The Mandalorian didn’t reveal Baby Yoda’s species in season 1, nor should it at any point in the series. Fans are, of course, expecting questions regarding Baby Yoda to be answered in season 2, but this is one mystery that should remain unsolved – and for good reason.
Baby Yoda was quite an unexpected addition to Disney+’s first live-action Star Wars series – and perhaps the most talked-about element of the show. First introduced in the shocking cliffhanger ending of The Mandalorian series premiere, Baby Yoda has become a key part of the show, and a focus of Mando’s journey, as he fights to protect Baby Yoda from his pursuers. As the series progresses, more facets of Baby Yoda’s personality are revealed, such as his protective instinct when it comes to Mando (Pedro Pascal). Also, viewers quickly learn that Baby Yoda is much more than what meets the eye. Much like Yoda himself, Baby Yoda is adept with the Force.
There are a number of questions that haven’t been answered about Baby Yoda, such as where he comes from, why he’s so special, his name, and his species. All of these could be explained before long, but one in particular, his species, should remain a mystery. The Mandalorian has given away a few, largely unimportant tidbits about Yoda’s species, and that’s the way it should stay. Despite the vast number of movies, books, comics, games, and cartoons that exist in the Star Wars universe, none have delved too deeply into Yoda’s species, even though they’ve been quick to explore the Wookiees, the Twi’leks, the Gungans, and more.
It’s been somewhat of an understood rule that Yoda’s species is off-limits. That’s because Star Wars creator George Lucas always intended it to be that way, and Lucas has actively worked to stop his species from being explored. Lucas felt that it was best for this to remain a mystery, and as it currently stands, the movies, games, and shows have succeeded in remaining true to this idea, but Disney would run the risk of betraying Lucas’ vision if it went too far with the details. Baby Yoda’s name could be mentioned somewhere down the line, but an explanation about his planet and his species should be avoided, and that shouldn’t be difficult to do.
At this point, it’s hard to imagine The Mandalorian offering a satisfactory answer to this question, and in reality, an explanation isn’t actually needed. Knowing the exact name wouldn’t make much of a difference to the story, and all it would accomplish is interfere with years and years of the Star Wars universe protecting the secrets of Yoda. The mysterious element is such an important part of the character that it shouldn’t be taken away. As for what The Mandalorian should actually do about this problem, perhaps the best solution is just to say that Baby Yoda is the last of his kind.
