The Mandalorian and Grogu: Everything You Need to Know

This is the Way. The Mandalorian and Grogu™ is on the horizon, and it marks a new chapter in the Star Wars™ universe. A continuation of the beloved The Mandalorian™ TV series, The Mandalorian and Grogu is the first Star Wars movie in almost seven years, with the last theatrical release being Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker™ in December 2019.

Din Djarin and Grogu’s bond is the anchor to their story, and it’s what makes The Mandalorian such a fun watch. This movie will undoubtedly be just as entertaining because of it. If you’re scratching your head, wondering what The Mandalorian and Grogu is about (beyond the two title characters), here’s a handy-dandy primer with everything you need to know before heading to the theater on May 22.

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What Is The Mandalorian and Grogu About?

Lucasfilm has remained understandably tight-lipped regarding the film’s plot, but we can piece together context clues from the various clips and trailers online. One clip, in particular, unveils the real driving force behind the story. In it, Din Djarin meets with Colonel Ward on the Adelphi Base. She has a mission for him: track down Commander Coin, the New Republic’s missing Ace of Staves. Unfortunately, nobody knows what he looks like, and most believe he’s already dead.

Ward orders Djarin to travel to Nal Hutta (which we’ve never seen on screen before) to chat with the Hutts, who’ve agreed to lead our heroes to Coin. Here’s the catch – Djarin must free Rotta the Hutt, the late Jabba the Hutt’s last surviving heir to his criminal empire, who’s being held captive by another crime syndicate in the Outer Rim.

Naturally, this doesn’t sit well with Djarin. After all, he’s a changed Mandalorian. He only hunts Imperial warlords, and he certainly doesn’t fraternize with gangsters anymore. It does make sense that a bounty hunt of epic proportions is at the center of The Mandalorian and Grogu. It’ll be intriguing to watch Djarin struggle with the moral implications of engaging in activities that were more in line with his past self.

As for Grogu, otherwise known as Din Grogu, my guess is we’ll see him grow his Force-sensitive powers. We’ll probably learn more about what our favorite father/son duo has been up to in the wake of The Mandalorian season 3, too.

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The Supporting Characters Joining the Fray

Let’s delve into what we know so far about the supporting characters in the cast:

Colonel Ward: Played by Sigourney Weaver, Colonel Ward is a starfighter pilot during this New Republic Era. She was also a key figure in the Alliance to Restore the Republic. Beyond that, we don’t know much about Ward beyond her role in the Resistance and station at the Adelphi Ranger Outpost. She’s a character created just for the movie.

Rotta the Hutt: Voiced by Jeremy Allen White (yes, Carmy Berzatto), Rotta the Hutt is, as mentioned above, Jabba the Hutt’s son. He’s been kidnapped a lot, notably once during the Clone Wars at the orchestration of Count Dooku. So, this ain’t his first captivity rodeo. He appeared as a Huttlet in the 2008 animated film Star Wars: The Clone Wars™ before reappearing in the TV series of the same name for a number of episodes.

Zeb Orrelios: Played by Steve Blum, Garazeb Orrelios is a Lasat rebel who was the captain of the Lasan Honor Guard (Lasan is his homeworld). He was a main character in the animated series Star Wars: Rebels™ before appearing in The Mandalorian season 3, episode 5, in his live-action debut. He played a pivotal role in the Rebel Alliance. Zeb eventually joins the New Republic Defense Fleet and trains recruits (as mentioned in Star Wars: Ahsoka™). He’s also stationed at the Adelphi Base, so we’ll most likely see him there.

More New Characters

Lord Janu: Played by Jonny Coyne, Lord Janu is an Imperial warlord, working for what’s left of the Galactic Empire. He first appeared in The Mandalorian season 3, episode 7, in which he participated in a Shadow Council meeting via hologram. Moff Gideon was also present at the meeting. In the trailers, Janu is in the stands of an arena, where Djarin is supposedly battling Rotta the Hutt.

Hogsbreth: Played by Matthew Willig, Hogsbreth is an Iktotchi alien (the same species as Saesee Tiin) who was created specifically for The Mandalorian and Grogu. As of writing, not much else is known about him.

We can also expect the return of the Anzellans, the adorable little mechanics from The Mandalorian. The Dragonsnake will appear, too, and square off against Djarin. These massive, predatory reptiles dwell in the swamps of Nal Hutta and Dagobah.

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Where the Film Sits in the Star Wars Timeline

The Mandalorian and Grogu takes place after the events of The Mandalorian season 3 finale. The New Republic Era began in 5 ABY and will end in 34 ABY, right around when the Star Wars sequel trilogy starts. The Mandalorian itself is set around 9 ABY, so we should expect the film to be a few years after that.

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The Mandalorian and Grogu’s Journey So Far: A Brief Recap

Seasons 1 and 2

Class is in session, kids. In case you need a brush-up on how our titular Mando and Grogu got here, let’s dig into their journey so far.

Season 1 kicks off with Djarin arriving on Nevarro to accept a new client. He tracks down the asset: baby Grogu. Djarin was initially tasked with transporting Grogu to an Imperial remnant for study.

However, he bonds with “The Child” and refuses to hand Grogu over. To be fair, anyone would feel protective of that cute little fella. Djarin decides to protect Grogu instead. After meeting with Ahsoka Tano in season 2, Mando decides to hand Grogu over to Luke Skywalker, so that Grogu can hone his Force-sensitive abilities.

Season 3

After spending time apart, Djarin misses his green son. Grogu decides to abandon his Jedi training, and they reunite. Of course, Djarin’s choice not to fulfill his end of the deal with the aforementioned client has repercussions. Our dynamic duo also catches the attention of Moff Gideon, a crucial figure in the Great Purge of Mandalore. Gideon wants Grogu as a blood donor for his experiments.

At the end of season 3, Djarin and Bo-Katan Kryze defeat Gideon and restore Mandalore, with Kryze assuming the role of Mand’alor, leading her people into a new age. Djarin officially adopts Grogu as his son. Then, they return to Nevarro, where Greef Karga offers them a home. Djarin and Grogu take on contract work for the New Republic.

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Are you excited to watch The Mandalorian and Grogu?

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