‘Baby Yoda’, or Grogu, was the surprise star of The Mandalorian. The big-eyed, elven-eared little creature quickly became a popular Star Wars character.
Jedi Master Yoda has always been a Star Wars fan favorite, so it’s not surprising Grogu was a hit with audiences.
But who are the little green Force users, and where did they come from?
In a universe where thousands of different creatures are named and categorized, the origins of Yoda and now Grogu remain unknown.
We don’t know if Yoda and Grogu are related, but they are the same unknown species. Luke trained with Yoda in Dagobah, but it has been canonically confirmed this was not Yoda’s home planet.
All we know is Yoda, and Grogu’s species have very long lives, and some (perhaps all) are exceptionally strong with the Force.
Learn more about the origins of Yoda and Grogu’s species below.
Yoda vs Grogu
Both Yoda and Grogu have a Green, humanoid alien appearance. Elvish ears, brown eyes, three toes on each foot, and three fingers on each hand.
| Yoda | Grogu | |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 900 | 50 |
| Height | 26″ | 16″ |
| Diet | Carnivorous | Carnivorous (Likes Frogs) |
| Position | Jedi Master and Council member | Former Jedi padawan |
| Abilities | Exceptionally strong Force ability | Exceptionally strong Force ability |
Is Grogu related to Yoda? 5 Theories
Since The Mandalorian premiered, a popular fan theory has been that Grogu is the son of Yoda and fellow Jedi Master Yaddle.
This has been neither proved nor disproved. All that is known is they are the same species.
There are many theories about the origin of Yoda and Grogu’s species, including the following:
1. Grogu is Yoda’s clone
During the creation of the clone armies, Yoda created Grogu as an experimental clone of himself.
It’s certainly a possibility, but there’s nothing in canon to suggest it happened. Creating a ‘mini-me’ also seems out of character with Yoda’s humble personality.
2. Parthenogenesis
Similar to how Anakin had no father, the species is created by the very Force itself via asexual reproduction.
The female of Yoda’s species could, like Shmi Skywalker, spontaneously become pregnant. The specific mating practices of their kind is, after all, unknown (which is probably for the best).
3. Created by the Force
Just as there was a pure Sith species, Yoda and Grogu are the species embodiment of the light-side of the force.
Sith purebloods had red-colored skin and tentacle-like facial protrusions.
There is no light-side equivalent species mentioned in Star Wars Legends or canon. It, therefore, is quite plausible Yoda and Grogu could be ‘pureblood’ light-siders.
4. An endangered species
In the Mandalorian, no one can identify Grogu’s species. There seem to be very few of them in the galaxy, despite the species having very long lives.
We know Grogu is considered very valuable by Moff Gideon and his science team. This is because of Grogu’s high midi-chlorians, but maybe also because his species, in general, is so rare and understudied.
5. Home with the Wookiees
Yoda has ‘good relations’ with the otherwise fierce and hostile Wookiees, leading fans to speculate they have a shared-home planet in Kashyyyk.
Adding to this is Wookiees also have long life spans, suggesting it could be due to the nature of Kashyyyk itself.
Is Grogu more powerful than Yoda?
Yoda trained Jedi for 800 years and became a Jedi Master while young for his species. He served on the Jedi Council for more than 200 years.
Yoda’s apprentices include powerful Force users, including Mace Windu, Count Dooku, and Ki-Adi-Mundi.
Grogu is still an infant but already possesses great Force power. Most notably, we’ve seen him calm a furious rancor in The Book of Boba Fett, and force-lift an enormous mudhorn in The Mandalorian.
Luke Skywalker trained him as padawan, but Grogu left to return to the side of din djarin.
Without Jedi training, it is unlikely Grogu will ever become more powerful than Yoda. However, we don’t know how Grogu’s story will end – perhaps he will develop his Force powers in other ways and become stronger than Yoda.
Are there any other characters of Yoda and Grogu’s species?
There is one canon character, Yaddle, and an established but no longer canon character, Vandare Tokare, that are the same species as Yoda and Grogu.
Yaddle appears in The Phantom Menace as a member of the Jedi council. She died at age 483, sacrificing herself to save the city Naatan – and its inhabitants – from destruction.
Vandare Tokare was a Jedi Master in the comic book series Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.
The series was later made into a popular video game but is considered non-Canon since 2014.