The Mandalorian Borrowed a Star Wars Droid Trick to Make Sure You Like Grogu

The Mandalorian's cutest character, Grogu, needed the right design to appeal to fans. Star Wars has borrowed a neat droid trick to ensure just that.

The Mandalorian makes the most of one of its best characters, Grogu, and the show borrows an old droid trick from Star Wars to make sure you love him. Making his debut in the season 1 premiere of The Mandalorian, Grogu captured viewers' attention with his big, round eyes and innocent nature. As the sidekick of his best friend Din Djarin, Grogu joins him on quite interesting adventures in a galaxy far, far away. But what makes Grogu particularly interesting is the amount of curiosity people have about him, his past, and how he fits into the overall Star Wars universe.

During the show's first two seasons, Grogu developed a very close father-son relationship with The Mandalorian Din Jalin. Even though they hail from opposite ends of the galaxy, they've proven to work well together, drawing on each other's strengths. It's clear that Djarin and Grogu have unconditional love and respect for each other. But while Grogu's strong bond with The Mandalorian is another big reason audiences love him, there's actually another trick Lucasfilm uses to make it happen.

Grogu Follows Star Wars' Robot Design Trick In The Mandalorian

Past protagonists The Star Wars franchise is often accompanied by droids who act as their sidekicks (such as Luke Skywalker and R2-D2). While R2-D2 is a robot who can never speak Galactic Basic, he's a character with a lot of heart and personality, as evidenced by his hilarious and emotive beeps, whistles, and chirps. The Mandalorian's Grogu has followed the same trend, becoming Din Djarin's loyal companion who follows him around like a pet, which is beloved by humans. This design technique also makes Grogu's character endearing to audiences while boosting his "likability factor."

Like R2-D2, Grogu also displays an innocent and curious nature, and his cuteness is creatively displayed to promote the sale of Star Wars merchandise. Given that his species has an extremely slow aging process, it's likely he won't be fully talking or growing much for quite some time -- or possibly never. If there's a time jump in The Mandalorian, that's the only way audiences will be able to see him a little bit older. For now, though, it's best Lucasfilm doesn't explore going that route with Grogu. Because it can create plot holes if not handled properly, and the lovable foundling is already a huge part of the show's success by now.

Why Grogu's Aging Process Makes Star Wars' Design Trick More Effective

Grogu's extremely slow aging process did wonders for The Mandalorian and his success. It makes viewers attach to him, even though he's technically 50 years old. That connection is partly visual, woven into Grogu's design, but also into the sound he makes. Grogu's adorable cooing sounds were originally based on a bat-eared fox and a kinkaju from a wildlife rescue outside of San Diego, but these were tuned back to baby sounds for a cutesy feel.

The strong bond between Grogul and the heroes of Mandalore is interesting, and Jalin sometimes has a hard time being patient with the outcast. Grogu's inquisitive nature often leads to some goofy but very humorous moments that add light to what's going on in The Mandalorian. He brings a sense of balance to the Disney+ TV show, making sure it has a fun and lighthearted quality despite its deeper, darker moments.