With the upcoming Mandalorian and Grogu film almost upon us, this year’s Disney’s May the 4th celebration depends heavily on one character in particular to draw the attention of a new generation of fans. First introduced in season one of The Mandalorian, Grogu (otherwise known as Baby Yoda) has become synonymous with the franchise over the last few years, and it’s become increasingly clear that the little green guy is here to stay.
This year in particular, Grogu has become the focus of several books for young readers. Where I Go, He Goes by Michael Siglain and Emeli Juhlin is a Step into Reading leveled reader (books with easy-to-follow plots for children who are still learning to read) that introduces kids to the Mandalorian and Grogu as they face off against enemies across the galaxy. There’s also Star Wars Grogu Stickers from Thunder Bay Press, Star Wars: The Mandalorian: Grogu: The Ultimate Sticker Collection from DK, and Art of Coloring: Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu from Lucasfilm Books.
While Disney’s sticker books, picture books, and Early Readers are obviously adorable (it’s hard to resist that chaotic green baby and his giant doe eyes in any format), we can’t help but wonder who these books are actually appealing to: younger readers who are new to the franchise and eager to learn about it, or the generations of fans who grew up watching Star Wars, are fueled by nostalgia, and now have kids of their own? Both?
From the television series The Mandalorian and a brief but divisive appearance in The Book of Boba Fett to the upcoming Mandalorian and Grogu film and several books for younger readers, Grogu has clearly become the face of the franchise. Not only is Force-powerful little guy now an anchoring point across multiple storytelling medias, he potentially holds the key to introducing those who did not grow up with the original trilogy to the world of Star Wars, meaning that Disney and Lucas Arts have ostensibly put all of their eggs in one force-wielding basket, for better or worse.
We’ve come a long way from 2019, when “The Child” merchandise was nonexistent to protect the major reveal of the early Mandalorian episodes. But now, as anyone who lives near a school or park can attest, Grogu is everywhere — whether it’s plush dolls or branded backpacks or $600 animatronic nightmares. As Disney reportedly hunts for the next great Boy-Friendly IP, and pumps billions into Epic Games and Fortnite in a play to woo “the gamers,” Grogu has the branding momentum of a Mickey Mouse or Elsa from Frozen.
The Marvel universe started to crack its own generational issues with the launch of Spidey and His Amazing Friends — a gargantuan kid-friendly juggernaut that has since spawned Iron Man and Avengers spinoffs — Star Wars is putting almost all of its chips on Grogu. Box office numbers will tell the real story of the gamble; Star Wars movies have struggled to perform at the scale of other blockbusters in the East, though the little critters of Zootopia 2 broke records in China and around the world. (We’ll see if Ryan Gosling can outperform the green alien next year with Star Wars: Starfighter.)
\While Grogu might have unlocked the ability to woo children, whether that be via movies, action figures, or sticker books, it’s difficult to imagine future generations being as interested or emotionally invested in a character from a 50-year-old franchise as much as their parents are. As such, Disney now has the difficult task of continuing to foster a love for Grogu for years to come that characters like Luke, Leia, and Han fueled so effortlessly. You can slap his face on merch, but icon status starts and ends on the screen.
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