With a new Star Wars trilogy reportedly in the works, one major theory has come to light regarding the face of the newly-restored Jedi Order in Star Wars 10. After the release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker in 2019, the overall story of the galaxy far, far away seemed to have come to a definitive end. Alas, Lucasfilm is said to have a brand-new trilogy in development that is set to take place after the sequels. Based on the very small amount of information that was released to the public, the premise of this new trilogy will revolve around the total revival of the Jedi Order, but there is much debate as to which existing character should be the one to spearhead the Order's reestablishment.
After Star Wars: The Last Jedi revealed that Luke Skywalker tried and failed to restore the Jedi Order sometime before Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the duty for such a task now falls on the shoulders of another following Luke's death. The most obvious candidate for the Jedi's new Grand Master would be Rey, Luke's apprentice and the main protagonist of the sequel trilogy, since many believe that she is the last Jedi in existence after the end of The Rise of Skywalker. While this idea makes sense, other pieces of Star Wars canon — in particular, the Star Wars shows on Disney+, including The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and Obi-Wan Kenobi — have prompted another theory that suggests a different character for the job.
One individual who is just as qualified, if not even more so, than Rey to take up the role of Jedi Grand Master is Grogu, a.k.a. "Baby Yoda," from the Mandalorian universe of Star Wars shows. The thought of the adorable little alien infant being the leader of the modern Jedi Order is truly intriguing and hilarious. Although it may be a bit too far-fetched for some to believe, a look at the Disney+ series shows that this theory has a fairly sound foundation.
Grogu Is Still Setup To Be A Jedi, Despite Choosing Mandalorian
In The Book of Boba Fett season 1 finale, Luke Skywalker presented Grogu with a difficult choice. He could either stay with Luke and continue his Jedi training, or he could return to his friend and unlikely father figure, the Mandalorian known as Din Djarin, a.k.a. Mando. Ultimately, Grogu chose the latter and thus reunited with Mando by the end of the episode. However, this has not stopped him from further testing his skills and his connection to the Force. As seen at the end of the Mandalorian spinoff, Grogu displayed many new skills that he learned while training under Luke, and he is not above using them when things get dire.
This turn of events mirrors Luke's decision to abandon his Jedi training with Master Yoda to save his friends in The Empire Strikes Back. That choice not only allowed him to put his knowledge and skills to the test when his family needed him the most, but it also led him to become more at one with the Force and eventually rise to the rank of Master. Although Grogu chose the Mandalorian way of life with Din Djarin rather than the Jedi's, there is a high liklihood that he could still follow the same path as Luke in order to become a Master himself in due time, despite a lack of formal training.
How Old Grogu Would Be In A New Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
The aging process of the "Yoda" species is highly intriguing. The fact that they can live for many centuries is nothing short of an amazing attribute, and, thanks to season 1 of The Mandalorian, audiences got a better understanding of how their aging works. In the very first episode of the show, Din Djarin is tasked with collecting a bounty for an individual who is 50 years of age. This eventually leads him to Grogu, whom he comes to find is still an infant, which is surprising since 50 years to humans is considered past middle age. Because of their prolonged lifespans, the "Yoda" species ages much slower as a result. Most of them do not reach full maturity until their 100th year — which was how old Yoda was when he started training other Jedi.
The Mandalorian is set approximately five years after the events of Return of the Jedi. The sequel trilogy takes place about 25 years after that final movie of the original Star Wars trilogy, with the show's story so far spanning less than two years. If Grogu is still around by the end of the events of The Rise of Skywalker, this would put his age at or around 80 years old. Although the amount of time that spans between the sequels and the new trilogy is yet to be determined, there is definitely a possibility that Grogu would reach full maturity by that time, making him an adequate age to lead the new Jedi Order.
Grogu Is Too Big A Star Wars Character For Disney To Let Go
Grogu's surprisingly adorable debut was one of the best things to happen to the Star Wars franchise. Viewers became obsessed with the character, which essentially made him something of a mascot for the modern Star Wars era and turned "Baby Yoda" into the brand's most marketable character in a very long time. Due to the world's extremely positive reception of Grogu, evident in the success of The Mandalorian and its spinoff, both Disney and Lucasfilm would be foolish to not somehow include him in the coming trilogy. After all, Grogu is — or would be — one of the last people in the galaxy to have had actual Jedi training by the time that the new Star Wars movies begin. In addition, Grogu's appearance in a feature-length, theatrically released movie would further solidify the canon of the Disney+ Star Wars shows, not to mention the fact that his presence could send more viewers to the small-screen installments in case some moviegoers hadn't already seen these parts of the franchise.
Grogu's Jedi Order Could Be Exactly What The Jedi's Future Needs
Rey is currently the prime candidate for leading the Jedi as its new Grand Master. However, Grogu is not only a better choice for the role, but his involvement in the entire endeavor would also have a great deal of symbolism. Similar to how Yoda is the most famous Grand Master, having Grogu, a character of the same species, head up the Jedi would be a nice tribute. Also, thanks to Grogu's longevity, the new Jedi Order would have him as a Grand Master for centuries, which could allow them to further thrive under his guidance as he becomes older and wiser, similar to Yoda.
Grogu Could Also Work With Rey To Build A New Jedi Order
While Grogu would be the one leading the new Jedi Order, that does not mean that Rey would not be involved in some way. The two could possibly work together to guide the new generation. If Rey is not the one to lead, she could surely serve as Grogu's second-in-command, similar to how Samuel L. Jackson's Mace Windu was to Yoda in the Star Wars prequels. She could also be a helpful advisor to Grogu, especially since she has a wealth of knowledge due to her training under both of the Skywalker siblings, Luke and Leia, not to mention the fact that she destroyed Emperor Palpatine, who was the biggest threat to the Jedi to date. Surely that would qualify her to earn such a rank. Nevertheless, seeing the two meet and work with each other to forge the new Jedi Order would be a fantastic sight to behold. At the moment, this is still just a theory. Until more information about the future Star Wars trilogy comes out, one can only imagine what will be depicted in this sequel to the sequels.