Summary
- Grogu’s species remains a mystery, though they are known for their long lifespans – Yoda lived nearly 900 years.
- Grogu was around 10 in The Phantom Menace, 20 in Attack of the Clones, and 23 during Order 66.
- Grogu’s age aligns with key events in Star Wars history.
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Despite his relatively young age, Grogu has become a major character in the Star Wars franchise, but very little is known about his life before he met Din Djarin. Though the Star Wars timeline is expansive, most of the franchise’s storytelling is confined to the Star Wars movies. Since Grogu was alive during the time of the Star Wars prequel trilogy and the original Star Wars trilogy – both eras that had a significant impact on Grogu’s life during the reign of the New Republic – it’s important to know what he might have experienced during those times, and how that might have affected him.
One of the greatest Star Wars mysteries is the mystery behind Grogu’s species. Despite the prominent presence of Grogu, Yoda, and Yaddle within the franchise, very little is known about where they come from or their general biology, though it is clear that they can live very long lives. Yoda was nearly 900 years old when he first appeared in The Empire Strikes Back, and Grogu is still seen as a child, despite being 50 years of age during The Mandalorian. So, how old was Grogu in each Star Wars movie? How much of the galaxy’s history has he truly witnessed?
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6 Grogu Was 10 In The Year Of The Phantom Menace
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (32BBY)
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The Star Wars timeline uses the Battle of Yavin as its main turning point. The Battle of Yavin involves the destruction of the first Death Star as seen in the original Star Wars movie. As such, everything that happens before the Battle of Yavin is labeled BBY, and everything that happens after it is labeled ABY. Since it was confirmed that Grogu was 50 in The Mandalorian season 1, which is set in 9ABY, it can be surmised that Grogu was born in approximately 41BBY, though his exact date of birth has yet to be officially confirmed by Star Wars.
Interestingly, Anakin Skywalker himself was also born in 41BBY. As Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace takes place in 32BBY, both Grogu and Anakin would have been roughly ten or 11 years old by the time the movie takes place. Famously, Anakin wasn’t inducted into the Jedi Order until then. It’s unclear when Grogu was brought to the Order; however, since the Jedi Council was reluctant to teach Anakin at ten years old, Grogu was likely much younger.
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace
PG
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The beginning of the Skywalker Saga, Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace sees young Anakin Skywalker put on his path to discovering his ability to influence the Force. While attempting to thwart the nefarious Trade Federation in their plans for the planet of Naboo, two Jedi discover an exceptionally-gifted slave with the ability to wield the Force. Little do they know, rescuing him is just the beginning of a saga that will span generations of the Skywalker family.
Director George Lucas Release Date May 19, 1999 Writers George Lucas Cast Ewan McGregor , Liam Neeson , Natalie Portman , Jake Lloyd , Ahmed Best , Ian McDiarmid , Anthony Daniels , Kenny Baker , Pernilla August , Frank Oz , Ray Park , Samuel L. Jackson Runtime 133 minutes
5 Grogu Was 20 When The Clone Wars Began
Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (22BBY)
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Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones is officially set in 22BBY, ten years after The Phantom Menace. As such, Grogu would have been roughly 20 years old. The end of the film marks the start of the Clone Wars, the galaxy-wide conflict between the Grand Army of the Republic and the Separatists, and the beginning of the Jedi’s inevitable downfall. Though Grogu was 20 years old, it’s clear his species ages differently than humans and other humanoid species do, and as such, he would have been much too young to join the fight, unlike many other Jedi Padawans.
That doesn’t mean the Clone Wars wouldn’t have affected him though, despite being housed in the relative safety of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. The war affected the Order greatly – it’s possible the younglings were given a completely different kind of instruction, one focused more on fighting than meditation and peace, for instance. When Grogu later protects Din Djarin in The Mandalorian, it’s clear that Grogu’s use of the Force is rather more uncontrolled than one might have expected, hinting his time at the Jedi Temple wasn’t always easy.
Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones
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Years after the events of The Phantom Menace, the Skywalker Saga continues with Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones. When Senator Padme Amidala’s life is threatened, Jedi Knights Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker are tasked with her protection. While Obi-Wan uncovers a clone army made in secret, Anakin falls in love with Padme, marking the beginning of his inevitable fall to the dark side of the Force.
Director George Lucas Release Date May 16, 2002 Writers George Lucas , Jonathan Hales Cast Ewan McGregor , Hayden Christensen , Natalie Portman , Ian McDiarmid , Samuel L. Jackson , Christopher Lee , Anthony Daniels , Kenny Baker , Frank Oz , Temuera Morrison , Ahmed Best , Daniel Logan Runtime 142 Minutes
4 Grogu Was 23 When Order 66 Happened & The Empire Was Born
Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (19BBY)
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Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith takes place in 19BBY. At this point, the Clone Wars have been raging on for approximately three years, and it’s taken its toll on the galaxy and the Jedi, too. Just when it looks like the conflict is coming to an end, Palpatine finally reveals himself as the evil Sith Lord, Darth Sidious, and makes Anakin Skywalker his new apprentice. Order 66 is enacted, the clone troopers are forced to betray the Jedi, and the Jedi Order is decimated in one fell swoop.
In The Mandalorian season 3, it was revealed that Grogu survived Order 66 and escaped the Jedi Temple with the help of Jedi Master Kelleran Beq. Several Jedi gave their lives trying to protect Grogu. Grogu would have been 23 at the time, incredibly young for his species. The flashback in The Mandalorian, and Grogu’s experience with Luke Skywalker, makes it clear that Grogu was traumatized by the Jedi’s genocide, and understandably so. He would have never experienced that kind of violence and grief before, and his connection to the Force would have been affected by it.
Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith
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Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith is the sixth film in the Star Wars franchise and chronologically the third in the Skywalker Saga. Set three years after the events of Attack of the Clones, Anakin Skywalker is tasked with keeping an eye on Chancellor Palpatine while other Jedi battle across the galaxy. In the background, however, a mysterious Sith lord begins to make their move to destroy the Jedi once and for all.
Director George Lucas Release Date May 19, 2005 Writers George Lucas , John Ostrander , Jan Duursema Cast Ewan McGregor , Natalie Portman , Hayden Christensen , Ian McDiarmid , Samuel L. Jackson , Christopher Lee , Anthony Daniels , Kenny Baker , Frank Oz , Ahmed Best , Temuera Morrison Runtime 140 Minutes
3 Grogu Was 42 When The Galactic Civil War Began
A New Hope (0BBY/0ABY)
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The original Star Wars movie, which was later retitled A New Hope, takes place in that pivotal year of 0BBY/0ABY. At this point, Grogu would have been roughly 42 years old, though it’s currently unclear how long Kelleran Beq stayed with Grogu, or when exactly he was captured by the Empire. It’s impossible to say where Grogu was when Luke Skywalker blew the Death Star to pieces, but as it was such a significant step back for the Empire, the entire galaxy would have felt the repercussions, perhaps even Grogu.
It’s possible that, during this time, Grogu was being cared for by the Hidden Path, the secret underground network that aided Force-sensitives and other enemies of the Empire to find safety on distant worlds, out of the Empire’s reach. The Hidden Path was a major plot point in both Obi-Wan Kenobi and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, both of which take place in 9BBY. It may be how Grogu stayed safe for a while after the fall of the Jedi Order.
Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope
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The film that began the Star Wars franchise, Episode IV – A New Hope tells the story of wistful Force-sensitive Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), who longs to leave his home planet of Tatooine to fight the evil Empire. After inheriting his Jedi father’s weapon, a lightsaber, Luke sets off under the tutelage of Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness) with smuggler Han Solo (Harrison Ford) to join the Rebellion and face the evil Darth Vader.
Director George Lucas Release Date May 25, 1977 Writers George Lucas Cast Mark Hamill , Harrison Ford , Carrie Fisher , Alec Guinness , David Prowse , James Earl Jones , Frank Oz , Anthony Daniels , Kenny Baker , Peter Mayhew , Peter Cushing Runtime 121 Minutes
2 Grogu Was 45 When Luke Skywalker Met Yoda
The Empire Strikes Back (3ABY)
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The Empire Strikes Back takes place in 3ABY, so Grogu was approximately 45 years old. It is in this movie that Luke Skywalker meets Yoda for the first time, and they begin Luke’s Jedi training on Dagobah. In The Empire Strikes Back, Yoda was roughly 900 years old. Grogu, as such, still has a long life ahead of him. As both Yoda and Obi-Wan refer to Luke as the last hope of the Jedi, it’s clear they weren’t aware, or at least didn’t want to make Luke aware, that there were others out there like him. It’s entirely possible that they didn’t know Grogu was still alive.
Hopefully, at this point, Grogu was still an unknown presence in the galaxy. Given his connection to the Force, however, it’s possible he felt something when Luke and Yoda officially met, and when Luke began tapping into his power in earnest. What if that somehow led the Empire to discover his location?
Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back
PG
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1980 saw the continuation of the Skywalker Saga with Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. Although this was the second film in the Star Wars series itself, it would end up being the fifth film chronologically in the Skywalker Saga itself. Created by George Lucas and directed by Irvin Kershner, this sequel sees Darth Vader attempting to locate the Rebel Alliance after they destroyed the Death Star.
Director Irvin Kershner Release Date May 21, 1980 Writers George Lucas , Lawrence Kasdan , Leigh Brackett Cast Mark Hamill , Harrison Ford , Carrie Fisher , Frank Oz , Billy Dee Williams , Anthony Daniels , Kenny Baker , David Prowse , Peter Mayhew , James Earl Jones Runtime 124 minutes
1 Grogu Was 46 When Yoda Died
Return of the Jedi (4ABY)
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In Return of the Jedi, which takes place in 4ABY, Yoda dies, and Luke is left to defend the galaxy on his own as a Jedi. What happened to Grogu during this time is anyone’s guess, though the fall of the Empire did trigger Palpatine’s contingency plans. Thanks to Star Wars: The Bad Batch and The Mandalorian, it’s clear that Palpatine’s cloning projects were active for a long time. Though the exact date of Grogu’s capture is unknown, it would make sense if it happened in the aftermath of Return of the Jedi and the Empire’s dissolution.
That would, however, tragically mean that Grogu was in the hands of the Empire and being experimented on for several years before he was eventually “rescued” by Nikto mercenaries and found by Din Djarin in 9ABY. Until more is revealed, it’s impossible to know what happened to him during the Star Wars sequel trilogy. Hopefully, Grogu’s history will become clearer as Star Wars’ New Republic story marches on and this youngling’s powers and abilities continue to grow.
Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi
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The third film released and the sixth film chronologically in the Star Wars Saga, Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi is a sci-fi epic adventure film that continues the adventures of Luke, Leia, Han, and friends as they battle against the Empire. After a narrow escape but crushing defeat at the hands of the empire, the rebel alliance learns that a new Death Star has been constructed above the moon of Endor. With the war reaching its conclusion, the heroes will team with the forest planet’s inhabitants and prepare themselves for one final showdown with Darth Vander and the Galactic Empire.
Director Richard Marquand Release Date May 25, 1983 Writers Lawrence Kasdan , George Lucas Cast Mark Hamill , Carrie Fisher , Harrison Ford , James Earl Jones , Billy Dee Williams , Ian McDiarmid , Peter Mayhew , Anthony Daniels , Kenny Baker , David Prowse , Frank Oz , Sebastian Shaw , Alec Guinness Runtime 131 Minutes
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Grogu
Grogu is a former Jedi youngling who is now training as a Mandalorian apprentice under his adopted father, Din Djarin. A survivor of Order 66, Grogu was hunted by the Empire for his blood amidst their cloning experimentation. Rescued by Din after initially being his bounty, Grogu went on to be trained briefly by Luke Skywalker as a Jedi Padawan, but has ultimately chosen the path of the Mandalorians instead to remain with his father. Grogu is now traversing the galaxy with Din to fight the Imperial Remnant and learn the Mandalorian Way.
Created By Jon Favreau , Dave Filoni First Appearance The Mandalorian Alias The Child Alliance Jedi, Mandalorians Race Unknown Movies The Mandalorian & Grogu TV Shows The Mandalorian , The Book of Boba Fett Franchise Star Wars
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