Just a heads up: this article will not be entirely spoiler-free!
The Mandalorian first premiered on Disney+ on Nov. 12, 2019, changing the world of Star Wars as we know it. Audiences were instantly hooked on the gruff, rough and tumble Mandalorian and his soft spot for The Child (colloquially dubbed ‘Baby Yoda’ despite the confirmation that he is not Yoda). If it wasn’t the gritty space cowboy that hooked viewers, Baby Yoda certainly got the job done.
With every episode (released weekly on Disney+) came Baby Yoda memes almost instantaneously. The image of The Child sipping his bone broth became a popular fan-favorite, taking Kermit’s tea-sipping connotations and combining them with the cutest space baby the galaxy has ever seen.
And the galaxy’s raging Baby Yoda fever has yet to be cured, it seems. The social impact of Baby Yoda was only further fueled by the ensuing merchandise, including a Baby Yoda Build-A-Bear, a plush labeled “The Child Animatronic Edition” and much, much more. A good portion of Baby Yoda themed toys have already been sold out during the pre-order sale alone. Viewers just can’t seem to get enough of the little, frog-eating guy!
If you find yourself a part of the Baby Yoda Fanclub, don’t you fret! Baby Yoda will return because season two of The Mandalorian has been confirmed by the Chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company, Bob Iger. Not that this comes as much of a surprise, seeing as Jon Favreau periodically posts behind the scenes pictures from the set of season two, such as this, this and this. Despite the hints Favreau constantly drops, the confirmation is still exciting; some fans were counting down the days until The Mandalorian season two even before the confirmed date was announced.
So far, despite the time of release, all we know about season two is the addition of World Wrestling Entertainment star, Sasha Banks. This seems similar to the casting of Gina Carano, a martial artist who competed in Mixed Martial Arts. Fans have already begun speculating just who Sasha Banks’ character will be and how she’ll add to the adventures of the beskar-clad Mandalorian and his green bean son. I, for one, think her character will somehow be related to Gina Carano’s character, Cara Dune. Either way, her WWE experience is sure to come into play in season two, and viewers cannot wait to see just what Jon Favreau and Co. have in store for us!
The season finale left audiences on the edge of their seats, practically begging for more, and now they finally know they’ll get their fix in October. It’s relieving knowing just when our favorite space father-son duo will return! I, for one, await season two with bated breath. And a Baby Yoda Build-A-Bear.
Odds are, this is just the beginning for Din Djarin and his little green foundling.