This article contains spoilers for The Mandalorian season 1.
It's become clear that Star Wars doesn't want viewers (or readers) to forget the Grogu mysteries raised in The Mandalorian season 1. The Mandalorian's first season dropped alongside the launch of the Disney+ streaming service, and it proved an instant hit. In large part this was because of a smart marking decision, with Lucasfilm deliberately avoiding letting anyone know the premiere would introduce the diminutive creature initially referred to by fans as "Baby Yoda." Surprisingly, Disney even held back on tie-in merchandise so they could preserve the secrecy.
Little by little, The Mandalorian season 1 and 2 - and The Book of Boba Fett - have revealed some of Baby Yoda's backstory. Baby Yoda has been officially named Grogu, and he was a survivor of the Jedi Purge in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. Somehow rescued from the Jedi Temple, he was kept in hiding for 50 years, until Din Djarin was hired by the Imperial Remnant to bring him in. Fortunately for Grogu, Din Djarin fell in love with the little alien and has essentially adopted him. The relationship between the two forms the heart of The Mandalorian era in Star Wars; although Grogu briefly went away to train with Luke Skywalker, he's already returned to Din Djarin's side ahead of The Mandalorian season 3.
Marvel Comics has now begun its official comic book adaptation of The Mandalorian season 1, by Rodney Barnes, Georges Jeanty, and Karl Story. It's a simple adaptation, not really adding anything new to the story, although the artwork in The Mandalorian #1 is gorgeous and the coloring really makes the pages pop. What is striking, however, is the fact that the translation to another medium serves as a reminder there are still so many Grogu mysteries that haven't been explained. The dialogue emphasizes conflict among the Imperials, with some not concerned with whether Grogu lived or died - rather surprising given he seemed to be key to some Imperial genetic experiments believed to be tied to those conducted by the resurrected Emperor on Exegol. Even more remarkable is the fact IG-88 wasn't actually called in on the same bounty as Din Djarin; he noted his commission was quite specific. "The asset was to be terminated," IG-88 observed, before being shot down by Din Djarin.
It's easy to forget Grogu's backstory is still shrouded in mystery. The flashes shown so far haven't even revealed how Grogu survived Order 66; he was shown near the chambers of Luminara Unduli, but she's believed to have been offworld at that time. Grogu's chain-code - again a standout element in the comic book adaptation - is also something of a mystery. Star Wars: The Bad Batch revealed the origin of the chain-codes, with the Empire insisting everyone had to have a chain-code in order to travel between systems. This therefore seems to indicate Grogu was held in the hands of the Empire for a time, and it's therefore rather odd they'd lost track of him.
The Mandalorian's comic book adaptation isn't going to answer these questions, of course. It's telling the familiar, established story, rather than filling in the gaps. But it nonetheless serves to remind readers of all the mysteries in The Mandalorian era that are yet to be explored - and that could well prove key in season 3 and beyond.
