It Was Difficult Deciding Who Would Train Grogu in THE MANDALORIAN; Dave Filoni Explains Why It Was Luke Skywalker

Season 2 of the Disney+ Star Wars series The Mandalorian built up to an epic finale where fans were thrilled to see their favorite Jedi master show up to take on Grogu as a student. It was heartbreaking to think of the little guy, previously referred to as Baby Yoda, being separated from his best friend, Din Djarin, aka Mando, for any period of time, but if he was going to leave with anyone, Luke seemed like the right fit. But it wasn’t a haphazard choice just for fan service.

In a recent interview with Empire (via /Film) for the magazine's April 2023 issue, the show’s producer Dave Filoni talked about making the decision to have Luke appear in the show. Unsurprisingly, Filoni thought of bringing in Ahsoka, but explained:

"She can't take this kid on. That's just not what I have planned."

Even when the idea of Luke came about, it wasn't as simple as just plopping him into the show.

"[He's] this iconic character who's the center of the whole thing from when we were kids, and if you want to bring that character in, you make sure that there's a good purpose behind it." 

In the end, they did land on Luke, but not without reason. As Filoni explained:

"In this time period, he is the Jedi, he is the one person carrying on the legacy of what it means to be a Jedi, and perhaps improving on or having a new perspective on what it means to be a Jedi, compared to the prequel Jedi. And so he's seeking out students, building a new Jedi Order. So Luke finding Grogu made the most sense."

It was the perfect solution. It was so awesome to feel of Luke’s presence before he even entered the room. No matter what ends up happening with Grogu moving forward, it was a great plotline, and I hope we see more of Luke in the series’ future.