Both The Mandalorian and The Rise of Skywalker have kept Star Wars fans busy and talking for a while now, but in recent weeks, a new debate has stirred up controversy and conversation alike: who is the cutest creature in the entire Star Wars galaxy? The Mandalorian‘s Baby Yoda, also known as The Child, has won the internet’s heart, and seemed a clear front runner.
But The Rise of Skywalker introduced fans to the tiny Anzellan droidsmith Babu Frik, who stole the entire movie and some fans previously loyal to Baby Yoda only. So, who’s the cutest of them all? We recap some compelling evidence for each candidate.
Baby Yoda: Cute behaviors
Has Baby Yoda ever done a single thing that hasn’t been absolutely adorable? From the way he coos and reaches for The Mandalorian in his first scene, to the way he uses Din’s Mandalorian necklace as a binky in the finale, Baby Yoda has the cutest behaviors of any character in the Star Wars universe, ever.
He loves to sip bone broth and watch action from the sidelines. He loves to gesture his little baby hand in the style of “the magic hand thing,” whether using the Force or not. He loves to waddle and wander and play. He’s the cutest baby Star Wars has ever seen, and we can’t wait to see what behaviors he develops in Season 2.
Babu Frik: He’s resourceful
As a famed black market droidsmith, Babu Frik has been working on hacking and cracking codes in even the most protected droids for a very long time. According to official Star Wars The Rise of Skywalker The Visual Dictionary, “The well-regarded droidsmith has a reputation for being able to reprogram or modify virtually any droid, no matter the security measures protecting its systems. Gleeful and wide-eyed, Frik cares little that his work is illegal; he enthusiastically relishes the challenge and loves the puzzles presented to him by cutting-edge antitamper systems.”
Beyond being skilled at working through any security systems in any kind of droid, Babu is also clearly resourceful in terms of the friends he keeps, as he’s able to escape Kijimi before its destruction by hitching a ride with Zorii Bliss.
Baby Yoda: He’s instantly beloved
Baby Yoda may be a wanted target for the entire first season, whether being pursued by The Client, Dr. Pershing, Toro Calican, or Moff Gideon. But despite these shady figures working against his best interests, every other person who has come in contact with this tiny creature has absolutely fallen head over heels for him.
The Mandalorian first kills IG-11 just to keep the baby safe, then takes him under his wing, becoming The Child’s father in the process, as officially declared by The Armorer in the first season finale. But even Kuiil, Cara Dune, IG-11, Greef Karga, Omera, Winta, Peli Motto, and many others come to love him, too. And how could they not?
Babu Frik: He’s a true friend
As Zorii Bliss puts it in The Rise of Skywalker, “Babu only works for the crew nowadays. That’s not you anymore.” Babu is fiercely loyal to his friends, even if his friends happen to be part of a wretched hive of scum and villainy like the Spice Runners of Kijimi apparently may be.
But his extension of friendship and fuzzy feelings also extend to the loyal droid C-3PO, to whom he proudly introduces himself after the droid’s memory is wiped. C-3PO even later gleefully remarks that Babu Frik is “one of [his] oldest friends.”
Baby Yoda: He’s curious
Babies are almost always curious by nature, as they’re eager to learn more about their surroundings and the world they’ve been born into. But Baby Yoda just might be one of the most curious babies ever. He’s always peeking around corners and following his dad around. He gets up close and personal with a Loth-cat, even if the creature isn’t exactly friendly.
In Chapter 7, Baby Yoda even found a way to eavesdrop on Din’s conversation with Cara, sneaking into the back cabin of the ship and hanging down from the ceiling to listen to what the adults were talking about. Nothing will stand in Baby Yoda’s way when it comes to learning new and useful information.
Babu Frik: He’s sassy
Babu Frik may only have a couple minutes of screentime in the sweeping adventure that takes up the majority of The Rise of Skywalker, but his attitude is immediately apparent from the moment he enters the story. After conversing with Zorii in his native language, Babu switches to using basic to communicate with the group, and his snarky attitude steals the scene.
He succinctly summarizes the procedure to erase C-3PO’s memory: “droid memory go blech. Blech, blech.” He laughs at Poe and Zorii’s relationship problems, mutters to himself in a rhythmic manner whenever something goes wrong, and gleefully throws his arms in the air whenever something goes right.
Baby Yoda: He’s tiny
Though he may be 50 years old, Baby Yoda is, after all, still just a baby. With his gurgling, cooing, giggling, and all other baby-related noises, Baby Yoda has won hearts all over the world with his baby demeanor. He wears a robe that’s entirely too big for him, and his huge floppy ears could cover his entire body.
According to the website Dimensions.Guide, an analysis of Baby Yoda in comparison to his surroundings, the original Yoda, and actor Pedro Pascal in costume as The Mandalorian reveals that the baby is about 16 inches tall. A perfectly adorable and tiny toddler height.
Babu Frik: He’s tinier
16 inches might be pretty tiny, especially in the world of Star Wars. But as it turns out, Babu Frik is even tinier – and even older, too. According to official Star Wars The Rise of Skywalker The Visual Dictionary, Babu Frik is 85 years old and only 9 inches tall, making him roughly half Baby Yoda’s size.
That makes perfect sense, given Babu’s line of work and the way he needs to move around his crowded workshop and explore droids of all shapes and sizes. A side note in the Visual Dictionary also confirms that “leather straps [on Babu’s gloves] were trimmed six times to find fit” – because he’s just that tiny.
Baby Yoda: He’s powerful and protective
The world of Star Wars is full of powerful Force users, but none of them manage to be as powerful relative to their size and age as Baby Yoda does. The baby has done some incredible feats of Force wielding so far, including levitating a Mudhorn, choking someone as strong as Cara Dune, healing Greef Karga’s mortal wounds, and repelling blasts of fire from a Trooper.
But in addition to his strength and mastery of the Force at such a young age, Baby Yoda has shown that he’s one of the most protective and most loyal characters in all of the Star Wars universe. No one messes with his dad, or his dad’s friends.
Babu Frik: He’s hilarious, and he knows it
We’ve already touched on Babu’s snarky behaviors, but we have to get right to it here: Babu Frik is absolutely hilarious, and he knows it. His laughter is absolutely booming and infectious, despite his diminutive stature, and his face is so expressive, it’s impossible to look at his expressions without starting to laugh.
The way he exclaims “Yup, the droid is ready!” and proudly introduces himself by saying “Hello. I Babu Frik.” are meme worthy on their own, but it’s truly his giddy exclamations of “Hey hey!” that show Babu is a true party personality, and absolutely someone we’d love to get to know better.
