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Warning! The following contains spoilers for the The Mandalorian episode "Chapter 1." Read at your own risk.
One episode in, and The Mandalorian has already made a significant impact on the Star Wars world. That's thanks in large part to its major reveal at the end of the episode in which the mysterious bounty hunter uncovered a 50-year-old baby that looked a hell of a lot like another Star Wars character fans know all too well: Yoda.
There's certainly a striking similarity between The Mandalorian's baby alien and the Jedi master, but are these two related? Let's take a dive into what we know about Yoda, his people, and this baby and see if we can figure out what, if any, connection they may have.
What We Know About The Baby
Per The Mandalorian premiere, we know this baby is supposed to be 50 years old. Given the era the show takes place in, that means it was born sometime around or slightly before the Clone Wars era. We also know it's covered in a brown blanket, not unlike the one Yoda had on his death bed. Coincidence?
Honestly, we have no clue. George Lucas has been intentionally cryptic about Yoda's home world and origin, and there are next to no details about his species that are Star Wars canon. This may be why The Mandalorian (which can now be viewed by non-Disney+ subscribers with a free trial) went this route, so that Star Wars could finally give fans some answers on the story of one of the most mysterious species in the franchise.
Going back to the one concrete thing we know, this baby was born sometime during the prequel era. Timeline-wise, we're looking at the time around the start or before the Clone Wars. Assuming this baby's age is right, it was born around the beginning of Anakin Skywalker's formative years with Obi-Wan Kenobi, but well before he turned to the Dark Side.
Is Yoda Related To This Baby?
To date, we have seen 3 versions of the baby's species in the Star Wars universe. There's the baby, Yoda, and a female Jedi Master seen on the Jedi Council named Yaddle. In the Legends canon, Yaddle was believed to be killed in a mission ahead of the Clone Wars, which is why she wasn't in Episode II Attack of the Clones. Current canon maintains Yaddle was on the council, but her disappearance has not been explained.
Assuming Yoda's species adhere to mammalian reproduction norms, it is possible Yaddle was with child and departed the Jedi Council to have her baby ahead of the Clone Wars. Yoda could be the father, though the only reason we'd think that is the case is because he and Yaddle are the only two of their species seen in the franchise. It's entirely possible there are more out there, though we have no idea where they are.
Even so, the fact that we see so few of these species in Star Wars would imply their numbers are low. If that's the case, statistics would say Yoda has some relation to this child even if he isn't the father. And, just to be clear, there's also a chance Yoda and Yaddle had a romantic affair, and this baby is the love-child of two very powerful Jedi Masters.
Wouldn't Yoda Or Yaddle Having A Child Violate Jedi Code?
The answer on whether or not either Yoda or Yaddle having a child would violate Jedi code is tricky. While it is true that the Jedi forbid attachments, intimate relationships, and love, a vow of celibacy is not an express written rule of the Jedi. At the risk of sounding too crass, a Jedi could certainly live by the "hit it and quit it" mentality and still adhere to the Jedi code, presumably.
Of course, it feels silly to even consider that either would do something so scandalous. This is a Disney brand now, after all, and I'm not sure the Mouse House's first thought when acquiring this franchise was to make Yoda and Yaddle hooking up on the down low canon. To be quite honest, we're not even sure how these species mate, so we aren't even sure if that's on the table.
With that said, there is precedent in Legends canon that Jedi who were part of a species that was considered endangered were allowed to have a family. Ki-Adi-Mundi (the Jedi that looked like a Conehead) was a notable example of this. Again though, that was Legends canon and modern canon has made no mention of this plot point. The Mandalorian has the potential to answer some major questions regarding Jedi code if Yoda or Yaddle is the parent of this child.
Weird Births In The Star Wars Universe
Let's just take a moment to acknowledge that it's completely possible this child has no parents. This is a universe where clones exist, and someone could've obtained some DNA from Yoda or Yaddle in order to create the adorable little baby. After all, there are some who have noticed the scientist working with "The Client" in the premiere had a symbol on his sleeve that resembled the one worn in the cloning facility on Kamino.
Cloning theories aside, it's also worth mentioning that Anakin Skywalker didn't have a father. While the full story on his birth isn't officially known, it is widely regarded that Anakin was conceived within his mother by the will of the Force. Whether it was the Light or Dark side that created him largely relies on which Force user is familiar with the tale. Point being, some weird stuff can happen in this franchise.
Which is why it wouldn't be surprising if the true origin of this baby in The Mandalorian lies in a more nuanced story that may not require the "birds and the bees" talk with younger viewers after hearing. Whatever the case may be with this child's mysterious origin, let's just hope the answer has nothing to do with Midi-chlorians (which is possible given George Lucas was hanging out on set).
Did The Mandalorian Already Contradict A Major Star Wars Rebels Plot Point?
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