-Canon Storylines

On December 12, 2019, a Grogu statue was incorporated into The Sims 4, following the ongoing premiere of The Mandalorian's first season. This item serves solely as a decorative element and does not function as either a playable or non-playable character, nor does it possess any special in-game properties. Grogu was also featured in a pair of LEGO animated productions; in "Snowflake Snack," he escapes the Razor Crest to frolic in the snow, but he inadvertently encases himself within a massive snowball generated through the Force. Din Djarin subsequently rescues him. He also makes a brief appearance in The LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special while Rey Skywalker engages in a duel with Darth Vader. The combatants, alongside other characters present in the scene, momentarily cease their fighting to admire Grogu's endearing nature.

A subtle allusion to Grogu was integrated into the 2021 short Maggie Simpson in "The Force Awakens From Its Nap", a crossover between Star Wars and The Simpsons, although Grogu himself remained absent. Al Jean, the showrunner for The Simpsons, attributed Grogu's non-appearance to his status as the most sought-after character on Disney+, suggesting that Lucasfilm Ltd. aimed to prevent Grogu from becoming overexposed.

Grogu features in the non-canonical LEGO comic "The Droid Defenders," where Grogu and Djarin journey to the world of Shihan, predominantly inhabited by droids. In the subsequent comic "Flight of the Fireflies," the pair venture to the planet Asanak with the goal of acquiring a component from a junk dealer, only to be ambushed by the local fireflies.