The Mandalorian Ending Explained: Who Is Baby Yoda?

There is another.

This article contains full spoilers for the Season 1 premiere of The Mandalorian. Read our spoiler-free review of The Mandalorian episode 1.

A baby Yoda? Well, it's definitely a baby from the same species as Yoda. The shocking ending of The Mandalorian episode 1 raises galactic-sized questions about how this little green bundle of joy will impact the Star Wars universe. Read on as we try to explain the significance of another member of Yoda's race appearing in The Mandalorian episode 1.

Who Is Baby Yoda?

As Star Wars fans know, Yoda was a powerful Jedi Master who trained countless padawan learners to become Jedi Knights. Star Wars creator George Lucas has never openly revealed Yoda's species/race, which has given him an almost mythical persona over the years. All that we really know about Yoda's past is that he trained Jedi for over 800 years and stands at a measly 0.66 meters in height, according to the official Star Wars databank.

The other interesting bit of information we glean from episode 1 of The Mandalorian, is that the baby Yoda is 50 years old. After Mando's initial shock at the baby's appearance relative to his age, IG-11 reminds him that not all species age the same. Yoda was a powerful force user who was able to sustain his life over centuries, so it's safe to assume that his species ages at a much slower rate than humans.

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Who Are Baby Yoda's Parents?

If you remember from the prequel trilogy, the Jedi Order is not very fond of its members engaging in romantic relationships, hence Anakin's secret marriage to Padmé Amidala. In Revenge of the Sith, Yoda attempts to teach Anakin about the dangers of becoming too emotionally attached: "Attachment leads to jealousy. The shadow of greed, that is." All that being said, it's probably safe to assume that Master Yoda didn't have a mate, even if he was definitely alive 50 years prior to when The Mandalorian takes place in the Star Wars timeline since The Mandalorian is set five years after Return of the Jedi.

Another possibility is former Jedi Master council member Yaddle. Sadly, in the book Star Wars: Jedi Quest: The Shadow Trap, Yaddle sacrifices herself while on a mission with Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker to save the people of Mawan, according to the Star Wars Wookieepedia. She died at the age of 483. It's important to remember, however, that the aforementioned book was published back in 2003 -- before Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm -- so that particular story about Yaddle's death is now non-canon, and is considered part of Star Wars' "Legends," formerly the Expanded Universe. Perhaps Yaddle did meet someone special in the Disney timeline?
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Why Does The Empire Want Baby Yoda?

The Mandalorian takes place five years after the fall of the Empire in Return of the Jedi, but it's apparent that the Imperials are still trying to cling to the power they once had. While Werner Herzog's character remains a mystery, we can surmise that he was once a prominent figure in the Galactic Empire, as he boasts a Stormtrooper guard and a fancy Imperial medallion that he wears around his neck.

The mysterious old Imperial leader and his counterpart, Dr. Pershing (Omid Abtahi), want baby Yoda located, but the alien doesn't have to come back alive, as far as Herzog's character is concerned. From their short exchange, it's clear that Pershing would rather study the child, but Herzog's character is fine with the poor little green guy or gal being killed. Many members of Yoda's species we come across in the Legends or canonical movies, books, and video games have been powerful force users. It appears that baby Yoda might have inherited his or her ancestor's strong Jedi genes if the Empire is so eager to locate them.

How Baby Yoda Could Connect to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

While we do have some thoughts on how Emperor Palpatine will return in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, we also have a theory concerning baby Yoda, and how he/she could be linked to the upcoming film. In a Star Wars Legends story called Dark Empire, which is set 10 years after the Battle of Yavin, the once believed-to-dead Emperor Palpatine finds a way to transfer his consciousness into a clone body in an attempt to obtain immortality.

What if our cute little green friend is a clone? Since Yoda's species is known to be strong in the force, it makes sense to grow a version of the legendary Jedi Master in a lab to one day use against the Empire's enemies. Claiming that Palpatine has somehow possessed baby Yoda is probably taking it a bit too far, but perhaps that's why Dr. Pershing is so keen on getting it back alive... maybe he created baby Yoda for a sinister purpose? Time will tell.

More questions come to mind following the ending of The Mandalorian episode 1: How did they find out about the 50-year-old "baby," are there more Yoda-species characters out there, and how big of a presence will force users have in The Mandalorian? Keep it locked right here to find out more about The Mandalorian as we unpack each episode from Season 1. Share your theories in the comments!

Head here for all the key Mandalorian terms you need to know.
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Star Wars: The Mandalorian Image

Star Wars: The Mandalorian

DeveloperDisney Plus
Release DateNovember 12, 2019