Baby Yoda may have not wanted Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) to train him in The Mandalorian. The latest episode of the Star Wars show, "Chapter 13: The Jedi", provided some answers regarding the mystery surrounding the Child. But while Ahsoka has been instrumental in revealing parts of Baby Yoda's origins, Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) remains involved with it after the former Jedi refused to take him in.
Since The Mandalorian season 1 finale, Din has been focused on a singular mission - track down the Jedi and bring Baby Yoda to them. Granted he'd been distracted by side missions, he eventually found what he was looking for in Ahsoka, thanks to a tip from fellow Mandalorian, Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff). But what Mando thought to be the end of his time with Baby Yoda, whose real name is Grogu, turned out to be just a pit stop as Ahsoka refused to take the Child. Instead, she instructed Din to bring Baby Yoda to Tython where he supposedly choose his own path.
Ahsoka had her reasons for refusing to train Grogu, as she explained to Din in The Mandalorian season 2, episode 5. Considering her experience with Anakin Skywalker, her stance on the matter was understandable. All that being said, it's also possible that the decision wasn't a one-sided thing, with Baby Yoda potentially not wanting to undergo training with her either.
Why Ahsoka Couldn't Train Baby Yoda
Thanks to their shared connection to the Force, Grogu was able to communicate with Ahsoka in The Mandalorian, telling her where he came from. As it turns out, he grew up in the Jedi Temple in Coruscant and was trained by many masters - that is until Order 66 was executed by Emperor Palpatine, almost wiping out the Jedi. Baby Yoda was hidden by an unknown being and from then on, he was left to fend off on his own.
He had to work hard to repress his powers so as not to draw any unwanted attention. After years of being on his own, Din thankfully found and took him in. Grogu's traumatic past and current attachment to Mando make him more vulnerable to his fears, which could lead him down the dark path. Ahsoka quickly related this to what happened to her Jedi Master, Anakin Skywalker, whose attachment to Padmé Amidala and paralyzing dread that something would happen to her resulted in his fall to the dark side. As she told Din, she's seen first-hand how these feelings can affect a "fully-trained Jedi Knight." She'd rather let Baby Yoda's powers fully fade than risk having Grogu go down the same road as Anakin did by training him.
Baby Yoda Didn't Want To Go With Ahsoka Either
Admittedly, Din may not have fully grasped the severity of Ahsoka's fears about training Baby Yoda since he's not aware of what happened to Anakin Skywalker. That said, there's a possibility that Ahsoka's decision to not take in Grogu in The Mandalorian season 2, episode 5 wasn't fully on her own; other factors could've also contributed to it. While her reasoning makes total sense, the Child might've also shared his two cents on the matter, ultimately agreeing that Ahsoka shouldn't take him from Mando. It's worth noting that during their final conversation, Ahsoka seemed to have a brief look of understanding with Grogu - almost as if there's a secret deal between them.
Since Baby Yoda and Ahsoka can communicate non-verbally, they may have discussed other things aside from what the latter relayed to Din. For starters, Ahsoka could've told Baby Yoda what she's been up to hunting down Grand Admiral Thrawn, since it could ultimately connect to the whereabouts of another Jedi - Ezra Bridger. Understanding how important this is for her and knowing that tagging along would slow her down could've motivated Grogu's choice to stay behind.
Of course, this is on top of Baby Yoda's personal preference to not be separated from Mando. Whether or not he's actually aware that his attachment to Din can be a reason for him to turn to the dark side is currently unknown. Regardless, though, from a practical standpoint, one would not willingly part with someone who's important to them if there's another way they could be together. Granted, Din had spent much of The Mandalorian season 2 trying to reunite Baby Yoda with the Jedi, but there's really no urgency in Grogu needing to be trained at this point. Given this, the Child has the luxury to spend more time on the down-low with his foster father.
Baby Yoda's Future & Who Could Train Him Instead
The way The Mandalorian wrapped up its latest episode, it's certainly possible that it's the first and last time Din and Grogu encountered Ahsoka. Any lingering questions from her appearance could be answered through a spin-off series, which could be in the works for the character. Before her live-action debut, rumors had been rampant about Ahsoka getting her own TV series; her recent appearance on The Mandalorian further backs up these claims as it could be spun into a backdoor pilot for her offshoot. Whatever the case may be for Ahsoka's future, she effectively set Din and Grogu on a new path; she told Mando to go to Tython - the birthplace of Jedi in Legends where Grogu can choose his path instead of them deciding it for him.
Aside from being another indication of Ahsoka giving Baby Yoda agency to carve his future path, it also effectively sets the course of The Mandalorian's narrative for the foreseeable future. It's still uncertain if the pair will reach Tython in the current season since there are only three episodes left, especially with Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) hot on their tails, but it's safe to assume that they will eventually find themselves there.
As Ahsoka mentioned, aside from helping Baby Yoda decide what he wants to do with his future, it could also help other Jedi around the galaxy sense his presence, causing them to seek him out instead. Considering where the events of The Mandalorian takes place in the Star Wars timeline, there aren't many Jedi left, but based on what's known in canon, Luke Skywalker attempted to properly rebuild the Jedi Order in 11 ABY - a mere couple of years from when Din and Baby Yoda's adventures take place. Given this, it's certainly possible that Luke ultimately finds Grogu and takes him under his wing. In the meantime, however, he will remain with Mando.