Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni ‘ferociously’ debated the inclusion of Grogu in ‘The Mandalorian’

Until Grogu came onto the scene in The Mandalorian, Jedi Master Yoda was the only member of his race ever seen in a galaxy far, far away. As vast as George Lucas’ revered universe is, even its soap opera trappings, which naturally require that any fan exercise substantial suspension of disbelief, it never made much sense that no other little green men were observable in the known universe.

Whether this was the reasoning behind Grogu’s inclusion (besides limitless marketing potential, of course), showrunners Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau don’t say, though it’s the latter of the two that fought tooth and nail to have Din Djarin’s ward included.

In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, Star Wars steward Kathleen Kennedy reveals that Favreau’s idea gave Lucasfilm “some pause.”

“He and Dave debated that quite ferociously,” she continues, though fortunately, the discussion was definitely in the realm of professional colleagues offering their own creative input. “They got along instantly, like gangbusters,” she recalls.

Obviously, Grogu ultimately made the cut, though it’s worth noting that, even two seasons in — and a bit, if you count The Book of Boba Fett‘s soft introduction to season 3 — fans have learned zilch about where the elf-eared, wide-eyed members of Grogu and Yoda’s race come from, let alone why they seem to naturally be deeply attuned to The Force.

Will The Mandalorian‘s third outing address this? Only time will tell, but one thing’s for certain, Grogu and Din’s adventures are from over. Season 3 is scheduled to debut in late 2022/early 2023.