Dave Filoni Explains How Baby Yoda Got His True Name
At long last, we have finally learned the true name of the adorable, green creature in The Mandalorian. No, it's not Baby Yoda, or even The Child, as he has been referred to up until this point. As revealed in the latest episode of the Disney+ series, “The Jedi,” The Child’s real name is Grogu. The revelation is delivered by Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson), who makes her first live-action appearance in Star Wars history. So where did the name Grogu come from?
Thanks to a new Vanity Fair interview with executive producer, writer, and director Dave Filoni, we know just how Grogu came to be. “The name has been around for a while. Jon [Favreau] told me early on in Season 1 what it would be, which made me start to think about how people could learn the name,” said Filoni. “This gave me the idea that Ahsoka, who is very compassionate, would be able to connect with the child, and that without words they could probably communicate through memories and experiences.” This is how Ahsoka is able to relay the information to the Mandalorian and the audience.
Ahsoka Tano’s appearance isn't just a fun easter egg for Clone Wars fans. Her role in the series is imperative in bringing Grogu’s backstory to light. “I felt that if anyone would know or understand The Child's history it would be Ahsoka,” Filoni continued. “She has such a long history as well. By having her relate the story it also helps the viewer to understand some of her own backstory.” While we still don't know why Favreau was so stuck on the name Grogu, at least we know why it took so long for us to learn it.
Filoni was also very careful to use a character who wouldn't freak out over the fact that Grogu is the spitting image of Yoda. “She is one of the few, few people that we could encounter in a story and she would say, ‘All right. I met someone like him. I’ve only ever seen one other being like this,’” explained Filoni. “I had to stop myself from doing something ridiculous like have her say, 'Is that a Yoda baby?' It almost demands to be said.”
After a whole year of fans fawning over “Baby Yoda,” finally someone in The Mandalorian has made the connection between The Child and the original Yoda. We can thank Ahsoka Tano for that. New episodes of The Mandalorian premiere every Friday through December 18 on Disney+.
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