Men's Health May 22, 2026 0 Comments

Unlock The Hidden Secrets of The Mandalorian and Grogu: What Every True Fan Must Know Before Watching!

So, a new Star Wars movie is dropping—finally! But here’s the kicker: it’s not just any movie. The Mandalorian and Grogu is the first big-screen adventure since 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker (which, yeah, let’s just say we’re conveniently pretending it never happened). Instead of the usual trilogy hype, this one picks up straight from three seasons of a Disney+ series. Sounds a bit like showing up to the gym halfway through a brutal workout and trying to catch up, right? Whether you binged the whole Mandalorian saga or your memory’s fuzzier than a Wookiee’s back, this quick guide is your cheat sheet. Let’s dive into the essentials so you can slit through the galaxy with confidence and not feel like the newbie in a Jedi council meeting. Ready? This is the rundown you didn’t know you needed before stepping into the theater.

LEARN MORE

5 min read

DID YOU KNOW there’s a new Star Wars movie coming out? The Mandalorian and Grogu is the first Star Wars movie since 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker (and the less said about that one, the better). In the interim years, the Star Wars franchise has existed exclusively as a series of streaming television series on Disney+, which kicked off with The Mandalorian. Some of these streaming shows are excellent (Andor), others are less so (Ahsoka), but either way, the return of Star Wars is cause for celebration.

There’s just one thing: It’s a film that’s sort of a sequel/continuation of three seasons of a television show. It also has to find a way to appeal to both fans of that series and new viewers who love the thrills and spectacle of a Star Wars movie.

With that in mind, we decided to put together a handy explainer of everything you may need to know ahead of sitting down to watch The Mandalorian and Grogu. After all, you may not have time to sit down and watch the whole series between now and when you head out to the theater. Or, maybe, you did watch, but have forgotten some or all of it since the show concluded its third season back in 2023. Either way, we’ve got you covered so that you’re nice and fresh before the film. Let’s go back a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away to get you all caught up on the adventures of our new Star Wars leads.

Okay, what do I need to remember before ::checks notes:: The Mandalorian and Grogu?

The first theatrical Star Wars movie in seven years is indeed a continuation of the Disney+ streaming television series The Mandalorian.

Okay. What’s a Mandalorian?

Mandalorians are a cult-like group of warriors from the planet Mandalore, who all wear blaster-proof armor that looks very similar to Jango and Boba Fett’s armor. The planet was made uninhabitable during the Clone Wars, and its citizens fled and spread across the galaxy.

In The Mandalorian, our lead is actually an orphaned kid named Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal), who is adopted into a religious sect of Mandalorians called the Children of the Watch. The Children follow a belief system called the “Way of the Mandalore,” which is basically just a code of behavior and traditions, involving taking in young trainees and refusing to remove their helmets. We spend a lot of time in The Mandalorian learning about all of these religious customs.

Disney

The Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu in The Mandalorian and Grogu.

Ah, yes. I know who Boba Fett is. But, uh, what in the galaxy is a Grogu?

Grogu is the real name of the artist formerly known as “Baby Yoda.” For about a season and a half of The Mandalorian, the audience didn’t know Baby Yoda’s real name, so they just called the creature Baby Yoda because, well, it looked like a baby version of Yoda. He’s really cute—and has become the breakout of the series.

Grogu was an in-training Jedi who was saved from the Jedi Temple during the midst of Order 66, which means he’s got Force powers! But he mostly uses those to steal food away from those who are eating.

He is cute. But okay, got it. That seems simple. So, when is the movie set?

The Mandalorian takes place between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens, albeit closer to Jedi than Force. Much of the plot of the series focuses on Mando trying to take down Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito), an Imperial warlord working to gather power and resources to restore the Empire in the wake of the Emperor’s death.

Wait wait. The Imperials are still around?

Yeah, that’s a big part of The Mandalorian. Despite Princess Leia’s New Republic drawing up treaties and reparations for the Empire, the remaining Imperials find ways to survive and even thrive. Many of them end up becoming warlords who control sectors throughout the galaxy while planning and scheming together as part of the Shadow Council to restore the Empire.

Gideon, in particular, wanted to capture Grogu and leverage his Force powers for nefarious means. Gideon had cloned himself and was looking to isolate Grogu’s Force sensitivity, strip it away somehow, and insert it into these clones, which would become the basis for a new army. Mando and Grogu stopped it, however.

That Shadow Council sounds bad.

Yeah, they’re no good. The group is working in concert to make it seem like they’re this disorganized smattering of warlords, but basically they’re coordinating efforts while concealing their might until they grow too powerful to stop. We know they’re ultimately successful, giving rise to the First Order, which we see in the sequel trilogy.

Disney+

Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) in The Mandalorian.

So what’s Mando’s role in all this?

Din is a for-hire bounty hunter tasked with all kinds of jobs. But his love for Grogu ends up pulling him into the orbit of the New Republic. From what we know about The Mandalorian and Grogu, it appears that Sigourney Weaver’s character, Colonel Ward, strikes up a partnership with Din, tasking him to hunt down these Imperial remnants and bring them to justice.

Oh, so is that the plot of The Mandalorian and Grogu?

Basically! The plot is being kept a little secret, but from what we’ve been able to glean, it appears that Ward tasks Mando with a rescue mission to save someone in exchange for some information on a valuable New Republic target.

Great! Who does Mando need to rescue?

Uh, Rotta the Hutt.

I’m sorry, what?!

Yeah. Jabba the Hutt has a beefcake son. You might be familiar with him if you saw Star Wars: The Clone Wars, an animated theatrical movie that set up the animated series of the same name. Rotta is kidnapped and used as a political pawn before he’s saved by Anakin Skywalker and his young apprentice, Ahsoka Tano.

In The Mandalorian and Grogu, Rotta is voiced by Jeremy Allen White. Director Jon Favreau compares Rotta to Adonis Creed from Creed, as he’s a real physical presence who loves to compete (and win) in a series of gladiatorial fights.

Disney

Rotta the Hutt (voiced by Jeremy Allen White) in The Mandalorian and Grogu.

Huh. Okay.

Yeah.

Anything else I should know?

There’s a New Republic pilot named Garazeb “Zeb” Orrelios, who fans might recognize as a critical part of the Star Wars Rebels animated series. He’s shown up in The Mandalorian, but mostly in his capacity as a pilot and less so as an extension of the series. Although that could change.

It also appears that Mando will be tracked by a bounty hunter named Embo, who had an arc on The Clone Wars. He’s worked for the Hutts before and went toe-to-toe with Anakin Skywalker. So, he’s certainly a skilled foe.

Got it. Anything else?

I think that’s pretty much it. The movie seems to indicate there’s some sort of big reveal that’s coming, which may play a role in how we see or perceive this period between the original and sequel trilogy of films. But who’s to say, really?

I still can’t believe it’s really called The Mandalorian and Grogu.

Yeah, what a title (derogatory). At least it’s good for SEO purposes.

Buy The Mandalorian and Grogu Tickets Here

William Goodman is a freelancer writer, focused on all things pop culture, tech, gadgets, and style. He’s based in Washington, DC and his work can also be found at Robb Report, Complex, and GQ. He’s yet to meet a jacket or cardigan he didn’t love. In his free time, he’s probably on Twitter (@goodmanw) or at the movies.