Director Robert Rodriguez Jamming Out On Set With Baby Yoda

When it comes to Star Wars in 2021, nothing is more popular than The Mandalorian and the freshly-separated duo of Din Djarin and Grogu. More commonly referred to as Mando and Baby Yoda, these two have captured the hearts, attention, and dollars of the entire fandom. It appears that not even directors with a penchant for onscreen blood and violence are immune to Grogu's adorable snare. While directing the sixth episode of season 2, Robert Rodriguez and Grogu had a moment to connect, jam, and tweet out the video, which can be seen below. With Grogu perched on the Seeing Stone and Rodriguez playing guitar, the video sent out by Rodriguez is one of the best things to come out of 2020. Its clear that Baby Yoda was feeling the vibe of Rodriguez's guitar playing as he bobs his head and twitches his ears to the beat. This clip can also be seen in Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian, the behind-the-scenes documentary that debuted on Disney+ on Christmas Day, in addition to many other clips of Rodriguez's strumming in the directors chair.

Chapter 14 of The Mandalorian had no shortage of amazing moments. From the first time we saw Slave I come into view in the sky, we knew we were in for a treat of an episode. 30 minutes and a large stormtrooper body count later and we knew why: Directed by Robert Rodriguez. The man behind such projects as Desperado, Machete, and Spy Kids is known for his gritty storytelling and unflinching violence. Boba Fett tearing a squad of stormtroopers to pieces with a Tusken gaffi stick being a prime example of his style of filmmaking.

Of course, no discussion of an episode of The Mandalorian is complete without talking about Grogu. While "The Tragedy" did see The Child getting captured by Dark Troopers (basically a squad of Imperial T-800s, let's be honest), it also had plenty of adorable Baby Yoda moments. His reactions to Din using his name and his enjoyment of jetpack rides steal the show as always. But Grogu's fun isn't limited to onscreen antics. The Baby Yoda puppet has posed with his fair share of celebrities. From Robert Rodriguez, to Taika Waititi, to the Maker himself, George Lucas. The CGI-brushed puppet is as huge of a boon for this show as the Volume or the acting performance of Pedro Pascal. Practical effects are one of the most endearing parts of The Mandalorian and Star Wars at large, starting with the character of Grogu himself. The puppet continues to fascinate and amaze Star Wars fans with its life-like animatronic movement and compelling emotional range. The groundbreaking technology is really on display in this video as Grogu dances along to the music and his face fluctuates between chill vibing and grinning enjoyment. Even before any post-production effects are added to the footage, the puppet could pass as a true small Force-sensitive alien just hanging out with his director.

Whether it's the well written characters, the breathtaking action, the adorable 50-year-old baby, or the awesome behind the scenes clips, The Mandalorian continues to be one of the best things in pop culture. Seeing what the Grogu puppet is able to do before any post-production effects are added is incredibly impressive. Star Wars continues to be the innovative franchise in terms of what models and puppets can bring to a production and pushing the limits of special effects. It'll be a long wait for Season 3, but if we continue getting clips and behind the scenes looks like what Robert Rodriguez tweets out, it'll hopefully be a less painful wait.

Written By Weston Erickson

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