Warning: Spoilers ahead for The Book of Boba Fett episode 6
Grogu’s Jedi backstory is explored via a flashback in The Book of Boba Fett episode 6, raising several questions regarding his survival of Order 66. As the young companion of Din Djarin in The Mandalorian, Grogu quickly became one of the Star Wars franchise’s most popular characters, though his full backstory remains shrouded in mystery. As a member of the same species as Yoda, Grogu’s lifespan far exceeds that of a human’s, remaining a child even at age 50. Grogu was a youngling at the Jedi Temple during Order 66, yet he somehow survived the Siege of the Jedi Temple, in which Darth Vader and a contingent of brainwashed Clone Troopers wiped out nearly every Jedi. This is just one example of the many questions surrounding the young hero.
Order 66 was the focal point of Palpatine’s plans to wipe out the Jedi and supplant the Republic with the autocratic Empire. Once Anakin Skywalker fell to the dark side and became the Sith Lord Darth Vader, Palpatine issued Order 66, activating the dormant brainwashing implants in all Clone Troopers and compelling them to murder their allies, the Jedi. Most of the Jedi spread out across the galaxy died when their Clone Troopers turned on them and most of the survivors were killed during the reign of the Empire by Darth Vader or his specially-trained dark side-using agents, the Imperial Inquisitors. Some Jedi Masters, such as Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda, managed to survive while some Jedi in training (or former Jedi), such as Ahsoka Tano, Kanan Jarrus, and Grogu evaded Palpatine’s forces.
The Book of Boba Fett “Chapter 6: From the Desert Comes a Stranger” features the return of Grogu since he rejoined the Jedi Order at the end of The Mandalorian season 2. Now training with Luke Skywalker, Grogu is given a choice by Skywalker between severing his attachment to Djarin and remaining on the path of the Jedi or forgoing his Jedi identity and rejoining Djarin as a Mandalorian. Grogu’s choice isn’t shown, but will likely be followed up on in The Book of Boba Fett’s season 1 finale or The Mandalorian season 3. As Star Wars canon material gradually reveals Grogu’s Order 66 backstory, it raises new questions as it answers others.
Why Wasn’t Grogu With The Other Jedi Younglings?
Assisted by Luke Skywalker’s use of the Force, Grogu remembers the traumatic night when Darth Vader and his brainwashed Clone Troopers attacked the Jedi Temple. The Book of Boba Fett shows Grogu watching three Jedi attempt to hold off a squad of clones, but no other Jedi younglings are shown in the scene. Grogu and the Jedi were in a hallway when the clones attacked, so the three defenders might have been trying to get Grogu out of the Temple when they were intercepted by Vader’s forces. Behind the scenes, however, Grogu might not have been shown among other younglings, as depicting their deaths onscreen would have been too dark for some viewers.
Which Jedi Protected Grogu?
The three Jedi who defend Grogu from the brainwashed Clone Troopers aren’t explicitly named. The trio is only shown from behind and the flashback doesn’t provide a clear look at their faces. The Jedi are most likely original characters, and one of their lightsabers is shown to have a wholly original design from the recognizable prequel-era Jedi hilts. As more information about Grogu’s past is revealed, one or more of his three Jedi defenders may be explored as well.
How Long Had Grogu Been Training Before Order 66?
When Ahsoka and Grogu connect through the Force in The Mandalorian season 2, Tano reveals the first details regarding Grogu’s backstory. Before Order 66, Grogu had been raised at the Jedi Temple like all other younglings, though his slowed aging process meant that he’d received training from multiple Jedi Masters. The full extent of Grogu’s training is unknown, but it’s most likely only basic use of the Force. Given Grogu’s age, however, he may have been trained for over a decade by the time that Order 66 was issued.
Who Took Grogu Out Of The Jedi Temple?
Ahsoka also reveals that somebody took Grogu out of the Jedi Temple, saving him from certain death. The identity of Grogu’s rescuer, however, remains unknown, and the three Jedi defending him died before Grogu made it out of the temple. Another Jedi might have saved Grogu, or perhaps even a Clone Trooper who somehow overcame his brainwashing (as was sometimes the case, as shown in other Star Wars properties). Ahsoka’s The Mandalorian dialogue clarifies that Grogu didn’t escape the besieged temple single-handedly.
Was Barriss Offee Involved In Grogu’s Survival?
Some fans have noticed a strange detail during Grogu’s Order 66 flashback. A door near the three Jedi defenders is adorned with Barriss Offee’s crest, indicating that the fighting took place just outside of her quarters. Barriss Offee’s whereabouts during Order 66 are unknown, but some speculate that she might have been executed, became an Imperial Inquisitor, or evaded Imperial forces and fled. The behind-the-scenes decision to make Offee’s symbol visible during Grogu’s Order 66 flashback implies that perhaps Offee, no longer a Jedi yet having no qualms with murdering Clone Troopers, might have been the mysterious person who took Grogu out of the Jedi Temple during Order 66.
Did Grogu Have A Lightsaber Before Order 66?
Since Grogu was not a Jedi Knight or even a padawan by the events of Order 66, it’s highly unlikely that he constructed a lightsaber. What is possible, however, is that Grogu had trained with a practice lightsaber during his tutelage under multiple Jedi Masters. The full extent of Grogu’s training is unknown, but younglings are shown practicing lightsaber combat in the Star Wars prequels, so Grogu might have done so as well before Order 66 cut his Jedi education short.
How Did Grogu Avoid Darth Vader?
Leading the attack on the Jedi Temple was Darth Vader, committing some of his first and most horrific actions as the newly-christened Sith Lord. Vader murdered Jedi Masters and Jedi younglings alike, but given the size of the temple and the sheer amount of Jedi inside, it’s not surprising that he likely didn’t encounter Grogu during the attack. Grogu escaping, however, is more difficult to explain, as Vader’s powerful connection to the Force (now its dark side) should have allowed him to sense a frightened Force-sensitive fleeing the temple. Grogu might have escaped Vader’s notice and survived Order 66 by cutting himself off from the Force then and there, a possibility neither confirmed nor denied by The Book of Boba Fett.
New episodes of The Book of Boba Fett air Wednesdays on Disney+.