The first season of The Mandalorian showed us that the remnants of the Empire are utterly hellbent on acquiring Baby Yoda. But here’s the million-dollar question: what do they actually want with him?
Well, we have a few ideas that could potentially answer that. For one, the Imperial loyalists may be looking for a way to emulate Baby Yoda’s cuteness and win back the hearts of the people of the galaxy. If only it were that simple, though. What’s clear is that Moff Gideon is obsessed with laying his hands on the Child and conducting experiments on him. Of course, seeing as how the creatures of Yoda’s species are so rare in the world of Star Wars, the Empire might be looking for a way to breed more of them, which leads to another question: What for?
According to a new fan theory posted on Reddit, the matter is actually much more personal than that, as it would seem that Moff Gideon is actually trying to replace Darth Vader. If you take a look at his demeanor, you’ll notice undeniable similarities to the former Sith Lord, like his long flowing cape and the fact that he brandishes a lightsaber as a weapon of choice.
So, if that really is the case, we can arrive at the conclusion that the reason he wants Baby Yoda is so that he can become Force-sensitive just like him. This would enable the Moff to exponentially grow his power and influence and eliminate any threats to the resurgence of the Empire, this time ruled by none other than Gideon since both the Emperor and Darth Vader are gone.
As for Baby Yoda, we know that he’s very strong in the ways of the Force (or has a high Midi-chlorian count, if you will), so if the Empire has really found a way to extract that living Force, perhaps through Doctor Pershing’s machinery, then the fate of the galaxy would hang in the balance.
For now, and until the second season of The Mandalorian arrives in October, all we can do is speculate. Tell us, though, what’s your take on this new theory? As usual, share your thoughts in the comments section below.
