When The Mandalorian began, it seemed like the perfect story of a lone hero roaming the galaxy. But by the end of Season 1, that proved to be a red herring. The Mandalorian is really the story of Mandalorian Din Djarin and young Grogu, his bounty-turned-clanmate, who has evolved into a young Jedi trainee and helpful sidekick.
That explains why the title of the upcoming cinematic spinoff has changed to The Mandalorian & Grogu, giving both title and character status. But just because Grogu may have gotten a promotion, that doesn’t mean that he’ll stop needing to be rescued. Luckily, that’s what The Mandalorian does best.
Empire Magazine recently released a number of images from The Mandalorian and Grogu, including one where the still-unnamed “Imperial Warlord” is looking over some big event while Grogu looks on from the inside of a cage. But how did Grogu end up there? It’s unclear, but some educated guesses could be made. We know that this movie will contain an intergalactic gladiator fight, and that seems to be exactly the kind of event that would draw a crowd like this.
As sad as it is to see young Grogu behind bars, it’s actually a great sign for the future of this movie. While it’s great to see Din Djarin and Grogu together, many adventures often begin with Din dropping Grogu off with someone who can take care of him. And the best, most exciting episodes are the ones where the two are separated.
The Mandalorian Season 2 Episode 6, “The Tragedy,” for example, follows Din as Grogu is kidnapped after sending out a call to any available Jedi on Tython. It was a shocking move, but that’s what makes it all the more memorable.
Din may be a ferocious warrior, but nothing makes him more motivated than rescuing his tiny green son — it was losing Grogu that forced Din to break his vows and remove his helmet in Season 2, and their bond has only grown after meeting the other Mandalorians in Season 3.
Whatever we’ll see in The Mandalorian & Grogu, that nailbiting tension is now guaranteed to come back. Hopefully, Din will be able to break young Grogu out of his cage, but he might not need to: can a simple birdcage keep a young Jedi at bay? Maybe Grogu can help himself out this time.
