Warning! SPOILERS for The Book of Boba Fett episode 5.
The Book of Boba Fett cleverly sets up Grogu's return, and it's all due to some interesting modifications on an N-1 starfighter. Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) returns to the Star Wars universe in The Book of Boba Fett episode 5. During the episode, Mando gets his beskar spear converted into armor for Grogu/Baby Yoda and learns he has to atone for taking off his Mandalorian helmet. He also returns to Tatooine and gets a new ship from Peli Motto (Amy Sedaris). Unfortunately, the ship isn't travel-ready, and Din Djarin helps Peli Motto improve it and make modifications.
Din Djarin last saw Grogu in The Mandalorian season 2 finale. In the episode, Mando rescues Grogu from Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito), and Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) makes a surprise appearance. He shows up to easily slice through some Dark Troopers and take Grogu to Jedi training. However, before Din Djarin and Grogu part, the Mandalorian makes a promise. "I'll see you again," he says. The Mandalorian is helmet-less and teary-eyed as Skywalker takes Grogu away.
In Book of Boba Fett episode 5, the series subtly sets up a perfect Grogu return. During the episode, Peli Motto and Pedro Pascal's Din Djarin fix up an old N-1 starfighter, giving the ship some modifications along the way. Notably, Din Djarin asks, "What happened to the droid port," noticing the area where a droid would go behind the pilot had a dome over it. "I hogged it out," Peli Motto says, adding that she thought Din Djarin would want to leave out the astromech droid. However, the new domed area of the ship is the perfect size for Grogu, hinting that the pair will fly together again.
Din Djarin mentions the ship modification for a reason. If the Mandalorian hadn't brought up the ship modification, the change could've gone unnoticed in Book of Boba Fett episode 5. After all, before Peli Motto says she made the change to forgo the astromech, it seems like a droid would fit nicely behind Din Djarin. The setup doesn't appear much different from how R2-D2 sits behind young Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd) in The Phantom Menace. However, by having a perfectly Grogu-sized and dome-protected passenger seat on the ship, it appears Star Wars is hinting that the seat is for a specific character.
Besides the ship modification, Book of Boba Fett episode 5 continually hints at Grogu's return. During the episode, the Mandalorian makes his armor for Grogu and wraps it in a package that resembles Baby Yoda's little head. Later in the episode, Fennec Shand (Ming-Na Wen) recruits Din Djarin to fight for Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison) in his upcoming war against the Pykes. Din Djarin agrees but adds, "First, I got to pay a visit to a little friend." It seems Din Djarin's "little friend" is returning sooner rather than later, and he's going to be riding in style.
The Book of Boba Fett streams Wednesdays on Disney+.
