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138-628: Din Grogu ( / ˈ ɡ r oʊ ɡ u / ), 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 "

276-498: A krayt dragon which had been attacking Mos Pelgo, in exchange for his armor. Along the way the pair arrange an uneasy alliance between the townspeople and a Tusken Raider tribe. The Mandalorian developed a deep respect for Vanth, to the point he entrusts him to look after Grogu, should he perish during his attempt to kill the dragon. In " Chapter 10: The Passenger ", the Mandalorian and Grogu leave for Trask, where they must take

414-456: A nature versus nurture argument to this, contending Grogu is becoming violent because of what he is learning based on the actions around him. This suggests Grogu is not inherently good or evil, but that instead, like all children, he is impressionable and does not fully understand the events occurring around him. He is learning about life and needs guidance as he develops his abilities. This is why he uses Force powers generally associated with both

552-457: A "kindred spirit" in him. Herzog said: "I think it's a bit of an homage to my films and to my storytelling and to my way of putting emphasis on world stories, fever dreams in the jungle, quasi-science fiction stories." Herzog also believed Favreau wanted him because "they needed somebody who would spread terror, and be frightening for the audience", which he felt he could do. It took Herzog less than one minute after meeting Favreau to be drawn to

690-442: A CGI version of Grogu in its place. Herzog passionately urged him not to do so and to remain committed to the animatronics and puppetry, saying: "You are cowards. Leave it. Leave it." Esposito has also said having an actual Grogu puppet to perform against has been beneficial for the cast, because "that space allows all of us to be so wowed by its presence". Misty Rosas, who delivered the motion capture performance for Kuiil, often held

828-522: A Nevarro cantina. The scheme initially goes according to plan, with the Client believing the Mandalorian and the alien Child have both been captured. Just as he asks to see the Child, the Client receives a hologram call from his superior, Moff Gideon , who rhetorically inquires about the Child; then presumably to punish his failure, orders a squad of six Death Troopers to open fire on the Client from outside

966-422: A bounty hunter named Toro Calican ( Jake Cannavale ), whom the Mandalorian kills. In " Chapter 6: The Prisoner ", the Mandalorian participates in a rescue job as part of a team of mercenaries organized by Ranzar Malk ( Mark Boone Junior ). The Mandalorian keeps Grogu hidden on his ship during the mission, but the other mercenaries eventually find him. One of them, a droid named Q9-0 ( Richard Ayoade ), learns of

1104-531: A considerable ability to use and manipulate the Force, such as when he lifts the large Mudhorn creature into the air in "Chapter 2: The Child", and when he deflects the fire of an attacking stormtrooper's flamethrower back against him in "Chapter 8: Redemption". Kevin Melrose of Comic Book Resources noted that in the original Star Wars trilogy film The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Luke Skywalker struggled to lift an X-wing fighter due to its large size, so

1242-406: A contact, "Frog Lady" (Misty Rosas, voiced by Dee Bradley Baker ), and her eggs in exchange for a lead on other Mandalorians. During their journey, Grogu takes a liking to the eggs and eats a few of them despite being explicitly forbidden from doing so by the Mandalorian. Grogu's appetite also gets the group into trouble while stranded on Maldo Kreis, where he eats a spider-like creature's egg just as

1380-589: A crew of Quarrens who wish to kill Grogu and steal the Mandalorian's armor. While the Mandalorian accompanies Bo-Katan's team on a mission in exchange for a lead on Jedi, Grogu is left with the Frog Man and Frog Lady, during which time the eggs hatch and Grogu bonds with the newborn tadpoles . In " Chapter 12: The Siege ", the Mandalorian and Grogu return to Nevarro for repairs to the Razor Crest , and reunite with Greef Karga and Cara Dune, who have since turned

1518-500: A deal with the former to protect Grogu in exchange for Fett's armor (which the Mandalorian obtained from Cobb Vanth). Despite their best efforts, Grogu is captured by Gideon's Dark Troopers and taken to his Imperial cruiser, where he is imprisoned inside a holding cell. Later, Gideon witnesses Grogu using his Force powers on two stormtroopers to hurl them around the cell before collapsing in exhaustion. Gideon orders his troops to stun and cuff Grogu, and to take him to Dr. Pershing to complete

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1656-446: A film he was writing and directing called Family Romance, LLC (2019), which he financed himself after struggling to find traditional Hollywood financing. At the time he accepted the part on The Mandalorian , Herzog was not familiar with any other films Favreau had previously made, nor had he before seen any Star Wars films. He said of the franchise: "I've seen some trailers, I've seen some excerpts here and there. I know about

1794-551: A final attack from Moff Gideon, the Mandalorian once again departs from Nevarro with Grogu. Grogu accompanies the Mandalorian during his search for other Mandalorians who could help him find the child's people: the Jedi . In " Chapter 9: The Marshal ", the pair return to Tatooine and meet Cobb Vanth ( Timothy Olyphant ), the Marshal of Mos Pelgo, who is not a true Mandalorian but wears Mandalorian armor. The Mandalorian helps Vanth slay

1932-546: A gift to deliver to Grogu: beskar chain mail forged by the Armorer . Ahsoka gives the chain mail to Luke, who confesses that he is unsure whether Grogu is fully committed to the Jedi path and that he does not know how to handle the matter. Following Ahsoka's advice to listen to his instincts, Luke decides to let Grogu choose his destiny by asking him to choose between the chain mail and the lightsaber of his old master, Yoda . In

2070-409: A good story, most of the time they go with it. The character of Grogu was further developed in early conversations between Favreau and Filoni, the latter of whom drew a rough sketch of the character on cocktail napkins during the talks. Multiple artists worked to refine the image of Grogu created by Filoni, but the definitive imagery came from a concept drawing by artist Christian Alzmann, which depicted

2208-430: A great deal of "motion-controlled cameras and green screens ", but that The Mandalorian was a much more genuine and authentic filmmaking experience. He said of the process: "Filmmaking — and that's Jon's great achievement with The Mandalorian — is brought back to where it always has been". With its use of real-time rendering, virtual reality, and visual effects that displayed digitally-augmented environments during

2346-592: A highly- pitched version of his voice for some of the more articulated vocalizations. Acord also previously voiced Rotta the Hutt , the young Huttlet son of Jabba the Hutt , in the animated film Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008). In " Chapter 23: The Spies ", Taika Waititi voices IG-12, a pilotable exoskeleton built by the Anzellans (from IG-11 's remains) to be controlled by Grogu, whom Grogu speaks through by clicking buttons to say "yes" and "no". The character

2484-496: A key part in the success of Disney+. 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. A member of the same species as the Star Wars character Yoda , he is 50 years old during the events of The Mandalorian " Chapter 1: The Mandalorian ", but still appears to be an infant because of

2622-625: A medal with the Imperial insignia worn around his neck, further signifying both his reverence for the Empire and his personal history with it. The Client is portrayed in The Mandalorian by German film director, screenwriter, and actor Werner Herzog. He was recruited for the part by series creator and showrunner Jon Favreau . Herzog believed Favreau approached him out of appreciation for his acting abilities, and also because Favreau saw

2760-535: A mentor to the adolescent Anakin Skywalker, Princess Leia lamenting over her grown son Kylo Ren , or the absence of Rey 's parents. Several reviewers have compared the dynamic between Grogu and the Mandalorian to Lone Wolf and Cub , a manga about a samurai warrior and his young son. Grogu makes the Mandalorian a softer and more relatable character; he changes in a positive way because of raising Grogu, becoming less selfish and self-absorbed. Several examples of

2898-408: A nurse droid and protector for Grogu. During their voyage, the party is attacked by pterodactyl -like creatures and Greef receives what would have been a fatal injury, but Grogu uses the Force to heal him. Greef is so moved that he has a change of heart and informs the others about the trap. They devise a new plan in which Kuiil will bring Grogu back to the Mandalorian's ship, while the others will kill

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3036-536: A parody of Herzog's voice and persona. A Funko Pop figurine of the Client was announced on December 31, 2019. James Whitbrook of Gizmodo announced the release of the toy in a story with the headline "Forget the Baby Yoda, It's the Werner Herzog Funko Pop I Want", and wrote: "Nothing — nothing — can compare to the absurd brilliance of living in the reality where Funko Pop Werner Herzog

3174-492: A platoon of Dark Trooper droids until Luke Skywalker ( Mark Hamill ) arrives with R2-D2 and destroys the Dark troopers. When Luke offers to raise and train Grogu, the Mandalorian, realizing that the child's destiny is to become a Jedi, reluctantly allows him to go with Luke. During an emotional farewell, the Mandalorian removes his helmet to let Grogu see his face for the first time and promises to meet him again. Grogu appears in

3312-469: A prospective companion, but IG-11 defaults to his original programming and attempts to kill Grogu before once again being destroyed. In " Chapter 18: The Mines of Mandalore ", Pelli Motto sells R5-D4 to the Mandalorian and the three travel to Mandalore . When the Mandalorian is captured by a cyborg in the mines, Grogu flies with R5 in the N-1 to Kalevala to fetch Bo-Katan to rescue the captured Mandalorian. After

3450-540: A rampage in Mos Espa. Grogu uses the Force to put the rancor to sleep, stopping it from causing more damage. Afterward, Grogu and the Mandalorian fly away together from Tatooine, in the Mandalorian's new Naboo N-1 starfighter . Grogu accompanies the Mandalorian on his travels as he attempts to atone for breaking the Creed by removing his helmet. In " Chapter 17: The Apostate ", the Mandalorian has IG-11 partially repaired as

3588-463: A real-live creature and he had fallen in love with it." Chow added: "You can't come up with a better matchup than Werner Herzog and Baby Yoda", a reference to the Child's popular nickname among fans and reviewers. Herzog strongly urged the Mandalorian filmmakers to use the puppet for the character and not computer-generated imagery . Favreau and executive producer Dave Filoni shot scenes for

3726-411: A remote and heavily defended encampment on the planet Arvala-7 and find Grogu. When IG-11 attempts to kill Grogu, the Mandalorian protects him and instead shoots and destroys IG-11. In " Chapter 2: The Child ", Grogu is present when the Mandalorian is attacked by a giant rhinoceros -like creature called a mudhorn. As the beast rushes toward the Mandalorian for the kill, Grogu uses the Force to levitate

3864-399: A result, Greef Karga arranges for the Mandalorian to return so they can kill the Client and his troops and eliminate the Imperial presence from the planet. The offer is a trap, and Greef plans to kill the Mandalorian and return the Child to the Client, but Greef has a change of heart after being healed by Grogu. They devise a new plan to assassinate the Client during a surreptitious meeting at

4002-488: A scene on the Mandalorian's spaceship, Grogu observes as the Mandalorian and Cara Dune engage in a friendly arm wrestling match. During the contest, Grogu uses the Force to choke Cara, nearly strangling her to death before the Mandalorian intervenes. Throughout the Star Wars franchise, that ability has been most commonly associated with the dark side of the Force , and particularly with the antagonist character Darth Vader . Sarah Bea Milner of Screen Rant wrote: "The moment

4140-399: A simple-minded observer to Luke Skywalker before revealing himself to be a Jedi Master. Miller suggested Grogu could be putting on a similar performance. One fan theory suggests Grogu could be related to a prophecy in a past Star Wars work that predicted an evil that could consume the galaxy. The prophecy, described in the novel Star Wars: Master and Apprentice (2019), says: "The danger of

4278-501: A team of dangerous mercenaries to use his ship while Grogu is on board, nearly resulting in Grogu's death. An interaction the Mandalorian has with Peli Motto in "Chapter 5: The Gunslinger" is one of the most overt discussions about the challenges of caring for Grogu. When the Mandalorian accidentally wakes Grogu, who had been sleeping in Peli's arms, she chides him: "Do you have any idea how long it took me to get it to sleep?" She also condemns

Grogu - Misplaced Pages Continue

4416-420: A wildlife rescue near San Diego , and used recordings of a bat-eared fox and kinkajou to make the initial version of Grogu's voice. However, Favreau suggested the voice needed to sound more human-like and relatable to audiences, so instead the animal sounds were scaled back and used only for small grunts and cooing noises. Actual infant vocals were used to create the new version of Grogu's voice, and Acord used

4554-459: Is also occasionally capable of violence, such as during a scene in "Chapter 7: The Reckoning" when he uses the Force to choke Cara Dune while she is engaging the Mandalorian in a friendly arm wrestling match and in "Chapter 14: The Tragedy" when Grogu slams two stormtroopers together while imprisoned by Moff Gideon. Grogu was conceived by Jon Favreau , the creator and showrunner of The Mandalorian . Upon learning that Lucasfilm had been sold to

4692-691: Is an emotional transference happening here. The audience cares more about the unnamed, faceless Mandalorian because he cares so much about Baby Yoda." Rebecca Keegan of The Hollywood Reporter believes Grogu displays a form of wisdom despite his young age, describing him as "a Dalai Lama in toddler form". Jeanne Cavelos , former NASA astrophysicist and author of The Science of Star Wars , also believes Grogu demonstrates intelligence beyond his years, noting his awareness and empathy toward beings even when their faces or bodies are covered completely, as well as his ability to recognize injury in others and attempt to repair it. Despite his youth, Grogu demonstrates

4830-461: Is an example of unexpected fatherhood. The Mandalorian feels a connection and parental bond with Grogu because of his own childhood, when he was orphaned upon the death of his parents and was adopted by the Mandalorian culture as a "foundling". Nevertheless, fatherhood was not a role the Mandalorian was initially seeking, and he makes repeated initial attempts to avoid this responsibility. He first does so in "Chapter 3: The Sin", when he leaves Grogu with

4968-555: Is captured by a large winged Raptor. While the Mandalorian, Bo-Katan, and Ragnar's father Paz (Jon Favreau) leave to rescue him, Grogu joins the Armorer at the Forge, where she teaches him Mandalorian culture and forges him a beskar rondel . The Forge triggers more of Grogu's memories of the Great Jedi Purge, revealing that he escaped Coruscant with the help of Jedi Master Kelleran Beq ( Ahmed Best ) and sympathetic members of

5106-406: 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

5244-411: Is controlled by two technicians, one who operates the eyes and mouth and another who controls other facial expressions. There are several stand-in versions for Grogu used in filming in addition to the primary puppet. The crew of The Mandalorian wanted to use animatronics for Grogu as often as possible. However, they also shot versions of the character's scenes both with and without the puppet, so they had

5382-491: Is driving interest in Disney+". Some critics called Grogu one of the best and most lauded new Star Wars characters in recent memory, while others said the character had made the Star Wars franchise relevant to an even wider range of audiences. Vulture writer Madison Malone Kircher described Grogu as an example of a character so popular that his fame nearly eclipsed that of his own franchise, comparing him to Baby Groot from

5520-416: Is formally declared to be his father figure. Anthony Breznican of Vanity Fair has noted that none of the day-to-day difficulties of parenthood are portrayed in the series: "There is no shrill squawking from Baby Yoda, no tantrum, no spit-up, no uncontrollable shrieking that burrows into a parent’s psyche like a dentist’s drill shredding a soft, pink nerve." Likewise, Vulture writer Kathryn VanArendonk said

5658-511: Is genuinely shocking — and more than a little disturbing." Some reviewers noted, however, that Grogu likely mistakenly believed the Mandalorian was in danger and intervened to help. Additionally, in the same episode, Grogu uses the Force to heal and save Greef Karga, a power typically associated with the Light Side. Peter Foy of Comic Book Resources wrote: "It doesn't exactly seem realistic that Disney would blow its merchandising potential with

Grogu - Misplaced Pages Continue

5796-450: Is mostly a work of animatronics and puppetry , although accentuated with computer-generated imagery (CGI). Legacy Effects , the special effects studio started by protégés of special make-up effects creator Stan Winston , designed the Grogu puppet and supplied the puppeteers to animate it during filming. The puppet cost about $ 5 million to make, and is relatively heavy due to the amount of wires and animatronic technology inside it. It

5934-415: Is often exhausted and slips into unconsciousness, indicating that he is still developing his power and does not yet have the skills to fully control it. Despite his raw natural ability with the Force, Grogu is untrained and still depends heavily on the Mandalorian and other allies for protection. Grogu has a sweet temperament, and comes across as innocent and kindhearted to most of the people he encounters, but

6072-437: Is special". Herzog particularly enjoyed filming scenes with the animatronic puppet of Child character, which he called "heartbreakingly beautiful". Chow said directing the scene between Herzog and the Child was "one of the weirdest" moments of her career, because he had so much affection for the puppet and was interacting with it like it was a living being. She said: "I literally think that he had forgotten that it's not

6210-407: Is very interesting and very knowledgeable and very cute. I never use that word, but he is a cute little guy." Werner Herzog particularly enjoyed filming scenes with the animatronic Grogu puppet, which he called "heartbreakingly beautiful". Chow said directing the scene between Herzog and Grogu in "Chapter 3: The Sin" was "one of the weirdest" moments of her career, because he had so much affection for

6348-714: The Guardians of the Galaxy films. The Guardian writer Zach Vasquez noted past Star Wars works had featured young characters that have not resonated as strongly as Grogu, so he credited his success with the character's designers and special effects. Likewise, Robyn Bahr of The Hollywood Reporter said the positive response to Grogu, along with that of the show The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance , demonstrate that audiences still desire puppetry, animatronics, and practical effects rather than only CGI. Bahr wrote: "If Baby Yoda were entirely 3D animation, he wouldn't have become an icon

6486-534: The Naboo Armed Forces. In " Chapter 21: The Pirate " and " Chapter 22: Guns for Hire ", Grogu tags along as Bo-Katan and the Mandalorian bring together their respective tribes. In " Chapter 23: The Spies ", Grogu is given IG-12, a human-sized mecha made from the remains of IG-11, which he uses both to walk and to speak, although he can use only the words "Yes" and "No". When a quarrel breaks out between two Mandalorians from different tribes as they cross

6624-486: The Rebel Alliance . The character is never identified by name on the series and is known simply as "The Client". He first appears in the series premiere episode " Chapter 1: The Mandalorian " of The Mandalorian , a Star Wars television series on the streaming service Disney+ . The show's protagonist, a bounty hunter known as " The Mandalorian ", is placed into contact with the Client by Greef Karga ,

6762-661: The "product of a merciless capitalist machine" intended primarily to generate merchandising revenue for Disney. Gordon wrote: "It's not really Baby Yoda I hate, of course. He's really cute. It's the feeling that I'm being pandered to, that all of this is a foregone conclusion." Emma Gray Ellis wrote that there was some backlash to Grogu on social media in response to the character's massive Internet popularity. She wrote: "There's something grindingly, performatively grouchy in leaping forward to damn something that 'everyone' likes, in no small part because everyone likes it." Character (arts) Too Many Requests If you report this error to

6900-438: The Child both with and without the puppet, so they could replace the character with a CGI effect in post-production if the puppet did not look satisfactory. After Herzog filmed a scene with the Child, Filoni began to remove the puppet to shoot another alternate scene without him, but Herzog urged him not to do so and to remain committed to the animatronics and puppetry, saying: "You are cowards. Leave it. Leave it." When this story

7038-494: The Child, killing all of the stormtroopers present and successfully fleeing the planet with the Child. The Client was not present during the Mandalorian's rescue. The Client makes his final appearance in the season's penultimate episode, " Chapter 7: The Reckoning ". By this time, the Client had reinforced Nevarro with more stormtroopers, which had made it more difficult for the Bounty Hunters' Guild to operate there. As

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7176-400: The Child. The Client says he would prefer the Child be delivered to him alive, but that he is willing to pay a smaller amount for proof of termination. As a down payment, the Client gives the Mandalorian a small bar of beskar, the rare metal traditionally used to create the virtually invulnerable body armor of his people. The Client returns in the episode " Chapter 3: The Sin ", in which

7314-608: The Client and his troops. The plan goes wrong and Kuiil is killed by Imperial Scout Troopers , who briefly abduct Grogu before he is rescued by IG-11 at the start of the first-season finale, " Chapter 8: Redemption ". IG-11 brings Grogu back to the Mandalorian, Cara, and Greef and helps defend them against an ambush by the Imperial leader Moff Gideon ( Giancarlo Esposito ), who is revealed to have been seeking Grogu all along. He does not reveal why he wants Grogu, but says he "means more to me than you will ever know". After surviving an attack by Gideon's stormtroopers, during which Grogu uses

7452-408: The Client order his Imperial colleague, Dr. Pershing, to "extract the necessary material" from the Child; the exact material is not identified and his reasons for wanting it are not explained. Although Pershing notes they are supposed to return the Child to their employers alive, the Client insists he simply extracts the material quickly and "be done with it". The Mandalorian later returns to rescue

7590-411: The Client was a dangerous man. Weathers was a great admirer of Herzog, referring to him as "maestro" on the set of The Mandalorian , and the two had extensive conversations with each other about Herzog's past films and his relationship with actor Klaus Kinski . The Client character and Werner Herzog's performance have received generally positive reviews from critics. Nick Venable of CinemaBlend said

7728-405: The Client, and then again in "Chapter 4: Sanctuary", when he plans to leave Grogu with Omera, a protective mother on the planet Sorgan who is willing to take Grogu into her own family. The Mandalorian does not fully commit to the role of fatherhood until the first-season finale, "Chapter 8: Redemption" when Grogu himself is also adopted into the Mandalorian culture as a "foundling" and the Mandalorian

7866-504: The Force to deflect the fire of an attacking stormtrooper's flamethrower back against him, the group escapes with Grogu through a sewer grate. They seek help from the hidden Mandalorian tribe, but it is revealed the Imperials wiped out the tribe after they revealed themselves in "Chapter 3: The Sin". The tribe's leader, " the Armorer " ( Emily Swallow ), instructs the Mandalorian to watch over and protect Grogu, who she formally adopts into

8004-401: The Grogu puppet during her scenes in "Chapter 7: The Reckoning". This occasionally proved challenging for Rosas, who also had to manage the weight of the animatronics in her costume and face mask, as well as the weight of the Grogu prop. One full day of filming the episode focused upon Kuiil riding the blurrg creature, a process Rosas described as "intense" due to the amount of time she spent on

8142-407: The Hutt , and more similar to Vito Corleone , the mobster protagonist of The Godfather (1972). Herzog uses his own German accent for the part, providing what Serba called "instantly identifiable, idiosyncratic, intently articulate intonation". The Client is obsessed with obtaining the Child, and as time passes over the series gets increasingly anxious about capturing him. He truly believes in

8280-510: The Imperial presence from the planet, and in exchange, he and Grogu will be safe from any further reprisals from the Guild. The proposal is a trap, and Greef plans to ambush and kill the Mandalorian and return Grogu to the Client. Nevertheless, the Mandalorian accepts the offer and returns to the planet along with Grogu and his allies Cara Dune ( Gina Carano ), Kuiil ( Nick Nolte ), and the recently-rebuilt IG-11, whom Kuiil has reprogrammed to be

8418-533: The Internet era. As an example, Glover cited the excitement generated by the sudden releases of surprise albums by singer and songwriter Beyoncé . Favreau felt keeping Grogu a secret until he was revealed would allow fans to connect with the character and "discover the story as it was unfolding". The leadership and marketing team at the Walt Disney Company was supportive of this strategy. Screeners of

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8556-577: The Jedi (1983). Favreau believed part of the appeal of Yoda was that George Lucas deliberately kept his origins and details about the species mysterious, and Favreau believed that sense of mystery would extend to Grogu: "I think that's why people are so curious about this little one of the same species." In mid-2017, shortly after Favreau pitched The Mandalorian to Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy , she suggested he meet with Dave Filoni , who had co-created several Star Wars animated series. Filoni said of his meeting with Favreau: When he brought up in

8694-558: 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,

8832-473: The Mandalorian and Grogu. Ryan Britt of Fatherly wrote: "For years the Star Wars franchise avoided depicting a parent-child dynamic. With Mando and Baby Yoda, that’s finally changing." Vulture writer Kathryn VanArendonk argued that parenting has been the subject of past Star Wars stories, but almost always during later stages of parenthood, rather than an infant in early developmental stages such as Grogu. As examples, she cited Obi-Wan Kenobi serving as

8970-405: The Mandalorian brings Grogu to said temple, where he begins meditating and a protective Force field rises around him. Moff Gideon's Imperial remnant, having tracked down the Mandalorian, soon attacks in an attempt to capture Grogu, who continues his meditation while being protected by the Mandalorian and the recently arrived Boba Fett ( Temuera Morrison ) and Fennec Shand ( Ming-Na Wen ), who made

9108-429: The Mandalorian brings him the captured Child. The Client provides the Mandalorian the promised beskar steel in a white security container he identifies as a "camtono". (This container is identical in appearance to an ice cream maker that an extra carried while fleeing Cloud City in the Star Wars film The Empire Strikes Back (1980). The item and its purpose had been the subject of much discussion by fans over

9246-572: The Mandalorian culture as a "foundling", like the Mandalorian once was himself. She instructs the Mandalorian to seek out and deliver Grogu to the others of his kind, and that until this occurs, the Mandalorian and Grogu are a "clan of two", and that the Mandalorian will be like a father to him. She declares their signet to be a likeness of a Mudhorn, the creature the Mandalorian and Grogu worked together to kill in "Chapter 2: The Child". The group departs, and IG-11 sacrifices himself to destroy an entire squad of stormtroopers to protect Grogu. After fending off

9384-449: The Mandalorian for leaving Grogu alone on the ship, saying: "you have an awful lot to learn about raising a young one". ScreenCrush writer Matt Singer argued the Mandalorian's parenting errors make the show that much more appealing and relatable because making mistakes is a large part of being a parent. One scene in "Chapter 7: The Reckoning" led many fans to reevaluate Grogu and question whether he may demonstrate evil tendencies. During

9522-416: The Mandalorian parenting Grogu appear throughout the series, such as when he stops Grogu from pressing random buttons in the cockpit of the Mandalorian's spaceship, ultimately by holding him in his lap. In another example, the Mandalorian sets up a car seat for Grogu in the cockpit of his ship, so he can be seated safely and comfortably during their travels. The relationship between the Mandalorian and Grogu

9660-427: The Mandalorian, and Bo-Katan from a fiery explosion. Once Mandalore is reclaimed, the Mandalorian adopts Grogu as his son and apprentice, and he is given the name Din Grogu by the Armorer. The pair leave Mandalore so that Din Grogu can complete his apprenticeship. At Disney's first quarter 2024 earnings call, CEO Bob Iger announced that a new Star Wars movie was being developed "that brings the Mandalorian and Grogu to

9798-482: The Walt Disney Company in 2012, Favreau began imagining working on a Star Wars project, and was particularly interested in exploring the events after the original Star Wars trilogy. He conceived Grogu based upon a desire to explore the mystery around Yoda and his species, and an interest in presenting a character from Yoda's species at the beginning of his journey, in contrast to Yoda ending his own journey in Return of

9936-547: The Wikimedia System Administrators, please include the details below. Request from 172.68.168.237 via cp1104 cp1104, Varnish XID 211033104 Upstream caches: cp1104 int Error: 429, Too Many Requests at Thu, 28 Nov 2024 07:46:16 GMT The Client (Star Wars) The Client is portrayed by German film director, screenwriter, and actor Werner Herzog , who was recruited for the part by series creator and showrunner Jon Favreau . Herzog accepted

10074-584: The antagonist in the action thriller film Jack Reacher (2012). Rumors about Herzog's role on The Mandalorian first surfaced on the Internet in October 2018. His casting was formally announced on December 12, 2018. Footage of The Client was first publicly unveiled at the Star Wars Celebration convention in Chicago on April 14, 2019, during which the entirety of his first scene in

10212-453: The big screen for the very first time." Physically, Grogu closely resembles Yoda, sharing his signature green skin and long, pointed ears. Grogu is small in size, with wide eyes, short hairs , and wrinkled skin. Grogu is capable of sitting up, crawling, walking, and eating. He appears capable of understanding some language spoken around him, but cannot speak except in baby-like babble noises. Anthony Breznican of Vanity Fair stated: "There

10350-444: The blood transfusion. In " Chapter 16: The Rescue ", the Mandalorian boards Gideon's ship to rescue Grogu, assisted by Cara, Fett, Fennec, Bo-Katan, and Koska Reeves ( Mercedes Varnado ). While Fett provides cover from Slave I and the others take control of the ship's bridge, the Mandalorian confronts and defeats Gideon. With Gideon captured and Grogu in their custody, the Mandalorian and his allies have their escape route cut off by

10488-411: The bounty hunter that the target is an unnamed individual who is 50 years old. Unbeknownst to the Mandalorian, this individual is a young alien creature known only as " The Child ", a member of the same species as the Star Wars character Yoda . Werner Herzog , the actor who portrays the Client, said that in this way, his character "sets the story on its path" by recruiting the Mandalorian to seek

10626-400: The bounty on Grogu and tries to kill him, but is himself destroyed by the Mandalorian. At the start of the first season's penultimate episode, " Chapter 7: The Reckoning ", the Mandalorian is contacted by Greef Karga, who says the Client has tightened his control over Nevarro as a result of the Mandalorian's actions there. Greef proposes that the Mandalorian help him kill the Client and eliminate

10764-422: The cantina, through its main window. The Client is seen shot through the chest and killed, as are all of his stormtrooper guards. The Client is a mysterious figure, with little known about his history or motivations. He is an untrustworthy and devious individual, described by Werner Herzog as "a dark, dark sort of figure that shouldn't be trusted at all". He is an intimidating figure, as illustrated by

10902-408: The character "was a scene-stealer from the start" and that he wished he had been featured more prominently in the season. John Serba of Decider.com called Herzog a significant casting coup for The Mandalorian , and said the Client's "steely, dread-drenched, multi-layered, gravely philosophical dialogue" seemed specifically tailored for him. Serba praised the actor's performance, writing: "He delivers

11040-457: 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 , and quickly became a popular Internet meme . The Guardian called him "2019's biggest new character", and The Hollywood Reporter has said the character "represents the future of Hollywood". Many writers have described Grogu as

11178-409: The character should take. Director Deborah Chow said in this way, it was similar to providing direction to a living actor. Favreau encouraged the directors to test and push the boundaries of the Grogu puppet during filming, urging them to experiment and attempt to get the most realistic movements and mannerisms possible from the character. Brendan Wayne, a body double for the Mandalorian character, said

11316-441: The character's makeshift garment. Favreau said of this rendering: "It looked cute, but it also looked a little weird. That's part of Yoda. It can't just be cute. It can't just be a straight-up Disney baby, it has to be a little bit tweaked." The team sought to establish mannerisms and expressions for Grogu that would remind viewers of a pet with whom they might share a connection. These characteristics include Grogu's ears, posture, and

11454-401: The code of the Bounty Hunters' Guild, and a group of bounty hunters led by guild leader Greef Karga ( Carl Weathers ) ambush the Mandalorian and attempt to take Grogu back from him. The Mandalorian and Grogu are saved when fellow warriors from the Mandalorian's tribe come out of hiding to defend them, allowing them to escape Nevarro. In " Chapter 4: Sanctuary ", the Mandalorian seeks refuge in

11592-441: The darker tone that The Mandalorian attempts to set for the Star Wars franchise. Will Thorne of Variety praised Herzog's performance and described several lines of the character's dialogue as "gems". In an article headline "Werner Herzog's The Mandalorian Character Is The Next Great Star Wars Villain", Gretchen Smail of Bustle complimented Herzog's performance and called his casting "the best sign that you can expect

11730-558: The decline of the traditional movie star, the growth of streaming media services, the rise of Internet culture , and technological advances in CGI. Variety writer Caroline Framke said she fell in love with the character even despite acknowledging that he is an "inherently manipulative product of the most powerful media conglomerate". Not all reviews of Grogu were positive. An online report conducting an analysis of which U.S. states responded most positively to Grogu, finding that interest in him

11868-429: The fact that Greef Karga, who is normally confident and commanding with others, acts cautiously and even fearfully in dealing with the Client. He has an esoteric and existential manner of speaking, much like that of the real-life Herzog himself. Variety writer Will Thorne has suggested the Client's dialogue may have been specifically tailored after Herzog's dark and eccentric personality, particularly citing lines like

12006-430: The fact that Grogu can lift heavy objects despite his diminutive size and young age demonstrates the vastness of his Force powers. Grogu also repeatedly shows a desire to use the Force to help those around him, such as when he attempts to heal the Mandalorian's wounds in "Chapter 2: The Child", and when he heals Greef Karga's near-fatal wounds in "Chapter 7: The Reckoning". However, after using the Force in this manner, Grogu

12144-458: The fake creature and the speeds at which it was made to run. The process was made further challenging because she was carrying the heavy animatronic Grogu puppet throughout the scenes, and she occasionally needed breaks between takes. Rosas said: "My legs are not exactly long, so I was squeezing for dear life and holding the baby." Nevertheless, Rosas said she enjoyed working with Grogu character, saying: "He just melts my heart, he's so cute." During

12282-418: The filming process itself, Herzog said The Mandalorian allows the actors "see the entire universe in which they are operating". He said of the series: "It's cinema back at its best." Deborah Chow , the director of both "Chapter 3: The Sin" and "Chapter 7: The Reckoning", said she normally tries to approach working with each actor the same way and not treat any differently from any other, but that "Werner

12420-490: The heft with a deeply furrowed glower, and we feel it in our marrow." Scott Snowden of Space.com described Herzog as "magnificent" in delivering the Client's monologues. /Film writer Ethan Anderton said Herzog "makes the perfect crime boss" and has a "unique cadence and screen presence" which made him a good fit for The Mandalorian , which sought to explore a darker side of Star Wars . Likewise, Dazed writer Thom Waite said Herzog's "menacing presence" fits in well with

12558-402: The leader of the Bounty Hunters' Guild headquartered on the planet Nevarro . When the Mandalorian asks for work, Greef informs him that the Client is offering a mysterious, high-paying assignment, but will only meet with bounty hunters in person to discuss the matter. A number of Imperial stormtroopers are present for the Mandalorian's meeting with the Client, during which the Client informs

12696-479: The light and dark sides of the Force. It will largely fall to the Mandalorian to provide this guidance, as when the Mandalorian stops him from strangling Cara. Grogu has received a positive reception from fans and reviewers, and is widely considered the show's breakout character . Fans immediately adopted the nickname "Baby Yoda" to describe the character, a moniker Favreau has embraced as "the easiest, shortest, most hashtagable way to identify that character". However,

12834-564: The little cutie by going all Damien ( The Omen ) in his storyline." Nevertheless, some writers have suggested viewers had been underestimating Grogu's capacity for evil because he is cute. Fans speculated Grogu could be presenting a false personality or using the Force to manipulate people into caring about him to help ensure his survival. Esquire writer Matt Miller noted that Yoda lied about his identity during his initial appearance in The Empire Strikes Back , posing as

12972-472: The minute we laid our eyes on him." Grogu was featured on the cover of the December 2019 issue of The Hollywood Reporter , along with the headline: "Baby Yoda represents the future of Hollywood". In an article in the magazine, writer Rebecca Keegan argued Grogu is the culmination of several shifts and trends in the entertainment industry over the decade prior to the release of The Mandalorian . These include

13110-602: The mission and cause of the Galactic Empire, saying in "Chapter 7: The Reckoning" that "the Empire improves every system it touches." He believes the galaxy has become less peaceful and more chaotic since the fall of the Empire, and that the violence and oppression brought about by Imperial rule are justified by the order that the Empire provides. He claims that Imperial rule is the ideal form of government when judged by any metric, including "safety, prosperity, trade opportunity, (and) peace". The Client's costume includes

13248-446: The mudhorn, allowing a surprised Mandalorian to kill it. The Mandalorian delivers Grogu to the Client on the planet Nevarro and collects his bounty in " Chapter 3: The Sin ", after which the Client orders his colleague, Dr. Pershing ( Omid Abtahi ), to "extract the necessary material" from Grogu. The Mandalorian later has second thoughts and returns to the Imperial compound to rescue Grogu, killing multiple stormtroopers . This violates

13386-578: The nickname is not used internally by the crew of The Mandalorian , and Disney CEO Bob Iger said he "got [his] wrist slapped" by Favreau for calling the character Baby Yoda in e-mail messages. Iger later said the scale of the positive reaction to Grogu was "beyond my expectations by a wide margin". Several writers described Grogu as a pop culture phenomenon, particularly noting the adoration it had received from fans on social media. The Guardian called Baby Yoda "2019's biggest new character", and Bryan Alexander of USA Today wrote: "There's nothing hotter in

13524-413: The one from "Chapter 7: The Reckoning" in which the Client says: "Look outside: is the world more peaceful since the revolution? I see nothing but death and chaos." The Client is a cold and severe individual, as illustrated by his apathy over whether the Child lives or dies. John Serba of Decider.com wrote that the Client was less like criminal characters featured in other Star Wars works like Jabba

13662-473: The opening scene of "Chapter 8: Redemption", an Imperial Scout Trooper portrayed by comedian Adam Pally punched Grogu. During the first take of filming the scene, Pally punched the animatronic Grogu puppet hard, prompting Favreau to inform the actor that the puppet cost about $ 5 million to make. This made Pally so nervous that he missed Grogu altogether when he tried to punch him in the three subsequent takes. Pally joked about working with Grogu: "I gotta tell you,

13800-610: The option of replacing it with a CGI effect in post-production if the puppet did not look satisfactory. When CGI is used, Favreau said they try to make the character obey the same physical laws that he would if he were a puppet, adding: "I think a lot of times CG makes itself too obvious where you don't create parameters creatively that allow the character to keep the same identity and charm." The voice and sounds of Grogu were created by David Acord and Matthew Wood , sound editors with Skywalker Sound , who had previously worked on various Star Wars projects. Acord recorded animals' noises at

13938-425: The others stumble upon cloning experiments performed by Imperial scientists, involving Grogu's blood, some of which has already been transfused to the clones to supposedly give them Force-sensitivity. In " Chapter 13: The Jedi ", the Mandalorian takes Grogu to former Jedi Ahsoka Tano ( Rosario Dawson ) on Corvus, who communicates with him through the Force, learning his name and that he is a former Jedi youngling who

14076-478: The pace at which that species matures. The species has never been given a proper name because Star Wars creator George Lucas wanted Yoda to maintain a sense of mystery. Until Chapter 13 (i.e. episode 5 of season 2) of The Mandalorian , Grogu was not identified by a proper name, being referred to by sympathetic characters as "the child", "the kid", or "the baby", and by the antagonists as "the asset", "the bounty", "the target", or "the donor". Grogu first appears in

14214-413: The parent, the child". Grogu encounters a handful of other protector figures throughout the first season, including Omera, IG-11, and Peli Motto. Some observers have criticized the series for the fact that the Mandalorian repeatedly leaves Grogu alone or in the hands of relative strangers, as well as for making decisions that place Grogu in danger. One example is in "Chapter 6: The Prisoner", when he allows

14352-723: The past is not past, but sleeps in an egg. When the egg cracks, it will threaten the galaxy entire." Fans theorized this could refer to Grogu, who sleeps in an egg-like bassinet in The Mandalorian . Others have theorized the reason the Imperial remnant wants Grogu is to turn him over to the dark side of the Force, or for use as a weapon. Moff Gideon in the season finale says, "You may think you have some idea what you’re in possession of, but you do not." Peter Foy of Comic Book Resources suggested this could allude to Grogu's potential to cause mass destruction. Caitlin Gallagher of Bustle suggested rather than building toward Grogu becoming evil,

14490-440: The pilot episode were not distributed to reviewers to avoid leaks about Grogu, and the official Lucasfilm and Star Wars social media accounts did not start posting messages about Grogu until about a week after the series debuted, to avoid spoiling the character's debut as much as possible. One of the primary themes of The Mandalorian is parenting and fatherhood , particularly through the father-son relationship dynamic between

14628-417: The planet around. While the Mandalorian goes with Greef, Cara, and their Mythrol companion ( Horatio Sanz ) to destroy the last Imperial base on Nevarro in exchange for said repairs, Grogu is left at a local school, where he uses the Force to steal some cookies from another child. This episode also provides a clue as to what the Empire's plans with Grogu are; while exploring the Imperial base, the Mandalorian and

14766-513: The premiere episode was shown. The Client was also featured prominently in the first official trailer for The Mandalorian , released on August 23, 2019, where he was the only character with a speaking role. Much of Herzog's dialogue was also utilized as voice-over narration for a second Mandalorian trailer released on October 28, 2019. Herzog said he "enjoyed every single moment" of his experience filming The Mandalorian . He said that he has assumed previous Star Wars films were shot with

14904-412: The project, later saying of the conversation: "I saw the universe. I saw costumes. I saw the round horizon. I saw the spacecraft. I saw an entire universe. And I knew this was really big." However, he requested full screenplays from The Mandalorian before formally accepting the role. After reading them, he felt the part "looked good and interesting". Herzog accepted the role in part to help fund

15042-408: The puppet and was interacting with it like it was a living being. She said: "I literally think that he had forgotten that it's not a real-live creature and he had fallen in love with it." Herzog strongly urged the Mandalorian filmmakers to use the puppet for the character and not CGI. While filming one scene, Dave Filoni began to remove the puppet to shoot an alternate take, in case they decided to use

15180-470: The puppet for the character and not computer-generated imagery as had originally been intended for later scenes, calling them "cowards" for considering using CGI in its place. The character and Herzog's performance have received positive reviews from critics. Almost no details are provided about the Client's backstory , except that he is loyal to the remnant of the former Galactic Empire , which by this time has fallen from power after losing its war against

15318-400: The puppet looked so realistic that performing against it felt like working with an actual child actor . Rick Famuyiwa , the director of "Chapter 2: The Child", said he was shocked when he learned that the premiere episode of The Mandalorian ended with the introduction of Grogu, because it meant he would be directing the next episode that further expanded upon the character. The Grogu puppet

15456-577: The rescue, Bo-Katan leads Grogu and the Mandalorian to the Living Waters and Grogu witnesses the Mandalorian bathe himself. In " Chapter 19: The Convert ", the trio are attacked by Imperial starfighters in Kalevala, forcing them to flee to the Mandalorian's convert, where Grogu witnesses the Mandalorian's redemption and Bo-Katan's induction. In " Chapter 20: The Foundling ", Grogu trains with fellow foundling Ragnar Vizsla (Wesley Kimmel) until Ragnar

15594-474: The rest of the swarm hatches. They are ultimately saved from the swarm by two X-wing pilots ( Dave Filoni and Paul Sun-Hyung Lee ) from the New Republic . In " Chapter 11: The Heiress ", the group arrives on Trask and after bringing Frog Lady and her remaining eggs to her husband, the Mandalorian and Grogu encounter Bo-Katan Kryze ( Katee Sackhoff ) and two other Mandalorian warriors, who save them from

15732-589: The risk that details about the character could leak before the show aired. Favreau said of this plan: "I think that part of what people really value is to be surprised and delighted, and I think that's becoming all too rare." Favreau has credited Donald Glover as the source of that strategy. While developing The Mandalorian , Favreau was simultaneously directing Glover in the 2019 photorealistic remake of The Lion King (1994). While discussing music and pop culture, Glover told Favreau that people enjoy being surprised, because true surprises had become much less common in

15870-419: The role in part to help finance his film Family Romance, LLC (2019). Herzog was not familiar with Favreau's previous work, nor had he ever seen a Star Wars film, but was impressed with the screenplays for The Mandalorian as well as the film-making style of the show. Herzog particularly enjoyed filming scenes with the animatronic puppet of The Child , subsequently strongly urging Favreau to solely use

16008-406: The ruined surface of Mandalore , Grogu intervenes to calm tensions and restore the peace. In " Chapter 24: The Return ", Grogu saves the Mandalorian after he is captured and helps him fight his way through Moff Gideon's base on Mandalore. Grogu faces off against three Praetorian Guards, which destroy his IG-12 suit; he uses the Force to defeat the guards and Moff Gideon, and later to shield himself,

16146-404: The series debut, " Chapter 1: The Mandalorian ", when the Mandalorian accepts a valuable commission from a mysterious man known only as " The Client " ( Werner Herzog ), who works for a remnant of the now-fallen Galactic Empire . The assignment is to track down and capture an unidentified fifty-year-old target. The Mandalorian and a fellow bounty hunter droid , IG-11 ( Taika Waititi ), infiltrate

16284-659: The seventh and final episode, titled " Chapter 7: In The Name of Honor ", Grogu lands in Motto's hangar on Tatooine with R2-D2 in Luke's X-wing starfighter , where it is revealed that Grogu chose the beskar chain mail over Yoda's lightsaber. Motto then takes him to Mos Espa, where he reunites with the Mandalorian. He and Motto aid the Mandalorian, Boba Fett, and Fett's forces in defeating the Pyke Syndicate. However, Cad Bane ( Corey Burton ) scares off Fett's rancor , which goes on

16422-427: The show could be suggesting the Mandalorian needs to find a way to raise Grogu in a less violent environment. All season long, Grogu has witnessed those around him committing violent acts. For example, Vulture writer Keith Phipps noticed that when IG-11 kills multiple stormtroopers in front of him, Grogu has a "look of wonder" in his eyes, which Phipps said "is hilarious, but also a little chilling". Some writers applied

16560-550: The show ignores or does not address many parenting details that make fatherhood difficult, such as what Grogu eats, when he goes to sleep, and whether he wears diapers. She wrote: " The Mandalorian is uninterested in diapers, and so Mando gets to be a very particular image of fatherhood: the guy who doesn't have to sweat the small stuff." VanAnderonk described this as a wish fulfillment fantasy for parents or prospective parents: "a vision of parenting stripped so thoroughly of all detail and specificity that all that’s left are archetypes:

16698-552: The sixth episode, " Chapter 6: From the Desert Comes a Stranger ", of the spin-off series The Book of Boba Fett . While training with Luke, he helps Grogu remember some of his past, including his home at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant and the events of the Great Jedi Purge. The Mandalorian comes to visit Grogu, but decides against it after speaking with Ahsoka Tano, not wanting to hinder his training; however, he gives Ahsoka

16836-484: The solitude and tension that might otherwise have surrounded the show's protagonist. Carolyn Giardina of The Hollywood Reporter said Grogu helped The Mandalorian not only achieve critical and commercial success, but also impact the cultural zeitgeist . Beyond the show, other writers have described the character as a key component in the success of Disney's rollout of the Disney+ streaming service . Julia Alexander of The Verge wrote: "There's no question that Baby Yoda

16974-456: The sparsely populated planet Sorgan . He plans to leave Grogu in a village there under the care of a widow named Omera ( Julia Jones ), but after another bounty hunter tracks them down, he realizes the planet is not safe. The Mandalorian and Grogu visit the planet Tatooine in " Chapter 5: The Gunslinger ", during which the Mandalorian leaves Grogu in the care of a mechanic named Peli Motto ( Amy Sedaris ). Grogu and Peli are briefly abducted by

17112-446: The truth is that Baby Yoda is a bit of a diva. He's constantly vaping ." At some point during filming of The Mandalorian , George Lucas visited the set and held the Grogu puppet. Favreau posted a picture of Lucas holding Grogu on Instagram on January 16, 2020, which drew considerable Internet attention. Grogu was kept secret and was deliberately withheld from The Mandalorian 's prerelease marketing and merchandise plans due to

17250-467: The unexpected in The Mandalorian ". Meghan Kirby of Entertainment Weekly wrote: "Everything about Herzog’s character is unnerving and it's great." The Client ranked tenth on a Screen Rant list of the most interesting characters from the first season of The Mandalorian . The Nerdist Podcast created a three-minute YouTube video re-imagining The Mandalorian as if it were a documentary directed by Herzog, which included voice-over narration with

17388-468: The universe than Baby Yoda." Some critics noted that fandom for Grogu transcended age and experience, and that few fictional characters unite entire fan bases in the way Grogu had; Anthony Breznican of Vanity Fair wrote: "In an era of bitter division on nearly all matters, there is seemingly unanimous adoration for this tiny alien creature." Vox writer Allegra Frank said Grogu made The Mandalorian "instantly more memorable and evocative", and alleviated

17526-485: The very beginning of doing this child and having it be of Yoda's species, I was like, ‘Oh, that's very tricky, because there's never been this before outside of Yoda, and then Yaddle in the prequels on the Jedi Council. It's kind of a sacred thing ... We just have to be responsible when we're telling a story with what we're deciding to do. The fans want to know things are a calculated, careful decision. Then if you tell

17664-423: The way he cocks his head. Disney CEO Bob Iger said of Grogu: "The moment I laid eyes on the character, I had a strong feeling that it was going to connect with audiences. So cute, so interesting, so compelling. So familiar and yet so new." Favreau has clarified that Grogu is not a younger version of Yoda himself, but has declined to comment upon whether he is related to Yoda or otherwise connected to him. Grogu

17802-427: The whole franchise and about the toys for the kids." Herzog was briefed about the franchise and its storyline by Favreau and members of the crew. He felt his lack of familiarity with Star Wars had no impact on his performance, saying "I knew what was expected of me. I knew the interior landscape of the character and I knew the exterior landscape." Herzog believed portraying the Client was similar to his performance as

17940-399: The years, but the Client's use of the camtono was the first time it had been identified within the universe/franchise.) After collecting his payment, the Mandalorian asks what the Client plans to do with the Child, but the Client curtly reminds the Mandalorian that the Bounty Hunters' Guild forbids such questions. Later, the Mandalorian uses technology to eavesdrop on the Client, and hears

18078-434: 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

18216-440: 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. It

18354-746: Was highest in Utah , and lowest in Mississippi . Rolling Stone writer Alan Sepinwall said the reveal of Grogu was a rehash of the appearance of Rotta the Hutt in Star Wars: The Clone Wars . Emily VanDerWerff of Vox described the character as "yet another merchandising opportunity" and did not feel the character was worth Disney attempting to keep secret before his reveal. BBC writer Caryn James said he did not believe anyone without an emotional attachment to Star Wars would care about Grogu. Jeremy Gordon of The Outline called Grogu

18492-452: Was later told to the public, some media reports mistakenly described it as if the producers of The Mandalorian were entirely replacing the Child puppet with a CGI creation altogether until Herzog convinced them otherwise. Carl Weathers , the actor who portrayed Greef Karga, said that although his character's personality was normally self-assured, he deliberately made him act more cautious and nervous in his scenes with Herzog to convey that

18630-499: Was popular on set with the show's cast and crew. Chow said: "With the baby, every time it came on set, the whole crew would respond to it. Even the grip department, every production assistant is coming to the monitors, trying to see it." Howard screamed in excitement when she first saw it, and Gina Carano said of Grogu: "That was our precious. Our precious is this being that we all end up taking care of in some way." Emily Swallow said she "fell in love with it like everybody else", adding: "I

18768-422: Was referred to as "the Child" in screenplays for The Mandalorian , though Bryce Dallas Howard , who directed "Chapter 4: Sanctuary", said she always referred to him on set simply as "Baby", and other cast members called it "The Being". During filming, the director of each episode would communicate with Grogu's puppeteers to discuss what was happening in the scene, what emotions Grogu should express, and what actions

18906-496: Was rescued from the Jedi Temple on Coruscant during the Great Jedi Purge and hidden for his safety, which is why he suppresses his Force powers. While Ahsoka is reluctant to train Grogu because of his strong attachment to the Mandalorian, she tells the latter to take him to the Jedi Temple on Tython, where Grogu might reach out to another Jedi through the Force and choose his own destiny. In " Chapter 14: The Tragedy ",

19044-594: Was thrilled when they brought him in that little bag for the scene that I got to have with it. I just wanted to snuggle it." Amy Sedaris said the animatronic Grogu puppet made everyone on the set happy: "The minute you looked into Baby Yoda's eyes you just got lost." Likewise, Giancarlo Esposito said he enjoyed interacting with the Grogu puppet during filming: "It melts my heart, because the reality is, this little baby does things that you could never imagine and when you look at those eyes and that little body, how can you not help but fall in love?" Carl Weathers has said of him: "He

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