It is a testament to the depth and vigor of Star Wars canon that the addition of new characters to the established mythos so strongly enriches the fan experience, rather than seeming like an unnecessary afterthought. That may explain why Grogu, who debuted only a few short years ago in The Mandalorian TV show, has been so enthusiastically embraced by Star Wars devotees young and old.
With a creature so vulnerable, how did Grogu survive Order 66? Grogu survived Order 66 with the help of Jedi Kelleran Beq, who rescued the youngling from the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. Beq fought off attacking clone troopers and escaped Coruscant with Grogu, saving him from the Great Jedi Purge.
There’s no doubt that Grogu benefits from the “cute” factor—he’s an adorable little being from the same unnamed species as Yoda, with the same distinctive eyes and ears. But much of Grogu’s appeal stems from the ongoing mystery of his past. For quite some time, even his proper name was unknown, which inspired many observers to dub him “Baby Yoda,” an affectionate nickname that persists to this day.
Grogu was raised and trained as a youngling in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, and was present when the notorious Order 66 was enacted. The command led clone troopers to turn against the Jedi, including those inside the Temple.
Although we now know how Grogu escaped Order 66, much of what happened to him afterward remains a mystery. His survival and eventual reappearance decades later would ultimately place him on a path toward “the Mandalorian” Din Djarin, Jedi Master Luke Skywalker, and a new life beyond the Jedi Order.
Like all members of his species, Grogu is highly Force-sensitive and displayed this affinity from a very early age. He also shares the species’ unusually slow aging process, retaining a childlike appearance and level of development for decades.
Grogu was raised as a youngling at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, where he trained under several Jedi Masters. His early life at the Temple continued through the Clone Wars until the rise of the Empire dramatically changed his fate.
Grogu’s home planet and birthplace have never been revealed in Star Wars canon. Although he was raised at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, it is unknown where Grogu was born or where his mysterious species (which also includes Yoda and Yaddle) originated.
Several other planets play important roles in Grogu’s story. Din Djarin discovered him on Arvala-7, while Grogu later traveled to Tython, where he reached out through the Force at an ancient seeing stone. He also trained with Luke Skywalker on Ossus before reuniting with Din on Tatooine. However, none of these locations has been established as Grogu’s home planet.
Grogu was 50 years old when he was introduced in The Mandalorian, despite his childlike appearance and behavior. His species ages much more slowly than humans: Yoda, for comparison, lived to approximately 900 years old. So, how old is Grogu in Yoda years? There is no official formula for converting Grogu’s age into human or “Yoda years,” so his exact developmental equivalent is unknown.
However, Grogu was born around 41 BBY, making him roughly the same chronological age as Anakin Skywalker. Therefore, he was about 22 years old when Order 66 occurred in 19 BBY. Then, where was Grogu during Order 66? Despite having already lived for more than two decades, Grogu was still a youngling in training when the attack began.
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Yes, Grogu was in the Temple at the moment when Order 66 was issued by Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine. This command (essentially a surprise Sith attack) instantly activated the behavior modification biochip secretly hidden in every member of the Republic’s clone army and forced the previously loyal troopers to kill any and all Jedi on sight. This kicked off a mass slaughter that would later be memorialized as the Great Jedi Purge.
During the Purge, thousands of Jedi died at the hands of murderous clone troopers. Many of these Jedi, tragically unaware of the threat posed by the renegade clones, perished almost immediately, before defensive action could be taken.
The Jedi Temple itself was not spared the deadly clone rampage. In fact, Darth Vader, the former Anakin Skywalker, personally led the 501st Legion on a lethal siege of the Temple in which not even Jedi younglings were safe from summary execution. Grogu was among the few who outlasted the attacks, and later flashbacks would reveal exactly how he made it out.
Grogu escaped Order 66 with the help of Jedi Master Kelleran Beq, who rescued him during the attack on the Jedi Temple and helped him flee Coruscant. However, the full story of what happened to Grogu after Order 66 and his escape remains unknown.
As revealed in The Book of Boba Fett, Grogu’s memories of the Temple attack are fragmented, confusing, and traumatic. With Luke Skywalker’s assistance, Grogu recalled a deeply hidden memory of that tragic day. He witnessed several clone troopers murdering Jedi. The rampaging troopers then advanced toward Grogu before the memory ended, initially leaving the identity of his rescuer and the details of his escape a mystery.
So, who rescued Grogu? While many used to speculate that it was Jedi Master Mace Windu, that’s not the case, and the mystery was finally answered in the third season of The Mandalorian. A later flashback reveals that Jedi Master Kelleran Beq rescued Grogu during the assault on the Jedi Temple. Armed with two lightsabers, Beq fought off pursuing clone troopers while carrying Grogu through Coruscant.
It may be that future revelations will clear up this matter, but this is where the story stands at the present moment. Beq eventually reached a ship with help from sympathetic members of the Royal Naboo Security Forces and escaped Coruscant with Grogu. While this explains how Grogu survived Order 66 and escaped the planet, Star Wars has yet to reveal the complete story of what happened to Grogu and Kelleran Beq afterward.
Not much is known about Grogu’s whereabouts in the period after Order 66. Although Kelleran Beq successfully got him off Coruscant, canon has not yet revealed the complete story of where Grogu went or who protected him afterward. Decades after that fatal event, he resurfaced at a Nikto hideout on Arvala-7, a desert world. Here, he was guarded by mercenaries who were aware that a very lucrative bounty had been placed on him.
On Arvala-7, Grogu was captured by the Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin. Although Djarin initially was interested only in collecting the bounty offered by the man known only as “The Client,” he soon became emotionally attached to Grogu. Their journey eventually led Grogu to Luke Skywalker, who briefly trained him in the ways of the Jedi. Grogu ultimately chose to return to Din, who later formally adopted him as his son and Mandalorian apprentice, Din Grogu.
From Jedi youngling and Order 66 survivor to Mandalorian apprentice, Grogu has already traveled an extraordinary path across the galaxy, and his story continues. Explore the extensive Ultrasabers online catalog for the finest gear in the galaxy and to find a battle-ready lightsaber for your own adventures.
