When “The Mandalorian” was being marketed, there were quite a few fans psyched about the idea of a live-action “Star Wars” TV series focused on the criminal underbelly and the bounty hunters that make their living bringing those folks into justice. But then Baby Yoda happened and you would swear that the series was just a “single dad raising a cute baby” sitcom from the ‘90s. Needless to say, the narrative surrounding “The Mandalorian” changed.
But even after the first season of the series, there are still plenty of questions surrounding the origins of Baby Yoda, known in the series as The Child. You see, we know he’s pretty youthful for the age of 50, and that he’s the same species as the beloved character from the first two trilogies of films. However, this is “Star Wars.” So, it’s not good enough to just introduce a character and keep their history a secret. We have to know everything, including his parents, grandparents, blood type, and midi-chlorian levels.
Well, series creator-writer-producer Jon Favreau is keeping those secrets to himself, for now (via USAToday). One thing he will say, however, is Baby Yoda isn’t actually Yoda himself. The timeline just doesn’t add up.
“The series timeline takes place after ‘Return of the Jedi,'” said Favreau. “And fans of the original trilogy will remember that Yoda not only passes away but actually disappears. So Yoda exists as a Force Ghost.”
Now, just because Baby Yoda isn’t, in fact, Yoda himself, that doesn’t necessarily mean that he’s not a direct descendant, right? If there’s one thing “Star Wars” loves more than anything, it’s the idea that the galaxy far, far away is basically some small town in the Midwest where everyone knows everyone and family trees are horribly intertwined. So, are we bracing ourselves for a Yoda as a father reveal?
“Well, now you’re getting into spoilers. I can’t say. But there are a lot of theories about that,” Favreau replied.
Yes, the world of “Star Wars,” and fandom, in general, is very spoiler-averse, with any comment being taken as gospel. But if The Child is not Yoda, Jr, then is that truly a spoiler? Presumably, it wouldn’t be a big deal for Favreau to just say that Baby Yoda is a member of the same species but isn’t a direct descendant of the Jedi Master. Or are we looking at a world where all the Yoda-like creatures are part of one big family?
Well, apparently that’s the story for another day. You can stream all the episodes of “The Mandalorian” Season 1 on Disney+ now.