Funko Pop 584 Grogu With Armor

Din Grogu, colloquially referred to as Baby Yoda, is a fictionnal character from the Star Wars Disney+ original television series The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett.  He is a toddler member of the same species as the Star Wars characters Yoda and Yaddle, with whom he shares a strong ability in the Force.  In the series, the protagonist known as "the Mandalorian" is hired to track down and capture Grogu for a remnant of the fallen Galactic Empire, but instead, he becomes his adoptive father and protects him from the Imperials.  The character's real name was not revealed until "Chapter 13: The Jedi", which also explained that Grogu was raised at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant during the Clone Wars.  Before this, the character's official name, used in subtitles and captions, was "the Child".  At the end of "Chapter 24: The Return", he is given the name Din Grogu after being formally adopted by the Mandalorian, whose family name is "Din".

Grogu was created by The Mandalorian creator and showrunner Jon Favreau based upon his desire to explore the mystery around Yoda and his species.  The character was further developed in early conversations between Favreau and executive producer Dave Filoni, and the character's imagery was defined by concept artist Christian Alzmann.  Grogu is mostly a work of animatronics and puppetry, although accentuated with computer-generated imagery.  The puppet was designed by Legacy Effects. Actor Adam Pally has stated that showrunner Jon Favreau told him it cost about $5 million to make.  It is controlled by two technicians, one who operates the eyes and mouth and another who controls other facial expressions.  The character's voice and sounds were created using a combination of adult and infant vocals, as well as recordings of a bat-eared fox and kinkajou.  The dynamic between the Mandalorian and Grogu embodies a theme of parenting and fatherhood prevalent in The Mandalorian, with the character also raising questions about good and evil and nature versus nurture in the series.

Grogu has received a positive reception from fans and reviewers, is widely considered the show's breakout character, and quickly became a popular Internet meme.