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Baby Yoda Sex Revealed and Other Questions Answered in Episode 3, "The Mandalorian"

The asset in the floating bassinet is at it yet again. Spoilers ahead!

Lucasfilm

Episode 3 of The Mandalorian premiered this morning on Disney+, providing revelations about our hero's moral compass, the intentions of the imperial remnant after the bounty, and most importantly: Baby Yoda.

Titled "The Sin," the third installment of the 8-episode season opens with the titular Mandalorian (yet unnamed aside from the nickname "Mando") traveling in his Razor Crest gunship to deliver Baby Yoda (whose species and name remain unknown, aside from "the Asset," so "Baby Yoda" it is) to the imperial remnant (a.k.a. "the Client").

Baby Yoda plays with a metal ball in the cockpit of the Mandalorian's starship. "That's not a toy!" (But wtf is it?) Lucasfilm

Quick facts we knew about Baby Yoda (the true protagonist of this series) coming into this episode:

  • Baby Yoda is 50 years old but is still in his/her infancy given that the species is known in canon to live for roughly 900 years and ages very slowly.
  • He is definitely "Force sensitive," as revealed at the climax of Episode 2.
  • He is highly sought after by a mysterious group linked to the First Galactic Empire (which appears to have been existing in secret since the Empire was overthrown approximately 5 years before the events of The Mandalorian).



Popular fan theories about the possible origins and significance of Baby Yoda:

  • Baby Yoda is the child of Yoda and Yaddle (the only other being of Yoda's species seen in Disney Star Wars canon, depicted briefly on screen as a member of the Jedi Council in the prequel trilogy).
  • Baby Yoda is actually a clone of Yoda himself.
  • Baby Yoda (and all members of the species) are actually born of and by the Force, not traditional methods of reproduction.
  • Baby Yoda's Force-rich DNA will be extracted and potentially used to revive Emperor Palpatine, explaining the Sith Lord's anticipated return in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker set to release in theaters less than a month from today.
  • Snoke is the true client seeking Baby Yoda for some reason, as it is confirmed The Mandalorian will explore the origins of the First Order.
  • Baby Yoda is simply a random member of Yoda's species and a brilliant merchandising ploy.

So what do we learn in Episode 3?

First, let's discuss the title of the episode: "The Sin." In the first act of Episode 3, it would seem the "sin" is that Mando actually delivers Baby Yoda to the Client, accepts his enormous bounty in the form of Imperial-pressed Beskar steel, and bounces. Many fans didn't see that coming. Surely Mando would have formed too strong an attachment to Baby Yoda to betray him, especially considering Baby Yoda saved his life from a Mudhorn. However, the amount of Beskar paid for the delivery of Baby Yoda was insanely valuable (even in USD) and enough to complete and repair Mando's amor. Plus, we learn later that basically every bounty hunter in the parsec was after this bounty. Mando's delivery basically made him an instant celebrity (and target).

By the end of the episode, however, it seems the true sin is that of the Client. Mando eventually has a change of heart before leaving the planet on his next mission and returns to the Imperial hideout to rescue Baby Yoda. During the heist, it becomes clear that the Client intended to kill the cutie pie or at the very least it is heavily implied that Baby Yoda would be cloned or weaponized in some manner.

In my opinion, the real sin is that Baby Yoda doesn't get more screen time in this episode.

So what are the main takeaways? For one thing, Baby Yoda is definitely a child and is definitely male. That might seem like an obvious point, but many fans speculated the possibility that the 50-year-old bounty truly possessed the wisdom, perception, and knowledge of a 50-year-old but was simply trapped in a slowly aging body. Dr. Pershing (Omid Abtahi), a member of the Imperial remnant who wears the insignia from the cloning facility on Kamino, appears to have vast knowledge of the species and alien biology in general. When Mando comes to rescue Baby Yoda, Dr. Pershing first assumes that Mando is there to kill Baby Yoda and immediately begs, "Please don't hurt him. It's just a child."

Dr. Pershing in The Mandalorian Leave Baby Yoda alone! He's just a boy! Lucasfilm

Secondly, Baby Yoda is believed by the Empire to possess a "necessary material" which can be "extracted." Before raiding the Client's lair, Mando uses a tool on his rifle capable of picking up audio from long distances to spy on the imperials. He intercepts a conversation between Werner Herzog's character and Dr. Pershing, in which the former orders the doctor to "extract the necessary material and be done with it." Dr. Pershing protests, "He explicitly ordered us to bring it back alive." It's unclear who "He" is in this sentence, but perhaps this hints at the Palpatine and/or Snoke tie-ins that fans have theorized.

Finally, Baby Yoda is now, much like Mando, the parsec's most wanted. Escaping the planet with Baby Yoda basically forced Mando and his Mandalorian counterparts to wipe out a small village. I'm talking mass homicide. In a galaxy where news travels fast and hunting criminals seems to be a popular profession, there is no doubt that word of the events of Episode 3 will be widely known very soon. Moreover, the aforementioned conversation between Herzog's character and Dr. Pershing makes it clear that there is a bigger, more powerful baddie out there that seeks Baby Yoda.

Luckily for Baby Yoda, Mando is an extremely talented warrior, and Baby Yoda is now the most important being in his life. Mando not only mowed down (and disintegrated) countless people to protect Baby Yoda, he also endangered his fellow Mandalorians. Then again, perhaps Mando is lucky to have Baby Yoda. The 50-year-old infant has magical abilities that are sure to come in handy, and he shows a clear preference for Mando over anyone else. Perhaps Baby Yoda is intelligent enough to recognize that Mando is the only person in the galaxy trying to protect him or her. Or maybe Baby Yoda's Force abilities allow him or her to sense some larger significance or purpose that Mando will eventually fulfill in the big picture. In the end, Mando left with both Baby Yoda and his baller new chromed out amor, so I'd say it was a pretty solid day overall.

Baby Yoda enjoys eating a frog.That's a GOOD BOY!Lucasfilm

Release schedule for upcoming episodes of The Mandalorian

  • Episode 4 - Friday, November 29
  • Episode 5 - Friday, December 6
  • Episode 6 - Friday, December 13
  • Episode 7 - Wednesday, December 18
  • Episode 8 - Friday, December 27

The adorable Baby Yoda looks up vulnerably in The Mandalorian

Courtesy of Lucasfilm

Adorable spoilers ahead for anyone that has yet to stream The Mandalorian, the first ever live action Star Wars series, available now on Disney+. You've been warned.

It's May 4th, which means its time to celebrate all things Star Wars. Most of all, it means celebrating Baby Yoda

Since 1983's Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi introduced Ewoks, a ferocious but cuddle-coaxing teddy bear type Pokémon, audiences have come to expect Star Warsmedia to deliver at least one good boy per film. Many fans considered that a negative turning point in the franchise, citing Lucasfilm's apparent desire to focus more on selling toys to young children than quality storytelling and world building. So when Disney acquired Lucasfilm in 2012, Ewok-haters fully expected the Star Wars franchise to plunge into Beanie Baby fan fiction set in space.

Enter The Mandalorian, an original live action series available exclusively on Disney+, which premiered earlier this year. Everything about the show's marketing portrayed the series as dark, gritty, and tailored to a more mature Star Wars fandom. And it delivers! From the opening sequence where a violent bar fight unfolds and a man's body get sliced in half, to the haunting performance of Werner Herzog portraying a member of the Imperial remnant, it's clear this show leans more towards Showtime than Nick Jr.

It's at the end of episode 1, however, where the "big twist" sets this show apart from all Star Wars media, managing to do the impossible: giving fans the most adorable creature imaginable, in the darkest, most violent Star Wars story to date. I'm not going to waste time here speculating on the implications of what a "baby" from Yoda's species appearing in this show has for this series, upcoming feature films, or the franchise as a whole. No. Today we simply behold the unparalleled cutie pie goodness of "Baby Yoda."

Baby Yoda uses the force in episode 2Who's got the force? Is it you? Yeeesssss it is! Lucasfilm

Our hero finds Baby Yoda Can you say "Mando?" Lucasfilm


Baby Yoda in his floating crib Baby Yoda in his floating smoochmobile Lucasfilm


Baby Yoda snuggled up Who me? Lucasfilm


Baby Yoda reaching out"I want to go to there" Lucasfilm


The most adorable Baby Yoda GIFYeah, this show is about a Mandalorian, sure. ;)Lucasfilm

The Mandalorian from Disney Star Wars is a promising, welcome addition to the Star Wars franchise. The sequel trilogy has been extremely divisive for fans. However, if you binge YouTube commentary like I do, it's clear that most fans are pro-Mandolorian so far, even if they hated Rise of Skywalker. Sure, one can criticize the show for cashing in on nostalgia like much of Disney-era Star Wars, but when we get something like Baby Yoda (presumably the child of Yoda and Yaddle) it's hard to object.