- Warning: Spoilers ahead for "The Mandalorian."
- Disney Plus' new "Star Wars" TV series "The Mandalorian" premiered Tuesday on the streaming service.
- The first episode ends with a surprising reveal about the bounty hunter's targeted asset.
- The creature has a significant connection to iconic character Yoda from the original movies. Keep reading to learn more.
- Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.
The new streaming service Disney Plus launched Tuesday, and with it came the very first episode of a "Star Wars" live-action series called "The Mandalorian." The premiere episode of this new show ends with a surprising revelation about the target of the show's main bounty hunter, who's known simply as the Mandalorian (and played by Pedro Pascal).
The revealed character might confuse anyone who doesn't know when "The Mandalorian" takes place within the greater "Star Wars" timeline, because that character is not who you might think upon first sight.
Warning: Spoilers ahead for the first episode of "The Mandalorian."
In the closing minutes of "The Mandalorian" premiere episode, the bounty hunter finally tracks down a secretive and seemingly dangerous "asset" he's been commissioned to retrieve.
The Mandalorian opens a small, cradle-like container, and finds what looks like a baby Yoda.
But it can't possibly be the actual Yoda we know and love from the "Star Wars" universe.
"The Mandalorian"takes place after the original trilogy movies, in which Yoda was said to be about 900 years old. The Jedi master died in "Return of the Jedi," and was seen in the later films as a Force ghost. If you want to see a visual chart of how "The Mandalorian" fits into the chronology of every "Star Wars" movie and TV show, read through our timeline here.
So if the little baby creature with green skin, pointy ears, and distinctly Yoda-ish features isn't Yoda himself, then who is it?
What 'The Mandalorian' has revealed so far about the young asset
At the start of "The Mandalorian," we see the main bounty hunter get a new job referral from Greef Karga (played by Carl Weathers). Karga sends the Mandalorian to the unnamed Client (Werner Herzog).
We aren't told much about the Client, other than that he's working within back channels among the bounty hunters' guild. The commissioned job is done without the normal traceable exchange of goods like a bounty puck. The Client doesn't even have a description of the asset other than its age (50 years old) and last known location, along with a tracking fob.
The Client tells the Mandalorian they want the asset alive. He's working with a man called Doctor Pershing (Omid Abtahi).
The Client also says he'll accept the asset dead for half the price, as long as the Mandalorian can confirm termination. At this, Dr. Pershing protests. Clearly the asset's continued existence is more important to Dr. Pershing than it is to the Client.
But we don't know why.
When the Mandalorian arrives at the location where the asset is being held, he finds a bounty droid already there.
The droid, IG-11 (Taika Waititi), says he has been commissioned to retrieve the asset, too. When he and the Mandalorian finally fight their way past the dozens of guards and find the little baby, IG-11 doesn't hesitate.
"Wait," the Mandalorian says upon seeing the baby. "They said 50 years old."
"Species age differently," IG-11 replies. "Perhaps it could live many centuries. Sadly, we'll never know."
"No. We'll bring it in alive," the Mandalorian says.
"The commission was quite specific," IG-11 says. "The asset was to be terminated."
This makes it seem as if IG-11 was commissioned by someone other than the Client and Dr. Pershing. The droid raises its gun at the baby, and then the Mandalorian shoots and terminates IG-11, protecting the young creature.
Yoda's species was always kept secret by George Lucas
Though fans may have discussed Yoda's potential species among themselves, "Star Wars" creator George Lucas never identified the creature's origins. Yoda and another Jedi character, Yaddle, were the only of their kind ever seen in "Star Wars" movies and TV shows, and not even their home planet was mentioned.
The inclusion of a new character of the same species as Yoda makes for a surprising and intriguing addition to the "Star Wars" canon.
For now, we're left with far more questions than answers. Hopefully more will be revealed in the weeks to come on "The Mandalorian." There will be eight total episodes of the TV show, premiering each Tuesday on Disney Plus.
- Read more:
- Disney has 19 new shows coming exclusively to its streaming service — here they all are
- An essential timeline of when every past and upcoming 'Star Wars' movie and TV show takes place
- There are over 500 classic movies on Disney's new streaming service. Here are the 51 you should be excited about.
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