Marvel needs their own "Baby Yoda" success on Disney+ — and they could get it with the Inhuman dog Lockjaw. Disney+, the new streaming service from the House of Mouse, has been an undeniable success. Just one day after launch, it already boasted over 10 million subscribers, surpassing any expectations. The Mandalorian has been a key part of that success, thanks in no small part to Baby Yoda.
Original content is key to the performance of any streaming service, and that's a truth Disney has recognized. CEO Bob Iger has admitted he expects it to be quite some time before Disney+ makes a profit, simply because they're throwing studio-sized budgets at the various TV shows that are due to premiere there. It seems to be a winning strategy: the main Disney+ original, The Mandalorian, has been an absolute hit thanks to the unexpected introduction of Baby Yoda. Called "The Child" by Lucasfilm, this alien toddler has delighted viewers. The problem, however, is that Disney+'s original content needs to continue scratching that "cuteness itch" in order to keep these subscribers — which means Marvel Studios will really need to step up as well.
The best bet for Marvel Studios is the Inhuman dog Lockjaw. Black Bolt and Medusa's canine companion is a fan favorite in the comics for precisely the same kind of reason viewers are delighting in Baby Yoda. A gigantic dog with teleporting powers, Lockjaw's origin is something of a mystery; was he an Inhuman who, when exposed to the Terrigen Mists, was mutated into this form? Or was he an animal who somehow gained an Inhuman gene? In truth, it doesn't really matter; whatever Lockjaw's backstory may be, he's a crucial part of Inhumans lore.
What's more, it wouldn't even be hard for Marvel to integrate Lockjaw into their Disney+ slate, simply because they're already preparing a TV series based on comics that featured him in the first place. Lockjaw played a major role in G. Willow Wilson's Ms. Marvel run, which introduced readers to the character of Kamala Khan. Although Kamala was technically an Inhuman, the Inhuman Royal Family rightly realized she wouldn't be interested in staying with them in New Attilan. Medusa sent Lockjaw to Kamala in order to watch over her, complete with a charming note attached to his collar; "Hello my name is Lockjaw I like hugs." Kamala was instantly taken with the "bizarro doggie," and was more than happy to give Lockjaw all the hugs he could want, even when he did freak her out by teleporting into her room when she'd left him in a kennel. It's really not hard to imagine Marvel copying this plot in their upcoming Ms. Marvel Disney+ show.
While Lockjaw undoubtedly has the cuteness factor, there is one thing working against him. Marvel Television's Inhumans TV series seems to have done lasting damage to that particular brand, to the extent that the Inhumans have been killed off in the comics as well. But that really shouldn't give Marvel pause for long; after all, they managed to get audiences rooting for a talking raccoon and a walking tree in Guardians of the Galaxy, so they clearly don't mind taking on a challenge. Reintroducing the Inhumans through Lockjaw would be the best way to take it on, because it would win viewers over right from the start.