The Mandalorian season 2 brought us the answers to our Baby Yoda questions as episode 5 dropped Disney+ on Friday. In the series, Mando (Pedro Pascal) continues his quest to know The Child’s origins and reunite it with its own kind. He then brings it to former Jedi Ahsoka Tano, who could be of help.
After a complete season of having the world know The Child as Baby Yoda, season 2 finally reveals its real name. The name was revealed by Ahsoka Tano in the episode “The Jedi” after Mando finally encounters the famed Padawan warrior.
In the episode, Mando tracks down Ahsoka Tano, the former Padawan of the late Anakin Skywalker. She lives in the city of Calodan on the forest planet of Corvus. She communicates with The Child through the Force, and reveals its real name as Grogu. Mando calls out to The Child using Grogu and it responds quite fondly, which affirms its name from now on.
It does seem though that Grogu has had quite the journey before being found by Mando. Ahsoka reveals that Grogu was raised in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, and received training from many masters. At the end of the Clone Wars when the Empire rose to power, he was hidden and somehow kidnapped. He hides his powers to stay off the Empire’s radar over the years. That’s because from what we’ve learned from the Rebels, Inquisitors hunt Force sensitive beings for Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader.
What could be The Child’s fate now that it has reunited with Ahsoka Tano?
Mando informs Ahsoka of his task to bring Grogu to a Jedi, but she says that the order has fallen. However, Mando notes the Empire did too and yet it is still hunting him. After some convincing that Grogu needs her help, she finally agrees but puts him on a test first.
The next morning, Ahsoka floats a rock to Grogu and asks him to return it to her the same way. Mando says Grogu doesn’t understand, but Ahsoka insists he does. Grogu though looks scared and drops the stone. Ahsoka then takes Grogu’s hand and says, “I sense much fear in you.” She believes that he must have hidden his ability in order to survive all these years.
In the end, Ahsoka refuses to train Grogu because he’s become too attached to Mando. Thinking of a certain Jedi Knight who fell because of strong attachments, Ahsoka doesn’t want Grogu down that same dark path. “I’ve seen what such feelings can do to a fully trained Jedi Knight,” she says.
On the other hand, Ahsoka says that if he really wants to help Grogu, Mando should take him to planet Tython. Once Grogu is placed on the seeing stone at the top of the mountain, he may choose his own path.
Whether Grogu finally embraces the Force and unleashes his true powers or has them hidden remains to be seen. Until then, we will have to continue watching the remaining episodes.
The Mandalorian season 2 currently streams on Disney+.