With The Book of Boba Fett now a project of the past, the next step forward in the MandoVerse is a return to the main storyline. The Mandalorian Season 3 will be wrapping production in March, giving the wizards at ILM plenty of time to complete the visual effects before a late 2022 release. The story going forward is something of an open book, but the seeds have been planted for the rest of Mando and Grogu's overall journey.
One of the more surprising aspects of The Book of Boba Fett was that two episodes practically were part of The Mandalorian. "Chapter 5" caught fans up with Din Djarin and his struggles with the hand Season 2 dealt him, and "Chapter 6" spent an astonishing amount of time following Grogu and his Jedi journey with Luke Skywalker. That episode ended with Luke presenting Grogu a choice regarding his future, and it was resolved fairly quickly.
Immediately after the opening title of "Chapter 7" ran its course, Red Five soared through the Tatooine night into Peli Motto's docking bay. Grogu popped his head out of the cockpit, having been flown over by R2, and the chain mail he wore beneath his simple robe revealed his choice. Evidently, he elected to give in to his attachment to Din and forsake the way of the Jedi.
A return to Mando's side was inevitable for Grogu, though the pair being reunited so soon was shocking for some. The Mandalorian Season 2's finale was an enormous emotional feat, and many assumed that it would be a while before the father and son saw one another again - but it happened over the span of just two episodes apart. Grogu's heartwarming embrace for Din fits perfectly with the chaos of the Battle of Mos Espa, but it raises a big question: what becomes of his future with the Jedi?
How Far Grogu Has Come
Roll back the clocks to November 2019, when The Mandalorian and Disney+ were just launching. It's hard to fathom, but there was actually a time when no fan knew Grogu would be in the series; he was omitted in all marketing material to maintain an element of surprise. That feat was easily accomplished, as there are countless videos of stunned reactors online meeting "Baby Yoda" the same time Mando does in the pilot's closing moments.
In the following episode, fans were given their first look at what Grogu could do with the Force. Given his species, it was natural to assume he had the same powers as Yoda and Yaddle, but the little guy lifting a mudhorn was still breathtaking. The moment was the first insight into what Grogu could do, and saving Din during that encounter likely sealed the deal on Din later saving him.
So he can lift beasts. The penultimate episode of Season 1 hit a new milestone for the franchise, as Grogu was the first to use the Force Heal ability in canon - a sign of his strength and also an introduction to the power that would be abused to a ridiculous degree when The Rise of Skywalker released the following night. In the season finale, Grogu once again displayed impressive talent, having a Kanan moment in which he blocked fire and redirected towards its origin point.
Yet despite his magnificent feats, there was always a catch: excessive use of the Force led to exhaustion, and within moments Grogu would be sound asleep. It's something he's still working on, but as his journey has progressed, so has his endurance.
The Mandalorian Season 2 took major steps in exploring Grogu's past and what the future offered him. One of the biggest things learned was his name - Ahsoka Tano's appearance in "Chapter 13 - The Jedi" served as the perfect opportunity for audiences to learn what to actually call "the Child," as the two could commune through the Force by reading each other's minds.
Ahsoka's test for Grogu ultimately led to her turning down the opportunity to teach him, but it presented an even more interesting concept: the kid's attachment to Din may actually strengthen his connection to the Force, as opposed to serving as a flaw. The little ball from the Razor Crest he loved to play with became the focal point of his practice sessions, and only Mando could get him to reach out to the energy field.
Things seemingly took a massive turn when Grogu called out to Jedi for help and was ultimately rescued by Luke Skywalker in Season 2's astonishing finale. In addition to saving him, Luke took Grogu away to learn the ways of the Jedi... for a few months, at best.
As was shared by Ahsoka, the little guy had already received training at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant for several decades before being taken into hiding. The trauma of the Order 66 experience led to repressed memories, which he allowed Luke to re-open for him. In doing so, Grogu's instincts began to kick in at a higher clip (with a bit of inspiration), and it wasn't long before he was doing flips, connecting with rancors, and taking more naps.
Luke noted that he wasn't really teaching Grogu anything, as the kid already knew how to use much of his power. There were still decades of maturation and control to be learned, however, and Grogu chose instead to return to Din. After essentially receiving a quick level-up from Luke, the galaxy is wide open for Grogu to continue exploring his connection with the Force in The Mandalorian Season 3... and the door isn't necessarily closed on the Jedi path.
Grogu's Next Steps in The Mandalorian Season 3
He's come from being a helpless baby in a hover pram to peacefully putting rancors to sleep, but much to learn, Grogu still has.
At the moment, Grogu is basically stuck at a crossroads. His abilities will never fade away as Ahsoka suggested because they were essentially unlocked again by Luke. However, without a teacher, he won't be able to progress, either. Being able to jump around and act on instinct will be helpful, and the beskar chain mail will certainly save him from time to time, but only training and discipline will truly help Grogu master the Force.
When The Mandalorian Season 3 begins, Din and Grogu will probably be helping each other. Grogu's presence alone will bring peace to Din's mind and allow him to focus more as he learns to wield the Darksaber, which will make him a more capable warrior than he already is. Mando has admitted that Grogu is too powerful to be trained by he himself, but in the interim, he can hack around and do little things to help the baby refine the skills he currently has.
But there will come a point where Mando can do little else for his son, and Grogu has already chosen to take a step away from the Jedi Order for the time being. Pedro Pascal teased that fans can expect to see familiar faces in Season 3, and one would have to imagine that will entail Force-users. Ahsoka Tano is a likely bet, as her appearance can serve as a direct jumping point into the Ahsoka series that will debut shortly thereafter.
Ahsoka probably won't take Grogu away with her; he's already made his own choice to stay with Din. But if she were to bump into Mando again before her solo series, then perhaps she and Sabine Wren will teach him to wield the Darksaber sooner than expected. And with Luke offering Yoda's lightsaber to Grogu, it stands to reason that the little man will need saber training as well.
Though not a perfect fit, Ahsoka's shot blade is smaller than a normal lightsaber and could serve as something for Grogu to practice with. Maybe he experiences a growth spurt at some point, which would make a baby with a lightsaber appear far less ridiculous. However it pans out, Ahsoka taking some time to show her new buddies the ropes with the weapon seems like a plausible way to advance Grogu's Jedi path.
On his own time, Grogu may choose to meditate more, as well. He was seen doing this with Luke in The Book of Boba Fett, though his focus wasn't all there. Like Din, being in the company of his loved one should make Grogu feel more comfortable, which will, in turn, allow him the concentration needed to clear his mind and find his center. Simple meditation is an easy, but effective way to become more in tune with the Force, and that will result in enhanced abilities.
The boy has exceptional raw skills, and those are naturally going to be put to the test. Moff Gideon will be back for Season 3 after pulling off some kind of jailbreak, and it's doubtful that he'll have forgotten about Grogu during his time under New Republic custody. With Gideon and whatever's left of the Imperial Remnant still on his tail, Grogu is going to have to step up and help himself this time.
For that to happen, Luke Skywalker will have to make a return. He wasn't brought into the MandoVerse just to step out after two appearances, and the fantastic work done to bring the character to life will certainly be something Lucasfilm continues to pursue. Luke is still in possession of Yoda's lightsaber, but the weapon wouldn't have been introduced just to serve as an Easter egg. By the end of Season 3, it will be in Grogu's hands.
Perhaps Ahsoka recognizes Grogu is ready for his own weapon and sends him and Mando back to Luke to retrieve it. Luke, realizing that it's in the best interest for Grogu and that his time with Din has pushed him towards being a more effective Jedi, would happily gift the lightsaber to him. And when all breaks loose, as things often do, Grogu will have the weapon and armor he needs to protect himself and his father figure, stopping any Imperial forces that will threaten their safety.
To Infinity and Beyond
Whoops, wrong franchise. Close enough.
There's so much more in store for Grogu's future that extends beyond The Mandalorian Season 3. If Boba Fett has set a precedent, then Grogu and Din will be appearing in every project under the MandoVerse umbrella, so Ahsoka will be next. After that, Rangers of the New Republic (if it's still happening), the rumored Bo-Katan series, more seasons of The Mandalorian, other unannounced tie-in shows, and the final collective story will all feature the duo in varying levels of prominence.
Din is set on a clear crash course to reclaim Mandalore and become the world's next ruler, though it will be a bumpy ride along the way. Grogu still seems set to become a Jedi at some point, even if his way forward is a little murkier than his father's. Sadly, he's going to outlive Mando, and the hundreds of years to follow will need to be spent in some sort of productive fashion.
Season 3 doesn't explicitly show Grogu following the Jedi way, but it's a step in the right direction. Luke's take on attachments is a head-scratcher given the attachments he had for his father and sister, the latter of whom he willingly trained despite her being married and expecting a child. Maybe he'll come around eventually and realize that Grogu's attachment has done him good as a Jedi... or maybe Luke already knew this would be the case, so having him go off with Din for a while was the best decision for everyone.
Audiences were never shown what transpired after Grogu was presented with his choice by Luke, so there may well be more to the situation. In the long run, it doesn't seem likely that he'll rejoin Skywalker Academy; Grogu is being set up to be the next Mandalorian Jedi, so he'll remain by Din's side for years to come. This will also allow him to dodge the lightning bolt The Senate uses to destroy the school decades later in The Rise of Kylo Ren.
The MandoVerse has done a great job of setting up Grogu's path forward as a Mandalorian foundling, but his Jedi journey is only just beginning. Sooner than later, it will be revealed who rescued him from the Order 66 massacre - and all indicators point to that person being Barriss Offee. She could easily have a role in Ahsoka herself, given the complicated relationship she has with the titular character. If so, a reunion with Grogu may remind him that he was given a second chance as a Jedi, and he should pursue it.
Less likely, but still possible, is a meeting of some kind with the ghost of Anakin Skywalker, who will also be in Ahsoka. Perhaps he needs to forgive the man who betrayed the Order before he can move on from his trauma. Even more likely, however, is that he'll eventually meet with the Force ghost of Yoda. Two members of the same species serving as teacher and student is a lay-up, and if Grogu is given Yoda's lightsaber then some encouragement from the wise master is in order.
As the MandoVerse begins to build closer and closer to the event project that will wrap everything up in 2027, Grogu and Din will see each other as equals. If both are able to wield lightsabers, the pair will have the opportunity to spar on their own time to refine their skills. Mando will become proficient enough to save Mandalore, and Grogu will have the true talent and training of a Jedi.
By the time the MandoVerse is over, the sequel trilogy has passed, and Rey Palpatine is in line to do what Luke should have done, Grogu will be nearly 80 years old. At this point, he should have the knowledge and experience to devote himself fully to restoring the Jedi Order - while maintaining his ties to Mandalore, of course. Many generations of students will come and go, but Grogu and the Jedi will endure for centuries.
The Mandalorian Season 3 will debut on Disney+ in late 2022.
STAR WARS Writer
