How Old Is Mandalorian's Grogu

We were introduced to the youngling Baby Yoda when the first season of the Mandalorian premiered on Disney Plus. Three years later, fans have an idea of his time in the Star Wars Universe. He’s been around much longer than you might have thought.

Note: A minor spoiler lies ahead.

Grogu might be the hottest-selling Star Wars toy in the last thirty years, as hot as the Ewok plush toys for kids or the famed gold bikini worn by Princess Leia. The “Baby Yoda” character has been so beloved that he was taken aboard one of the Dragon Crew missions to space. Grogu has proved to be a cash cow for Disney merchandising.

What we’ve known about Grogu has come along over the past three years, and included his Jedi training by none other than Luke Skywalker. After being hunted by the remnants of the empire, and going on a wild adventure that included the Mandalorian, Ahsoka Tanu, and even Boba Fett, many questions still remained about the little guy, including one major question left for the fans to wonder about…until now.

During the March 22nd episode from season 3, more was revealed about the youngling’s origin, and it goes back to its beginnings.

In the Star Wars Universe, Grogu “Baby Yoda” has been alive since before order 66. Through a memory sequence in the episode titled Chapter 20: The Foundling, Grogu becomes a Mandalorian Foundling and while his first piece of protective armor is forged, he remembers the attack on the younglings and a Jedi Knight rescuing him.

In the Star Wars Universe Grogu is older than Luke Skywalker. Yet, that’s no real surprise if one stops to think about the history of Star Wars.

For eight hundred years have I trained Jedi. My own counsel will I keep on who is to be trained. A Jedi must have the deepest commitment, the most serious mind. This one a long time have I watched. All his life has he looked away… to the future, to the horizon. Never his mind on where he was.

— Yoda, Empire Strikes Back

The original Yoda character from the first trilogy was old, older than what we’d understand as possible. While Grogu may look like just a child, he’s considerably older.

Where Does Mandalorian Go Next

As fans are left to wonder where the story goes next, considering the reveal of the season's big bad or antagonist has yet to occur, there’s the question of who’s behind the attack in the outer rim. It was a large group of imperial tie fighter-style ships and bombers that chased Boca Tan, Mando, and Grogu from Carlac, forcing them to run to the Mandalorians. Seems a bit much for just an imperial warlord on the other rim.

Grand Admiral Thrawn has been a favorite character of Star Wars fans since appearing in the Thrawn Trilogy of novels. Thrawn is a member of the alien race of the Chiss, who comes from nowhere and leads the remnants of the scattered Galactic Empire in the post Return of the Jedi timeline. In the trilogy, he faced off with the classics. Thrawn took on Luke, Leia, Han, Chewbacca, and Lando Calrissian. If online buzz and theories are any indication, fans would love to see Thrawn in the expanded Star Wars Universe.

The excitement of the Mandalorian and the growth of the Star Wars Universe through the Disney Plus channel have given Star Wars fans new stories to explore and enjoy. One of the famed characters in the Star Wars cannon, Grand Admiral Thrawn, makes the most sense to expect in the immediate future. Only time will tell.