Who is Grogu? Everything you need to know about Baby Yoda

Grogu raises his hand in Book of Boba Fett
(Image credit: Disney Plus)

Even though The Mandalorian season 3 is almost here, questions such as "Who is  Grogu?" (or, of course, "who is Baby Yoda?") remain. Yes, despite 2-plus (we're not forgetting about The Book of Boba Fett) seasons of TV, The Mandalorian's adorable sidekick is still relatively mysterious.

While Grogu's been able to charm his way into the heart of Din Djarin (The Mandalorian's real name), and get the masked bounty hunter to break the rules of his people, his backstory is still filled with questions. Thankfully, we have learned a lot about Baby Yoda along the way.

So, with no more further ado, let's go over what we know (and what's been happening to) Grogu (aka Baby Yoda), so you're ready to watch The Mandalorian season 3.

Who is Grogu?

Whether you call him (and yes, Grogu is male) Grogu, Baby Yoda, The Child or Mando's best friend, Grogu is a Force-sensitive member of the same race as Yoda, the legendary Jedi Grand Master. 

We first learned that Grogu is Force-sensitive when he saved Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) from a dangerous Mudhorn. 

Baby Yoda sleeping in The Mandalorian, in his floating bassinet

(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

Show-runner Jon Favreau hinted at a grand scale of importance for the character: "As fun as it is to reveal new characters and surprise them, it also fits into a larger narrative about what’s going on in the galaxy after the revolution. This is an important character."

That quote is backed up by a sighting at the Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge attraction from Disney Land's Hollywood Studios park in Orlando. Newsweek found a Reddit post that suggests that The Mandalorian's armor will one day gain iconography related to The Child, which sounds like this season will revolve around a bounty hunter with a heart of Beskarian steel who decides to care about this baby Yoda.

At one point in episode 3, The Mandalorian debates about the sigil that should go on his armor, and declines to take the original offer, which reflects the above possibility. 

How old is Grogu?

Grogu is 52 years old, having been born in 41 BBY (Before The Battle of Yavin). The Mandalorian is currently in 11 ABY (After The Battle of Yavin), as Jon Favreau said Luke and Baby Yoda spent two years together.

We get to 11 ABY and 52 years old because The Mandalorian was told the bounty he was looking for in the first episode was 50 years old, and that season was at 9 ABY.

At 50, Grogu has lived through Order 66 and the fall of the Jedi. 

How do we know Baby Yoda's name is Grogu?

Baby Yoda eating a cookie in The Mandalorian season 2

(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

It took 13 episodes for The Mandalorian to reveal that the character we called Baby Yoda had a real name. We learned this when Djarin and Grogu met Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) in The Mandalorian Chapter 13: "The Jedi." 

Tano, Force-sensitive herself, communicated with Grogu to learn his name.

What's Grogu's back story?

Tano also revealed that Grogu was originally raised at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, but had to go into hiding following the fall of the Jedi Order.

All we know at this point is that Yoda and Grogu are a part of the same species. That said, we've only seen one other member of their species prior — Yaddle, a female who appeared in Episode I: The Phantom Menace and Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi.

That's why you wouldn't be judged for thinking Grogu and Yoda aren't closely related. That said, Yoda passed away at 900 years old, far older than Grogu is now. With what little we know about their species, it's hard to assume anything about how they're related.

What species is Baby Yoda?

Baby Yoda in The Mandalorian, in his floating bassinet

(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

Shockingly, we've never learned the name of Yoda's species. In Wookieepedia, Yoda's species is literally referred to as "Yoda's species."

Is Grogu a Jedi now? 

At the end of The Mandalorian season 2, Din Djarin allowed Grogu to go off with Luke Skywalker, to pursue his training as a Jedi. That training, as seen in The Book of Boba Fett, took place on the planet of Ossus (where Skywalker's Jedi Academy is supposed to be).

Grogu wasn't the best pupil, once using his powers to find frogs to snack on. After Luke realized that Grogu's heart wasn't in the training, he offered him a choice. Grogu could either take the armor that Din Djarin had left for him, or continue training — but risk never reuniting with his Beskar steel-clad friend.

So, Grogu's Jedi training has basically been paused.

What's Grogu's status at the start of The Mandalorian season 3?

Right now, Grogu's flying with Din Djarin in the new N-1 starfighter that Mando built with mechanic Peli Motto (Amy Sedaris). Recent adventures saw Grogu saved from the villainous Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito), and he's even stopped an angry rancor who had knocked Djarin down.

As for what's next? Grogu's Jedi training is an unresolved loop in his story, and we also feel like Grogu finding his people is part of the endgame for the character.

Henry T. Casey
Managing Editor (Entertainment, Streaming)

Henry is a managing editor at Tom’s Guide covering streaming media, laptops and all things Apple, reviewing devices and services for the past seven years. Prior to joining Tom's Guide, he reviewed software and hardware for TechRadar Pro, and interviewed artists for Patek Philippe International Magazine. He's also covered the wild world of professional wrestling for Cageside Seats, interviewing athletes and other industry veterans.