The Mandalorian Theory: Grogu Played a Role in The Rise of Skywalker
A fan theory for The Mandalorian speculates that Grogu secretly played a role during a key scene in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
The Mandalorian's Din Djarin is closer than ever to completing his mission to find a Jedi who can train Grogu. Following the pair's encounter with Ahsoka Tano on Corvus, Din took Grogu to the remains of a Jedi temple on Tython, allowing him to send out a call to other Jedi through the Force. It's unclear who, if anyone, sensed Grogu's presence for the time being, but a fan theory speculates that Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker may have already given provided the answer.
In a viral TikTok video, user @midwestavenger theorizes that Grogu's connection with the Force on The Mandalorian secretly played a role in a key moment from The Rise of Skywalker. The scene in question is a flashback that shows Luke and Leia Skywalker training with their lightsabers, with Leia getting the drop on Luke and knocking him to the ground. After that, the pair pause as if they've felt something in the Force, which the theory claims is Grogu's call from Tython.
However, while this a clever theory that paints a major flashback in a new light, it doesn't fit the Star Wars timeline. According to canon, Leia stopped her Force training before her son Ben Solo was born a year after the Battle of Endor. Luke alludes to this in The Rise of Skywalker and says that Leia told him she sensed her journey to becoming a Jedi would lead to Ben's death, which is why she chose a different path. It's also implied the reason Luke and Leia pause so dramatically during this flashback is because Leia just had a vision of Ben's doom. Either way, this scene takes place at least four years before Din meets Grogu.
It's worth noting this doesn't rule out the possibility that Luke sensed Grogu's call from Tython years after The Rise of Skywalker's flashback. At the time The Mandalorian takes place, Luke was traveling the universe with Lors San Tekka in the hopes of learning more about the old Jedi Order and taking steps to train a new generation of Jedi Knights. It stands to reason Luke would've stopped at Tython at some point along the way, seeing as the planet is believed to be one of the places where the Jedi Order was founded. In fact, a number of fans are convinced Luke will answer Grogu's Force signal in a future episode of The Mandalorian.
Of course, Luke isn't the only one who could've sensed Grogu's Force call. Despite never finishing her Jedi training, Leia was able to tap into the Force throughout her life and even passed her knowledge onto Rey after taking her on as an apprentice shortly before her death in The Rise of Skywalker. For that reason, it's plausible she also "heard" Grogu on Tython and may have helped Luke to figure out where this mysterious message had come from.
Aside from the Skywalkers, there are other characters who might've been alerted to Grogu's Force signal. Fans are speculating the person who rescued Grogu from the Jedi temple on Coruscant after Order 66 years is still alive when The Mandalorian takes place and may come looking for him after sensing his presence through the Force. Furthermore, there's a popular theory the Jedi in question is none other than Mace Windu, who was seemingly killed in Revenge of the Sith but is believed to have survived his fight with Darth Sidious.
With only a single episode left in The Mandalorian Season 2, viewers may have to wait until Season 3 for some concrete answers on this subject. However, it seems they can safely rule out the idea that The Rise of Skywalker's flashback to Luke and Leia's training has anything to do with Grogu, as interesting as that connection might've been.
SOURCE: CBR.COM BY: SANDY SCHAEFER